You know 4EEG, after moving from the UK to Germany, then Spain and now France, and seeing how impressive the rail infrastructure is compared to the UK, I can’t be against HS2.
I think that the UK should have more such projects.
You know 4EEG, after moving from the UK to Germany, then Spain and now France, and seeing how impressive the rail infrastructure is compared to the UK, I can’t be against HS2.
I think that the UK should have more such projects.
The problem is that the existing infrastructure needs upgrading before all of this fanciful stuff. The distances in the UK are much less, so the extra speed is not that necessary. Anyway it is being organised by British Government and the Civil Service, so it is bound to cost at least three times what is estimated now.
It strikes me that the only reason this act of lunacy is going ahead is the backhanders and general graft going into Westminster pockets.
Agree with you FEEG.
Try getting into Wales by train, Heathrow, change at Reading, generally at Bristol Parkway and Swansea for Llandeilo! Three changes to get there by rail with a good long wait everywhere!!!
I can get there direct by Coach from Heathrow for 36 quid! (And its quicker by hours!)
Spend the money on upgrading existing services.
Gazoopi, France’s railways are steadily deteriorating, even the TGV service. And when I consider the French rail workers frequent, often unheralded strikes or “arrêt de travail”, I feel Bob Crow may not have been so bad. A young friend did some temporary work at Nice station giving out information in French and English. We asked her what the latest strike was about and she had no idea and said none of the rail workers seemed to know either.
Hi Sheona, I worked in Paris for a few years commuting. French strikes are part of the daily agenda in many sectors. I am in Toulouse now. Certainly the metro infrastructure is the best I have ever seen. Metro every minute in peak and every 3 minutes off peak.
Sorry but I won’t bash the British system. It is streets better than the tiny Danish network and HS2 will bring it up to the best European standards of rail travel. Take a look at Eurotunnel’s latest results. And try out the Virgin routes from Euston – excellent service and rolling stock. People like them a lot.
Sorry but I won’t bash the British system. It is streets better than the tiny Danish network and HS2 will bring it up to the best European standards of rail travel. Take a look at Eurotunnel’s latest results. And try out the Virgin routes from Euston – excellent service and rolling stock. People like them a lot.
But Eurotunnel’s first year of major profit is 10 years behind schedule. There is still much to be done to the current infrastructure before wasting money on a high speed rail track that may benefit a few businessmen but no one else. An example of this is when parts of Devon and all of Cornwall were cut off after the January storms wrecked the track at Dawlish.
HS1 may have made travel to the continent quicker, but it did so at the expense of Southeastern Trains passengers.
From my stamping ground in the west of England, just having a/any railway connection to London would be a good starting point. The line around certain points of the coast is virtually at sea level and trains are constantly bombarded with sea spray if there is any wind at all. There is an acute need for an inland route that remains open when the tide is high!
Boadicea's Chariot 
You know 4EEG, after moving from the UK to Germany, then Spain and now France, and seeing how impressive the rail infrastructure is compared to the UK, I can’t be against HS2.
I think that the UK should have more such projects.
The problem is that the existing infrastructure needs upgrading before all of this fanciful stuff. The distances in the UK are much less, so the extra speed is not that necessary. Anyway it is being organised by British Government and the Civil Service, so it is bound to cost at least three times what is estimated now.
It strikes me that the only reason this act of lunacy is going ahead is the backhanders and general graft going into Westminster pockets.
Agree with you FEEG.
Try getting into Wales by train, Heathrow, change at Reading, generally at Bristol Parkway and Swansea for Llandeilo! Three changes to get there by rail with a good long wait everywhere!!!
I can get there direct by Coach from Heathrow for 36 quid! (And its quicker by hours!)
Spend the money on upgrading existing services.
Gazoopi, France’s railways are steadily deteriorating, even the TGV service. And when I consider the French rail workers frequent, often unheralded strikes or “arrêt de travail”, I feel Bob Crow may not have been so bad. A young friend did some temporary work at Nice station giving out information in French and English. We asked her what the latest strike was about and she had no idea and said none of the rail workers seemed to know either.
Hi Sheona, I worked in Paris for a few years commuting. French strikes are part of the daily agenda in many sectors. I am in Toulouse now. Certainly the metro infrastructure is the best I have ever seen. Metro every minute in peak and every 3 minutes off peak.
Sorry but I won’t bash the British system. It is streets better than the tiny Danish network and HS2 will bring it up to the best European standards of rail travel. Take a look at Eurotunnel’s latest results. And try out the Virgin routes from Euston – excellent service and rolling stock. People like them a lot.
But Eurotunnel’s first year of major profit is 10 years behind schedule. There is still much to be done to the current infrastructure before wasting money on a high speed rail track that may benefit a few businessmen but no one else. An example of this is when parts of Devon and all of Cornwall were cut off after the January storms wrecked the track at Dawlish.
HS1 may have made travel to the continent quicker, but it did so at the expense of Southeastern Trains passengers.
From my stamping ground in the west of England, just having a/any railway connection to London would be a good starting point. The line around certain points of the coast is virtually at sea level and trains are constantly bombarded with sea spray if there is any wind at all. There is an acute need for an inland route that remains open when the tide is high!