HS2

[User62651]

The biggest cost to HS2 won't be its wage bill...

It'll be how much they'll be paying to the already wealthy [with clout] for crossing their land...

The losers will be regular folk [with no clout]... Like the farmer just up the road from me...
The amount they are offering, for his farm/business/life's work, will just about buy him a semi here...

How wide is this railway? Is it going straight through the farmhouse and outbuildings? 2 tracks should be do-able in a 15 metre wide strip shouldn't it? Farmer needs better representation perhaps?

Never get most folks out of their cars anyway, no matter how fancy or quick the train. Still got to get to station and get from station at other end to destination on more trains/buses/taxis/trams/hirecars/cycling/walking etc. Car's are just easier and you're not surrounded by annoying public i.e screaming babies, phone shouters, wide people, clutter people, colds and coughs, too hot etc etc.

 

[MegaSteve]

How wide is this railway? Is it going straight through the farmhouse and outbuildings? 2 tracks should be do-able in a 15 metre wide strip shouldn't it? Farmer needs better representation perhaps?

The finished product might be only 15 metres wide... But, judging by the amount of land they've already taken over nearby... Guessing the rest will be for access to build the mega viaduct over the old gravel pit... For which they happily paid 4x plus the original valuation...


Yep, the farmer probably does need better representation... He's already had to sell off half his herd to cover his current costs... The HS2 delivery company are basically using starve him out siege tactics... David's don't get to beat Goliath in the real world...

 

[Imurg]

The track will be around 20 metres wide...tunneling from West London to Wendover, 14 metre high bridge across the Aylesbury Vale due to drop in elevation from the Chilterns, gradually dropping back to ground level.

 

[MegaSteve]

Some more concerning stories on the local news yesterday...
About the appalling behaviour, by the HS2 delivery company, towards the 'little man'...

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Met a farmer at a family friends 50th last weekend

His farm had to sell land to hs2 and was explaining how the costs have sky rocketed because of constant duplication of work

He said every week on his farm he has someone doing a survey looking for newts (or other endangered) creatures just to pacify environmentalists

 

[MegaSteve]

Met a farmer at a family friends 50th last weekend

His farm had to sell land to hs2 and was explaining how the costs have sky rocketed because of constant duplication of work

He said every week on his farm he has someone doing a survey looking for newts (or other endangered) creatures just to pacify environmentalists

There are a fair few 'treehuggers' camped up the road...
Whilst I have some sympathy with their intentions I am not wholly sure what they feel they may achieve...

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Met a farmer at a family friends 50th last weekend

His farm had to sell land to hs2 and was explaining how the costs have sky rocketed because of constant duplication of work

He said every week on his farm he has someone doing a survey looking for newts (or other endangered) creatures just to pacify environmentalists

Ever noticed how these newts are rare and endangered, but every time some major building work begins they suddenly manage to find some?

Either someone is putting them there or they are not all that endangered!

 

[USER1999]

Good piece about HS2 in the Guardian today, by Simon Jenkins. What a waste of money.

 

[Hobbit]

Ever noticed how these newts are rare and endangered, but every time some major building work begins they suddenly manage to find some?

Either someone is putting them there or they are not all that endangered!

Newts are the travellers of the animal kingdom. They turn up somewhere, disrupt the local community. Leave a right mess, then move on to the site of the next big infrastructure project.

 

[Tashyboy]

As some one said yesterday, councils are going bust all over the country, austerity cuts are now helping to provide a shocking service. Yet we can find X number of Billions for this. How's that right.

 

[SocketRocket]

Luddites reunited.

 

[MegaSteve]

Luddites reunited.

With whom?

#nimbys?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Mind you the benefits of getting from Birmingham to London 11 minutes earlier[once you have driven into Birmingham parked the car, bought a coffee and roll and read a paper before alighting the train] is not to be sniffed at.

 

[MegaSteve]

Mind you the benefits of getting from Birmingham to London 11 minutes earlier[once you have driven into Birmingham parked the car, bought a coffee and roll and read a paper before alighting the train] is not to be sniffed at.

I'll bear these advantages in mind whilst I am stuck in traffic due to road closures for HS2 works...
Especially as we've just heard the great news the closures are to be extended to a fourth week...

Happy bloody days...

 

[SocketRocket]

With whom?

#nimbys?

Each other