HS2 Cost

[fcblackpool]

Originally cost estimate was £38bn for the whole thing. Latest is £66bn for the London to Birmingham bit only.

Ignoring the obvious folly of the project at that cost, why doesn't Governments of any colour get all the costings, THEN double the figure and from that evaluate the cost benefits?

 

[Loftyboy]

None of them know how to calculate the cost of anything if they were running a business they would be bankrupt but hey they arnt spending real money they are only spending ours

 

[Davepick]

Will the fares on HS2 be huge to pay for this waste of Public Funds?

 

[seasidelytham]

Originally cost estimate was £38bn for the whole thing. Latest is £66bn for the London to Birmingham bit only.

Ignoring the obvious folly of the project at that cost, why doesn't Governments of any colour get all the costings, THEN double the figure and from that evaluate the cost benefits?

Maybe they do and without trying to defend anyone, I know several people who have had building work done and the costs have doubled and almost trebled from initial quote to work starting.

 

[fcblackpool]

Maybe they do and without trying to defend anyone, I know several people who have had building work done and the costs have doubled and almost trebled from initial quote to work starting.

I've noticed a huge increase in opportunism over actual increase in costs in domestic situations.

During COVID lockdown I had one chap say to me that for a bag of plaster he needed to finish a job he paid £36 for one normally about £10. Lockdown has gone and so have those demand led pricing chancers.

No way should costs have doubled, let alone trebled. Increased yes. Assuming the job started in the last 18 months.

 

[Lytham_fy8]

Government tenders are usually won by those favourable to the current regime, the project is then a handy cash machine for everyone involved.

Mcalpine, for example, are heavily involved, so are Balfour Beaty.

 

[Wizaard]

Originally cost estimate was £38bn for the whole thing. Latest is £66bn for the London to Birmingham bit only.

Ignoring the obvious folly of the project at that cost, why doesn't Governments of any colour get all the costings, THEN double the figure and from that evaluate the cost benefits?

Unexpected inflation costs as a result of Trussonomics pushing up to 20% is the latest excuse. Forecasts were around 2%

 

[Jaffa_The_Hut]

Almost as much as the government spent on dodgy PPE during the pandemic.

 

[Curryman]

Government tenders are usually won by those favourable to the current regime, the project is then a handy cash machine for everyone involved.

Mcalpine, for example, are heavily involved, so are Balfour Beaty.

Exactly the same as Carrilion was during the late nineties early 20's. Crashing and leaving a load of debt for the taxpayer to pick up!

 

[basilexile]

HS2 is one of the most pointless vanity projects ever contemplated. Anyone who believed that it would help level up the country, shouldn't be running a bath.

 

[Wizaard]

HS2 is one of the most pointless vanity projects ever contemplated. Anyone who believed that it would help level up the country, shouldn't be running a bath.

Yet Londoners run to get on the tube despite knowing there will be another literally 2 minutes later.

Meanwhile, my bus into Leeds comes along every hour and a half and the train from Leeds to Blackpool takes 15 minutes longer than Leeds to King's Cross.

Any transport link in the North is shite so to scrap further capacity is a missed opportunity.

 

[basilexile]

Yet Londoners run to get on the tube despite knowing there will be another literally 2 minutes later.

Meanwhile, my bus into Leeds comes along every hour and a half and the train from Leeds to Blackpool takes 15 minutes longer than Leeds to King's Cross.

Any transport link in the North is shite so to scrap further capacity is a missed opportunity.

HS2 would have done nothing for cross Pennine links. It takes over 4 hours to get from Preston to York, but saving 20 minutes so that people in the South do not linger any longer than needed in the wastelands.
Emperors new clothes everyday of the week.

 

[Lost Seasider]

During COVID lockdown I had one chap say to me that for a bag of plaster he needed to finish a job he paid £36 for one normally about £10. Lockdown has gone and so have those demand led pricing chancers.

Isn't plaster hugely energy intensive to make, could that be part of the reason?

 

[Wizaard]

Isn't plaster hugely energy intensive to make, could that be part of the reason?

Nothing to do with Brexit, honest.

 

[Meliora]

The most effective part of HS2 would have been the legs north from Birmingham, which should have been built first. That would have been a real statement of levelling up.