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while typically having a negative impact on the rest of the rail network, when it is far, far more important, and far cheaper, to reinstate lost railway lines and create other useful local-ish rail links.
Adding HS2 mean the regional line won’t be as busy allowing more trains on the existing line.
edscoble-
In theory, yes, but it's not that simple. If you have a market-led model, and you carry on road-building away from the railways, as this Government seemingly still intends to do, you may end up with a less used older line and more motor traffic on parallel roads, leading to fewer trains. As above, it's not just about the simple measure of 'capacity' but about different qualities that a network can possess, and how different networks influence each other and interact. It might happen as you say in some areas, but in others the effect might be affected by extraneous factors.
Oliver Schick
As I've said before, HS2 is largely on the same template as high-speed trains in Europe, whose remit is basically to facilitate business travel. Obviously, it also facilitates travel between larger centres for other people wealthy enough to afford the higher fares, while typically having a negative impact on the rest of the rail network, when it is far, far more important, and far cheaper, to reinstate lost railway lines and create other useful local-ish rail links. Also important are sensible main line upgrades, of course, but HS2 isn't a strategic priority by any stretch of the imagination.