HS2 northern leg to Manchester cancelled

[BaaLocks]

Reports in the papers that government bought a £1.5m house on HS2 line less than 24 hours before Rishi Sunak cancelled it. Which means that was AFTER he recorded the video (also before he then confirmed to Susannah Reid that the decision was not yet made).

They have also updated a commitment to build a road between Bognor Regis and Southampton (not quite sure which part of the Northern Powerhouse either is in) to Littlehampton, which is also on the south coast.

It is hard to imagine the competence of the people who put this together.

[Gaspode]

15 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

Reports in the papers that government bought a £1.5m house on HS2 line less than 24 hours before Rishi Sunak cancelled it. Which means that was AFTER he recorded the video (also before he then confirmed to Susannah Reid that the decision was not yet made).

They have also updated a commitment to build a road between Bognor Regis and Southampton (not quite sure which part of the Northern Powerhouse either is in) to Littlehampton, which is also on the south coast.

It is hard to imagine the competence of the people who put this together.

Not defending them in the slightest, but I suspect the people tasked with buying properties were as in the dark as the rest of us - because Sunak wanted to play silly sods and announce it as part of his speech.....

[1of4]

If reports are true, Sunak's announcement that the second leg of HS2 was to be scrapped, was recorded at Downing street before he travelled to Manchester. But between the times of the recording and it's release, he and other government ministers were stating no decision had been made on HS2, when it clearly had.

What is more disconcerting if true, is that during the time between when the decision was made and when it was announced. Millions of pounds was still allowed to be spent on the compulsory purchase of land for the  second leg of HS2. 

I wonder how much money as already been spent on the second leg and how much will continue being spent while shutting the project down.

[ramsbottom]

4 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

Not really wanting to go down the politics road but wasn't HS2 Labour's idea and announced by their Labour Secretary of State for Transport in 2010?

If that's the case, I stand corrected.  But I was sure it was heralded as a large part of The Tory's plans to level up the North.

[Guest]

On 05/10/2023 at 12:29, BucksRam said:

 

Not just about the tunnels themselves @Gaspode(I live in the Chilterns) but the type - despite various bodies presenting solid, professionally obtained evidence that there were better, and cheaper ways to build these tunnels, HS2 has constantly ignored the suggestions sticking to their original plans. 

Spot on @ariotofmyown - the journey into the office along the A413 to Great Missenden / Amersham (once every week or two now since COVID) is soul destroying. Utterly devastated the landscape to, save a so-called 15/20 minutes off a journey that no-one actually wants (or will use).  Utter madness. Acres and acres of ancient woodland, historic pathways, rolling hills, trees that have stood for hundreds of years, all wiped out forever - multiply that along the whole route from London to Birmingham and the damage to this country is almost too much to comprehend. I certainly don't call this progress.  

I agree completely crazy. It’s the same in South Northants from Brackley across to Banbury the destruction and scale of the chaos is incredible. Should have canned the whole project years ago 

[Tamworthram]

23 minutes ago, ramsbottom said:

If that's the case, I stand corrected.  But I was sure it was heralded as a large part of The Tory's plans to level up the North.

Quote:

“Who started HS2?

HS2 was initially proposed and launched by the Labour Party - led by Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the time - during its time in government. The project was officially announced by Labour's Secretary of State for Transport, Andrew Adonis, in March 2010.”

[ariotofmyown]

1 hour ago, Monty said:

I agree completely crazy. It’s the same in South Northants from Brackley across to Banbury the destruction and scale of the chaos is incredible. Should have canned the whole project years ago 

I know that too. Drive up that way a lot and everywhere you go seems to hit more works.

[TimRam]

Seems to me those at the top were probably persuaded to sign it off by animations similar to the one they show of hs2 every now and again...the one with the high speed train and then lines quickly moving north linking the cities. "Wow it looks amazing and seems so easy to do".