HS2 losers -Aberdeen, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds and....

[Aviador]

Well it's official. The Manchester leg of HS2 of officially scrapped. It begs the question, is there any point in continuing with what's left?

 

[Silvercity]

Well it's official. The Manchester leg of HS2 of officially scrapped. It begs the question, is there any point in continuing with what's left?

I suppose if it got to Crewe, it could still service Manchester, Liverpool and north to Scotland as the trains can use conventional track. I can't however really see it getting beyond Birmingham. What levelling up ever really meant , more than just a slogan, is questionable.

 

[Scottie Dog]

What a waste of time, effort and, not least, money.

 

[Coathanger16]

And yet this just on the BBC live feed:



Whatever the final decision on Phase 2 ends up being, how can anyone have confidence in the government handling big or important issues going forwards.

How difficult is it to either come out and say "we're cancelling Phase 2 because...." or "we will make an announcement/decision on/before..."

 

[Silvercity]

I wonder how they will dress this up as a plus !!? What will the consolation prize be !?

 

[Coathanger16]

I wonder how they will dress this up as a plus !!? What will the consolation prize be !?

The rumours seem to suggest the Phase 2 "pot" will be made available to Northern Cities for other transport projects, but seeming as HS2 is being funded by borrowing against the project itself, if they cancel Phase 2, they can't borrow money against something that doesn't and won't exist.

 

[Silvercity]

When you think of the money wasted on the project .

 

[Ashley.S.]

Both Sky and the BBC are claiming that to their understanding it's been scrapped but the official line is still "no decision has been made" though I wouldn't be surprised if it has indeed been scrapped and they just don't want to admit to it just yet...

 

[Aviador]

I wonder how they will dress this up as a plus !!? What will the consolation prize be !?

Another promise we have to wait years for, or something that also can't be delivered.

 

[Brum X]

Well it's official. The Manchester leg of HS2 of officially scrapped. It begs the question, is there any point in continuing with what's left?

Yes, it connects the 2 biggest cities in the country.

The West Midlands also needs investment, it's not all about the north.

 

[Aviador]

Yes, it connects the 2 biggest cities in the country.

The West Midlands also needs investment, it's not all about the north.

I take your point but imagine if the money already spent had just been spent on Birmingham, do you not think that money could have created something really special for the city instead? I have to admit I've never supported HS2 from the beginning and I always argued it would never be finished and here we are today. Hopefully some of the money will find its way to Leeds and Manchester for city projects there, but I have my doubts on that too.

#HS2Fiasco

 

[Brum X]

I take your point but imagine if the money already spent had just been spent on Birmingham, do you not think that money could have created something really special for the city instead? I have to admit I've never supported HS2 from the beginning and I always argued it would never be finished and here we are today. Hopefully at last some of the money will find its way to Leeds and Manchester for city projects there, but I have my doubts on that too.

But we are where we are, we have cranes building the line into central Birmingham, what do you plan to do with all this. Make Birmingham wait another 20 years for it to be cleared and to start again ?

How is that going to help the city ?

 

[Aviador]

Fair point and to be honest up here in the gods we are so far removed from London it really feels like nothing at all is happening so forgive me for thinking nothing was yet happening in Birmingham. Does anybody know if the new line will actually free up enough track on the old lines to enable the other services to be speeded up anyway?

 

[Brum X]

Fair point and to be honest up here in the gods we are so far removed from London it really feels like nothing at all is happening so forgive me for thinking nothing was yet happening in Birmingham. Does anybody know if the new line will actually free up enough track on the old lines to enable the other services to be speeded up anyway?

The whole of the Eastside area of the city is being constructed as we speak around Hs2 and the new Curzon Street station, this is why it is heart wrenching to hear this latest news and also people suggesting the whole thing is cancelled. I am well peeved off with this as Brum/West Midlands will also no longer get all the benefits of Hs2 and will indeed now be a white elephant. ;-(







This latest news if indeed it is confirmed will certainly give me something to think about when I am in the voting booth next May.

 

[Jerry]

Yes, it connects the 2 biggest cities in the country.

The West Midlands also needs investment, it's not all about the north.

The point of HS2 etc was that it was about both about providing faster rail and free up rail connectivity for a big chunk of England. Now it's just going to be a quick shuttle between Birmingham and London and will that really benefit Birmingham?

 

[Silvercity]

A few interesting guests on R4 this morning speaking about HS2. The first was an engineering company who built HS1 ( on time and under budget, he said ) . When they applied for work for HS2, was told they didn't have the experience !! He also said HS2 should have been built in the the same manner as TGV lines in France, instead its planned to go faster than any other high speed line in Europe. It was also stated that HS2 station in Euston is OTT for what's required.

When you look at Spain, France , Germany. They all have High Speed rail and a major airport for the country, and for some years. The UK doesn't seem to be able to get its act together. We have no high speed rail lines and are still waiting to see if LHR will get a 3rd runway

 

[Aviador]

This latest news if indeed it is confirmed will certainly give me something to think about when I am in the voting booth next May.

Leeds has been in the same position with HS2 and formerly with "supertram" under watch of both Labour and Conservative governments. Basically we were shafted both both political colours. More recently we also had a new terminal for LBA passed by Labour lead Leeds City Council and then called in by this Conservative government and subsequently canned by the owners. Basically anything transport related for Leeds and the politicians run for the hills.

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

Basically HS2 at this point is a waste of money I could see Curzon Street possibly being linked to stubs of existing HS2 infrastructure and possibly being another line that isn't High Speed. If Curzon Street is even warrantied this is why I always said Branson had 140MPH Trains 20 years ago. The Government then didn't upgrade the infrastructure so they had to go 125MPH if they could have done it 140 could become 180 and 200 over 20 years providing more freight lines were built to provide room. I think the current Avanti 390 from BNS to Euston is 1 hour 30 minutes stopping at International, Coventry, MKC maybe Watford Junction to alight and Euston the 11 car Pendos now have 3 1st class coaches instead of 4 and use the Northampton Loop I think some service additionally call at Rugby

 

[Brum X]

Leeds has been in the same position with HS2 and formerly with "supertram" under watch of both Labour and Conservative governments. Basically we were shafted both both political colours. More recently we also had a new terminal for LBA passed by Labour lead Leeds City Council and then called in by this Conservative government and subsequently canned by the owners. Basically anything transport related for Leeds and the politicians run for the hills.

Labour is so 90s

Tories is so 00s

It's time for a change, it's time for the Lib Dem's ;-)

The point of HS2 etc was that it was about both about providing faster rail and free up rail connectivity for a big chunk of England. Now it's just going to be a quick shuttle between Birmingham and London and will that really benefit Birmingham?

It isn't ideal by any means, however having a shiny superfast train to London, even to the outskirts with the capitals rising population and cost of living surely will bring more jobs and investment to Birmingham ? And will make companies choose Brum over Northern cities maybe ? sh*t for the north in every way, however I live in Birmingham and want the best for my city.

Also BHX, could it bring some new routes to the airport, after all Runway 3 at LHR isn't going to be built any time soon after this debacle ?

 

[Jerry]

the capitals rising population and cost of living surely will bring more jobs and investment to Birmingham ?

Or it could just turn Birmingham into a suburb of London. Quicker access means people can commute and firms may not look then to relocate. It's the same with BHX quicker access to London potentially means it's easier for passengers to get to Heathrow potentially meaning airlines have less need to expand out of Heathrow.