So, HS2

[kerching]

So HS2 is projected to be ( at present) £20/30bn over budget AND up,to 7 years late in completion!

so who put the original price/quote/estimate ?AND why havnt they been fired?

i don't know about the rest of you but if one of my jobs goes over by a day or 2 OR even £50 overbudget I would be in for some earache! 

7 years and £30bn?.....nah, it'll be reet

 

[Rob.]

7 years and £30bn?.....nah, it'll be reet

It's not their money, that's why they don't care. 

If it were to come, noticeably (I know their tax contributions are indirectly funding it), from their own pocket, it would be a different story. 

 

[Tony S]

How much have the many committees and public enquiries cost?

If they used some common sense they would reinstate the Great Central line. It was built to the continental loading gauge in anticipation of through traffic. As it is there’s housing estates, etc, built on it.

France wouldn’t hesitate demolishing a few houses if it was for the good of the country.

 

[Sharpend]

How much have the many committees and public enquiries cost?

If they used some common sense they would reinstate the Great Central line. It was built to the continental loading gauge in anticipation of through traffic. As it is there’s housing estates, etc, built on it.

France wouldn’t hesitate demolishing a few houses if it was for the good of the country.

You know for a moment there I thought you were implying we should be more like the french??

 

[Tony S]

At least the continentals have a good railway system, more can be said of this benighted country.

NIMBY attitudes cause so much delay and added expense to most UK projects.

 

[Sharpend]

But it wouldn’t be English if the general public weren’t being shafted at every given opportunity! 

 

[Evans Electric]

Is'nt the latest talk about abandoning HS2   now  .      I could never see how it would ...in their words ....rejuvenate the economy   :C     So you can get to London 20 minutes faster :C    In this day of high level communications    I'd bet a good percentage of those trips were un -necessary  unless you actually need to do something physically when you get there.      An improved  nationwide  freight   line  would be good in getting  some of the thousands of trucks off the roads. 

 

[ProDave]

I am just back from a trip to Kent for the weekend.  We looked at going by train, but it would have taken far too long and cost far too much.

Instead 1 1/2 hours by Easy jet.

 

[Sharpend]

Was the cost of that over the top though Dave?

i looked at getting a plane from Humber to London and it was going to take several hours and cost a fortune, they wanted to fly me to the continent and back literally. 

Is'nt the latest talk about abandoning HS2   now  .      I could never see how it would ...in their words ....rejuvenate the economy   :C     So you can get to London 20 minutes faster :C    In this day of high level communications    I'd bet a good percentage of those trips were un -necessary  unless you actually need to do something physically when you get there.      An improved  nationwide  freight   line  would be good in getting  some of the thousands of trucks off the roads. 

I thought they were going to improve the broadband speeds for us rural people, haven’t seen that yet so don’t expect any high speed trains for at least a decade or two! 

 

[Evans Electric]

Money's no object with Dave  , Sharpie   :C   

 

[Sharpend]

Money's no object with Dave  , Sharpie   :C   

My mistake, I forgot he’s gone to the land of savers!

 

[revjames]

why not fix the existing network and make the whole thing more efficient and cost effective and cheaper so that people will be tempted out of their cars.

 

[Evans Electric]

thought they were going to improve the broadband speeds for us rural people, haven’t seen that yet so don’t expect any high speed trains for at least a decade or two! 

They're obsessed with fast Broadband  ,  wish I knew why .  

Those massive undertakings are always over budget  ....Jeez   £20 /30 billion .

Anyone know how Cross Rail went in London ,  that was a complex job . 

why not fix the existing network and make the whole thing more efficient and cost effective and cheaper so that people will be tempted out of their cars.

Probably no chance of backhanders  in doing that  Revo .

 

[kerching]

Back in the day I did a fair few contracts down south

travelling back up north on a Friday night it was full of jocks going back to the motherland for a deep fried Cream Egg. It was called the Ring Pull Express. You could hear nothing but the sound of cans opening all the way back. At least it was quick. Portsmouth London preston Glasgow ( I think).  May have slowed down near Brum

 

[ProDave]

We looked at coming down on the overnight sleeper, that would have been something like £400 each.  It was more like £50 each on Easyjet.  We are only 30 minutes from Inverness airport and my SIL collected us from Gatwick.

If you want expensive flights, look up how much Loganair want to fly you to the islands.

 

[Murdoch]

We did the opposite trip to ProDave last year .......... for a weekend, so driving from Surrey to Inverness is out of the question.

Booking well ahead meant the BA flight from LHR was £1 more each than Easyjet from LGW  - and we never considered the train.

 

[binky]

How much have the many committees and public enquiries cost?

If they used some common sense they would reinstate the Great Central line. It was built to the continental loading gauge in anticipation of through traffic. As it is there’s housing estates, etc, built on it.

France wouldn’t hesitate demolishing a few houses if it was for the good of the country.

 I was watching a programme about the French high speed railway a few years ago, basically hey got it built in an age when people wouldn't object. Even they reckon it woudn't happen now.

Never heard of the greta central ine, sounds like it was a good idea?

Worst thing is they coud upgarde the entire rail network for the cost of this new line, this is turn would eliminate half the need for it. We still haven't had the Dawlish Warren section of the only line into Devon/Cornwall rebuilt to be storm resistant yet, and that was promised under Cameroon. 

 

[rapparee]

 I was watching a programme about the French high speed railway a few years ago, basically hey got it built in an age when people wouldn't object. Even they reckon it woudn't happen now.

Never heard of the greta central ine, sounds like it was a good idea?

Worst thing is they coud upgarde the entire rail network for the cost of this new line, this is turn would eliminate half the need for it. We still haven't had the Dawlish Warren section of the only line into Devon/Cornwall rebuilt to be storm resistant yet, and that was promised under Cameroon. 

Yeah well, the whole British State seems to be paralysed with Brexit.

Nothing else is getting done.

 

[Evans Electric]

that would have been something like £400 each.

WHATTTTTTT  !!!!!      Are they taking the plish  or what ?  

 

[Andy™]

few years ago went to london. looked at train, however it was half the price to get a flight from newcastle to heathrow. by the time you include travel to the airport & train from heathrow to the city, it was still cheaper and would have taken similar time. so flight it was