IntenseDebate - NorthEngineer

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 1 reply · +1 points

The non-stopping trains through Milton Keynes will be transferred to HS2. This gives more capacity for freight and more passenger services to and from London which do call at Milton Keynes and the intermediate stations.

How do you propose to increase capacity at Milton Keynes otherwise?.

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

We have not established anything of the kind.

HS2 will provide the capacity so that the East Coast Mainline (and others) can be properly maintained as well as providing increased capacity through more and longer trains with better signalling.

Why should HS2 starve the rest of the network of any capital. With increased access time you will be able to do upgrades better and cheaper

To and from London is where the passengers want to travel and where overcrowding is the greatest.

The cost of maintaining HS2 will be much less than the equivalent existing railway - HS1 has proved that. HS2 is being built to modern day standards where geology and soil mechanics and engineering is far better than 150 years ago. The route is being designed with maintenance in mind.

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

There will be a type of rolling stock on HS2 called 'Classic Compatible' which will be able to continue their journeys from HS2 onto the current West Coast, East Coast and Midland Mainlines to serve those locations not on the HS2 route proper. Phase 2 A, which is just starting its parliamentary process is all about providing spurs and junctions to enable that connectivity to happen.

The South and South West are not addressed by HS2. When HS2 Phase 2 is complete cross country trains may very well use the line between Birmingham and Manchester / Leeds.

In the last railway control period 2014 - 2019 the Government is spending £34bn on upgrading the railway as Patrick McCloughlan continually told us. This is 60% of the HS2 budget. Have we seen £34bn worth of improvements - no. The cheapest way to increase capacity is to build new and that is what HS2 is doing.

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

The two are incomparable. I am sorry, but you cannot equate the building of a brand new main line to give the required additional capacity to the North with an upgrade project on a 175 year old main line, whilst at the same time maintaining a full train service. Apples is Apples, Oranges is Oranges.

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

No, far from it. It means you have better access to the existing railway. The East Coast mainline needs about 4 to 5 hours of maintenance every night and at the moment it is getting about 2. This means all the non safety critical stuff gets deferred and is not getting done. Any traveller will tell you how unreliable the line is. By transferring trains on HS2 you will be able to get the backlogs done ant a cheaper price and provide a more reliable service.

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

If your metric is correct, then not only will you save on trains to Manchester, but Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle Edinburgh, Glasgow as well as they will feed into HS2 as well

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

There is no direct link - the cuts are from Revenue spending and not Capital Spending. The cost of HS2 is less than £4bn per year.

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 1 reply · +1 points

Stop HS2 is just simply not a credible organisation. The last comment / posting on there was February 2017. Stop HS2 was generally laughed out of the Commons and Lords parliamentary select committees for their unsubstantiated claims

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 1 reply · +1 points

What costs are escalating? There has been no increase in the HS2 budget for around 5 years.

Upgrades have been continually attempted since 1955 - all with considerable cost overruns and scope cancellation. The current Great Western Electrification and Transpennine Electrification cancellations are just continuing episodes of this saga. Upgrading the existing railway will cost more than HS2 and will not provide the capacity required.

The cancellation of Chippenham to Bristol and Cardiff to Swansea portions of the Great Western Electrification, plus the Transpennine cancellation will mean more use of Diesel trains - hardly environmentally friendly

7 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

You have include the 'total railway' before you can faster trains. Firstly, you have to have the rolling stock, secondly the signalling and thirdly the track. The original West Coast upgrade as specified was for 140mph running. The trains (Pendolinos) were built for 140 mph speed, but the money ran out for the signalling.

There has been no cost increase in the HS2 budget for at least the last 5 years.

Trying to estimate costs on a 150 year old railway is very difficult and Network Rail and the DfT are incompetent at it. The new build projects such as cross rail have less 'unknowns' and are less risk and are coming in on budget.

If you want to have a project with an excellent chance of meeting its budget then you build new - and that is exactly what HS2 is.

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