HS2

[Polarbear]

It seems, according to Lord Berkley that even the review panel conclusions were 'doctored' to keep HS2 going.

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/business/parliament-was-seriously-misled-over-hs2-review-panel-deputy-chairman/

I have no personal interest as I very ever use the railways and will probably be dead by the ime it's completely finished but white elephant doesn't even come close to what it's become in my view.

Has anyone got any pro views of this? Even when I was still working in London it wasn't a case of 'wow, great, high speed' more a csae of whatever.

Ecological concerns are of course high on the list nowadays and it seems it will destroy countryside in a way not seen since the motorway building sprees of the 60's, 70's and 80's.

Or is it a necessary cost to bear to being at the forefront of industrial nations.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Riejufixing]

It was supposed that a large amount of its use would be in the carriage of freight, although reducing journey times for people caught and held the headlines. The environmental saving was to be in terms of removing freight from less efficient (fuel-wise) movers.

Edit: SP.

[Im-a-Ridah]

One plus is that it provides a fast way to cross the country after the Greenies ban all domestic flights.

[duhawkz]

It'll end up being so expensive to build, that the ticket prices will be prohibitively expensive so no one will use it.

I'd scrap it personally and invest the money they had planned to spend on it updating and expanding the current rail network to make that fit for purpose.
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"The guy is a worthless cunt and I honestly believe I would be a slightly happier person if he died." - Chris-Red

[Ribenapigeon]

There's a big lobby in the north that believes HS2 will massively increase business in the 'oop norf. Personally I think relocating government, its ministries and Parliament to the north would be a better way of solving the north south divide problem.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[Ste]

Next people will be saying that train companies should be nationalised.

Network Rail are a lovely example of just what level of service can be expected from nationalised rail services.

[Im-a-Ridah]

[Sister Sledge]

Very much out of the loop up here in the North East. I think the final section would run to Leeds? The only thing I've ever heard that was promoted about it was saving ten minutes London to Birmingham. There's obviously far more to it as said because freight and local services use the (existing) network.
To me the whole project is too expensive, will cause too much disruption and will destroy too much land. I know fine well that corruption and incompetence and lies will land a stupidly high bill on the taxpayers doorstep.
Wherever there is money you will find corruption.
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CCM 404 DS

[linuxyeti]

[WreckTangle]

It does not matter how much this is going to cost, how much corruption/disruption or problems this will cause.

The government will get this white elephant of a plan through why?

since Boris won the election, I suspect that he will drum up support for this line, because of his election promise to turn the north in to the 'northern powerhouse'

better ways to spend the money boris, but who cares, I suspect the government has already made up it's mind on this
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My wife asked me to get her something that goes from 0-100 in under 5 seconds for her birthday. ......................I got her a bathroom scale.

[Diggs]

Northern Powerhouse my arse! All it will do is enable those living near enough to an HS2 station to get to London a bit faster.

If the Government is genuinely interested in improving the lot of those of us who live north of the M1/M62 intersection, it needs to improve the existing cross-Pennine rail routes instead.
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[linuxyeti]

[stinkwheel]

Trains are shit, slow, expensive and unreliable.

They need to be at least two out of faster, cheaper and more convenient than taking a car to be a worthwhile proposition. Nothing about this HS2 project is making me thing they will achieve that.

Anecdotally, at least 1 in 3 train journeys I make is either delayed by more than 30 minutes or turns into a bus or taxi. If I wanted to take a fucking bus, I'd have paid for one, they are at least cheaper and tend to run on time. However, I get travel sick on a bus so you can imagine how pleased I am when I land up paying train money for bus service.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Im-a-Ridah]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[linuxyeti]

[Sister Sledge]

What will it get? Lots up here.
There's a rail link - The Blyth and Tyne Railway that extends from Newcastle and heads toward Blyth and on to Ashington. It was one of those hammered in times gone by and currently sees only 8 freight trains per day. It never fully closed but passenger services were stopped long ago.
The rails are there and everything else. We have really high unemployment rates and links to work and beyond are rubbish due to the geography of the area. The railway here, if opened to passengers, would see huge improvements for us.
Yes almost all of the stations have been turned to residential use or demolished but I've seen the plans for new ones and they're very good. They'll be placed at key points where main roads link to other nearby villages and towns. Everything planning-wise was done. It just needed the go ahead.

What annoys us most up here around Blyth Valley is for many many decades it was a Labour stronghold. We were given excuse after excuse as to why the rail link would never happen. Now that a Conservative bloke is the MP the rail link immediately happens!
Labour stifled growth here. Labour would tell us it was 'for the better' and that the 'bigger picture' was important. To say that residents of the valley are angry is an understatement.
I dislike Conservatives but here we are and things are being done for us. The more they're doing, the more Labour are being shown for what they actually did - nothing for us.
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CCM 404 DS

[linuxyeti]

[Polarbear]

[Ribenapigeon]

[Im-a-Ridah]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[linuxyeti]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]