HS2 - Birmingham to Manchester scrapped.

[BeerIsTheBest]

Reading some narrative it’s like the cost increase has suddenly crept up on the gvmt. Funding for HS2 was subject to two government-ordered reviews in the last three years. The first (the Oakervee report) supported the project and the second axed the Leeds leg.
Its just another gvmt led shitshow. No UK gvmt runs big infrastructure projects well. Most big projects would die on the planning page if a true cost benefit analysis were undertaken.
The UK is a laughing stock.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

Stupid waste of money. Great central railway 1899-1923 followed (very) roughly the path of today's M1 and would've been the perfect high speed north-south link. Just like when we do eventually get round to building modern nuclear power stations it's 50 years too late.

 

[The Black Shed]

What a surprise, you could see this happening before the whole shitshow got started. Spend that money on the northern rail infrastructure instead, London has enough links in and out. All this nonsense about getting to Birmingham 20mins quicker, it's not about that, it's about getting to the capital 20mins quicker. Everything is so London centric and something has to change

 

[Deleted member 77198]

What a surprise, you could see this happening before the whole shitshow got started. Spend that money on the northern rail infrastructure instead, London has enough links in and out. All this nonsense about getting to Birmingham 20mins quicker, it's not about that, it's about getting to the capital 20mins quicker. Everything is so London centric and something has to change

We live on an 80,000 sq mi island that acts like 600 sq mi London is Singapore.

90% of the country don’t live in London but the govt act like 90% do and 100% want to.

 

[BimboBob]

90% of the money is in London.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

90% of the money is in London.

It’s surprisingly only about 20%

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

We live on an 80,000 sq mi island that acts like 600 sq mi London is Singapore.

90% of the country don’t live in London but the govt act like 90% do and 100% want to.

It's a con. People (not really rich people) living a dog's life in tiny terraced houses that cost the thick end of a million quid just for the 'kudos' of living within the M25. Zone six on the tube is probably not that much quicker into central London than a mainline train from the midlands. No shortage of daft cunts in greater London.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Stupid waste of money. Great central railway 1899-1923 followed (very) roughly the path of today's M1 and would've been the perfect high speed north-south link. Just like when we do eventually get round to building modern nuclear power stations it's 50 years too late.

 

[stonie]

Worked on HS2 a few times, see all the bullshit that comes with it, I am surprised it has got this far and never expected it to make Manchester, (well not in my lifetime), always putting obstacles in the way why something cannot be done, the money they waste is criminal, no wonder companies in the past have gone bust, the carrilion collapse was another arse hole of a company to work for, nothing has been learnt from their collapse, HS2 will continue to hemorrhage tax payers cash I have no doubt

 

[Blue Mist]

A few years back I was doing work for First Group. (Bus and train people) they were heavily involved in one of the London waste of money schemes, I think it was Cross Rail. I spoke to an architect who worked for First who had his first company invoice sent back by Cross Rail as it was too low. Apparently it would look bad because everyone else was charging double.
The money wasted on over payments is nigh on criminal and ultimately, as tax payers we fund it.
HS2 will be an even bigger money pit.