Government to order review of costly project no-one wants.....

[Lance]

Its a great project. But quite a cost! Especially given the benefits!

On Nigel Farage show last night a caller suggested starting it the Northern end. Land is cheaper. Get the public onside.

But I suspect the real reason is to stuff the North. I don't mind stuffing Manchester, but the rest deserves better.....

my god. I agree with Farridge about something. Leeds to Manchester should be the first part as the trans-pennine service is truly awful.

[BrilloPad]

A true Keynesian approach. I like it.

It's why I like HS2. Better to build something that keeps people working than not to.
I think making the M62 5 lanes wide would be more useful. Or quadrupling the rail capacity between east and west.
If they do cancel HS2 they should make sure the money goes on other rail projects.

You actually expect something for the North!

More like make the M25 10 lanes and crossrail 2....

[BrilloPad]

my god. I agree with Farridge about something. Leeds to Manchester should be the first part as the trans-pennine service is truly awful.

Well it was not Farage's proposal. But Farage agreed with the caller.

I agree with you your initial start point - but I want to see Liverpool, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle added then Birmingham.

Then instead of rebuilding Houses of parliament, they can relocate them in the Yorkshire moors. Making the UK less London centric should be a priority.

[BlasterBates]

In any case the review is a smoke screen which will deliver its results after the election

At the end of the day the choice is between a high speed rail network costing 50 billion or spending almost the same amount on the existing network with slower trains.

Doing nothing is not really an option.

If you are going to spend some money you may as well have something to show for it. I don't see anyone in Japan wanting get rid of their high speed bullet trains.

[DoctorStrangelove]

Making the UK less London centric should be a priority.

Fat chance.

We'll get this instead:

Route map - Crossrail 2

[Halo Jones]

If they do cancel HS2 they should make sure the money goes on other rail projects.

Yep that will keep me employed so happy with that.

[darmstadt]

I always thought the north was going to become a powerhouse, at least according to the Tories:

NPH

Home | Northern Powerhouse Partnership

Northern Powerhouse - Wikipedia

[stonehenge]

I always thought the north was going to become a poorhouse, at least according to the Tories:

NPH

Home | Northern Poorhouse Partnership

Northern Poorhouse - Wikipedia

FTFY

[BrilloPad]

I always thought the north was going to become a powerhouse, at least according to the Tories:

NPH

Home | Northern Powerhouse Partnership

Northern Powerhouse - Wikipedia

Farage referred to that. He pointed out the Tories only ever paid lip service to that. He certainly knows how to ingratiate himself with common folk!

[OwlHoot]

Essentially it's the Brexiteers who want to torpedo HS2. They'd rather see the UK as a backward third world country with a rubbish infrastructure and crowded trains they can blame on immigration.

Well yes, it is a colossally expensive EU vanity project.

But also it will actually increase the north-south divide by making it easier for people in the Midlands and even further North to commute to London.

As someone said, it is another 1820s solution to a 1780s problem.