HS2 is set to cost the taxpayer £96 billion – 71% more than the 2015 estimate. Is cutting the journey time from London to Birmingham by 30 minutes really worth all that money? According to Ben Rule, Infrastructure Management Director at HS2, the high-speed railway line is an invaluable investment, which will bring much wider benefits to Great Britain and its railways.
00:40 A bit about Ben
01:57 Response to critics: HS2 isn’t an overpriced project that just slightly cuts journey times
02:56 It’ll do so much more, including improving connectivity
04:15 Then there’s the role it’ll have in reducing the country’s carbon footprint
06:52 Let’s not forget the economic and social benefits: freight, employment, business opportunities
08:44 While many may not agree, this couldn’t have been achieved with our existing network
These might be of interest:
HS2 home page: https://www.hs2.org.uk/
HS2 Phase One plan and profile maps: London to the West Midlands: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hs2-plan-and-profile-maps-between-london-and-the-west-midlands