Continue the Project. Really?

Anyone around still knowledgeable enough to inform any Martians landing in London that the steam engine and the train both originated in the UK, would probably be vapourised for barefaced lying. Apart from the ongoing HS2 debacle, the general state of our various railways is so bad that not even space visitors could be expected to believe we turned a great BRITISH early 19th century revolutionary idea, which largely drove the Industrial Revolution, into the current mess.

The original plans for the proposed HS2 new line from London to Birmingham have been so vandalised that the initial concept of connecting London Birmingham Manchester and Leeds via a new high speed line at an estimated cost of some £32bn in 2009 has now soared to a mind boggling £112bn and an urgent decision is now awaited on whether to continue Phase 1, the London to Birmingham stretch.

The main construction work is not even due to start until March this year but already there is talk of further delay. Government has already spent some £8bn on the project which is now not due for completion until 2027. Obviously this date is subject to unlimited extensions as further financial and construction problems begin to emerge.

Now everyone knows that you just do not throw good money after bad and that sometimes it’s better to take a hit and call it a day. In HS2, the British Taxpayer has a ready made bottomless pit with no prospect of calculating the final cost. Would anyone with any intelligence really have any doubt as to whether the venture should be halted?

However, a decision is due to be made soon by Government one way or the other. Latest reports have the PM set to continue the scheme ‘in defiance of his principal adviser’.

In the meantime, no one seems to have noticed that by the time Phase 1 comes into operation sometime in the 2030’s, the whole concept and design of HS2 will not only be 30 years out of date……………….

……………BUT, by then Japan will have the superfast 374mph Super MagLev fully operational on its flagship routes.

Aren’t we all on the wrong track Mr Johnson?