Scrap HS2

It only takes 2 hours from Leeds to London now anyway so what the big deal another 15 mins quicker

Plus it will screw us in this part of the country as companies relocate to be closer to this magical link so anyone not close to one ( ie us) will be screwed.
 
When you consider:
4,000,000 GBP`s has been spent on redecoration and restoration of Buckingham Palace.
The current restoration of the Palace of Westminster is online to be
5,600,000,000 Billion when completed.
New road build for the coming year [two projects currently in progress] is
210,000,000,000 Billion when completed.
Hammersmith Bridge in London is costing
140,000,000 GBP`s to repair.

HS2, in context is far from the headline grabber some try to make it.
 
Cappachoochoo said:
Ridiculous vanity project and devastating for our natural countryside. Outrageous waste of money
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Like the thousands of hectares of arable farmland covered in concrete and tarmac for new roads and widening existing concrete - every year.
doesnt solve the issues involved....like pouring money down a hole in the ground!
 
scrap HS2 - invest in regular rail & light rail systems..
scrap HOC & Parliament refurb.... save billions, gut it & take elements for a museum in & near a more central, modern & purpose built, administrative & governmental setup... Nottingham / Birmingham / Leeds area... bulldoze the relic.. leave them a museum too..

far too much money spent keeping far too many old buildings.. even significant ones like HOC & HOP..
 
I live about 5 miles from it in Bucks and it’s causing all sorts of stress here.

I used to live in a village which is having go through its western edge on the edge of the Chilterns and the scar on the landscape is horrid.

up the road in Steeple Claydon protected habitats have been dug up and naturally protestors are out most days.

I’m all for projects which move the country forward but this just grinds me.

My anger was topped off when I went to go for a casual round of golf with a mate and when we got there the golf club had been closed down and HS2 is going through the 14th.
 
Cappachoochoo said:
It’s the wrong bloody route! The problem is cross country services, Cambridge/Oxford/Birmingham, Yorkshire /Lancashire etc. etc. London has all the connections it needs.
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I agree with this. Distinct lack of cross country. It used to annoy me that if I want to go from Cheltenham to Oxford, I had to Cheltenham->Bristol->Didcot->Oxford

as I said i above, I am for projects that move the country forward, HS2 doesn’t do that.
 
Jostler said:
I live about 5 miles from it in Bucks and it’s causing all sorts of stress here.

I used to live in a village which is having go through its western edge on the edge of the Chilterns and the scar on the landscape is horrid.

up the road in Steeple Claydon protected habitats have been dug up and naturally protestors are out most days.

I’m all for projects which move the country forward but this just grinds me.

My anger was topped off when I went to go for a casual round of golf with a mate and when we got there the golf club had been closed down and HS2 is going through the 14th.
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It was considered using the trackbed of the old Great Central part of the way over the Chilterns and through parts of Buckinghamshire but there was an outcry from the small number of people who have erected garages and sheds on parts of it.

If its any consolation, Ernest Marples assured the country that the new build M1 was going to "free up" town centres of trafic and improve quality of air - like "smokeless zones" in the 60s.

Many ancient woodlands and wild-life habitats were bulldozed because it was thought the roads were the only future for transport. Marples also owned an enormous share in companies dedicated to building new roads.

At least today we are more aware of the environmental impact.

Its indicative of the anti-public transport brigade that a big uproar did not greet the plan to take away part of the area around stonehenge for a new road?! The estimated cost for that short road is 1,600,000,000 GBP`s!
 
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Jostler said:
I agree with this. Distinct lack of cross country. It used to annoy me that if I want to go from Cheltenham to Oxford, I had to Cheltenham->Bristol->Didcot->Oxford

as I said i above, I am for projects that move the country forward, HS2 doesn’t do that.
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When we want to go to Birmingham to see family and/or the Boro in the West Midlands it’s 3 hours (and silly money) if we go by train. Crackers!
 
r00fie1 said:
Many ancient woodlands and wild-life habitats were bulldozed because it was thought the roads were the only future for transport. Marples also owned an enormous share in companies dedicated to building new roads.
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Too many politicians getting tucked up with their personal interests being benefited.

I’ve walked a lot of the woodlands along the Ridgeway and they are truly ancient, with the ridgeway itself being around 5000 years old and the old hillforts are testament to that.

it pains me to see it, as I’ve had some important reflection periods walking that area when struggling with anxiety.
 
Jostler said:
Too many politicians getting tucked up with their personal interests being benefited.

I’ve walked a lot of the woodlands along the Ridgeway and they are truly ancient, with the ridgeway itself being around 5000 years old and the old hillforts are testament to that.

it pains me to see it, as I’ve had some important reflection periods walking that area when struggling with anxiety.
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If we agree to protect areas you describe [which I think is imperative for us to preserve for future generations] expenditure needs to include tunnels, but, mile for mile, the cost of HS2 is well below the money spent on infrastructure for London within the M25.
Incidentally, the residents of High wycombe complained loudly to Parliament that traffic on the route of the Metropolitan Railway was going to double once the Aylesbury - Marylebone section of the Great Central was built! That was 1894(y)
 
r00fie1 said:
mile for mile, the cost of HS2 is well below the money spent on infrastructure for London within the M25.
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Maybe there is a strong rationale for London. There is none for HS2. And it sounds like you are comparing general infrastructure that could be anything from bridges to sewers to roads. So maybe not a like for like comparison.
 
r00fie1 said:
If we agree to protect areas you describe [which I think is imperative for us to preserve for future generations] expenditure needs to include tunnels, but, mile for mile, the cost of HS2 is well below the money spent on infrastructure for London within the M25.
Incidentally, the residents of High wycombe complained loudly to Parliament that traffic on the route of the Metropolitan Railway was going to double once the Aylesbury - Marylebone section of the Great Central was built! That was 1894(y)
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I’m a traditionalist when it comes to the countryside, Christmas traditions, self sufficiency and general family life, so there’s a very good chance I over romanticise things. The irony being my whole career has been made from e-commerce and tech.
I think the countryside and natural world offers me much needed balance, so I get protective when it’s getting destroyed unnecessarily.
 
r00fie1 said:
When you consider:
4,000,000 GBP`s has been spent on redecoration and restoration of Buckingham Palace.
The current restoration of the Palace of Westminster is online to be
5,600,000,000 Billion when completed.
New road build for the coming year [two projects currently in progress] is
210,000,000,000 Billion when completed.
Hammersmith Bridge in London is costing
140,000,000 GBP`s to repair.

HS2, in context is far from the headline grabber some try to make it.
Click to expand...

It is a headline grabber as it is totally unnecessary, and has been from day one - £30bn, to £45bn, to £55bn, to whatever the cost will end up being. Using other projects to downplay how ridiculous this entire proect is simply helps to obfuscate the truth, which is exactly what politicians and those who benefit financially from this scheme want.

This country and us will face decades of increased taxation to pay for the impacts of the Covid crisis. Let's lessen the blow for the 99% somewhat by ceasing this preposterous scheme now before any more precious funds are diverted to the 1%.
 
Jostler said:
I’m a traditionalist when it comes to the countryside, Christmas traditions, self sufficiency and general family life, so there’s a very good chance I over romanticise things. The irony being my whole career has been made from e-commerce and tech.
I think the countryside and natural world offers me much needed balance, so I get protective when it’s getting destroyed unnecessarily.
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I concur entirely with your sentiments. I feel equally concerned that people winge about building on "green" land and talk of protecting the countryside [not you], then get in their car and expect a motorway to take them where they want to be and sod everyone else.

We all need a change in macro-mindset: lock down has given us a glimpse of the future - where people became concerned again for others - and massively reduced road traffic gave us back our roads to walk and cycle along.

Investment in mass public rapid - transit is long overdue. We will have to accept a temporary inconvenience for long-term benefit for all of our people.(y)
 
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