HS2

[Northern_Brewer]

@Northern_Brewer how do you know so much about trains? I dont mean this as an insult, are you a train spotter (im sure train spotter call themselves something else)? Work in the industry?

None of the above, just someone who's read a few blogs and articles although I used to daily commute by train and still use them quite a bit, not least to get to beer festivals like Manchester this week! But I've got that scientist thing that when I hear a lot of talk by politicians and punters I try not to join in until I've got some facts (which tend not to feature much in these debates). Fortunately it's the kind of subject which attracts a lot of ...passionate... supporters, and there's quite a lot of writing out there by railway engineers and people involved on the business side, you just need to put a bit of time in to get a feel for what's plausible and what is political BS. There's a lot of the latter....

 

[terrym]

If a company tenders for a rail contract what is their objective? - To make it efficient or to milk it for as much as they can?

Bidding or tendering for work on major projects is a very complex process. However it is usually done in a competitive basis, where at least two companies bid, usually more. If a company loads a bid unnecessarily it is likely that they will not be successful in winning the work in the first place.
And after the contract has been awarded it is up to the customer to ensure their project does not overrun cost or time, by, for example minimising change for which they will have to pay, and ensuring the contractor is resourcing the project as planned to minimise delay.
Next if a company is ever seen to be trying to 'milking it' as you put it they are unlikely to appear on the next round of companies invited to tender for the next project.
And cartels at the bidding stage are illegal as far as I am aware.
Finally its not down to the contractor to make the rail system efficient unless that's in their contract to do so.

 

[dad_of_jon]

DoJ I wonder how much CO2 buses/coaches, wagons, diesel trains and planes create compared to cars, a lot of modern cars are far more efficient and cleaner than the aforementioned vehicles and as most cars are only used to get to work and back they so are not running seven hours every day, public transport doesn't work where I live and there isn't a bus stop or station anywhere near where I work.

I agree Chippy, when I cycle its usually HGV's belching out fumes at me, oh and the odd VW car. A lot of the goods transport vehicles are dirtier than cars. The irony here I beleive is that if they had to meet increasingly strict emmisions standards that will put the costs of goods up. Thus making private transport less affordable due to less money in our pocket. They're keen to get us out of our cars even if feasable alternatives aren't available. As for HS2 they should have done the northern half first, that would be a sure fire way to ensure the 2nd half was done.

 

[johncrobinson]

As usual as a kid in the 60/70s i had huge hopes for the future.
There is now not words to express my disapointment.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

As for HS2 they should have done the northern half first, that would be a sure fire way to ensure the 2nd half was done.

This was said many times during the 5 live phone in, i wonder why they didn't start up here

 

[johncrobinson]

I think we all know the answer to that one chippy,We are just in denial.

When i lived in London with a very, very well paid job, It was sickening on vists "home" to see how folk in my native north east had to scrimp and scrape by.If indeed they even had any job at all.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Mrs CC just called HS2, H2O which I think think is very appropriate as its money down the drain. It's not as if we are flushed with money but it could be a drop in the Ocean. Etc, etc , etc