HS2 Alternative 'Will Cause Years Of Gridlock'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Railway services between the north and south of England will be crippled by 14 years of weekend closures if HS2 is abandoned for an alternative, ministers will claim this week.

The warning will be part of a Coalition "business case" for the high-speed rail link published on Tuesday in a bid to fight off critics of the increasingly controversial project.

It will paint a picture of chaos for commuters if other investments are chosen instead of HS2.

The closest alternative would require 2,770 weekend closures - equivalent to 144,000 hours - on the East Coast Mainline, Midland Mainline and West Coast Mainline, the report will say.

That will increase a typical journey from London to Leeds by two hours and 10 minutes to more than four-and-a-half hours overall.

Map of the HS2 route

The Government has drawn the evidence from a study by Network Rail and transport consultant Atkins. It also finds that houses and businesses would have to be demolished.

A Government source said: "We need to do something because our railways are nearly full but the alternative to HS2 is a patch and mend job that would cause 14 years of gridlock, hellish journeys and rail replacement buses.

"The three main routes to the north would be crippled and the economy would be damaged."

The strong language is a response to heavy criticism of HS2 - including from the Labour Party which is no longer promising to support the project.

The party wants to introduce a "cancellation trigger" to the legislation, forcing the Government to reveal if total costs rise about £50bn. Ministers may support the amendment.

Labour's role is seen as key after David Cameron admitted that "multi-year, multi-parliament infrastructure projects … can't go ahead without all-party support".

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Hunt: NHS At Risk Of BBC-Style Excessive Pay

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

The NHS is in danger of developing a BBC-style "culture of excessive pay and pay-offs", the Health Secretary has warned.

In a letter to health chiefs, Jeremy Hunt says the time has come for a "collective reality check" on pay.

Public trust will be damaged if NHS bosses see lucrative wage increases while frontline staff face a salary freeze, he warns.

Mr Hunt is planning a cap on the number of managers earning more than £100,000 and stricter redundancy rules.

"It is vital that we stay in tune with the public mood at a time when there is unprecedented pressure on the pay of frontline staff," he writes in the letter, which was sent to the heads of health quangos this weekend.

It follows revelations that 48 senior figures in the NHS organisations earn more than the Prime Minister.

Sir David Nicholson, the chief executive of NHS England who will step down next March, has been criticised over his £211,000 salary.

His successor, Simon Stevens, is taking a lower wage of £189,000 - a decision praised by the Health Secretary.

In the letter, he adds: "I believe that it is time for a collective reality check; we must not develop a culture where very high pay is normalised.

"I do not want the NHS to make the same mistakes as the BBC, where a culture of excessive pay and pay-offs was tolerated for too long and damaged public confidence in one of our great national institutions."

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Cancer Patients Denied Wish To Die At Home

Around 36,000 cancer patients in England are being denied their wish to die at home, new figures from Macmillan Cancer Support show.

This is the equivalent of almost three-quarters of all cancer sufferers, says the charity which is calling on the Government to make social care free for everyone in their final weeks.

The 2012 National Bereavement Survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed relatives and carers of cancer patients who died thought care in hospitals was often below the care received at home.

Some 63% of those whose loved one died at home rated the overall quality of care received as excellent or outstanding, compared to only 37% of those whose loved one died in hospital.

And 41% of people with terminal cancer were not always treated with dignity and respect by hospital doctors, the survey found.

Macmillan said too many people are still spending their last hours and days on hospital wards, two years after the Palliative Care Funding Review (PCFR) recommended free social care for those at the end of their life.

Ciaran Devane, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "As the Government makes up its mind about whether to fund and implement free social care at the end of life, thousands of people with terminal cancer are being left to die in hospital beds against their wishes.

"This is putting an unnecessary strain on our A&E departments because people are not getting access to social care for themselves or for their carers which would enable them to be cared for in the comfort of their own home.

"It's simply not good enough to pay lip service to this issue - we need to see action. If the Government wants the NHS to deliver world-class care at the end of life in the UK, it needs to start by giving people a real choice about where they die."

Lacey Phillips, 31, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, whose father died of head and neck cancer in 2012, agrees.

She said: "Nobody explicitly told my dad he was at the end of his life or explained what might be available in terms of support.

"We would have liked to have been given more options on his care - what they could do, what he was entitled to or what potential costs might be involved. We would all have preferred him to die either at home or in a hospice, where he would have felt more comfortable."

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "We are committed to improving and increasing the choice available for patients at the end of their life so they can choose where to spend their last days.

"As part of our work to improve end of life care, the current system for funding palliative care is being reviewed, with the intention to introduce a new system in 2015/16."

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Storm: Two People Killed By Falling Trees

Two people have been killed by falling trees in the severe storm which has been battering southern England.

A 17-year-old girl died after a tree fell onto a static caravan in which she was sleeping in Kent.

Paramedics and firefighters attended the scene in Hever, Edenbridge, but were unable to save the teenager.

The caravan in which a girl was killed after a tree fell on it in the storm

A man in his 50s was killed after a tree fell on his car in Lower High Street, Watford, in the early hours of this morning.

A 14-year-old boy, named locally as Dylan Alkins, is also feared dead after being swept out to sea on Sunday in Newhaven, East Sussex.

Around 270,000 homes suffered power cuts as hurricane-speed winds of up to 100mph swept across the South West, South, South East, the Midlands and the East of England.

The Dungeness nuclear power station in Kent automatically shut down both reactors after power to the site was cut off.

Gusts of 99mph were recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, according to the Met Office, while the Environment Agency said some 16 flood warnings and 134 flood alerts were in place.

Winds topped 80mph along southern coastal areas and became turbulent inland reaching 81mph in Portland, Dorset, 75mph in Yeovilton in Somerset and 79mph at Andrewsfield in Essex.

One tree devastated three houses and damaged two others when it fell on a gas main and led to an explosion in Hounslow, west London.

Three people escaped from the properties before firefighters arrived, and an elderly woman was taken to hospital.

People climb over a fallen tree in Shepherd's Hill, north London

Crews rescued a dog from one of the homes and some 12 people were evacuated from neighbouring premises as a precaution following the blast.

Fierce winds overturned a double-decker into a field in Coram Street, Hadleigh in Suffolk, injuring the driver and several passengers.

The driver, a man in his 40s, was initially trapped and was treated at the scene by paramedics.

A police spokesman said: "He was suffering from neck pain, had taken a bash to his head and was in and out of consciousness.

A tree crashes through several homes in Hounslow Pic: London Fire Brigade

Whitehall was closed in both directions in Westminster, London, after a crane collapsed onto the Cabinet Office which was evacuated.

A helter-skelter at Clacton Pier in Essex was blown over by the storm, but did not fall into the sea.

Rush-hour commuters suffered chaos on the roads and train network, with falling trees and debris blocking roads and covering railway tracks.

Network Rail said: "Trains will not be allowed to run until the worst of the storm has passed and engineers have been able to check railway lines in daylight for fallen trees, branches or any other debris which may have blown onto or damaged the infrastructure."

A bus carrying passengers is blown over onto its side in Hadleigh, Suffolk

Several London Underground and train services were suspended, the port of Dover in Kent temporarily shut after gusts of 65 knots were recorded in the area, and more than 130 flights at Heathrow Airport were cancelled because of the weather.

The Environment Agency said there were 12 flood warnings in place across the South West, the Midlands and the East of England. There were also 132 flood alerts telling people to be prepared for flooding.

It has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who held talks with Government departments and agencies at the weekend to ensure they were prepared for the impact of the storm, said the loss of life as a result of St Jude's storm was "hugely regrettable".

Scaffolding has been blown down in Francis Road, Leyton Pic: Mark Davies

He said the Government was working to make sure that the emergency services were able to do as much as possible to provide assistance.

Mr Cameron said: "Any injury or loss of life is hugely regrettable. We have to make sure the emergency services can act as fast as they can to help people."

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang said: "The worst is just about over. The storm is clearing out into the North Sea, but it is currently bringing 70 to 80mph gusts to East Anglia and Kent. These winds should slowly subside in the next hour."

Some 50mm of rainfall in 12 hours was recorded in Otterbourne in Hampshire and about 44mm in Cardiff.

A tree crashes onto a London bus Pic: @Casawa2011

More follows...

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Storm Causes Major Headache For Commuters

Rail passengers left stranded by hurricane-strength winds have criticised train companies, claiming they were not kept fully informed.

Hundreds of services were cancelled as a severe storm battered the South and the South East, felling more than 200 trees.

The strong winds also caused damage to overhead power lines, with parts of the rail network so badly affected that several operators, including East Coast, Virgin and East Midlands, urged customers heading to or from London not to travel at all on Monday.

Passengers at London Waterloo were going nowhere fast

Graham Collins, who was among those trying to get from Guildford, Surrey, to the capital, told Sky News: "It's disappointing. The problem is that you're drip fed information. It's just frustrating. I don't know what's going on, so I'm probably going to quit and go home now."

A mother who was attempting to travel to north Wales with her son for a half term walking holiday added: "It would have been better if there was more accurate information on the internet.

"The people at the station are doing the best they can but I overheard one of them saying the information on their websites is inaccurate anyway."

A tree on the tracks at Keymer, West Sussex. Pic: Network Rail/Twitter

Many train companies announced cancellations or suspensions to services as early as Sunday, as the storm, dubbed St Jude, raced across the Atlantic.

However, asked whether they had overreacted to the risk posed by the storm, Prime Minister David Cameron said:  "Everyone has to act on the basis of the evidence that they are given.

"Afterwards we'll be able to look back and see whether people made the right decisions but right now what matters is listening to the evidence, working together and getting things back to normal."

Some vehicles overturned in the storm, including this bus in Suffolk

The strong winds and heavy rain also caused disruption on the roads, with a number of major routes affected.

Both Severn estuary crossings were closed, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the Sheppey Crossing in Kent.

A lorry overturned on the M11 in Essex, while the A2 was shut in west Kent because of the number of fallen trees.

The clean up begins in London. Pic: madebymartha/madebymartha/Twitter

Countless local roads were also closed, as emergency services and council crews battled to remove fallen trees and other debris.

At Heathrow airport, about 130 flights were cancelled, although Gatwick said it was operating a "near normal service".

Rough seas whipped up by the strong winds also caused cancellations to ferry services, including English Channel, Irish Sea and Penzance-Isles of Scilly crossings.

Brittany Ferries also cancelled services between Plymouth and Roscoff, Poole and Cherbourg and Portsmouth and Bilbao.

Among the transport operators which continue to experience disruption are:

Trains

:: Southern Railway is reporting that a small number of large trees are still blocking lines on its network. The Brighton mainline has been cleared of trees and Gatwick Express services have resumed.

:: Most South West Trains routes do not have a service operating. The company said a "significantly reduced timetable" would operate for the remainder of the day while dozens of trees are removed. Its trains can run at a maximum speed of 50mph.

:: Southeastern Railway is running a high speed service between Ashford and St Pancras International but warned passengers the service would be "very busy". Many of its metro and mainline routes remain blocked.

:: East Coast Trains said customers are advised not to travel today. It has no service south of Peterborough, with no trains running in or out of London King's Cross. There is "no firm indication" about when services will be resumed.

:: East Midlands Trains advised customers travelling to or from London not to attempt their journeys. It has suspended services between Bedford and London St Pancras for the rest of the day because of fallen trees.

:: Virgin Trains has urged customers not to travel "unless absolutely necessary" on services to and from London using the West Coast Main Line. Services to and from London Euston are subject to delays and cancellations.

:: Greater Anglia Trains has suspended services on most routes, with customers advised not to travel for the rest of the day.

:: First Capital Connect advised passengers not to travel, warning that some lines may remain closed all day.

:: C2C said all services are suspended between Shoeburyness and London Fenchurch Street.

:: London Overground services have been part suspended, although trains are running between Highbury and Islington and New Cross/New Cross Gate.

:: London Underground trains continue to experience minor delays due to part suspensions on the District, Northern and Piccadilly lines.

Planes

:: Heathrow airport cancelled about 130 flights, with passengers advised to contact their airline before travelling.

:: Gatwick said it was operating a "near normal service", while Stansted, Luton and Bristol airports have not yet announced any cancellations.

Ferries

:: Brittany Ferries has announced cancellations between Plymouth and Roscoff, Poole and Cherbourg and Portsmouth and Bilbao.

:: The Port of Dover has reopened after a temporary closure, although passengers are urged to contact their ferry operator before travelling.

:: Ferries have been cancelled between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly.

Roads

:: The Highways Agency issued a severe weather alert for high-sided vehicles, caravans, motorbikes and other vulnerable vehicles.

:: Both crossings over the Severn estuary were closed but have since reopened.

:: Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, the southbound Dartford Crossing, has reopened after an earlier closure.

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Energy Poll: Majority Oppose Green Levies

A large majority of consumers oppose green levies on household energy bills and support the Prime Minister's plans to "roll them back", according to a new poll.

The survey found that 60% said they are against the green taxes which add an average £112 to annual bills, compared to 18% who supported them.

Some 61% said they would support the repeal of some of the levies, against 11% who would not.

Of the 1,000 people questioned, 40% prefer David Cameron's approach to the issue, 33% support Labour leader Ed Miliband, who is promising a price freeze and 7% back Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who has indicated he will fight to protect the green taxes.

Some 35% said Mr Miliband's plan for a 20-month freeze on prices following the 2015 general election would help keep the cost of bills down, but 54% said that energy companies would get round it by raising prices before or after the freeze period.

Four of the Big Six energy firms have raised their prices so far

The Survation poll for the Mail on Sunday revealed almost three-quarters (72%) believe energy prices will affect the way they vote in the general election.

It found more people blame the energy companies (59%) than either the current government (15%) or the previous Labour administration (15%) for the spiralling cost of gas and electricity.

The survey came as energy minister Greg Barker promised to "come down like a ton of bricks" on energy firms which are stockpiling cash from customers' direct debits.

Unless customers ask for the money back, energy companies are able to hold on to sums from monthly payments in excess of the amount owed for power used, and are able to earn interest on the money while it is sitting in their accounts.

Industry observers believe the total held could be as high as £2bn.

The Big Six suppliers are being summoned to talks with ministers about the issue, and Whitehall sources told the Mail on Sunday they could face fines or be encouraged to pay customers interest on the money.

Mr Barker told the paper: "Customers will rightly feel outraged that they signed up to direct debit payments for cheap tariffs but instead find their cash stockpiled.

"We need to stamp this out now and energy firms must come clean on how much cash they are sitting on. If we find serious abuse, rest assured we will come down on them like a ton of bricks."

An Npower spokesman said the company automatically refunds customers with over £60 credit.

A Scottish Power spokesman said it pays a customer £1 for every full multiple of £33 above a minimum credit value of £100 - to the maximum payout of £12 for a credit balance of £496.

An SSE spokesman said if customers are more than £100 in credit, they are automatically refunded the credit back to their bank account.

A British Gas spokesman said: "The amount of time customers are in debit far outweighs the amount of time customers are in credit."

And an EDF spokesman said: "Monthly direct debits are the cheapest way for people to pay their bills."

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Miller Redpath: Body Found In Back Garden

Police searching for a missing teenager have found a body in his overgrown back garden.

Public schoolboy Miller Redpath, 18, went missing from his family home in Wenhaston in Suffolk in August.

Suffolk Police said an officer went to the house on Thursday as part of their inquiries and found the body during a search of the garden.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out, however the cause of death remains unknown, police said in a statement.

"At this stage the death is still being treated as unexplained," the statement said.

"Officers have not yet been able to identify the deceased and further tests are required, however early indications suggest that it is the body of 18-year-old Miller Redpath.

"Further searches are taking place at the property and specialist trained officers continue to support Miller's mother at this difficult time."

The discovery comes after Mr Redpath's mother made an emotional appeal for information about her son's disappearance.

"I think he went out purposefully to do something, in order to return shortly, and something went horribly wrong," Anastasia Miller said earlier this month.

"Everything was on track for him as he was doing well at school, he was thinking of London University, had lots of friends and I just don't understand what happened," she added.

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William: England Team Can Inspire The Nation

The Duke of Cambridge says the England football team could inspire the nation as British Olympians and Paralympians did at London 2012.

Speaking at the Football Association's 150th anniversary gala, Prince William, who is the FA president, said: "Our national players are role models for millions of young people and I think we need to give those highly pressured and driven players the support and training they need to live up to their rightly exalted status.

"We were as a nation so proud of our Team GB athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics, for their success on the field but also for the way they conducted themselves in interviews and with their competitors.

"It is perfectly possible to say the same about our national teams - they are good people, ambitious for success and to a man and woman aware of their status as role models."

Dozens of dignitaries including FIFA boss Sepp Blatter attended the gala

The gala event was staged at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London, the site where the founding fathers of English football met in 1863.

As well as congratulating Roy Hodgson's England on reaching next summer's World Cup finals in Brazil, William also praised FA chairman Greg Dyke's commission to look into improving the fortunes of the national side.

"I am glad to see that, under the new chairman and commission, there is renewed vigour to improve the competitive quality of our national game, for all our sakes.

"But I would also encourage us to make sure we retain sportsmanship at the heart of this energetic drive for success.

"Regrettably, Her Majesty's reign includes only one time that England won the World Cup, but I know that Greg and Roy are trying to make up for lost time now."

The Prince is president of the FA

William said he was "heartened" to see how seriously the FA and other organisations are trying to stamp out racism and discrimination in the game, but said there is "sadly more work to do".

His comments came after Manchester City's Yaya Toure complained of fans making monkey noises during his team's midweek Champions League victory over CSKA Moscow in Russia.

England manager Roy Hodgson hailed William as a "tremendous supporter" of the national side when he took his turn to speak at the gala dinner on Saturday evening.

Hodgson revealed the second in the line to the throne also offered his congratulations after England qualified for the World Cup next summer, but steered clear of predicting any success in Brazil.

"We obviously spoke about the qualification. The Prince has been a tremendous supporter all the way through and has been up at St George's Park (the National Football Centre) to meet us, and I have thanked him for that once again this evening.

"He sent me a letter to congratulate us on the qualification and has also just given his congratulations once again and praised us on achieving the goal we set out to reach: Brazil."

Prince George with his proud parents

William's speech came as Buckingham Palace released a new portrait of Prince George with his parents following his christening at Clarence House.

The photo shows George smiling at his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, with William by her side.

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Boots Sells Sperm Count DIY Fertility Kit

A DIY male fertility test has gone on sale in Britain, allowing men to carry out sperm count checks at home for the first time.

The SpermCheck fertility kit went on sale in Boots stores across the UK this weekend.

The kit takes 10 minutes to test if a man has a normal or below normal sperm count.

The US-designed kit - which looks similar to a home pregnancy test - is able to determine with 98% accuracy whether a man has a low sperm count or not.

However, the test is unable to determine the health of the sperm.

Around one in six couples in the UK have difficulty conceiving a child.

Up to a fifth of young men suffer from a low sperm count, defined as having fewer than 20 million sperm per millilitre of semen.

A low sperm count or poor sperm quality is the cause of infertility in about 20% of couples in the UK, and is a contributory factor in a further 25% of couples.

SpermCheck chief executive Ray Lopez told the Mail on Sunday: "With this test we can truly help couples suffering from infertility.

"A lot of the time, the woman is the one who is burdened with finding out what is wrong, but the reality of the situation is that in 40% to 60% of cases, male factor infertility is to blame."

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Storm: Britain Braced For Hurricane-Speed Winds

An amber weather warning has been issued across large parts of England and Wales as a hurricane-strength storm builds over the Atlantic and moves towards Britain.

Meteorologists have warned the fierce winds of up to 80mph and torrential rain  - which will first strike the south-west of England  - could leave a trail of destruction as the storm sweeps north-east across the country, damaging buildings and bringing down trees and power lines.

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

Storm clouds gathering over Brighton earlier Pic: Phil Beaven ‏@beevr001

Prime Minister David Cameron said he had chaired a call with Government departments and agencies to hear about their plans to "ensure people are protected from tonight's storm".

He was updated on preparations and contingency planning for transport, schools. hospitals, councils and power supplies.

Mr Cameron was told that the storm could have "a widespread impact", but that transport providers, local Government, emergency services and power companies had plans in place to respond.

The much-anticipated storm - which the Met Office has said will affect Britain on Sunday night and Monday morning - has been named St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is tomorrow.

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987.

Rough seas at Porthleven, Cornwall

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

This time he has warned people to "batten down the hatches" and to delay their journey by two or three hours on Monday morning.

He told Sky News' Murnaghan show: "There is certainly a severe storm on the way - and we certainly do need to worry about it.

"If you draw a line from about Aberystwyth to the Humber - everywhere south of there looks like getting affected by strong winds, to the north of that the problem is going to be heavy rain and localised flooding.

"These strong winds aren't going to last all that long, but they are going to be unfortunately getting up around about rush hour time, so the message we're trying to convey at the moment is to delay your journey just by two or three hours in the morning, and then you should be safe."

The storm will intensify very quickly when it reaches the UK

Insurance companies have advised households to take steps to protect themselves and their property.

People should also establish evacuation plans, place valuable items upstairs to limit flood damage and ensure gutters are clear so water can drain away.

The Environment Agency says 20-40mm of rain could fall within six to nine hours.

It has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts, and are closely monitoring water levels so they are ready to issue flood warnings if necessary.

A spokesman said: "Seafronts, quaysides and jetties should be avoided due to the risk of overtopping by waves and wind-blown shingle."

Severe weather alerts are in place, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

A yellow warning, meaning "be aware", has been issued for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

Ferry services between Plymouth and Roscof, as well as Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, have been cancelled.

Brittany Ferries, which runs the Plymouth-Roscoff route, said on its website: "We are in the process of contacting all passengers booked on these sailings. We apologise for the inconvenience the cancellation of these services will cause."

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday.

"So Monday morning's rush hour looks like being chaotic with travel and power interruptions anticipated.

"The public are advised to take the greatest care - and to carry a fully charged mobile if travel is necessary.

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

It has been compared to the Great Storm of 1987

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But the storm is expected to intensify near to the mainland before it hits the south-west coast with full force, with a strong jetstream and warm air close to the UK contributing to its development and strength.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads."

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

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