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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think HS 2 is a monumental waste of money?

40 replies

cloudtreecarpet · 23/05/2026 18:26

So I heard people discussing HS2 on the radio today.
Apparently when it's finished it will have cost around £100 billion and it won't be completed until 2029!

Am I being unreasonable to be absolutely shocked and horrified by this and see it as a huge waste of money?
Labour began the idea in 2009 & successive Governments have continued it.

But will it actually be of value in the end and is it worth the money?

These are genuine questions and I am prepared to be enlightened by those who maybe know more about it because tbh at the moment it looks to me like a massive, expensive con.

OP posts:
Original poster
cloudtreecarpet · 23/05/2026 18:59

mindutopia · 23/05/2026 18:35

I literally took a project management course 3 years ago where the primary example of failed project management was HS2. This isn’t exactly news.

So why hasn't it been stopped??
Maybe that is what my AIBU really is - why keep going with something that is clearly a huge money pit?
It seems like the definition of madness to keep doing something everyone knows is crap so why hasn't someone just put a stop to it?
That's what I don't get?

Anyone?

OP posts:
Original poster
cloudtreecarpet · 23/05/2026 18:56

SoScarletItWas · 23/05/2026 18:28

Have you only just realised this? It’s been a massive waste of money since it startedu and we’ve destroyed swathes of countryside for nothing.

But a point of correction. The current scheme is not even as useful as original plan. They aren’t building the planned ‘top end’, which reduces the (minimal) benefits even further.

No I haven't just realised this, I have always thought it was a ludicrous waste of money but for it to be still continuing I just began to wonder if I was missing something.

OP posts:
Original poster
cloudtreecarpet · 23/05/2026 18:55

InterestedDad37 · 23/05/2026 18:31

Later than 2029 🤔
I think it's 2039 for West London (Old Oak Common) to B'ham and 2040-2043 for connection to Euston.
And of course it will be further delayed.
And of course the price will rise again.
It literally cost less to send Artemis II to the moon and back.
Madness.

Sorry that was a typo, I knew it was 2039 but thanks for pointing it out though. Makes it even worse!

OP posts:
Wildywondrous · 23/05/2026 18:48

I live in Staffordshire near where it is being built and it's already caused chaos for years, homes and businesses were taken by compulsory purchase, traffic regularly diverted for weeks at a time through small towns and villages.
Dual carriageways that used to be 60mph are, for months at a time, reduced to 40mph and down to one lane which makes commuting awful.

I don't know a single person who thinks it's a good idea.

MyArtfulGreySloth · 23/05/2026 18:42

Absolutely insane amounts of money. I drove from Birmingham to London recently and passed by so many huge pillars that are just connected to nothing, nowhere near completed at all and no works were even happening.

Goodadvice1980 · 23/05/2026 18:40

I feel sorry for anyone blighted by this farce of a rail project. People losing their homes for absolutely sod all.

Sadly I doubt anyone will be held accountable for the monumental cock up.

vincettenoir · 23/05/2026 18:39

Without a doubt.

endofthelinefinally · 23/05/2026 18:38

SoScarletItWas · 23/05/2026 18:28

Have you only just realised this? It’s been a massive waste of money since it startedu and we’ve destroyed swathes of countryside for nothing.

But a point of correction. The current scheme is not even as useful as original plan. They aren’t building the planned ‘top end’, which reduces the (minimal) benefits even further.

This. Yanbu.

mindutopia · 23/05/2026 18:35

I literally took a project management course 3 years ago where the primary example of failed project management was HS2. This isn’t exactly news.

Charley50 · 23/05/2026 18:33

Totally agree. I think it’s going to take even longer than that, to not going to the original destinations. What a shitshow.

Imaginingdragonsagain · 23/05/2026 18:33

YANBU

InterestedDad37 · 23/05/2026 18:31

Later than 2029 🤔
I think it's 2039 for West London (Old Oak Common) to B'ham and 2040-2043 for connection to Euston.
And of course it will be further delayed.
And of course the price will rise again.
It literally cost less to send Artemis II to the moon and back.
Madness.

BountifulPantry · 23/05/2026 18:30

YANBU -it’s pointless.

VetMedMum · 23/05/2026 18:29

A pointless plan decided before Microsoft Teams was a thing.

SoScarletItWas · 23/05/2026 18:28

Have you only just realised this? It’s been a massive waste of money since it startedu and we’ve destroyed swathes of countryside for nothing.

But a point of correction. The current scheme is not even as useful as original plan. They aren’t building the planned ‘top end’, which reduces the (minimal) benefits even further.