The HS2 Rail Line has been given an "Unachievable" Rating by an Official Watchdog

The Tory vanity project known as HS2 (high-speed rail) was seen by many as a White Elephant just waiting to happen when the Tories green lit the project back in 2015 , the original budget for the whole project was set at £55.7bn but due to the fact it's a government infrastructure project the cost for the first phase , the line between London and Birmingham in the midlands has now been estimated to cost upwards of £61bn , that's without the cost of phase 2a to Manchester and Phase 2b to the East Midlands, the whole project if it's ever completed will likely cost upwards of £100 billion.

News today is a report by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority has issued a Red Warning meaning "Successful delivery of the project appears to be unachievable."

The IPA describes itself as the government's centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects, and reports to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury.

The rating also means there are "major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable".

"The project may need re-scoping and/or its overall viability reassessed."

This will of course come as no surprise to those of us who were against the project from the start due to its eye watering cost , destruction of ancient forests and woodlands and upheaval of peoples lives as their properties were taken from them under compulsory purchase orders.

The London to Birmingham leg of HS2 was due to open in 2026, but is now expected between 2029 and 2033.

The second phase was due to open in 2032-33, but has been pushed back to 2035-2040.

An eastern leg of the line running to Leeds has been scrapped, and instead a shorter high-speed line will link Birmingham and East Midlands Parkway.

A budget of £55.7bn for the whole project was set in 2015, but the target cost excluding the eastern leg of Phase 2b from the West Midlands to the East Midlands has soared to between £53bn and £61bn at 2019 prices.

Earlier this month, HS2 Ltd's chief executive Mark Thurston announced his resignation - he will leave his role in September after six and a half years.

His resignation came as phase one of the project between London and Birmingham is under construction, with major work taking place at more than 350 sites.
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HS2 is the embodiment of the problem with government infrastructure projects and a poster child for throwing money down the drain , lucky for them nobody will ever be held responsible.

I WANT MY MONEY BACK !

It’s been an absolute #show of a project.

They should’ve just hired the Japanese. It’d have been completed ahead of schedule and under budget, and exceed performance expectations.

I honestly think this and many other “infrastructure” projects in the UK and rest of the western world are just giant quangos. They exist to reward friends & donors over the stated objective. Just another piece of evidence of the colossal corruption of the political & corporate class.

a reply to: Ohanka

Not only that but the inventor of the maglev train professor Eric Laithwaite was snubbed by the government back in the day and the Japanese went on to successfully implement it in their country later on.

There are some really interesting videos of his presentations on his research into the properties of magnetism and gyroscopes etc.. available on YouTube.

Hs2 is a complete waste of money. Utterly pointless and the sheer incompetence in managing the whole damn thing is just breathtaking.

This is what happens when those in charge have no regard for our money.

No one in their right mind cares about kniocking 20 minutes off the travel time from Leeds to London.

Yet thats what was touted by this stupidity. Just so many people queueing up for their turn at the trough.

a reply to: gortex

Whatever 'their' costing is at the moment. Wait till they get to the Winsford and Northwich area in Cheshire. Salt has been mined in these parts since way back when, well before the romans moved in.

Subsidence

I don't think the people in charge of the HS2 realise what a hole ridden place this area is.....

a reply to: SprocketUK

Yup, it was money that should have gone to the NHS, Schools, road repair, updating and subsidising public transport or food banks - instead it was stolen solely to make the 0.01% super-rich save 20mins.

It's been the biggest scam this side of PFI/PPP and was a stupid idea from day one.

a reply to: bastion

It wont even save them any time, they all live in London anyway, hence why the ULEZ doesnt affect a brand new Bentley or Maybach but will knock your ratty old Micra for £12.50 a day

Oh my god, the naivety in these posts astounds me. SCENARIO. I own 20 acres in the way of HS2 (not withstanding I'm Boris Johnsons mate), They offer me £1000 an acre, That's £ 20,000 So I object to the HS2 coming over me land. The land I bought a few years ago for £8.000 an acre, farming land don't you know. That's £ 160,000 to you and me. Then whoops, HS2 offers £500,000 an acre and I really have a change of heart and accept that the HS2 is a brilliant idea. So that's £220,000,000, easy aint it.

a reply to: crayzeed

I remember the Channel Tunnel rail link fiasco. Govt spent millions buying up properties at stupid prices then changed the route.

a reply to: crayzeed

this is why we share posts and discuss the issues

Not sure if is amusing or quite sad, but I knew it would be a disaster, most people I talked to knew it would be and most people who discuss it here and elsewhere also knew it would be. I said when it was announced that the costs would double or triple - they usually do.

If most people could see the utter folly of this then how could those ‘in charge’ not see it. Beggars belief. Utter fools.

And yet in harder times with less equipment and no experience we built a huge network of train lines, tunnels, bridges and embankments across the whole country. Makes you wonder.