why all the hate for hs2?

233 · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:02

watching this on sky news atm and there seems to be an out and out hate campaign towards this.

couple of things i'm confused about.

why do labour seem to be against it? were they not the ones that initially introduced hs2?

why all the hate towards a project that will bring a huge benefit to the country as a whole. I can understand opposition from someone who is going to find hs2 running through their back garden but it seems that more than just people on the route that are against it.

i see it as a major infrastructure building project that is going to get the country moving create tens of thousands of jobs and from the figures i've read be a boost to the economy overall (well long term anyway)

doodah · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:03

Still on the fence but I would put money on this project been grossly over time and budget.

Tom0 · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:05

Some of it people thinking money could be put to better use (stuff like the olympics trollololol)

Mostly though it is NIMBYs. From what I've seen anyway.

Glaucus · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:07

People hate new things, save the country side, let's all go live back in mud huts.

It's the old, I want it, but not in my back garden nonsense.

touch · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:08

I think there is probably much better ways to spend the money on railways (i just dont know what they are).
There are lots of other railway systems in the world that dont have these high speed trains yet still manage to run reliably and on-time. We should spend money on sorting the basics out first.

Kainz · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:08

Typically over-budget as already mentioned will spring to most peoples minds when this is mentioned. Going on past experience, why not.

SB118 · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:08

From what i've seen/heard, the sum effect of this project is to knock 30 mins off train journeys on that route.

Glaucus · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:10

Kainz said:
Typically over-budget as already mentioned will spring to most peoples minds when this is mentioned. Going on past experience, why not.

So all these people purpose no further projects ever?

233 · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:11

xibinim said:
Still on the fence but I would put money on this project been grossly over time and budget.

therein lies the problem with any major public project. but not all of these things descend into farce. for example transport scotland have a great record of delivering large scale projects on time and budget. m73/4 m8 extension early and on budget. m80 works again on time and on budget and the new forth crossing currently estimated to come in on time and up to £250-300 million under initial budgets

would be nice to see them drop the same cash into the motorway network but hey we can only dream

question though, is this just a passegner line or will it carry freight too?

never understood why the likes of tesco and asda dont use the railways more than they do. some of the larger supermarkets can receive anything upwards of 20-30 artics in a day. i'd imagine they could stick a siding and loading dock next to stores with a railway line in close proximity and well i'm going off on a tangent. so i'll leave it t does hs2 intend to carry frieght also

elmarko · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:12

Glaucus said:
People hate new things, save the country side, let's all go live back in mud huts.

It's the old, I want it, but not in my back garden nonsense.

This.

Stupid NIMBY people who want all the benefits of modern society with none of the negatives.

Hopefully they will be ignored.

So far this plan is the only good idea to come out of either political parties in the last 10 years - our infrastructure needs to improve & has needed it for the last 50 years.

As it extends from London/Birmingham to the other cities (as per the plan) it will encourage businesses/people to move away from London - which will be good for the nation as a whole.

I find the fact that we have trains at the same standard as third world country's a little embarrassing.

doodah · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:12

The argument is that - this will be a long term investment.....big picture etc....I simply don't trust it to be delivered on time and on budget. Will it be more reliable than current trains? Or will succumb to the normal British excuses; wrong type of rain, leaves, wind, snow, another train holding it up etc? As someone has already said, fix the basics first. I am all for it if they can guarantee reliability and over crowding will be addressed with current stock.

matt_fsr · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:13

It's been quoted as costing £32Bn

When did the last large scale government project come in on time, on budget?

It'll probably cost more like £100Bn in reality, which is money we don't really have to squander around.

And remind me, how exactly will I benefit from this? I use the train perhaps once a year....

Fanatic · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:13

I remember reading somewhere it was going to take 10 years? For 100 miles of track between London and Birmingham. So 10 miles a year which seems insanely long.

Freakbro · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:15

Personally I think using this money to invest in a nationwide fibre broadband network would bring more benefits to the country.

Needing to travel to meetings is so 20th century....

Glaucus · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:15

Fanatic said:
I remember reading somewhere it was going to take 10 years? For 100 miles of track between London and Birmingham. So 10 miles a year which seems insanely long.

Planning permission, compulsory buying, legal challenges. Is what sucks the time up.

d_brennen · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:15

SB118 said:
From what i've seen/heard, the sum effect of this project is to knock 30 mins off train journeys on that route.

And employ hundreds of eastern Europeans and funnel loads of cash into construction/manufacturing firms chaired by...

Goliath · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:15

xibinim said:
Still on the fence but I would put money on this project been grossly over time and budget.

HS1 (the link between the channel tunnel and London) was delivered on time and within budget - not every major infrastructure project in this country goes the way you suggest.

Glaucus · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:16

Freakbro said:
Personally I think using this money to invest in a nationwide fibre broadband network would bring more benefits to the country.

That's already happening. This isn't the only goverment project happening.

4T5 · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:16

From what I understand it's not being kept in the loop that has ***** all the residents off. Well that's what they say but we all know they are just worried about there house prices.

233 · 10 Jan 2012 at 16:18

4T5 said:
From what I understand it's not being kept in the loop that has ***** all the residents off. Well that's what they say but we all know they are just worried about there house prices.

i'd imagine that anywhere within a decent radius of a station on the new line will see a fair rise as people look at new places to commute into the capital from