Discussion
As its is announced that HS2 spent £65mn on consultants in 2025 to figure out it 'reset', the most expensive railway in the world has become a classic example of what is wrong with the UK.
Mangers don't know what they're doing so hire consultant who will say whatever they think will maximise their fee;
The idea of the public good is evacuated of meaning & is only measured using monetised cost-benefit analysis;
the political cycle destroys everything it touches.
@ChrisMayLA6 the former head of HS1, Eurostar and Crossrail was deemed unqualified to run HS2, despite completing HS1 on time and under budget. Probably because he didn't go to Oxbridge:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hs2-rishi-sunak-tory-conference-b2422922.html
If there is one thing the UK Establishment is good at, it's looking out for one another and escaping accountability.
@ChrisMayLA6 how did this country ever manage to build a railway network? I know it wasn't a smooth ride, but it still happened!
I know... its almost like in the C19th we had some idea how to manage civil engineering projects...
Well, maybe. The stories of how some of the land for railways was acquired make me quite glad we don’t do infrastructure like that anymore. Not that HS2 has been a shining example of how it should be done.
@david_chisnall @ChrisMayLA6 the way Boris Johnson's dad got a payout, but none of this neighbours did, that sort of thing.
I bet the Corruption story of HS2 is a whole other thing in itself. Maybe like all those COVID loans for the scale of backhanders and such
@ChrisMayLA6 @Lazarou I'm not sure "Work a bunch of foreigners to death after confiscating the property of poor people" is really the best model.
Indeed, the railways *did* get built... but as you suggest at a high social cost (now of course mostly forgotten - including in my quick reply)
Install bonfire.cafe
Get the full app experience
