HS 2, to be abandoned?

[makster]

Re:

I suggest a referendum......

Seriously though, this is the kind of thing the x-factor generation should be trusted to vote on.
More important things should be left to those in government

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Really?

To carve up ( or not ) a huge scar across part of the country, left to X Factor types?

You can take that tongue out of your cheek now, Mark!

 

[Joe_Rides]

I completely agree that the money should be spent elsewhere. To save 1 Hr between Manchester and London for all of that destruction, environmental impact and cost is pathetic in my view.

It's laughable that they are destroying 500+ year old woodland and listed buildings, but missing out golf courses. It's that sort of mentality. Most of the public don't want it. No-one listens. As per.

I have been hoping that MP's would see sense and spend the money elsewhere, particularly in view of the more recent, more pressing issues, however houses have already been compulsory purchased, and spades will be in the ground next year. I doubt they're going to turn back now.

A massive lifestyle change needs to be implemented in the UK around infrastructure but that's another story.

 

[xerxes]

Re:

But don't get me started!

Oops, too late.

There was an interesting program on the radio talking about HS2, can't remember where now though. Essentially they were saying that for the money we should improve what we have, free internet access on trains, that way people could work or entertain themselves and wouldn't be so concerned about the journey times. More trains, so that people could actually get a seat at busy times, better and more rational pricing, so that you don't need a spreadsheet to work out the best deal and how much a journey is actually going to cost, better integration with other transport - allow bicycles on trains perhaps - how novel. :?

 

[daugs]

This sort of engineering exercise is what puts the Great in Great Britain, it always has and it's what the country is built on.
It's the only way we will get the good old preiEU days back

It should be but the reality is far different in the 21st C compared to the 19th. The original requirements included links to HS1/CTRL and Heathrow, both of which have been dropped. In Euston we have had so many different plans I've lost count, the current version AP3 after Option 8 was kicked out, is for only half a station, leaving the old Euston Station as is, but costs the same, with large elements still only at the conceptual design stage, the impact on the local community is unacceptable with 17 years of construction work with most of it at night. They've been "working" on this for at least 6 years and still have not worked out how to get it into London. There is a reason why everyone else in the world stops high speed rail in the suburbs and uses existing infrastructure to get into the centre, and Old Oak Common which could be an alternative London Terminus is on the Zone 2/3 boundary, hardly miles away.

Oh and on the cost, don't forget that while Phase 1 is £56billion, you need to add another £30billion odd for Crossrail 2 which you must have to be able to move all the new arrivals at Euston into London.