HS2 probably not going to run into central London

The obvious solution is for all northern cities to have a new high-speed connection to Teesside airport, where they could disembark and fly to London. The airport may need to upgrade rail access from 1 train per week, but it's doable. We even have a Fat Controller preinstalled.
I really wish this was a thing, shuttle trains to TA, then into a domestic/ handluggage only part of the airport (less faffing), then on to London, Birmingham, and Edinburgh, it would make my life so much easier!
 
They are being solved, the ECML has had a lot of major upgrades already (at nightmare spots and kings cross etc), the signalling has all been sorted already I think, and 140mph trains tested. Station upgrades at Darlo and Teesside, direct trains to London from boro etc.

HS2 will go to Crewe I've zero doubt in that, but that's phase 2a, it's starting construction in a year.

HS2 Phase 2b will go to Manchester, that's due to start construction in 2.5 years. The last vote on it was 200 for, 5 against I think. Labour won't put the breaks on that, as they want the seats where it's going to feed.
Ok, well if you’re sure. Appreciate the media don’t always get it right but the recent noises seemed to suggest it was all being pulled before the GE. I know they got it wrong about Euston.
 
Ok, well if you’re sure. Appreciate the media don’t always get it right but the recent noises seemed to suggest it was all being pulled before the GE. I know they got it wrong about Euston.
They kind of have to build it, they both need the seats, Tories will want to hit Cheshire and Labour Manchester and Liverpool etc. Taking HS2 from there would have a lot more vote impact in those areas, but keeping HS2 on the bill won't really deter voters in places where it's not feeding, like up here (even though it will still help here).

Nobody up here is going to switch sides because of HS2, not when both parties are largely for it, when in power. Sure Labour might not vote for it (or sing it's praises now), when not in power, and maybe the tories too, but the tories kind of have to as they're in power now, they're too far on, and up against it after binning the eastern leg. Labour will be in power for the next one, so don't want to be seen as supporting the expenditure now, but will quite happily tag on that they're going to support Manchester and Liverpool, and make sure they're not "left out".

Both sides are ultimately for it (which they should be), but they only want to say so when it's hitting their areas etc.
 
HS2 rail line has been given an "unachievable" rating by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, the government's 'centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects'. This rating is for both the London-Birmingham leg and then onwards to Crewe.

It adds there are "major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable".

The Department of Transport said the government remains committed to delivering HS2.

BBC news article
 
HS2 has been flipped about by politicians - thats the problem.
Planning and operation of the railway should be done by those who know the railway - rail men.
Not accountants and politicians.
 
HS2 rail line has been given an "unachievable" rating by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, the government's 'centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects'. This rating is for both the London-Birmingham leg and then onwards to Crewe.

It adds there are "major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable".

The Department of Transport said the government remains committed to delivering HS2.

BBC news article
Absolute 5hit show, 10s of billions spent on basically destroying a chunk of the countryside on a failing vanity project that never offered much use to begin with, Incompetence or something more sinister ?
 
In comparison to the cost of Cross-Rail - £18,800,000,000 and the cost annually of building and maintaining the Motorways and Major A-roads: HS2 represents a tiny percentage.
Given the negative value of investment in our railways since the 60`s [when the money spent on concrete and tarmac overtook the railways ppm] - HS2 is a drop in the ocean.
According to the Local Government Association - last year, the Government spent £192,000 [per mile!] on maintaining the Strategic Road Network - alone. This doesnt include new build, widening and adapting the existing network!
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The Government spent 31 times more per mile maintaining motorways and A roads last year than they did on funding councils to repair crumbling local roads.
Extract:
New figures show that the Government spent £192,000 per mile on maintaining strategic roads, such as motorways or major A roads compared to just £6,000 per mile on fixing potholes on local roads.

This is despite local roads making up 180,000 miles of the UK’s overall network, with strategic roads making up just 4,800 miles.

It would already take almost a decade and £12 billion to tackle our local roads repair backlog. The LGA is calling on the Government to use the upcoming Spring Budget to urgently provide councils with additional funding so they can tackle repair backlogs and bring local road surfaces up to scratch.

Councils have faced significant increases in carrying out road repairs due to rising inflation and a shortage in material such as bitumen, with latest estimates showing it is costing some councils up to 22 per cent more to repair a pothole.

Analysis by the LGA, which represents more than 350 councils in England and Wales, has found that the Government could help councils fill over four million extra potholes next year if they urgently meet these additional costs faced by councils, estimated to be around £130 million.
 
Traveling cross country is the issue getting to London is not it takes 2 1/2 hours to reach London from Darlington . While to reach Manchester it's over 3 hours then to reach Bristol it's going on 4 1/2 hours then to into Cornwall it's 6 hours plus. That's where the investment needs to go making the routes quicker on the West Side
 
so why is it called High Speed 2 and not High Capacity 2?
Because people are attracted by the idea of travelling more quickly which people both on the service and elsewhere will be able to do.

The idea of having a really fast train network between the major cities shouldn't even be controversial, especially when it is integrated into allowing more efficient local transport.

We are just so used to projects like this being ran badly we think they're not worth doing.

Why should all of our roads, rails and other transport means be so bad?
 
I was shocked on my last trip to Ukraine, I could get a direct train from Boro to Kings Cross.. Who needs HS2?
 
Its actually about both speed and capacity.
The existing routes date back to the 1850 and since before "privatisation" much railway land has been sold off - leaving much reduced room for expansion to stations and doubling / trebling / quadrupling track. Alternative routes have been closed - such that passenger traffic is funneled in to already congested lines with no room for expansion.

The North - East / South West Route is a perfect example: the section from Birmingham to Derby is a crucial section of the line, but there is no alternative. Speed restrictions along the length of the route [35 miles] restrict fastest time to 33 minutes. In this day an age, an average speed of 60mph simply isnt good enough.

At that rate it would take 2hrs 24 minutes from Kings Cross to Doncaster. If we look at the current Leeds-Manchester services, the average train time is 48 minutes for the 38 mile [rail] journey! [47.5mph ave speed].

The [NE/SW] section from Derby to Chesterfield is restricted by tight curves, tunnels and high cuttings - bearing in mind the Derby-Chesterfield section was built in 1840 by the North Midland Railway! The section from Chesterfield to Sheffield Midland is relatively modern by comparison - opened in 1870 [just 153 years ago]. Not a great deal has changed - although the semaphore signals have gone and bullhead rail has been replaced with concrete sleepers and pandrol clips! Signaling around Sheffield Midland and restricted capacity through the North Tunnel bottleneck adds more waiting time. Trains are frequently held up by diagrams for the local services - with the station layout unchanged for over a century.

There has to be new build of the railways like has been poured into the roads. People who travel on public transport deserve as much investment per passenger mile as those who enjoy the luxury of travelling on the enormously expensive motorways. We pay the highest rail-fares in Europe on the oldest overland system [hoorar we invented the railways!] and are treated like second class citizens.

We have to look at the facts about our railways and stop listening to politicians: most of whom darent challenge roads over rail - because they are scared of losing votes and are backed by the road lobby.

?
 
The big H2 scam will dwarf HS2.
£10s Billions paid out in dividends while your tax in the form of huge governmant grants will fund a transition from natural gas to hydrogen to fat cat O&G companies.
Shrouded in the name of emission targets but the reality is the opposite.
On nationalisation (which I laughed at) maybe Corbyn was right.
 
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