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HS2
Jan 25, 2019 14:51:34 GMT
Post by Big Blue on Jan 25, 2019 14:51:34 GMT
Someone asked me if I fancied being put forward for HS2 this week (for work). Now I am vehemently opposed to it as I think it’s utter folly. The current projection is £56Bn and that’s simply to move people around between the same places they already move. The idea is that if HS2 is built more companies will build major points of presence along the route thus generating tax revenue through employment.
I will now expound my proposal. £56Bn on a train set is a large amount of money. I think to achieve this goal of encouraging companies to spread into areas we should run a competitive process with 5 winners in 5 different areas along the proposed route. The deliverables under the competition are:
a business facility (factories / processing)
Villages to house the staff and their families
the required infrastructure (roads, schools, shopping) all in agreements with retail and service operations
The prize is £7-10Bn grant per area - leaving a handful of billions for 2 new hospitals. All of it would have to be spent. The upshot to the conglomerate organisation would be tax rebates until the aggregate tax due amounted to 10% of the grant.
Any more ideas for this before I draft a white paper?
Basically anything you suggest is already better value than yet more expensive railway just making everyone go to London.
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HS2
Jan 25, 2019 15:07:25 GMT
Post by Tim on Jan 25, 2019 15:07:25 GMT
Why not link the route directly to Birmingham Airport, change the name of that to 'London North' and save £25Bn by NOT redeveloping Heathrow?
Some of my relatives, living in the Lincoln area, have suggested that EVERYBODY flying wants to go via London so I reckon my solution would tick that box for people who don't know their geography (how many foreigners would have any idea they were landing at Brum?).
If the travel times bandied about are accurate then the journey from Brum to Central London is within a couple of minutes of travelling from Heathrow.
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HS2
Jan 25, 2019 16:02:01 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2019 16:02:01 GMT
Both of those thoughts have one common flaw. They are far too logical to ever be accepted.
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HS2
Jan 25, 2019 16:58:03 GMT
Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jan 25, 2019 16:58:03 GMT
I think the money could be far better invested elsewhere in the railway network - particularly on the M62 - Manchester to Leeds corridor. Won't happen because it's not London innit?
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HS2
Jan 25, 2019 19:40:43 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2019 19:40:43 GMT
A less London centric view is more logical, many more commuters could be helped for the same or less outlay. Also, the argument that easier travel on the HS2 route makes it easier to take jobs FROM the north and midlands.
It is like the London olympic village that was meant to be affordable housing after the event. Pity they decided to change WHO the affordable rate was to be aimed at. Mr Coe should be on permanent naughty step duty with his fellows in benefit/profit.
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HS2
Jan 25, 2019 19:47:01 GMT
Post by johnc on Jan 25, 2019 19:47:01 GMT
The last thing the UK needs is a more London focused infrastructure. I agree with BB that incentives need to be introduced to move business away from the SE. With modern technology there is no need for everyone to work in the same place and it would be so much better for the financial health of the whole nation if the jobs and wealth were spread around. It's a total waste of a massive amount of money which could be used to benefit so many more people in a more constructive manner.
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HS2
Jan 25, 2019 23:01:40 GMT
Post by Alex on Jan 25, 2019 23:01:40 GMT
My understanding is that HS2 is going to be a faster version of the WCML but so t actually replace it. That seems slightly illogical given how congested the M1, A1 and M6 are. Wouldn’t it make sense for HS2 to be a replacement for the WCML and the divert more road frieght onto the rails that are no longer needed for express passenger services.
But my main thought is that £56bn is a hell of a lot of money to shave 10mins off the time from Euston to Brum given that most business users don’t really care and as they spend most the time catching up on their work. It’ll probably also more likely be £112bn once it’s outsourced to Balfour Beattie and Atkins.
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HS2
Jan 26, 2019 21:54:26 GMT
Post by ChrisM on Jan 26, 2019 21:54:26 GMT
..... my main thought is that £56bn is a hell of a lot of money to shave 10mins off the time from Euston to Brum .... Same here, I'm sure that £56bn could be better spent
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HS2
Jan 26, 2019 23:01:39 GMT
via mobile
Post by bryan on Jan 26, 2019 23:01:39 GMT
I suspect the price premium of hs2 will mean most business users won't be able to claim on expenses for it....
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HS2
Jan 27, 2019 7:36:58 GMT
Post by Alex on Jan 27, 2019 7:36:58 GMT
I suspect the price premium of hs2 will mean most business users won't be able to claim on expenses for it.... So it’ll be like the M6 toll, mostly empty save for the few lucky sods whose finance departments don’t mind seeing it on their expenses form!
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HS2
Jan 27, 2019 8:38:17 GMT
Post by Martin on Jan 27, 2019 8:38:17 GMT
I suspect the price premium of hs2 will mean most business users won't be able to claim on expenses for it.... So it’ll be like the M6 toll, mostly empty save for the few lucky sods whose finance departments don’t mind seeing it on their expenses form! Are you not allowed to use it?
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HS2
Jan 27, 2019 8:40:51 GMT
Post by johnc on Jan 27, 2019 8:40:51 GMT
I suspect the price premium of hs2 will mean most business users won't be able to claim on expenses for it.... So it’ll be like the M6 toll, mostly empty save for the few lucky sods whose finance departments don’t mind seeing it on their expenses form! Which given the price and the public money makes it a complete waste of time.
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HS2
Jan 27, 2019 14:57:50 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2019 14:57:50 GMT
Not that all sources are reasonable or guaranteed but the cost is not just the money to build the thing. How many homes will be lost and that does not take into account the natural resources. www.lbc.co.uk/hot-topics/hs2/hs2-understating-number-of-homes-to-be-demolished/Just like the Heathrow extension which according to the team that promoted the second runway, wou;ld never happen, it's just this little second runway etc. Big business and banks will always win because the government are in their pockets no matter which flavour of government is in place.
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HS2
Jan 27, 2019 15:32:54 GMT
Post by ChrisM on Jan 27, 2019 15:32:54 GMT
So it’ll be like the M6 toll, mostly empty save for the few lucky sods whose finance departments don’t mind seeing it on their expenses form! Are you not allowed to use it? Of course he must be allowed to use it, it's probably more a question of whether or not the toll is expensable ;-) I've had to go up to London for the day last week, and the company bought the rail ticket in advance for most of the staff who made the trip. The daily charge for car parking at FNB is £8.90 and I'm not sure whether or not to claim as we have a very convoluted on-line expenses system. I most probably will work on the basis that as it wasn't that much more that my fuel costs iof I had driven to work that day, it's almost tit-for-tat. Similarly in the week I also had to go to visit a local supplier. At 3 miles each way, the cost in time of claiming my mileage will outweigh the cost of the expenses claimable. Or should I claim both parking and mileage? Is it just me being generous?
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HS2
Jan 27, 2019 17:31:37 GMT
Post by Alex on Jan 27, 2019 17:31:37 GMT
So it’ll be like the M6 toll, mostly empty save for the few lucky sods whose finance departments don’t mind seeing it on their expenses form! Are you not allowed to use it? I am but given how many company cars I see take the left turn onto the regular M6 I don’t think too many are!
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HS2
Jan 31, 2019 13:16:03 GMT
Post by bryan on Jan 31, 2019 13:16:03 GMT
I can use the M6 toll with justification ie M6 proper was heavily congested or more likely when going from Derby to Wolverhampton I ended up on it by mistake!!
We can't claim the congestion charge in London as we are rightly expected to use public transport to get into the city.
General rule of thumb is always use the cheapest option you can justify - hence why I know if HS2 comes in more expensive than standard tickets we won't be using it. Currently we are expected to travel on advance tickets unless we can justify an open single ie the meeting may not keep to time. Cattle class obviously
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HS2
Feb 2, 2019 20:24:04 GMT
Post by PG on Feb 2, 2019 20:24:04 GMT
Assuming HS2 saves 20 minutes on the journey to Birmingham and costs £80Bn, that's a bargain at only £4Bn a minute. Politicians were absolutely right to approve it. Their time is worth far more than £4 Bn a minute. They are walking gods, all of them. We are so lucky, privileged even, to have such superb people running the country.
It has been a real pleasure paying all my taxes over the years, knowing that they are used so sensibly and so carefully by our great leaders. I want to pay more tax, loads more tax. That way they can do even more great stuff.
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HS2
Feb 2, 2019 20:59:56 GMT
Post by Boxer6 on Feb 2, 2019 20:59:56 GMT
Assuming HS2 saves 20 minutes on the journey to Birmingham and costs £80Bn, that's a bargain at only £4Bn a minute. Politicians were absolutely right to approve it. Their time is worth far more than £4 Bn a minute. They are walking gods, all of them. We are so lucky, privileged even, to have such superb people running the country. It has been a real pleasure paying all my taxes over the years, knowing that they are used so sensibly and so carefully by our great leaders. I want to pay more tax, loads more tax. That way they can do even more great stuff. OK, OK .. .. .. you can have a lie down; then it's back to the grindstone with you!
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