Probably there will be a fudged delay to the Manchester section despite the infrastructure authority saying the project is 'unachievable'.

But not to the political class left and right.

The future of the north, the beacon of levelling up, the custodian of national pride. Forget value for money. This is about patriotism. Don’t criticise (your HS2 needs you).

A total dud from the first trying to connect to two dead-end termini, Curzon Street and Euston.

Not Scotland, the Channel Tunnel, Europe (St.Pancras), Leeds the North or even Euston itself, not one airport, but another new station making the journey actually longer not shorter.

The damage to peoples lives properties and the environment is incalculable.

And its backward, the USB2, not HS2 of railways.

What a fantastic concept it was but it doesn't, and never did, do what it says on the tin.

You rarely find one in Cornwall let alone see a Cornishman eating one.

They are made only just over the Devon border, close to the A30 so their Cornish provenance can be established and they can also be swiftly transported to the unsuspecting hordes up country.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Why is anyone surprised that HS2 is way over budget, late, and not going to deliver what it set out to do. Such fiascos repeat themselves time after time with government projects and government activities in general. Governments are the problem. The overwhelming major benefit of the EU is the escape from a massive layer of government. Other layers of government should be abolished, regional parliaments, city mayors, metropolitan and borough councils, police commissioners and most of the quangos. Government should deal with the essentials and keep well away from everything else.

Edited by georgenorman (26 Sep 2023 6.50am)

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We should certainly abolish the Welsh and Scottish parliaments.

I used to look forward to my trip from Euston to Birmingham, the relaxed feeling of comfort and following the Grand Union Canal, at the other end just a step to my destination.

It felt like an experience each time, there's something about a train journey.

And its dying.

The death of the ticket office, soulless contactless world, automatic machines (often not working) connections miles from anywhere no help but talk into this machine.

And these days you can probably do the work from your office anyway.

If this had been what the brochures initially described a streamlined national project connecting us to the regions, to the airport and Europe, if it was actually deliverable, I would have been its greatest supporter.

Good few years ago since I last went on a train and then it was crowded and a fairly unpleasant experience with ridiculously confusing ticket prices and unhelpful staff.