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HS2
Jul 14, 2023 8:55:25 GMT 1
Post by davycrockett on Jul 14, 2023 8:55:25 GMT 1
Never mind, the hundreds of workers could come up here to Middle Earth and work on the NWR Road. When that’s finished the Town Centre project could do with a kick start . Always a silver lining 😂😂👍 Except the NWR is dead in the water too |
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rob62
Midland League Division Two
Posts: 210
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Post by rob62 on Jul 15, 2023 11:19:07 GMT 1
Personally I'm in favour of NWR road to take traffic out of the town centre... But it will never happen.
If it did if would finally bankrupt Shropshire Council which is on the edge of insolvency
So glad I live over the borer in Telford
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HS2
Jul 15, 2023 13:02:57 GMT 1
rob62 likes this
Post by staffordshrew on Jul 15, 2023 13:02:57 GMT 1
Telford, where you can travel through so easily on the A442 or M54. Fewer of those congestion causing roundabouts you get on the A5 when trying to traverse Shrewsbury. What went wrong there, did Shrewsbury's sleepy politicians not push for an A442 style road?
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Post by northwestman on Aug 10, 2023 9:03:57 GMT 1
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/10/hs2-scrap-tories-labour-budget-public-financesDown the years Britain has had its fair share of prestige projects that have turned out to be expensive flops, but as white elephants go, HS2 is in a class of its own. Over budget, years behind schedule and already pared back in a bid to save money, the new rail link between London and the north-west of England makes Concorde look like good value for money. A decision to stop throwing good money after bad is long overdue. Last month, the government’s infrastructure watchdog gave its assessment of how HS2 is progressing. Not at all well, was the answer. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) gave the project a red rating, by which it means successful delivery appears to be unachievable. There was more. “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 project may need re-scoping and/or its overall viability reassessed,” it said. HS2 is a scandalous waste of money. It is a vanity project that has caused immense environmental damage. Delays mean the first trains to Manchester won’t arrive – even assuming there is no further slippage – until the late 2030s at the earliest and perhaps not until 2043. Tony Berkeley, a Labour peer and former deputy chair of the Oakervee review, who issued a dissenting report on HS2, said this month in a letter to the Times: “There is no safe and buildable station design for it at Euston, no forecasts for demand post-pandemic and no easy connection to other rail lines. Parts of HS2 where construction has not started should be cancelled and what has been built repurposed to improve regional services.”
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rob62
Midland League Division Two
Posts: 210
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Post by rob62 on Aug 10, 2023 19:59:40 GMT 1
Largely agree with that analysis, another vanity / legacy project by pompous polticians
Meanwhile no money to reopen Whittington or Baschurch railway stations which would make a difference to local people
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Post by staffordshrew on Sept 6, 2023 13:36:16 GMT 1
So the governmengt knew about RAAC concrete problems, but decided to spend the money, and keep the builders occupied, keeping the vanity scheme HS2 going. Shameful.
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HS2
Sept 14, 2023 21:04:22 GMT 1
Post by staffordshrew on Sept 14, 2023 21:04:22 GMT 1
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Post by Worthingshrew on Sept 14, 2023 21:32:41 GMT 1
Cut our losses now.
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HS2
Sept 15, 2023 10:10:06 GMT 1
Post by staffordshrew on Sept 15, 2023 10:10:06 GMT 1
And divert the construction work to replacing crumbling concrete schools, hospitals, etc.
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HS2
Sept 15, 2023 10:31:23 GMT 1
Post by davycrockett on Sept 15, 2023 10:31:23 GMT 1
That would fit I well with levelling up. Complete the southern section and stuff the North. |
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Post by staffordshrew on Sept 15, 2023 11:00:41 GMT 1
That would fit I well with levelling up. Complete the southern section and stuff the North. Completion of the southern leg would still speed up the overall journey from the south to the north.
What do you think the northern man in the street would rather have, saving a few minutes on a journey to the southern section of the line or some new hospitals and schools? Is it not trans pennine and other norhern services that need to be improved more than a trip to the south anyway? HS2 wouldn't do that.
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HS2
Sept 26, 2023 19:52:34 GMT 1
Post by staffordshrew on Sept 26, 2023 19:52:34 GMT 1
For pity's sake Sunak, make the decision. Every day it's costing more and doing more damage to the countryside. Don't listen to the failed politicians speaking up in favour of it, Osbourne, Boris, etc.
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HS2
Oct 2, 2023 14:21:43 GMT 1
Post by SeanBroseley on Oct 2, 2023 14:21:43 GMT 1
The Government has just announced plans to scrap the biggest public transport infrastructure project planned for any Northern city, while taking part in its conference in that same city, which its Chancellor chose to travel to by plane.
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HS2
Oct 2, 2023 15:58:00 GMT 1
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Post by vladimir on Oct 2, 2023 15:58:00 GMT 1
That would fit I well with levelling up. Complete the southern section and stuff the North. Completion of the southern leg would still speed up the overall journey from the south to the north.
What do you think the northern man in the street would rather have, saving a few minutes on a journey to the southern section of the line or some new hospitals and schools? Is it not trans pennine and other norhern services that need to be improved more than a trip to the south anyway? HS2 wouldn't do that.
You're right HS2 in its completely now watered down guise wouldn't do that. Did I miss the part where they said they were going to be reapproriating funds from cancelling HS2 into new schools and hospitals? |
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HS2
Oct 2, 2023 16:40:06 GMT 1
Post by staffordshrew on Oct 2, 2023 16:40:06 GMT 1
Completion of the southern leg would still speed up the overall journey from the south to the north. What do you think the northern man in the street would rather have, saving a few minutes on a journey to the southern section of the line or some new hospitals and schools? Is it not trans pennine and other norhern services that need to be improved more than a trip to the south anyway? HS2 wouldn't do that.
You're right HS2 in its completely now watered down guise wouldn't do that. Did I miss the part where they said they were going to be reapproriating funds from cancelling HS2 into new schools and hospitals? No, you didn't miss it, they haven't said it. It just struck me that if construction workers suddenly became available it would make sense for them to be working on something that really needs doing and would counterbalance the negative reaction the government will get if they cancel with some credit for gettng something good done. The cost would be more manageable too. |
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Post by kenwood on Oct 2, 2023 21:10:29 GMT 1
I may be wrong but are we still waiting for the 40 hospitals to be built ?
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HS2
Oct 3, 2023 12:15:54 GMT 1
Post by zenfootball on Oct 3, 2023 12:15:54 GMT 1
im cynical and expect the government of hs" leaked the cancelation of the Manchester to Birmingham part of HS2 on top of the previous cancelation it is a blow to the north and short sighted by the goverment.
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Post by northwestman on Oct 3, 2023 20:41:23 GMT 1
Most people could not care two hoots about HS2 (except wishing all the billions had been more wisely spent), but they really mind about crazy numbers of new arrivals (and their extended family) putting pressure on public services when the NHS has started advising GPs not to refer sick people to hospital. After 13 years of Tory government, our health system is in a frightening state of collapse, a tenth of the population is on a hospital waiting list, thousands are dying avoidable deaths, 40 per cent of maternity units are deemed unsafe, and Rishi Sunak’s bright idea is to fine people who miss a GP appointment. What GP appointment, Prime Minister?
Allison Pearson - Daily Telegraph.
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Post by Worthingshrew on Oct 3, 2023 22:09:08 GMT 1
It seems that the northern part of HS2 will be cancelled. Should have cancelled the whole white elephant years ago. Many, many better things to spend the money on.
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Post by staffordshrew on Oct 4, 2023 14:27:14 GMT 1
Interesting to see those pro HS2 politicians backpeddling now and saying they always thought East West lines were more important than HS2 North. What toerags they are.
Why did the desicion to cancel take so long? Why wasn't the massive overspend questioned years ago? Why did none of those in charge of the budget not question why other countries can build high speed railways cheaper? A massive deriliction of duty. Now let's get something worth while done instead.
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Post by kenwood on Oct 4, 2023 14:58:02 GMT 1
Strange speech from Sunak .
He mentioned all sorts of projects , described how our new educational qualifications would look in the future, mentioned how he would deal with the effects on the pop. from smoking , what he would do to get more drs qualified and of course the HS2 dilemma.
Didn’t hear anything from him specifically on housing but may have missed that bit of his speech , or his take on social care which surely is a massive problem .
I thought his comment on Starmer playing politics to gain votes , popularism at its best rather amusing coming from him .
Lots to digest but forgive me , do we have to put up with a close up of that vile individual Suella Braverman .
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HS2
Oct 4, 2023 15:24:03 GMT 1
Post by staffordshrew on Oct 4, 2023 15:24:03 GMT 1
Key takeaway from this week, Mr Sunak cuts spending, but no cast iron promises to actually do anything.
Minimum/living wage increase ¬ he's just accepting what is being recommended by the review body, don't employers pay for that anyway?
Target the "work shy" ¬ All these years into Conservative government and they haven't even nailed that yet?
Cancel HS2 ¬ but it's only been replaced by a "wishlist", no firm plans, no gaurantees.
A general waving in the air that we don't like taxing you more than ever before ¬ but we are going to carry on anyway.
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Post by mattmw on Oct 4, 2023 17:02:57 GMT 1
Interesting to see those pro HS2 politicians backpeddling now and saying they always thought East West lines were more important than HS2 North. What toerags they are. Why did the desicion to cancel take so long? Why wasn't the massive overspend questioned years ago? Why did none of those in charge of the budget not question why other countries can build high speed railways cheaper? A massive deriliction of duty. Now let's get something worth while done instead. Seems to be an interesting story emerging tonight that Sunak hadn't actually consulted with Network Rail on the plans for Northern Rail he announced today - which is odd as they are the statatory organisation responsible for the network so rather important to the whole process. Sure the full details will all come out in the wash, but sounds again like policy being made on the hoof, probably to try and paint Sunak a tough decision maker - but knowing full well he'll probably won't have to implement any of this stuff after the next election as he will be out of office and taking up a lucrative consultancy role in the City of London. The cigarette policy sounds very odd - how you can implement a rolling age restriction on a product with legislation seems a legal mine field. |
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HS2
Oct 4, 2023 17:17:09 GMT 1
Post by ssshrew on Oct 4, 2023 17:17:09 GMT 1
Interesting to see those pro HS2 politicians backpeddling now and saying they always thought East West lines were more important than HS2 North. What toerags they are. Why did the desicion to cancel take so long? Why wasn't the massive overspend questioned years ago? Why did none of those in charge of the budget not question why other countries can build high speed railways cheaper? A massive deriliction of duty. Now let's get something worth while done instead. The answer to your questions is simple - there was no election on horizon. |
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HS2
Oct 4, 2023 18:15:05 GMT 1
Post by SeanBroseley on Oct 4, 2023 18:15:05 GMT 1
I can get from Runcorn to Euston in 2 hours. I don't see any reason for a faster journey. However, I wonder about the impact of this decision on line capacity in the future. I also wonder about the malaise that inflicts this country that means it cannot deliver not just a high speed line but a high speed network like we see in a number of other countries.
As it is this lame duck government is busily selling off land that was compulsory purchased so that a government with a mandate will find it more difficult to reverse this decision.
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HS2
Oct 4, 2023 18:40:07 GMT 1
Post by northwestman on Oct 4, 2023 18:40:07 GMT 1
Interesting to see those pro HS2 politicians backpeddling now and saying they always thought East West lines were more important than HS2 North. What toerags they are. Why did the desicion to cancel take so long? Why wasn't the massive overspend questioned years ago? Why did none of those in charge of the budget not question why other countries can build high speed railways cheaper? A massive deriliction of duty. Now let's get something worth while done instead. The answer to your questions is simple - there was no election on horizon. The former chairman of HS2 has fired back at Rishi Sunak’s government by blaming “short-sighted” Tory ministers for the high-speed rail project’s spiralling costs. Ex-HS2 chairman Allan Cook – who ran the project between 2018 and 2021 – has now accused the government of trying to duck responsibility. The rail industry chief said government officials agreed “every penny spent”, and claimed it would be a “scandalous waste of money” if Mr Sunak and Mr Hunt were to end the line at Birmingham. “Representatives from the Treasury and transport department sat on the HS2 board during my time as chairman.” “There was total transparency of every decision and every penny spent. HS2 had monthly meetings with ministers and officials from No 10, the Treasury and Department for Transport.” |
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Post by staffordshrew on Oct 4, 2023 20:41:49 GMT 1
Interesting to see those pro HS2 politicians backpeddling now and saying they always thought East West lines were more important than HS2 North. What toerags they are. Why did the desicion to cancel take so long? Why wasn't the massive overspend questioned years ago? Why did none of those in charge of the budget not question why other countries can build high speed railways cheaper? A massive deriliction of duty. Now let's get something worth while done instead. The answer to your questions is simple - there was no election on horizon. Frankly, the appearance that no action was taken as costs escalated is not a good look. |
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Post by SeanBroseley on Oct 4, 2023 23:13:48 GMT 1
Railway twitter is digging up a few gems about this including:
1) The number of HS2 platforms ay Euston has gone from 11 to 10 to now 6. This ensures that Phase 2 will never be built.
2) There's a promise to build a new Bradford to Huddersfield line for £2bn, but only run two trains per hour because it will then meet the Transpennine route, which is already at capacity running trains to Manchester in 30 minutes, but now will somehow be able do it in 15 minutes.
There's no way this wasn't knocked together in a hotel room in Manchester on the back of a fag packet.
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Post by northwestman on Oct 5, 2023 9:43:00 GMT 1
It has subsequently emerged that Sunak's announcement was made without consulting the cabinet, parliament, local councils or Network Rail.
Sunak had insisted all week that no final decision had been made on scrapping the Manchester leg. However, he later posted a video online – outlining why he had made the decision – that had been recorded in No 10 at least three days before the conference.
He's obviously taken tips from Johnson in the arts of lying - this is up there with his 7 bins, meat tax, car sharing garbage.
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Post by davycrockett on Oct 5, 2023 11:46:42 GMT 1
But he’s making money available for the NRW despite it not being agreed yet oh and can’t wait for the disruption with a new level crossing yards away from the Island at Gobowen allowing trains to travel the 3 miles into Oswestry? Can’t see that ever happening. Maybe a rail stop at The Meadows next?
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