The HS2 farrago shows we're a country that can't get its act together
In Monday's opening episode, Lamble began with perhaps the most damning thing of all. In 2009, the year HS2 first rumbled into life, the West Coast Main Line upgrade had finally finished – years late, billions over budget, with more money spent on compensation than on the actual infrastructure. In other words, the perfect manual for how not to run a railway project. HS2, as we all know too well by now, has made that project look like Swiss clockwork.
Lamble spoke to an impressive roster of those involved in HS2, from engineers to MPs, and found a project riven with division from the off, and one so in love with the idea of itself, it was incapable of seeing a yard in front of its face. Some of the details amounted to a national embarrassment: the budget updates tied doggedly to 2012 prices, key figures sacked for providing realistic costings (HS2 Ltd deny this), the wrong trains purchased, trees chopped down on land they didn't own, thousands of properties bought that they still don't know what to do with.
One key figure stated that the original budget (around £15bn – current estimates have it going northwards of £80bn) was drawn up when they knew 'three to four per cent of the facts' about the project. The use of guesstimates is stunning. According to the podcast, one necessary piece of land attached to a golf course was valued by HS2 at £3,800. They agreed to buy it for £7m. It's not so much a case of trying to work out who knew what – no one seemed to know anything. In 2014, when the first of the bills passed in parliament, the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin believed that was tantamount to the planning application being approved. Since then, HS2 has required more than 8,000 further permissions from local councils and other agencies.
Yet for all we've completely ballsed it up, Lamble hits upon a key truth. The obsession with the cost and with the speed meant that HS2 had failed to tell the right story. As a result, said Lamble, 'the public got the impression we were about to spend billions just to knock 30 minutes off a trip to Birmingham'. In a country obsessed with the railways, we'd got the narrative wrong, failing to convince the nation that HS2 could be something discussed in 150 years the way we discuss the golden age of Victorian railways now. In 150 years, HS2 will certainly be discussed – as a prime example of the little country that couldn't.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jeremy Corbyn more popular among younger voters than Keir Starmer, new poll shows
Jeremy Corbyn is far more popular among young voters than Sir Keir Starmer, new polling has indicated, suggesting that Labour's decision to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds could backfire. While both leaders remain deeply unpopular among the public, there is a surge in support for Sir Keir 's predecessor among those aged 18-24, a new poll has shown. The survey comes just days after Mr Corbyn launched his own political party alongside former left-wing Labour MP Zarah Sultana. While Sir Keir's approval ratings are poor across all age groups, new polling conducted by YouGov on the day Mr Corbyn announced his new party showed that the left-wing politician has a rating of plus 18 among 18-24 year-olds. By contrast, Sir Keir has an approval rating of minus 30 among the same group. But among voters overall, the two leaders have a near identical approval rating, with Sir Keir on minus 40 and Mr Corbyn on minus 39. Earlier this month, the government announced it will give the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, expanding the electorate by 1.6m people at the next election. While there have been accusations from the right that the move was an attempt to shore up its own support, the YouGov polling for The Times suggests the move could serve to split the electorate even further if the results are reflected among 16 and 17 year olds. It comes amid growing concern over the direction of Sir Keir's government from voters on both the left and the right, with the prime minister's approval rating hitting an all time low earlier this month. Sir Keir's support among the public reached new depths of minus 43 after the £5bn welfare U-turn, according to new polling. The survey, first reported by The Sunday Times, also found that just a year after coming to power, seven in 10 voters think Sir Keir's government is at least as chaotic as the Tories' previous term. That includes one in three voters, who believe it is more so. Seeking to capitalise on the discontent with the Labour government, Mr Corbyn promised a 'new kind of political party' when he launched the as yet unnamed project with Ms Sultana on Thursday, claiming that more than 200,000 people have signed up. But dismissing the movement, technology secretary Peter Kyle said that the Islington North MP 'doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing'. Asked about the move, Mr Kyle reflected on what he called the 'chaos and instability' of Mr Corbyn's leadership. Speaking on Times Radio, Mr Kyle said: 'He's not a serious politician. He doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing. And we see that writ large at the moment, because all the posturing, of course, just puts him at odds with his own supporters, which is why you've got George Galloway saying he won't join it.' When Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana announced their new party, a Labour source said: "The electorate has twice given its verdict on a Jeremy Corbyn led party." The polling, conducted by YouGov for The Times, spoke to 2,013 adults between July 24 and 25.
Reuters
10 minutes ago
- Reuters
Europe reacts with mix of relief and concern to US trade deal
BRUSSELS, July 28 (Reuters) - European governments and companies reacted with both relief and concern on Monday to the framework trade deal struck with U.S. President Donald Trump, acknowledging what was seen as an unbalanced deal but one that avoided a deeper trade war. The agreement, announced on Sunday between two economies that account for almost a third of global trade, will see the U.S. impose a 15% import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate but much more than what Europeans hoped for. Many of the specifics of the deal were not immediately known, however. "As we await full details of the new EU–U.S. trade agreement, one thing is clear: this is a moment of relief but not of celebration," Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever wrote on X. "Tariffs will increase in several areas and some key questions remain unresolved." Trump said the deal, including an investment pledge topping the $550 billion deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of U.S. exporters. It will bring clarity for European makers of cars, planes and chemicals. But the EU had initially hoped for a zero-for-zero tariff deal. And the 15% baseline tariff, while an improvement on the threatened rate of 30%, compares to an average U.S. import tariff rate of around 2.5% last year before Trump's return to the White House. European Commission chief Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, told reporters on Sunday that it was "the best we could get". European stocks opened up on Monday, with the STOXX 600 at a four-month high and all other major bourses also in the green. Tech and healthcare stocks led the way. "The 15% rate is better than the market was fearing," said Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. French government ministers said on Monday that the deal had some merits - such as exemptions they hoped to see for some key French business sectors such as spirits - but was nevertheless not balanced. Industry minister Marc Ferracci stressed more talks - potentially lasting weeks or months - would be needed before the deal could be formally concluded. "This is not the end of the story," he told RTL radio. European companies, meanwhile, were left wondering whether to cheer or lament the accord. "Those who expect a hurricane are grateful for a storm," said Wolfgang Große Entrup, head of the German Chemical Industry Association VCI. "Further escalation has been avoided. Nevertheless, the price is high for both sides. European exports are losing competitiveness. U.S. customers are paying the tariffs," he said. Stellantis ( opens new tab shares were up 3.5% and car parts maker Valeo ( opens new tab jumped 4.7% while German pharma group Merck KGaA ( opens new tab rose 2.9%, in a sign of relief for those sectors. Among the many questions that remain to be answered, however, is how the EU's promise to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. and steeply increase energy purchases can be turned into reality. It was not immediately clear if specific pledges of increased investments were made or whether the details still must be hammered out. And while the EU pledged to make $750 billion in strategic purchases over the next three years, including oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and nuclear fuel, the U.S. will struggle to produce enough to meet that demand. While U.S. LNG production capacity is due to almost double over the next four years it will still not be enough to ramp up supplies to Europe, and oil production is expected to be lower than previously forecast this year. Despite the lingering unknowns, analysts stressed the deal still helped decrease uncertainty. Oil prices rose on Monday, as did the euro. "Now that there is more clarity, you would think that not only in the United States, but around the globe, there will be a little bit more willingness to look at investment, to look at expansions, and to look at where the opportunities are," said Rodrigo Catril, senior currency strategist at National Australia Bank.
The Sun
10 minutes ago
- The Sun
I was kicked out of Wetherspoons for wearing Union Jack dress – staff's four cruel words mean I'll never go back
A WOMAN who was wearing a Union Jack dress and was refused entry to a Wetherspoon's pub has said she'll never go back. Wearing her patriotic dress, Tanya Ostolski, 54, was told "you're not coming in" despite being a regular for nearly 30 years. 3 3 Tanya was trying to visit The Picture House in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, when she was barred entry. The events followed an anti-illegal immigration protest that took place 50 metres away from the pub in Nottingham town centre on Friday July 25 which Tanya attended. After marching in the protest, Tanya made her way to the local Wetherspoons but was denied entry due to her dress, despite putting away the flag she was carrying, she says. The decision caused anger amongst some protesters who clashed with bouncers on Friday evening as they were also denied entry, they said. A spokesperson for Wetherspoons has confirmed the pub asked customers with flags and placards not to enter so as not to "increase tension". Tanya said: "I'm disgusted, I won't be going back there. "I go in there all the time and I wasn't causing any trouble. "The whole day was a peaceful protest, I'm a grandma and I've never caused any bother. "I just can't believe this was all over a flag - it was really upsetting, I didn't do anything wrong." According to Tanya, she was first refused entry because she was carrying a St George's cross flag but after putting it away she was still refused entry. She claims witnesses defended her at the time, calling the bouncers actions "unfair" as she wasn't "causing any trouble". Tanya added that she had the flag tied around her waist and was asked to put the flag away and that she couldn't come in. "But I had flags all over my dress and then I was told I can't come in at all - I was really confused, it's just a flag," Tanya said. "I asked for a valid reason and they just kept saying you're not coming in. "I'm not aggressive and didn't want to cause trouble, so I just walked away. "I've heard I won't be welcome back or I might be barred." The protest was sparked after Reform MP Lee Anderson made an unfounded claim that a local man charged with rape was an asylum seeker. Anderson made the claims on X, despite being advised against it by Nottinghamshire Police as it could interfere with the justice proceedings. The claim regards a man who was arrested after reportedly raping a woman at Sutton Lawn. An estimated 300 people attended the earlier protest, with around a dozen counter protesters from Stand Up To Racism also present. Protests began at around 4.30pm and had ended by around 7pm. Anger was directed towards Sir Keir Starmer, with people chanting "stop the boats". At one point in the evening, police guarded the entrance to the Wetherspoon pub after protesters like Tanya complained about being turned away. JD Wetherspoons has a "no flag" policy which was prohibits the pubs from hanging the England flag. The move caused backlash from pubgoers during the 2018 football World Cup. But during the men's Euro 2024, the popular chain overturned it's policy and allowed the pubs to hang the England flag during the summer tournament. Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon commented in response to the incident in Sutton-in-Ashfield. He said: "Pub managers have a duty under the licensing laws, and as a matter of common sense, to judge every situation on its particular circumstances. "In this case, the pub manager felt that it was important not to increase tensions. "Therefore, on this occasion the manager asked customers not to enter with flags or any placards." 3
