Whilst generally in favour of HS2 (as long as NIMBY), everything seems to be planned in isolation. A plan to put the airport in the Thames would seem to be ideal, but how many people would then wish to to take a 2 segment journey across London to join HS2?
Discuss.
For people who have not seen the latest route planning can I suggest
tinyurl.com/HS2routeplan
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There will be no airport in the thames, so you cant build a trainline to nowhere.
The ideal would have been to build a high speed direct rail link between Gatwick and Heathrow while the M25 was being constructed.
HS2 is needed, the West Coast Main Line is just a collection of junctions joining up bits of railway and will never be suitable for high speed running.
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The airport on the Thames is probably a white elephant and hopefully stillborn. Even Boris now seems to favour expansion at Stansted.
HS2 to HS1 seems a no brainer but remember that journeytime say Leeds to European Capital would need to be under four hours to compete with air. Even to Paris or Brussels that might be a struggle. Ain't going to get you to Amsterdam or Koln in reasonable time.
OTOH a regional train stopping at Stratford to interchange with Crossrail and Javelin might be viable as an augment to the direct services from St P to Paris/Brussels.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 28 Jan 13 at 13:38
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That was my original link!
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Sorry how many billions of pounds is this essential trainline costing?
In 20 years there will be no need for employees to travel due to virtual everythings.
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>> Sorry how many billions of pounds is this essential trainline costing?
less than the poxy edinburg trams, and it will be ready sooner....
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>> >> Sorry how many billions of pounds is this essential trainline costing?
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>> less than the poxy edinburg trams, and it will be ready sooner....
No chance! HS2 has already gone up by £2bn and they haven't cut a sod.
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Sorry how many billions of pounds is this essential trainline costing?
£33,000,000,000
or roughly £550 each
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Mon 28 Jan 13 at 23:00
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A 5 mile tunnel will be built in Manchester. It will go through a town called Didsbury, which is an expensive area, plenty of 1 million plus properties, but its not the most exclusive areas. Its not rural Cheshire.
Personally I would happily pay £550 for it, the problem is by the time it comes to Manchester I will be in my 50's. It just seems far too long away to get excited about. Also no doubt the extra cost will be like 100 billion!.
We do need to do something though, the West Coast main line is pretty much at capacity and a fast line like this will help to make the country more like Germany, e.g not reliant on one city London.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 28 Jan 13 at 23:32
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That technology has been around for a while! Still nothing like a meeting in person not on the other end of a monitor! Despite increasing internet use, railway travel continues to get more popular.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 29 Jan 13 at 00:44
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I could not afford to travel by train now, at present day prices.
I will not be affected by HS2, given its completion date, but who will be the customers for this train?
Not ordinary people, I think.
The cost is vast and given the history of cost over-runs in GB, I shudder to think what it will really come to by completion day.
It is a vanity project wholly supported by the three major political parties, which says something for their priorities.
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The point is it will free up space on the existing lines, so even if HS2 is too expensive for you and me, it will make the existing lines more attractive.
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I prefer to drive, but trains do have their uses. I note that they are dirtier, slower and far, far more expensive here than in France.
It doesn't seem to me that spending all these billions is going to improve the railways at all here, except for business travellers on those main lines. It's a way for government to suck up to the big firms which will get all the money. A bit like having ICBMs for which we pay the US through the nose and not bothering to keep the proper, useful armed forces up to strength. That's my two cents' worth anyway.
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I wonder what UKIP is for? The new railwayline should start from Leeds might not take twenty years to build with all the planning permission palava.
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>>tinyurl.com/b8t56uz
I'm warming to them, Roger. Although I'm not adversely affected by HS2.
But what are their thoughts on the future two-tier state pension?
:)
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>> >>tinyurl.com/b8t56uz
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>> I'm warming to them, Roger. Although I'm not adversely affected by HS2.
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>> But what are their thoughts on the future two-tier state pension?
>> :)
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Pension policy outline here:- www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/2341-pensions-ukip-policy
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I don't think much of the pension policy, in particular the plan to cap tax-relief on contributions at £10,000 of contributions per year.
That is just mean and stupid. What people don't seem to get is that tax relief on pension contributions is just tax deferral. You still get taxed on the pension when you take it.
What a great idea to deter people from putting extra money into pension.
I declare an interest in that I have put a fairly large amount of money into pension over the last 4 years after realising that annuities are not going to do the business and nearly all of that money has been moved from savings - UKIP would have me taxed twice on it. Loonies.
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>> >> But what are their thoughts on the future two-tier state pension?:)
>> Pension policy outline here:- www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/2341-pensions-ukip-policy
I spotted that one back in 2011, but it's a bit short on detail.
Thanks, anyway.
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>> I wonder what UKIP is for? The new railwayline should start from Leeds might not
>> take twenty years to build with all the planning permission palava.
UKIP is for more than EU exit. It is still a young party, which has only really moved forward from "give us a referendum" to a party with an increasing agenda, in the last five years or so.
UKIP does intend to be a "mainstream" party, although with differences and thus must look forward a bit further - even to the likely time scale of the HS2 project.
To this end policies are being laid down, so that potential members and/or voters have an idea of where the party stands.
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UKIP also pledged to make a 31% flat rate tax.
www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/2560-ukip-tax-policy
That alone deserves my vote.
Regarding, HS2, nobody ever mentioned how many people will be able to afford the train fare (even slower speed) in 20 years time.
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>>UKIP also pledged to make a 31% flat rate tax
An excellent idea. I believe it could be made to work at around 19%.
Just a couple of things....
People don't understand percentages. They insist that people who earn more should pay more tax, failing to understand that this is what percentages cause. Look at the outcry about removing the 50% tax. Outrage with the battle cry "the rich should pay more" with the underlying message of "but I shouldn't".
So, 31% flat rate, excellent. Workable and the country would increase its tax revenue significantly.
But it would cause outrage and never be permitted.
Remember the outrage and disgust with the Poll Tax?
A couple of years ago there about 80,000 people employed by HMRC (An FOI request showed 75k FTEs IIRC). I think we can be sure they'll be voting against it.
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I can't say I dislike Nigel Farage.He is witty to the point and a good debater.
If we are going the right way in the UK I don't know.We are not really part of the E.U.Half way in half way out.I think in the UK its' a anti Brussel feeling not against the Europeans.
We are not a world power anymore those days are over and they won't come back.We need jobs and invesment in the UK .If we do better outside the EU time will tell if we ever left.It is a big gamble.
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Interesting couple of pages in the Manchester Evening News today about ' our ' bit of the new line.
It seems to be going through some very ' posh ' areas, Lymm and Hale Barns.....footballer country ! Several million pound homes will have to go and in one case, a farm dating from 1500 will be in the way. The owner says he has spent 1.5 mil on the farmhouse and brought 3 barns up to living spec at another million. They are now blighted.
Further along, the Marriott Airport Hotel will be demolished...a popular and exclusive complex.
The new Airport station comes next then the line dives into a tunnel, 7.5 miles long parallel to the M56...passing under Northenden, Didsbury ( under the Christie Hospital ) and on towards Ardwick passing under Manchester Grammar School.
A new station is to be built next to Manchester Piccadilly, possibly on land left empty following the proposed demolishing of Manchester's secret station...Mayfield.
A couple of Wythenshawe residents commented in the paper about their houses becoming worthless, kids being brought up with a railway running past the front door, etc. Just a mo...it'll be 100ft underground by then....they won't even hear it !
I'm not bothered by it all and I'll be pushing 90 if it ever runs. I suspect the cost will, at least, double. Every gov must have it's showpiece...The Chunnel, The Dome, etc. Some a real success, some monster flops. I reserve judgement on this one.
Ted
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HS2, Crossrail, Chunnel .... joined up thinking? - Zero
