My Ignorance Of Hs2

[Theland]

What benefits will HS2 bring? It seems like an awful lot of money to shave half an hour off the journey. What am I missing?

[hereIam]

I don't know Theland, I feel the same as you. Why does everything have to be faster, faster all the time ??

[Zacs-Master]

It brings a lot of employment which is generally good for the economy. It's not just about the thing when it's build. Personally I don't think the cost (already escalating from the original budget....surprise.....surprise) justifies shaving 10 mins off a journey from Leeds to London.

[Zacs-Master]

built

[andy-hughes]

I am unsure of the genuine benefits of 'time saved' for such a colossal amount of money spent.

The main thrust of the argument seems to be 'opening up the Northern Powerhouse' which is a term only a southerner with too much time on his hands could have conjured up!

The reality is that money and commerce will not advance northwards, and the notion that it is, is entirely without either evidence or merit.

The only result will be an even faster and more streamlined trip for money and commerce from the north to the south, thus increasing the status quo, and benefiting absolutely no-one north of Watford who actually has to suffer the consequences of this monstrous nonsense.

As you say, the supposed 'time saved' is a complete farce - because a lot of businessmen who will actually be able to afford to use the service, appreciate being able to settle down with the laptops and phones and get some uninterrupted work done - so the 'benefit' of taking twenty minutes OFF that time remains to be explained.

I believe it is nothing more than another ministerial ego trip, as was The Millennium Dome - and look how that ended up.

The money could be far better spent improving existing services, lengthening platforms, increasing and updating rolling stock, and sorting out timetables and maintenance - why would we want to add more to a railway system we already comprehensively fail to run in anything approaching a time-efficient and economical fashion?

[hereIam]

^ Totally agree with last para.

[Dodger666]

In my opinion HS2 is an enormous waste of taxpayers money.

At present passengers from London get of at New Street station which is in the heart of the city. With HS2 passengers could find themselves a distance away from the centre of Birmingham. If they walk to the centre, any time saved will be gone or they can pay for a taxi from the taxi ranks that are being constructed. Boris should stop the project now before more £millions are spent.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/529784/C224-ARP-CV-DPP-040-226700-FPD.pdf

[mushroom25]

"Time saved" is a spin off. the essential problem being solved by HS2 is a lack of capacity on the existing railway. the last upgrade was meant to be future proof until 2030 but has already been used up. a further upgrade(assuming it's possible) could take 20 years, with its attendant disruption.

so 2 choices: new build HS2? of allowing 80T trucks on our roads (which would end railfreight and the need for more capacity overnight)?

your call.

[andy-hughes]

mushroom - // the essential problem being solved by HS2 is a lack of capacity on the existing railway. the last upgrade was meant to be future proof until 2030 but has already been used up. a further upgrade(assuming it's possible) could take 20 years, with its attendant disruption.

so 2 choices: new build HS2? of allowing 80T trucks on our roads (which would end railfreight and the need for more capacity overnight)?

your call. //

My call is this - how can any government, Conservative or Labour, seriously expect us to believe that they can build and run a successful railway, when they have both systematically over decades singularly failed to come within a country mile of even beginning to look like properly running the railway we have already got?