Hacker News Reader

Hacker News

Comment by youngtaff | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

youngtaff

HS2 isn't just about connecting cities it's about releasing capacity for more local services.

Midlands Connect say HS2 will improve services to 73 stations, 53 of which aren't connected to HS2 [1]

It also introduces capacity gains for commuter lines into Euston (can't find the link for that)

I'd encourage everyone to read Rail Magazine's take on why we should build H2S [2]

1. https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/publications/hs2-released-cap...

2. https://www.railmagazine.com/research-hub/comment/comment-sp...

View on HN

I am aware of that, I just think it stands easily without that argument. It is totally amazing and a clear potential competitive advantage for the UK to have so many of its urban centres connected with such short travel times. London to Birmingham will take less time than getting from one side of central London to the other, that is amazing. It’s also going to suck a lot of companies that would otherwise need to be based in London to be close to clients and suppliers out to other cities.

I could well be wrong but this was never one of the touted benefits of HS2 when it was being (mis?)sold to the British public, which makes me very suspicious.

Furthermore, I would guess that the post coronavirus emphasis on remote work would make it less important, only time will tell.

> I could well be wrong but this was never one of the touted benefits of HS2 when it was being (mis?)sold to the British public, which makes me very suspicious.

At least https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16485263 talks about capacity a fair bit?

> Furthermore, I would guess that the post coronavirus emphasis on remote work would make it less important, only time will tell.

It's worthwhile remembering that number of people heading into cities has been rising year-over-year for a long time. Even if we see a 25% decrease in travel, any freed up rail capacity would likely just be taken up by people moving from road to rail. And with a larger decrease, while rail might drop away from being at capacity for a few years it's highly likely to increase again in future.

The capacity easing was always the main reason pushed to those in the know, it was easier to sell to the public based on some new top line figures though, so that's the reason that narrative was used.

HS2 is almost all about easing local commuter routes.

> I could well be wrong but this was never one of the touted benefits of HS2 when it was being (mis?)sold to the British public, which makes me very suspicious.

HS2's PR has been, frankly, awful. Hell, its name has been its biggest failure.

If you read any of the published reports into HS2 then you'll see that capacity is the reason for the project.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com