High Speed 2 chiefs: Delays could jeopardise scheme (From Bucks Free Press)

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  demoness the second wrote:
  

  piran wrote:
  

  demoness the second wrote:
  

  piran wrote:
  

  padav wrote:
  This is getting tiresome now - I've tried very hard to explain why I support proliferation of High Speed Rail in Britain and HS2 in particular - I've also explained why I condemn the narrow motives driving the anti-HS2 community - if you don't accept my rationale - fine, it's a free country as they say. I'd hardly call a project scheduled to begin in 2016 and last 17 years, "flavour of the month" but each to their own. If you can't even grasp (or more likely just don't want to perceive) the similarities between the challenges now facing HS2 and those ranged against the motorways in the late 50s and 60s, this merely highlights your lack of vision. Finally the selective list posted by @gibbshome - where do you want me to begin - public contracts are constantly re-evaluated, taxpayer pressure groups would be jumping up and down if they weren't - posting that quote is meaningless gibberish - for the record here are some facts about lines currently under construction or planned in Europe (a non-exhuastive list)...............
  
  
  
  
  
  ...... Lines under construction--------
  
  
  
  
  
  ------ LGV Est second phase, due to open March 2016, LGV Sud Europe Atlantique (Tours–Bordeaux), extending the southern branch of the LGV Atlantique (also called LGV Sud-Ouest) due to open in 2017. LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire (Le Mans–Rennes), extending the western branch of the LGV Atlantique. By way of conext, here is an extract from an article dated 2nd June 2008 (so virtually four years ago) listing long term LGV plans -----Legislation being drawn up following the national environmental summit at the end of 2007 confirms that another 2 000 km of high speed lines will be launched by 2020. New lines listed in the first of three draft laws unveiled on April 30 by Jean-Louis Borloo, Minister of State for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development & Land Use Planning, include: Tours - Bordeaux; Montpellier - Perpignan; the Nîmes and Montpellier bypass; Bretagne - Pays de la Loire; the second section of LGV Est from Baudrecourt to Strasbourg; the eastern, southern and western branches of LGV Rhin-Rhône; Provence - Alpes - Côte d'Azur; Bordeaux - Toulouse; Bordeaux - Hendaye; and a line round the south of Paris linking LGV Atlantique with LGV Interconnexion and LGV Paris - Sud-Est. In Germany; Cologne–Aachen high-speed railway (upgraded line, 250 km/h), Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed rail line (new line, 300 km/h), Erfurt–Leipzig/Hal
  
  
  
  
  
  le high-speed railway (new line, 300 km/h, under construction), Frankfurt–Mannheim high-speed railway (new line, 300 km/h, in planning), Hanover–Berlin high-speed railway (partially new line, 250 km/h), Hanover–Würzburg high-speed railway (new line, 250 km/h), Mannheim–Stuttgart high-speed railway (new line, 250 km/h), Nuremberg–Erfurt high-speed railway (partially new line, 300 km/h, under construction), Nuremberg–Munich high-speed railway (partially new line, 300 km/h)
  Karlsruhe–Basel high speed line (new line, 250 km/h, incomplete), Hanau-Gelnhausen high-speed railway (new line, 300 km/h, in planning). In Italy they have a fully developed and growing High Speed Rail network, ITALO have just launched a private rival to the State owned Trentilia operation and construction of the next section of the 140 km Milano - Verona high speed line was officially launched on May 7. This list could go on and on and on and doesn't even include the St. Gotthard Base Tunnel project to faciliate through running High Speed Rail services from Northern to Southern Europe - this avalanche of information will certainly go in one ear and out of the other amongst the naysayers in Buckinghamshire's leafy lanes, who are fixated on a single goal; getting rid of the threat posed by a new train line coming coming through their backyard!

  Padav good posts. I too have tried to explain why I support HS2 as a Buckinghamshire resident but I find the anti HS2 lobby either do not listen, or prefer half truths, myths and lies. None seem able to come up with any alternatives to solve the future lack of transport capacity. They want to hide their heads in the sand and do nothing. I find it very frustrating and hope the Government has the courage to go ahead with HS2 to ensure that the UK economy can prosper.

  You believe your truth, we believe ours.
  Who is to say what the truth is?
  That is very profound and deep for this time of night.. ;))

  Demoness the Second - it is based on facts and verifiable data. Any way, what is the meaning of life Demoness?
  And what are your alternatives to solve the future lack of transport capacity? Do nothing is not an option on this one!

  The anti HS2 folk would argue that their case is based on facts and verifiable data as well. After all hasn't the Dof T just come out and said that the benefits of HS2 are not as great as they originally said?
  My alternatives to solve the future lack of transport?
  Well as someone who uses trains all the time to travel around the country, I would like to see it become easier to get to where I want to go without going through London. I do not think I would ever use HS2 because I do not think it would help with my transport needs. Ask most people if they like travelling through London and you will find they answer in the negative.
  Do you know it is almost impossible to get to Newbury and Reading from Aylesbury without going via London? I know this because I have tried it.
  So if I have to go to either of these places, I have no choice but to drive.
  Build on what we have - extend what we have and give customers easier access to destinations.
  I think this is far better than building a ruddy great line that carves up the countryside and destroys homes and lives.
  
  I am sure you will now blind me with facts and figures as to why this can not be done. :))

  No Demoness no point in me quoting any facts or figures re HS2 because anti-HS2 people either do not believe them or prefer to rely on myths perpetrated by Anti HS2 propaganda. Have a lovely day in the garden, I will enjoy the constant roar of the M40 when in my garden, so let's cancel HS2 and build more lovely motorways!"
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