Pm To Fund To Fund High-Speed Rail Route For The North

[Hymie]

I read the above headline on BBC news with interest - that Boris Johnson is personally bank-rolling this scheme; only to find on reading the full article that it is actually being funded by you and me.

[mushroom25]

I won't live to see it. a far more pressing infrastructure project for the north is a safe road corridor from Manchester to Sheffield, which currently don't exist. it's likely to get priority but is as far away as ever.

[youngmafbog]

Why on earth would you think a PM would fund it out of their own pocket?

[aelmpvw]

how will getting commuters to their destinations twenty minutes earlier boost the economy?

[youngmafbog]

Depends on what the time is. If its over two hours then probably wont make it much difference. IF it brings it to around the hour (what mst people will commute) then it could make the difference.

Any improvement to our infrastructure should be welcomed.

[dannyk13]

Route is Leeds to Manchester.

[youngmafbog]

It would appear Leeds to Manchester is circa 50 mins.

If it only took 30 mins that is a big difference.

However, on it's own it is not enough. The whole rail infra needs upgrading. They should dump HS2 to fund it.

[mushroom25]

//how will getting commuters to their destinations twenty minutes earlier boost the economy? //

journey time saving is a spinoff benefit - the main reason for new lines is to increase capacity, making room for more freight trains, which will boost the economy. it's easier to build new rather than spend years trying to upgrade existing and if it's to be new, then making it high speed is a no-brainer.

[mushroom25]

………….and the same argument applies to HS2. the main north-south route was upgraded over nearly 20 years but the extra capacity this conferred has already been used up, 11 years early. this can be seen daily when the slightest hiccup causes cascades of delays all along the route. so what to do... cancel HS2, YMB? but what would you propose in its place? another 20 years of disruptive upgrades which may not bring any real benefit? or maybe major upgrades to the M1 and M40? HS2 my be perceived as a rich man's toy but without it, or something else, the country's infrastructure may seize up.

[douglas9401]

I hear he's going to get the Mexicans to pay for it.

[anneasquith]

:-)

[teacake44]

Can we have high speed brexit first.

[steg]

He’s already picked the rolling stock for it

https://images.app.goo.gl/D7qs5KA6GftabfdX6

[dave50]

Everything is funded by you and me, it's called tax.

[jim360]

// Any improvement to our infrastructure should be welcomed. //

Agreed, YMB. It's a worthwhile investment especially if made in the north, which still tends to be underfunded compared to London etc.

[pixie374]

I disagree. Even with any economy "boost", we are never going to get the countryside back that is being destroyed. This should never have been an option, and should have been stopped a long time ago- no matter who is actually paying.