Thread 30 Sunak: No trains, no drains, no point

[DuncinToffee]

As suggested by the lovely Pointythings and her feisty cat army

We continue

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4873009-thread-29-sunak-borders-barges-and-bacteria?page=40&reply=129254108

Andy Burnham - "I'm in the dark... they came to conference leaving an axe hanging over Manchester while here & then drops that axe when leaving... I've never seen a govt take very long-term decisions while cooped up in a hotel room.. I've never seen that in British politics"

My dislike for Farage is huge.

But also there is respect, he is a skillful political operator, which Sunak definetely is not.

Glad you found us again

Did anyone watch C4 party gate last night? I am still undecided.

Recorded it but not watched yet

I don’t think I can watch. I tried 5 minutes but already felt the fury growing.

I did, Duncin, I thought it could have been sharper but libel constraints, I guess. It made me very cross indeed. Such vile, entitled people. I need to shut up. Still bloody furious, comforting myself with the knowledge that Bozo has taken one home with him. Serve him right.

There’s a part of me that quite admires the balls you have to have to go to Manchester and announce you are axing the northern leg of HS2 to Manchester in an old railway station in front of a sign that says long term decisions. He’s going to take a helicopter home to top it off isn’t he?

I think it’s balls. There is the possibility it’s complete political ineptitude.

Yes I watched it. There's a thread on it in Telly.
The contrast between the partying and the stark reality of the public was something else

Has anyone figured out yet how HS2 will be high speed to Birmingham and the use existing infrastructure to Manchester? I can only see 3 options.

1. They plan to bulldoze the centre of Birmingham to join the HS2 terminal to Birmingham New Street.

1. They have a cunning plan to transfer people from the terminal to BNS where they'll catch existing trains and everyone pretends it's a slow moving high speed train.

1. Replacement bus service.

Replacement bus service🤣

Thanks, I have just read the thread and have decided I am going to watch it.

This morning Shapps has said that high speed trains will be going to Manchester so my bet is on 1 😂

At least people will get to see a shiny new HS train even if it is stuck at 60mph behind a freight train.

It’s almost like they haven’t thought this through at all.

Are there still Boris Bikes in London? Maybe they could be redeployed.

Almost time for the big speech

A few sketch writers are banned from the speech

https://x.com/RobDotHutton/status/1709508592187945170?s=20

Excitement at Tory Conference as left-wing firebrand @Madz_Grant of filthy socialist rag The Telegraph joins the Guardian's @JohnJCrace on the list of Sketchwriters BANNED from Rishi Sunak's speech.

God, they are pathetic. I hope Crace rips him to shreds anyway.

The Northern HS2 line has been cancelled

So one long promised project scrapped.
Instead they ask us to trust that they will spend the exact same money on lots of smaller projects.

Oh and here's a pre election tax cut and a a virtual reality tour of 40 new hospitals.

Have I understood correctly that yesterday we were meant to believe that no decision had been taken on HS2, but suddenly today new information has come to light that means it is axed?

Logic would suggest that they may as well ax the Curzon street terminus in Birmingham as it doesn't link to the mainline or Manchester and pop a junction onto the mainline somewhere near Birmingham international and have travellers to Birmingham from Gospel Oak change their from High Speed 2.

At this rate HS2 is going to be slower than the local Birmingham to Maryleborne service, let alone the West Coast mainline.

Well. Lots to discuss!

This is exactly what I thought. Death by 1000 cuts
And if they are switching to improving roads, we could do with lots of support in the SW.
It's such bollocks. Going to be interesting to see what Andy Street does.

I live near Exeter. Our trains are dreadful, our roads are dreadful, our buses are dreadful. Public transport is altogether appalling. HS2 was always a vanity project and dosh for the boys.

I'm pleased it's been kiboshed as long as that money is used for improving existing tracks, better rolling stock and maybe even resurrecting some tracks and stations which have been disused.

I hate agreeing with a Tory, I loathe myself right now for doing so, but that I'll-conceived pointless project being stopped is the most sensible thing any Party has come up with for a while.

The UK is too small to need a high speed train if you get the roads, trains and buses running.

Wives R Us now? Honestly, just when you think they've pulled every trick in the book, they deliver another. 'Hello, Im a lovely wife and I'm here to praise my upright, honest loyal and true husband who is also a wonderful father and loves his dear old parents. Can you hear me at the back? Shall I say some more?' I am irritated. Expect Carrie is too. Missed a trick there.

@jux HS2 wasn’t just about reducing train travel time from the north to London.
It was about creating a division between freight, local and high speed trains thus improving all of it.