Hs2. Yes Or No?

[Theland]

Given the rising costs, and the smell of a gravy train, what exactly are supposed to be the benefits?
To get business people to their meetings ten minutes early?
Can somebody tell me?
Should it go ahead or be scrapped?

[mushroom25]

//No, Derek, it doesn’t go to Newcastle //

HS2 itself doesn't, but the trains will. they will branch off the mainline south of Leeds and join the existing ECML between there and York. Newcastle trains cannot serve Leeds because there's no capacity for them east out of the city towards Micklefield.

[Zacs-Master]

Nearly bought a house in Micklefield once.

[TonyV]

here is the proposed plan
https://www.hs2.org.uk/where/route-map/#8/52.453/-1.488

[woofgang]

Theland "Question Author Jacob Rees Mogg has in the past, said .....
I trust his judgement."

Now there's two things you don't often see said together

[New Judge]

//…put we can find an insane amount of money to get to London faster.//

It’s been explained, teacake, that is not the scheme’s primary function.

//You have China at present in the process of building two hospitals in hopefully two weeks,//

I wouldn’t describe them as “hospitals”. The Chinese are clearing an area of land where they intend placing a load of portable buildings. This is to cope with the epidemic from which they are currently suffering which has been caused by eating (among other things) snakes, bats and koala bears.

//Tony, it’s money going through a giant sieve and we are no further forward with it//

The first part’s correct. The second part isn’t. Huge amounts of enabling work have been carried out across the country. Here’s an item outlining what has happened around London Euston:

https://alondoninheritance.com/london-streets/euston-station-hs2-2019-update/

It’s unfortunate that the UK has lost the ability to plan and deliver major infrastructure projects successfully and efficiently. But the answer is not to simply refuse to undertake any more. The answer is to get back into the habit. The expansion of the railways in the 19th Century saw huge wealth creation across the country. Were it not for the railways many vibrant towns would not be as they are today (and clocks in Bristol would show a different time to those in London!).

There will be disruption. But there will be more grief without it and similar projects. But at the end of this pain, the government believes, the high-speed network will deliver a massive economic boost and regeneration for the cities it connects – an argument most clearly endorsed in Manchester and Yorkshire. Here’s an extract from an article written about Ashford, in Kent, which benefitted from the provision of HS1:

“The experience of businesses and towns on Britain’s only existing high-speed route would appear to bear this out. In Ashford, Kent, after a decade of domestic high-speed services, the council sees the fast rail connection as a clear competitive edge that has drawn in a host of new businesses and investment and seen the town’s population grow rapidly. Trains to London used to take 82 minutes but now take just 38 – a fact celebrated in the name of the largest new office building in the region, Connect 38, situated moments from the station.”

I happen to know Ashford rather well and it has benefitted enormously from HS1. Railways bring prosperity either by facilitating the transport of goods and materials and/or by making it easier and more convenient for people to travel.

[youngmafbog]

Probably gone too far now and we urgently need additional infrastructure on top of what we already have. So I guess we have to press on. I would however like to see the Ltd. Government company cleared out of its directors and new ones put in place. Someone needs to get a grip on the cash and contracts. It also needs a very deep audit annually with staff fired for misdemeanors and failure.

Doubt it will happen though.

[derek-33]

Bobbisox1
i know at present it does, im talking about the hs2 route if it was to go to these i mentioned it might be of benefit to us "northerns"