HS2 protest

[Subbuteo_171]

Two of the main reasons HS2 cost so much is because we pander too much to people and there's far too much red tape in rail, I work on rail projects often and it's absolutely ludicrous. Both of those could be solved (or greatly reduced) very quickly.

Most (every) other country would do it for half the cost as they would just say, "it's coming this way whether you like it or not, you're taking this fair offer and you're moving, end of". There's little room for sentiment with an expanding population in a small area, that requires more and more movement, people can't have their cake and eat it.

There's a fair point about zoom and that will hopefully take some strain way, but zoom doesn't work for a lot of situations, especially construction, labour, families etc.

Lets not forget that the vast majority of that money will be going to materials, sub contractors, jobs and labour etc (mostly from the UK for you brexiters), and there's a return on it economically. It's not like we're just burning the money and getting nothing back.

We need more infrastructure, as well as rebuilding old, as we're at capacity on just about everything. This should have been built 30 years ago.

We need more infrastructure but primarily more localised or improved point to point rather than another line going to London.

Leeds for example needs a tram / Metro system. Leeds to Manchester rail needs improving, which would speed loads of journeys up across the north. York ring road needs to be a dual carriageway with grade separated junctions. A66 should be a dual carriageway as well.

 

[Emmersons_BrazillianDong]

HS2 is desperately required. The WCML is at capacity already.

Totally agree.

The suggestion that this is only about shaving off 15/20 minutes off a journey is a total red herring. Admittedly the way this was sold from the outset by HS2 was terrible and they did emphasise the time saving as part of it but this is about capacity pure and simple.

There is an understandable concern about rising costs but this is infrastructure that's going to be used for the next 100+ years and the costs are paid in future revenues rather than being taken from the plate of other parts of government.

The idea that this pandemic suddenly changes human nature so significantly that we stop using railways over the next 100 years is nuts. Zoom??

This government and future ones need to really start to level up the country. For far too long there's been a London and SE view on infrastructure. This needs to be sorted and it's only ideology that's stopping that

 

[Emmersons_BrazillianDong]

We need more infrastructure but primarily more localised or improved point to point rather than another line going to London.

Leeds for example needs a tram / Metro system. Leeds to Manchester rail needs improving, which would speed loads of journeys up across the north. York ring road needs to be a dual carriageway with grade separated junctions. A66 should be a dual carriageway as well.

Shouldn't be an either /or option mate. We should have world class public transport across the country.

 

[Decent_Left]

Totally agree.

The suggestion that this is only about shaving off 15/20 minutes off a journey is a total red herring. Admittedly the way this was sold from the outset by HS2 was terrible and they did emphasise the time saving as part of it but this is about capacity pure and simple.

There is an understandable concern about rising costs but this is infrastructure that's going to be used for the next 100+ years and the costs are paid in future revenues rather than being taken from the plate of other parts of government.

The idea that this pandemic suddenly changes human nature so significantly that we stop using railways over the next 100 years is nuts. Zoom??

This government and future ones need to really start to level up the country. For far too long there's been a London and SE view on infrastructure. This needs to be sorted and it's only ideology that's stopping that

Totally agree, big supporter of HS2 on the basis of increasing capacity as the current situation is totally maxed out - But only as long as it commits to Leeds and Manchester extensions now. But as usual our infrastructure thinking is piecemeal. Look at the announcement last week of reopening the Ashington Line to Newcastle for passengers - No electrification, The Cambridge to Oxford Line getting upgraded - no electrification. The London to East Mids and Sheffield line not being electrified.

Pandemic has proved money can be found for stuff so what about duelling the A66 or the A1 north of Morpeth or the upgrade of Hull to Liverpool rail corridor or even micro projects like Guisborough to Middlesbrough or at least Nunthorpe rail line being reintroduced.

 

[Emmersons_BrazillianDong]

Totally agree, big supporter of HS2 on the basis of increasing capacity as the current situation is totally maxed out - But only as long as it commits to Leeds and Manchester extensions now. But as usual our infrastructure thinking is piecemeal. Look at the announcement last week of reopening the Ashington Line to Newcastle for passengers - No electrification, The Cambridge to Oxford Line getting upgraded - no electrification. The London to East Mids and Sheffield line not being electrified.

Pandemic has proved money can be found for stuff so what about duelling the A66 or the A1 north of Morpeth or the upgrade of Hull to Liverpool rail corridor or even micro projects like Guisborough to Middlesbrough or at least Nunthorpe rail line being reintroduced.

Totally agree mate. Ideology has been the biggest barrier over time and now obviously Covid-19 is going to make things worse.

We have to start leveling up in real terms

 

[Soutra]

The A1 north of Morpeth must surely be the most deserving of investment. That the major road between the north east of england and the south east of scotland is single carriageway in 2021 is incredible.

 

[Andy_W]

We need more infrastructure but primarily more localised or improved point to point rather than another line going to London.

Leeds for example needs a tram / Metro system. Leeds to Manchester rail needs improving, which would speed loads of journeys up across the north. York ring road needs to be a dual carriageway with grade separated junctions. A66 should be a dual carriageway as well.

Agree with all of those, but the A66 DC probably least priority but they should all be done as well, not instead of. They should have all been done before the problems arose.

HS2 is just a link of our main economical areas, as you know, but more North - South and East to West routes which are jump on/ jump off would still be needed, they're probably already being looked at with feasibility studies.

This country is backwards though, with infrastructure, we've been reactive for years and with major transport schemes it will never benefit to be reactive. We have to be proactive so we can grow, not stand still where we strangle trade or movements, or be reactive where it ends up costing more and we have less economical benefit. Delaying costs us twice, even borrowing to fund it al early would be better.

We can never ever fix the current problem, by planning for the current problem, as the current problem is always increasing, we have to fix the problem that is coming before it strangles us.

We do it on individual housing schemes, planning future drainage and water storage based on climate change, but then we do daft things like cramming in loads of massive houses, with only 1 or two parking spaces, and tight roads, its bonkers.

 

[Andy_W]

There is an understandable concern about rising costs but this is infrastructure that's going to be used for the next 100+ years and the costs are paid in future revenues rather than being taken from the plate of other parts of government.

It (or its route) will probably be used for a 1000+ years, as its being made extremely flat and straight. In 100 years it may get ripped out and changed into a hyperloop, something similar or more advanced.

The good thing is 90% of the groundwork will have been done and all the service diversions carried out, all the land ownership sorted etc, will save some costs for 100 years time.

 

[Cooper671]

Protestors dig a tunnel beneath proposed site of HS2 line redevelopment

Conditions deteriorate with lack of oxygen and collapsing walls

A group calling themselves HS2 Rebellion are disrupting the new high speed rail network link development. A high court enforcement extraction team (seriously, WTF?) have been brought in.
Regardless of opinion, it’s hard to argue with the commitment to the cause that these people show. Difficult to envisage this ending peacefully.

Do one swampy

 

[Deleted]

Do one swampy

Do one Spider off Coronation Street

 

[asredastheycome]

Seriously, what is the point in HS2?

Some of the boys in blue making massive money from HS2 which is probably the reason the government didn't cancel it when the had a chance after the election.