Greater Birmingham - Thread

[Brum X]

You only have to look at the route and the total destruction of Woodlands, prime farming land, ponds, streams etc, and all for a train that will be another 10 years away before any journeys can start.
Only last week it was confirmed that the 225mph speed would not be achieved, and journeys were to be reduced from 18 per hour, down to 10 per hour.
I could go on, but suffice it to say, the whole project is flawed and it has already been well stated that it will never make a profit.

And do you think about all the wildlife that gets killed every year getting sucked up into a planes engine when you go on your summer holidays to Spain ?

Hs2 have done some brilliant things to put back area's for wildlife and if everybody else did there little bit for local wildlife, birds and other animals would be thriving.

You only have to look at the route and the total destruction of Woodlands, prime farming land, ponds, streams etc, and all for a train that will be another 10 years away before any journeys can start.
Only last week it was confirmed that the 225mph speed would not be achieved, and journeys were to be reduced from 18 per hour, down to 10 per hour.
I could go on, but suffice it to say, the whole project is flawed and it has already been well stated that it will never make a profit.

It wasn't confirmed, it is purely scare mongering by people like yourself against Hs2, Loooooooooooooool

 

[HPsauce]

Sorry, but most of your statements are factually incorrect.
1. Runway extensions do not even touch the amount of land being decimated by HS2.
2. You talk of 'a vocal minority who protest'. In all my research over the last 12 years I have found hardly anyone in favour of the project.
3. Victorian railways didn't take away the huge swathes of land that HS2 appears to require.
4. Replanting the thousands of lost trees has already proved a waste of time, as the vast majority are already dead. Creating natural areas alongside a high speed railway spells death to most living creatures.
5. Birmingham city centre is dying a steady death as more people avoid it at all costs.
6. The spiralling cost of HS2 is going to fall on our future generations.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

And do you think about all the wildlife that gets killed every year getting sucked up into a planes engine when you go on your summer holidays to Spain ?

In truth, very few animals (usually birds) are killed by ingestion into aircraft engines. For a more representative comparison of land use, it would probably be better to compare the building of HS2 with that of a motorway. The M40 would probably be a good example, as it matches the first phase of HS2 i.e. between Birmingham and London.

Only last week it was confirmed that the 225mph speed would not be achieved, and journeys were to be reduced from 18 per hour, down to 10 per hour.

18 per hour? surely that can't be right. Even 10 per hour seems excessive. If the 10 per hour included both north and south bound services, that would still equate to a departure every 12 minutes.
For the record, I'm 100% in favour of HS2. People often say how good the railways of France and Japan are, but when we try to build something as good, some people want it killed off. My only concern, is that the trains that will run on it are unlikely to be designed and built in the UK. Something we used to be a world leader at.

 

[jfy1999]

18 per hour? surely that can't be right. Even 10 per hour seems excessive. If the 10 per hour included both north and south bound services, that would still equate to a departure every 12 minutes.

18 per hour was the planned number of total departures from London split between all the destinations served by the two legs of HS2 to Manchester and Leeds. Obviously this proposed number has fallen now that the Govt have downsized Euston and started chopping bits off the HS2 proposal. However, most of those cuts could be easily be reversed while the line is still being built.

 

[Coathanger16]

HS2 is one of those things that whether you are for or against it, no matter what arguments you lay out, you're unlikely to convince someone on the other side of the debate to change their mind about it.

My only concern, is that the trains that will run on it are unlikely to be designed and built in the UK.

I believe when companies bid for the rolling stock contract, it was either one of the requirements or at the least very much put them in the preferred pool of candidates.

HS2 Ltd awards landmark rolling stock contracts to Hitachi-Alstom joint venture

Major boost for UK train-building as HS2’s state-of-the-art fleet of 225mph (360km/h) high speed trains will be built by Alstom and Hitachi Rail at their factories in County Durham, Derby and Crewe Landmark contract set to support 2,500 jobs across the UK and boost the economy by over £157m...

mediacentre.hs2.org.uk

Major boost for UK train-building as HS2’s state-of-the-art fleet of 225mph (360km/h) high speed trains will be built by Alstom and Hitachi Rail at their factories in County Durham, Derby and Crewe.

 

[Brum X]

Sorry, but most of your statements are factually incorrect.
1. Runway extensions do not even touch the amount of land being decimated by HS2.
2. You talk of 'a vocal minority who protest'. In all my research over the last 12 years I have found hardly anyone in favour of the project.
3. Victorian railways didn't take away the huge swathes of land that HS2 appears to require.
4. Replanting the thousands of lost trees has already proved a waste of time, as the vast majority are already dead. Creating natural areas alongside a high speed railway spells death to most living creatures.
5. Birmingham city centre is dying a steady death as more people avoid it at all costs.
6. The spiralling cost of HS2 is going to fall on our future generations.

5. Birmingham city centre is dying a steady death as more people avoid it at all costs.

You sound like a Birmingham Mail/Live reader. Maybe you need to get out more and have a walk around the city centre. As a resident of this great city, I confirm it is booming despite all the negativity that comes out of our local rag and its readers.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

3. Victorian railways didn't take away the huge swathes of land that HS2 appears to require.

Looking online, it appears that over 8000 miles of railways were built in the UK during the Victorian era (1837 -1901), with 6000 miles available in the first half of the 1800's -

Victorian Railways on AboutBritain.com

This will have taken up much more land than HS2 and in Victorian times, I doubt that they were planting new trees for those which were cut down.

4. Replanting the thousands of lost trees has already proved a waste of time, as the vast majority are already dead.

'Replanting' of trees does not imply digging them up and planting them elsewhere (which would kill most of them). It refers to planting saplings to replace the trees cut down on the HS2 route. There is no reason why 'the vast majority' would already be dead. Planting saplings is a very successful method of introducing new trees.

 

[Ianbutty]

Sorry, but most of your statements are factually incorrect.
1. Runway extensions do not even touch the amount of land being decimated by HS2.
2. You talk of 'a vocal minority who protest'. In all my research over the last 12 years I have found hardly anyone in favour of the project.
3. Victorian railways didn't take away the huge swathes of land that HS2 appears to require.
4. Replanting the thousands of lost trees has already proved a waste of time, as the vast majority are already dead. Creating natural areas alongside a high speed railway spells death to most living creatures.
5. Birmingham city centre is dying a steady death as more people avoid it at all costs.
6. The spiralling cost of HS2 is going to fall on our future generations.

I welcome your views. Don't get me wrong us planners do listen, contrary to keyboard warriors on social media who think we do not and listen to no one but themselves.

The point is this: we admire what our forefathers did, we use it oblivious to the destruction they caused, but destroy they did. Future generations will be oblivious to the destruction of HS2 and they will admire what was created in its place.

Noone with any sense replaces and old tree with an old tree. Saplings will grow faster than a semi mature tree, so saplings are what are planted.l not mature trees.

People complain about too many roads. A country of this size should not have internal air travel - except possibly to the Islands. So HS2, 3 4 or 5 is the future. Sorry for those most immediately effected, but a minority object (research suggests a maximum of 15%) so we go with the majority.

Ever used the TGV? Well it is amazing, sustainable and brought long term environmental benefit. And how they did it...well you will be salivating at how democratic we do things in this country.

As planner have to, think long term and you will start seeing things from a brand new perspective.

But you are free to have your views, and we do listen. Cheers

 

[Kevin Farnell]

One for Brum X here. I was watching Airport Action Live on YouTube, from BHX and in the background, there is a huge crane. Going by the runway alignment, I would guess it to be North or NNE of BHX. Any idea what it's doing?

 

[Brum X]

One for Brum X here. I was watching Airport Action Live on YouTube, from BHX and in the background, there is a huge crane. Going by the runway alignment, I would guess it to be North or NNE of BHX. Any idea what it's doing?

Thanks Kevin, just asking a few peeps. Will report my findings shortly

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Thanks Kevin, just asking a few peeps. Will report my findings shortly

I thought that would get your pulse racing! Please feel free to share the photo with your contacts.

 

[Brum X]

Meanwhile in central Birmingham ;-)

View attachment 27813

 

[Brum X]

Great news peeps, first crane has arrivaed at One Eastside, which will be Birmingham's tallest and biggest tower ever built.

 

[Ianbutty]

Great news peeps, first crane has arrivaed at One Eastside, which will be Birmingham's tallest and biggest tower ever built.

View attachment 27929

View attachment 27930

Blimey. Photo one the crane arrives. Photo two it is built! Great to see.

One for Brum X here. I was watching Airport Action Live on YouTube, from BHX and in the background, there is a huge crane. Going by the runway alignment, I would guess it to be North or NNE of BHX. Any idea what it's doing?

Looks like it is in the Castle Vale area. Assuming that the woodland on the horizon is the Kingfisher Country Park.

 

[Ianbutty]

Another major BBC production coming to town. Never watched it myself, but it is good to see the BBC investing in the city.

BBC TV series Silent Witness to move to West Midlands

Production on the 27th season of the crime drama is set start in the region next year.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Brum X]

2nd crane going up for One Eastside ;-)







Cranes in Southside ;-)

 

[Ianbutty]

Thanks Brum X. All is progressing well. Southside skies getting very congested.

This was on the BBC a few days ago:

Plans for Birmingham city centre flats put forward

The tower blocks, one of them 46 storeys high, will stand near the Library of Birmingham.

www.bbc.com

46 storeys. It is going to look impressive so close to the Octagon.

Brindley Drive | Court Collaboration | Property Developer Birmingham

Award-winning property developer in Birmingham, building lifestyles, communities and economies. Property isn’t about bricks and mortar it’s about people.

courtcollaboration.com

 

[Ianbutty]

Looks interesting. Hoping they pull it off.

Birmingham ring road to become 'green way' in new plans

A 20-year transport plan for Birmingham, due to be published on Tuesday, seeks to end car dominance.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Brum X]

Beorma Quarter Phase 2 | Digbeth | Mixed-Use | 30fl | 113m | U/C

We have a piling rig ;-) Brum is on a roll, most of our long standing projects are U/C. I can't quite believe it, ha

Cranes expected at the end of june and we are getting 3 cranes on this site.

 

[Ray Finkle]

We have a piling rig ;-) Brum is on a roll, most of our long standing projects are U/C. I can't quite believe it, ha

Cranes expected at the end of june and we are getting 3 cranes on this site.

So this is actually happening