Is it just another great big scam?

[psynuk]

...in twice as long as planned, for 8.5 miles and a train speeds of less than 30mph.

 

This is not a project that can be compared with HS2.

 

it's just a question of scale isn't it?

with the projected end date being 19 years away (if completed on schedule)

 

" the construction of phase 1 between London and Birmingham. Construction is set to begin in 2017 with an indicated opening date of 2026. In January 2013, the preliminary phase 2 route was announced with a planned completion date of 2032."

 

with a proposed budget of 10, 50, 63,'insert new figure here' billion pounds.

I think it is comparable, when we have experience of doing this already with the channel;

"Tunnelling commenced in 1988, and the tunnel began operating in 1994.[27] In 1985 prices, the total construction cost was £4.650 billion (equivalent to £12 billion today), an 80% cost overrun"

that was for about 30 miles of underwater tunnel

 

"Phase one would be a 225 km (140 mi) route from London to the West Midlands which would be constructed by 2026."

 

8.5 miles for 2.5 billion = 160 miles for 50 billion (using marmaray£)

or 150 miles for 60 billion (using chunnell£)

and that's assuming he costs are the same when scaled up, which I doubt they would be as those tunnels were underwater and london b'ham isn't.

[dosxuk]

Btw - just looking at the costings when it was budgeted at £33bn, £8bn was on rolling stock, £1.5bn was on land purchase.

[ANGELFIRE1]

Apart from the enormous cost, why would we spend even 4/6p on a project that will save the "elite" 20 minutes in journey time.

 

Angel.

[psynuk]

Apart from the enormous cost, why would we spend even 4/6p on a project that will save the "elite" 20 minutes in journey time.

 

Angel.

 

good point,

I would rather see a really impressive railway, that circles the country's edge.

But they will probably go through with it now. One thing I don't understand is the linear route they've chosen. London to Birmingham no stop idea seems good but the trains aren't fast enough to warrant that no stop journey. saving 20 mins!

Id rather see some sort of 12 city figure of 8 loop in the north and south that would be much more beneficial to more people.

[dosxuk]

Apart from the enormous cost, why would we spend even 4/6p on a project that will save the "elite" 20 minutes in journey time.

 

Because the project isn't about saving a few minutes of journey time, and even the Government have admitted they were foolish to try and promote the project on that benefit.

 

The main benefit of the project is to free up capacity on our already overcrowded rail system. There are two ways to do that - build a new line; or rebuild the existing lines. Both will cost hideous amounts of money, one means decades of disruption on the current system. On the flip side, one will increase speed, comfort and provide much higher capacity than the other, while the other won't involve digging up some "important" constituent's back gardens.