HS2 - Cancel it now

[urban genie]

Which company will be running the trains on the new line?

Deutsche Bahn or Abellio probably, they run most of the ones now

 

[malg]

It is Cameron's vanity project. London/SE get over 90% of budget for rail construction. Nuff said.

Great legacy, this plus Brexit.

 

[urban genie]

Great legacy, this plus Brexit.

And free schools and the bedroom tax

 

[Kompany Car]

I hope it doesn’t reach us.

It’s only been thought up to drain talent out of the places it will reach and take them down to London with the enticement of a one hour (from Manchester) commute there.

Fuck it and fuck ’em!

We need a Liverpool to Leeds line far more than we need a Manchester to London line.

What this country needs is a more decentralised economy.
If they want better connections between the north and south then resignal the railway with a more automated system that allows you to safely run the trains closer together (ERTMS as it is known).
They have been pissing about with upgrades for years on the Manchester to Leeds route as it was felt by government that the first estimate of £5Bn was too much so it has been cut to around £3Bn without any electrification.
The other link which is critical is that between Manchester and Sheffield and not just by rail but also road. This is more challenging but estimates put the cost of a combined rail and road link at around £10Bn (the most expensive of the 4 options).
A report published in 2014 (https://www.transportforthenorth.co...ine-tunnel-strategic-study-stage-3-report.pdf) shows that the benefit to the economy of improving these links is worth £97Bn to the economy.

So the 2 major upgrades which cost less than half of what HS2 was originally going to cost are either cut back or put on the back burner whilst they continue to waste money on this vanity project. You can almost be certain however that someone is making an absolute fortune out of HS2.

 

[kippax4ever]

I hope it doesn’t reach us.

It’s only been thought up to drain talent out of the places it will reach and take them down to London with the enticement of a one hour (from Manchester) commute there.

Fuck it and fuck ’em!

We need a Liverpool to Leeds line far more than we need a Manchester to London line.

1/2hr less that's all it is..

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

They have been pissing about with upgrades for years on the Manchester to Leeds route

I think they have been pissing on the upgrades. We still have the 'buses on wheels' creaking through Littleborough.

 

[SWP's back]

People talking about £86bn-£100bn as if it’s money being taken out of the country rather spending on UK infrastructure and helping the economy.

 

[urban genie]

People talking about £86bn-£100bn as if it’s money being taken out of the country rather spending on UK infrastructure and helping the economy.

And could be better spent on areas where the existing rail system is far more below par then the london to brum/manc.

High speed should be built but first make getting up north in 40 mins wortwhile by first high end systems networks in the NE, NW and yorkshire up to edinburgh

 

[bluethrunthru]

Deutsche Bahn or Abellio probably, they run most of the ones now

Knowing the way they work the railways it will be a consortium made up of Camelot, Lidl, G4S and Subway.

 

[WestGorton]

Irrespective of your political persuasion. A vehicle to prop up the south with workers from the Midlands and the North West. I am not anti south but anti hedge fund investors.