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10/01/2012
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Plans to build a new £32billion high speed rail line between London and Birmingham have been given the go-ahead by government.
 Transport Secretary Justine Greening announced this morning that the first phase of the High Speed Two (HS2) could be running by 2026, with additional lines from London to Manchester and Leeds expected to be complete by 2032/33.
The news has been welcomed by the UK's engineering community, with industry bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) pledging their support.
In a statement released today, the IMechE said the new scheme would help to revitalise the country's creaking transport infrastructure and take the UK railway system into the 21st Century.
It maintained, however, that the £32bn should be used to invest in UK jobs and skills. "The country needs to invest in and nurture its engineering talent," it said.
HS2 is expected to convey up to 26,000 people each hour at speeds of up to 250mph. The government expects it to eventually result in 9million road journeys and 4.5m journeys by plane instead being taken by train every year.
Greening said: "A new high speed rail network will provide Britain with the additional train seats, connections and speed to stay ahead of the congestion challenge and help create jobs, growth and prosperity for the entire country.
"More than a century ago the Victorians built railways that continue to serve us to this day and just over 50 years ago the post-war generation chose to invest in motorways, bringing higher road capacity and faster journeys to millions.
"Both transformed the economic and social fabric of this country: HS2 is our generation's investment in Britain."
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Author
Laura Hopperton
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| | | Added: 12/01/2012 | 11:45 | | |  | I'm not sure if you have already received this.
My point being that;
The High Speed rail link COULD be good for British Engineering and manufacture as long as the majority of the design and construction work is carried out by British Engineering companies and constructors.
Typically, the wind farm design, manufacture and construction is in the main being done by overseas companies and provides very little to the British Economy and Engineering Industries.
I remember when Geoff Hoon misguidedly stated how wonderful it was that the earlier HS1 was to be assembled in Ashford, Kent and then we would be able to sell the technology to other countries. What technology when the design is wrapped up by the intellectual property rights of the Japanese Company?
It sends a chill through me every time I hear that engineers are talking to politicians about engineering. |  | | | | Posted by: Leigh Gubb | | | | Report Abuse | | | | | Added: 12/01/2012 | 12:25 | | | | As an engineer from the 1960's, I've watched as engineering has gone down the drain in the UK. Much as don't wish to deride any engineering projects in the UK, I think this one is a government status symbol. I don't believe any of the financial aspects, I don't see how the ability of a selected few to travel a bit faster between a few selected towns is going to produce anything.
The £32b ought to be properly targeted to the whole transport system of the country. A motorway in place of this would at least carry freight as well as people. The environmental claims are dubious as well. And of course, the UK government has a fine track record of farming out the engineering to foreign companies and immigrant workers. | | | | | Posted by: Bob Webb | | | | Report Abuse | | | | | Added: 12/01/2012 | 12:26 | | | | Your enthusiasm for the high-speed rail project might be well placed and is no doubt laudable. Can you be sure that Siemens won't get the contract? | | | | | Posted by: Julian Vincent | | | | Report Abuse | | | | | Added: 12/01/2012 | 13:41 | | | | Can we put out inquiries overseas for some cut price politicians? | | | | | Posted by: Malcolm | | | | Report Abuse | |
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