Does Britain care more about bats than people? Opinion For each animal saved by the £100m the government spent on a ‘bat tunnel’ for HS2 we could have stopped 76 children dying of malaria. The affair illustrates the state’s total inability to consider trade-offs, says Samuel Hughes Last month saw much discussion of the £100m ‘bat tunnel’ built for HS2. There are several morals [...]
Ministers to oversee HS2 amid warnings of ‘dire delivery failure’ Politics Ministers will oversee work on HS2, the government has announced, as the transport secretary warned costs had spiralled out of control. Louise Haigh has announced urgent action to bring the cost and delivery of the high speed route from London to Birmingham back under control. It comes as the Sunday Times revealed leaked documents marked [...]
Transport officials plot PFI-style deal to fund HS2 Euston station Transport and infrastructure Government officials are reportedly planning to raise at least £3bn from private sector investors to help fund the new HS2 station at Euston and renovate the neighbouring mainline terminus.
HS2 back on track: Troubled line will run from London Euston after all October 17, 2024 The government is reportedly planning to reverse its decision to scrap the northern leg of HS2, extending the high-speed rail line from London Euston to Crewe. Having originally planned for the project to cost £37.5bn in 2009, the government’s latest estimation in Febuary this year ballooned to anywhere between £72bn and £98bn. Private talks involving [...]
Treasury chief unveils new infrastructure body after HS2 fiasco October 10, 2024 The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will bring oversight of UK infrastructure under "one roof."
‘Incredibly frustrating’: Delay to £9bn Lower Thames Crossing condemned October 8, 2024 The government’s decision to significantly delay a verdict on whether to continue with the UK’s biggest road project has been condemned by transport and business groups. The £9bn Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), a road tunnel linking Kent and Essex, was already facing backlash over mounting costs and a £300m planning application which totals a whopping [...]
HS2 will reach Euston, transport secretary signals October 8, 2024 Transport secretary Louise Haigh has given the strongest signal yet that HS2 will reach London’s Euston station, ahead of an announcement she said would be coming soon. The Cabinet minister said an announcement on the project could occur during the Budget on Wednesday, 30 October. Speaking to Times Radio this morning, Haigh said: “We’ve said [...]
HS2: Never a cheaper time than now to dig Euston tunnel, rail minister told October 3, 2024 Whether HS2 finishes at Euston or at Old Oak Common, in London's outer suburbs, has been shrouded in uncertainty throughout this year.
Hurry up HS2, the diggers are coming September 25, 2024 Two tunnel boring machines, needed to drill a 4.5 mile tunnel between West London and Euston, will be delivered from Germany next month.
Engineer exodus to Saudi is damaging major UK infrastructure projects, HS2 contractor warns September 19, 2024 Egis Group chief Laurent Germain said the number of engineers leaving was creating "a lot of tension" during the recruitment process.