Oh so you've met the hard working loyal dedicated train staff then. You probably didn't meet the Guard they are far too busy hiding in their little cubby hole

One more point

It's fair to say when I have been on rail in the UK recently, quite a lot in 2023 there seem to be a lot of staff standing around or sitting about not doing very much. Clapham Junction, St Pancras, Kings Cross.

The staff at Selhurst and Norwood Junction are very busy whenever I am there.

Responsibility Deficit Disorder is a medical condition. Symptoms include inability to be corrected when wrong, false sense of superiority, desire to share personal info no else cares about, general hubris. It's a medical issue rather than pure arrogance.

In the south at least you will normally have a good train service with enough trains and quite punctual if not always.

Not so in the north, you're lucky if you get either of those.

So why are northern mayors not addressing this, but instead forming alliances in favour of HS2 to Manchester a money-pit with no benefit except to vanity.

Think of a number and double it, 180 billions I have seen, that's HS2 but it just doesn't do anything much anyway.

In fact as Khan points out today the service to London is going to be considerably longer than at present due to the new station.

It is an embarrassment and there is enormous reputational damage to the country in addition to all the devastation.

The PM, Sunak seems to agree that the British are not much cop and that seems to be the basis of his announcements.

It’s the planning process that’s the problem and it’s not going to be easy to solve because doing what ought to be done, and over-riding objections in order to reduce costs and speed delivery, would be so politically unpopular that no government will do it.

The only way is a consensus between all the political parties to agree to do this, which will not happen with our present system. So we are stuck until we change it.

If you have ever had to fight your way through the planning process you will understand what a nightmare of stupidity it is.

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.

Edited by Forest Hillbilly (29 Sep 2023 7.33am)

"The facts have changed", Rishi Sunak

HS2 must be completed. People said the same about the big white tent in Greenwich, the M25 and other major projects. Yes you can build schools and hospitals with the money but then the ongoing costs of those will need finding. As a country the infrastructure is vitally important. If rail or road or waterways etc. progress costs and if not now the railways will need to be replaced at some stage as they are wearing out. This would be the start of those projects.