Why would the small state, low tax campaigners in the national media be honest in their reporting of HS2 (or any infrastructure project) though?Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2023 9:02 amJust absolute bullshit they came up with in the hotel room in an attempt to diffuse criticism. Of the bits that might happen, the Midlands Rail Hub is already a work in progress or as you’ve pointed out some of these things are already built. For £2bn Leeds might get a couple of tram lines a la Birmingham and Nottingham, but it isn’t getting a metro network.I like neeps wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2023 8:48 amI saw this too:Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2023 7:31 am Somewhat amusingly Sunak’s claiming that the money ‘saved’ from HS2 phase 2 will be spent on extending the Nottingham tram system to Clifton, which is funny because I could have sworn I was on a tram that terminated at Clifton on Monday
What a total shower these cons are.
Network Rail weren’t consulted on “Network North”, and they’ve killed HS2 which was critical to adding the capacity they need to make any east/west link work.
And £2bn of the ‘long term’ money is to be spent on fixing potholes, last I checked that ought to be opex.
Oh, and given the majority of the money on phase 2 of HS2 wasn’t scheduled to be spent until the next Parliament anyway, any chance of things coming online quicker is pretty illusory anyway.
A national embarrassment that makes us all poorer. The press have to take a fair share of the blame for the fact this was even possible, the standard of their reporting on HS2 has been dismal, a phenomenally misunderstood project
The last thing the owners of the times, sun, telegraph, mail etc want is large state run investments.