Ben
@kitchentowel
Followers
838
Following
1,017
Media
1,740
Statuses
49,519
EUsceptic indiaphile. EFTA for UK. Love history and technology. I retweet and like tweets written by more well informed and intelligent people than me.
UK
Joined February 2009
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
JIMIN JIMIN
• 203136 Tweets
#JACKANDJOKEREP4
• 195301 Tweets
EP4 U STEAL MY HEART
• 180568 Tweets
#JusticeForBruce
• 159382 Tweets
OUROAD GRAND OPEN HOUSE
• 138195 Tweets
#freemorarakebaso
• 96138 Tweets
Meat Eaters Will Go To Hell
• 84216 Tweets
Dikembe Mutombo
• 71023 Tweets
CDTV
• 57268 Tweets
National Day
• 53098 Tweets
#HelloJimtober
• 51685 Tweets
#국방부_달력도_짐토버
• 46662 Tweets
#시작된_우리의_짐토버
• 45872 Tweets
#ゆうぴー愛してるぞ
• 36448 Tweets
Indigenous
• 36183 Tweets
#髙橋優斗
• 27821 Tweets
HAPPY JIMTOBER
• 26217 Tweets
RIP Legend
• 25379 Tweets
チャウヌ
• 23636 Tweets
JIMTOBER IS HERE
• 22560 Tweets
スレッタ
• 21926 Tweets
#HiHiJets愛してるぞ
• 18817 Tweets
Verizon
• 18817 Tweets
ITZY IS AESTHETIC
• 17406 Tweets
仮装狂騒曲
• 15317 Tweets
SezonaMerhaba CünZey
• 13922 Tweets
#戌神ころね生誕祭2024
• 12045 Tweets
すいちゃん
• 11910 Tweets
#الاهلي_الوصل
• 11574 Tweets
@grahambsi
It's all becoming clear now. When we were told to put our hands up to ask a question in primary school, they were training us to become good little fascists. That is why I and millions of others voted leave in June 2016, in adherence to our far right training.
2
10
219
Someone should build a new transit line in the blue part of the UK. Would work well.
Just a few simplified population distribution maps. Do you recognize all countries based on their shape alone?
102
307
2K
5
18
286
Listening to this man will be the biggest mistake in 100 years. His paper shows he's unaware of the limit of terminating at OOC. He's about to permanently limit our new infrastructure to 1/3 of its built capacity. This is economic vandelism.
HS2 is Britain's greatest infrastructure mistake in 50 years. My report for Policy Exchange explains how we can stop it eating the rest of the public transport budget.
0
70
136
9
30
201
@CarolineLucas
You've campaigned against it and repeated misinformation about its impact. That's made it more politically acceptable to drop it. Now suddenly you're using this to attack the govt?
1
4
149
The minister is either ignorant or lying
-
#hs2
has NOT tripled, NOT doubled. Yes its gone up substantially, by about 40% in real terms
-Budget increased once
-Based on revised budget HS2 is on track
However seeing many variations of "budget was 32.7bn and its now over 100bn" no..
Home Office minister Chris Philp tells Sky News the cost of HS2 has ‘roughly tripled’ since it was first conceived
6
0
1
7
49
158
This is such a bizarre decision:
-says he'll spend every penny, so its not "saving money"
-he's got one year, surely decision for next govt, put plan in manifesto and vote
-Ldn-mcr huge revenue generator, but now won't have 1100 seat trains
-no evidence hs2 overbudget
...
Rishi Sunak will axe HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester but push ahead with Euston terminus
He will pledge to spend ‘every penny’ of money saved on regional transport links in North and Midlands
He will argue that original plans were based on old & outdated assumptions
27
23
34
5
19
145
@JustStop_Oil
@Calista_Toner
Is Marcus aware that electric mass transit systems are part of the solution?
0
1
134
If you call yourself an environmentalist, but then are celebrating the govt's decision on hs2, whilst said govt sets out plans to widen the m6 instead, then I have no time for you. You've been dishonest from the start and I sincerely doubt your concern for the environment.
6
24
129
@MacaesBruno
Mother in law, under 70, in India, vaccinated. Dad, over 70, in Germany, still waiting.
1
13
115
Look at their tactics, its a trap for labour. Announce a bunch of stuff that's either happened or won't ever happen then use that against the other party if they suggest to do something else. It's really dirty and deceiving politics. Nasty.
This would mean Labour cancelling the £36bn of transport projects across the country that we can now fund from redirecting resources from HS2…and finding even more money besides.
This would mean more borrowing, more debt and more inflation under Labour.
2K
107
337
12
14
107
I see greensForM6 have arrived at their conference.
Val and Juliet with
@CarolineLucas
, sporting one our lovely 'Truth Matters" mini-flags at
#GPConf
.
#GPC23
#HS2
#GreensAgainstHS2
35
42
64
1
6
95
Next time you're stuck in traffic on the m6, on an overcrowded or late train or wonder why your rail service is infrequent, just remember there was a solution, but we ditched it for inheritance tax cuts. Still, if you travel regularly by helicopter this won't be a problem
2
24
91
@petertimmins3
Hs2 not 100bn (53-71), not 30 mins cut (1hr, 1.5hrs for some journeys), not just to go to manchester, built primarily for capacity.
LGV poor comparison, though still cheaper. Costs do not include rolling stock, maintenance & RS depots, inner city approaches & stations.
6
4
86
@HuwMerriman
@Mark_J_Harper
It was pushed by Harper and Sunak. You're making out it was the train operators who wanted to do it.
1
2
88
This is the justification for the cancellation of
#hs2
, except I've not seen any analysis of these figures. The screenshot is from network north document. There's quite a lot wrong with it. Let's start with that cost increase - IT HASN'T DOUBLED
Phase one of HS2 is expected to cost at least £45bn – more than double the original estimate of £20bn
2
3
8
4
19
82
“we have to think about why HS2 was designed in the first place
“It was because there was a lack of capacity on the West Coast Main Line
“So if there is a lack of capacity on the West Coast Main Line, we need more railway capacity to serve the North West.”
1
5
71
@joncstone
It has to be the least understood project ever, and subject to the most myths. "just for 20 minutes to Birmingham".
2
0
65
@thomasforth
Was to be 27 minutes east midlands hub to Leeds, 5 trains an hour with hs2. At most 50mins from Nottingham station factoring in a 10-13min change.
4
2
61
@NeilDotObrien
The pink bits should correspond to areas of high population density. That they don't is the culmination of 60 years of failure of transport policy. Now you're ditching the transport plan that would have helped to improve public transport. Next govt please.
1
1
53
@JohnnyMercerUK
@RishiSunak
Johnny, you're a good man, but I was so disgusted by what I saw at conference I joined the labour party. Sabotaging a key infrastruture project that would have benefitted generations should be an arrestable offence. Need a change of politics away from people like Sunak & Gilligan
9
2
49
@andy4wm
2035 was the earliest for Manchester. Don't let the little sod reduce to 6 platforms at Euston either
Conservative party is a shambles right now.
1
4
51
One might be forgiven for wondering if Sunak's Musk love is partly behind his desire to salt the earth for HS2's further stages.
The Hyperloop was never meant to be built. Elon Musk admitted it was all about fueling opposition to California’s high-speed rail project so it would get canceled.
He never planned to improve transportation; he just wants to keep people trapped in cars.
73
2K
6K
3
11
49
Anyway, good to know that Spreadsheet Boy Sunak has made a decision affecting the country for decades, that will mean people lose jobs and costing billions in lost hs2 asset value, revenue, opportunity and in future risk on future projects, on the basis of good data...
5
5
51
Another thick idiot. You want to know why we can't build infrastructure? Journalists misreporting the costs.
In years to come, the question will be how HS2 budget jumped from £16bn to £100bn - and why no one pulled the plug earlier.
These things CAN work. HS1 was on time/budget. Dittio LHR T5. But HS2 was a calamity.
511
245
1K
4
4
51
@HS2ltd
@Mark_J_Harper
this looks great, how about doing something similar in the north and connecting it up via a new line to create bundles of capacity for new services and more freight on rail?
2
1
45
@davymoncs
@peterwells79
@DEVILSADVOKAT
Rolling stock and stations included in our costs, land costs higher, more tunnelling on our routes, later base years. Phase 2a a good comparator - 36miles, 5.2-7.2bn; EWR 100mph non electrified 37 miles 5.8bn. Whatever you build, its expensive here. Doesn't mean we shouldn't.
1
0
47
Over 40% complete and 33% of contingency used. It is not over budget.
Over 40% of the first phase of HS2 is already complete ✅
Our latest project update video highlights some major construction milestones we've achieved in the summer.
Watch the full video here:
77
39
238
5
3
46
Some mistakenly believed
#hs2
was a railway for the rich to get to Birmingham.
But it was a rich man who cancelled it as rich people use helicopters.
5
5
46
To summarise: the govt's justification for cancelling hs2 is based on costs and timelines that have been known since 2019, on which the govt agreed to go ahead on in 2020, and they've dressed it up here with some misleading comparisons.
This is the justification for the cancellation of
#hs2
, except I've not seen any analysis of these figures. The screenshot is from network north document. There's quite a lot wrong with it. Let's start with that cost increase - IT HASN'T DOUBLED
4
19
82
1
22
41
A quick scan of this article reveals a number of errors. 2013 it was 37.5bn? No. How can you take an article about costs seriously when they can't even get the basic costs right?
🔺 EXCLUSIVE: The company in charge of constructing the HS2 railway has been accused of deliberately covering up its escalating costs
19
48
66
5
8
43
My dad used to read the telegraph, used to be a proper newspaper. Now look at it.
Fundamentally misses the point that infrastructure returns value to the economy. Well, at least it does if the valuable bits are not cut by a disgraced journalist.
3
1
43
A good read:
"What Sir Armitt can’t understand about HS2 – and describes as “the daftest bit of it all” – is the rapid selling off of land acquired for phase two of the project."
"I would say I’m not sure the government’s really serious about nuclear."
2
2
39
@GregHands
@KCFConservative
@HFConsCllrs
@JM_Afonso
@victoriaB_F
@APascuTulbure
@Fulhamsw6com
@fulhamsociety
@team_greenhalgh
Build it and make sure they leave room to expand the west London line beneath it.
0
1
40
@davesumnersmith
If UK education standards were higher, would some people continue to ask the same, daft, pointless questions over and over? Are Norwegian and Swiss education standards low?
1
3
39
@beckymontacute
Not only a metro, but also a large suburban rail network, a large tram network, frequent electric buses. Very little need to drive round Munich.
1
0
41
Justification is incorrect. 20bn at 2011 prices and not even a p50. "latest estimates" would have been known since 2020 since its the p95 at 2019 prices. Spreadsheet boy Sunak would know that since it would have been in the IRP he allowed money for. The figures aren't comparable.
In justifying the decision to cancel
@HS2ltd
northern leg
@RishiSunak
said, “Costs for HS2 have more than doubled since forecast – phase one was originally meant to cost £20B but latest estimates are up to £45 billion" ➡️
#HS2
#NetworkNorth
#transport
3
1
1
3
2
37
Hs2 "the truth" apparently. "all to shave off a few minutes", "rich business travellers". You can stop lying now, John.
@SimonCalder
HS2 Amazing - Concorde on rails.
You'll hear the noise from the pantographs as it devours fuel. All to shave off a few minutes to soak rich business travellers.
Concorde was spectacular. I saw its first bouncy landing. Speed is not everything. Terminals waste it.
8
0
4
5
1
39
@larrylamb47
Larry, this isn't an accurate video. The amount of profit, if they do make a profit because not all did, is so small, it hardly affects their bottom line compared to their total revenue. You have a large following, so best not to spread misinformation.
16
1
33
13yrs of Conservatives during which: we're now 4mn homes short, cancelled building hs2, cancelled oxcam arc, blocked datacentres; delayed building nuclear power stations; presided over the largest net immigration ever; letting prisoners out early due to lack of prison spaces
1
8
38
Don't forget,
@Mark_J_Harper
said HS2 was on time and on budget just 2 months ago. He's correct, it is, on revised budget and timeline from 2019. Only thing thats changed is the base year from 2019 to 2023 prices. Hunt & Sunak using it as pretext to cancel
2
10
37
Anyone seen any info about these
#hs2
"out of control"/"spiralling" costs and being over budget other than a prime minister who wants to cancel it and a telegraph article (therefore unreliable)? I want to see the books. Yes yes Euston, but its potential overspend is 5% of budget
5
1
35
Why didn't anyone ask Noddy Holder for his views on national infrastructure projects earlier? This changes everything.
6
4
32
5
1
35
@ChrisGPackham
Every point in this tweet from you is false. You've campaigned against the rail solution, encouraged other celebrities to join in, helping sway public opinion again last hs2. Now you cry that when it is scrapped, the money goes on roads instead. Something for you to own.
2
0
35
@IoWBobSeely
@stophs2
@HS2ltd
Npr requires Phase 2b west for its connection mcr-Liverpool and also requires reinstatement of hs2 east branch to build sheffield-leeds/york, plus the new platforms at Leeds... So you advocating we building hs2 in full, Bobby?
0
1
34
@LBSProtect
Just had a cup of tea (we do not drink the liberal bean in this household), then we are planning to have a little march around Windsor, a destination we will reach by train. Our fascist agenda continues (unless its raining).
0
1
25
This thicko is part of the same organisation as Andrew Gilligan, who is driving the policy to cancel hs2.
Miscalculated the time it takes and that hs2 would carry 42 times more. poeple a day than flights do between the two cities.
I don't often say this but well done Jeremy Hunt.
We can already get from London to Manchester in 30 minutes even without HS2.
A modern society needs more flights not fewer.
3K
315
2K
3
6
34
Have there been any high speed lines that meet this criteria for green party support? Any hs line that has had as much conservation mitigation as
#hs2
or meets higher environmental standards? This policy seems contradictory to me.
@Ogilvie_CJ
@greenbenali
@TheGreenParty
Green policy is pro high speed rail but it has to meet strong environmental and social criteria which, sadl, HS2 doesn't.
3
0
1
5
1
34
@larry_turner
The benefits of that should also be seen in context to other routes. Aberystwyth- Nottingham, Birmingham to lincoln as examples. Great east west connectivity that is rarely spoken about
2
0
35
@TheGreenParty
So why do your leaders/ex leaders lie about hs2? The words of Jon Bartley:
His arguments against are based in falsehoods too
0
0
33
@UKdemocrat
@aquilanebula
The most expensive bits of hs2 are the innercity approaches in tunnels. Those are 140mph. Hs2 Phase2a was full speed and priced 5.2-7.2bn for 36 miles. Ewr Bedford-Cambridge is the same distance and 100mph non electric and priced at 5.8bn. Speed isn't the factor here.
2
3
31
@transportgovuk
Remind me how long it currently takes to get to Leeds or york from Derby. If only there was a plan to improve that....
3
0
33
The govt have mixed up estimate types and scopes which make it look like it's almost doubled; their upper figure has been known and agreed to for at least 3 years, before the main build started. We should only compare same estimate types and scope, like thus:
3
8
33
@ChrisGPackham
@XRebellionUK
Equating the abolition of slavery with "NHS not hs2"? Lol, come on, extinction rebellion are not serious people.
0
1
29
But that's not all... In the international comparisons, they claim
#hs2
phase 1 is £383m a mile. How did they work that out? 44.6bn, 140 miles, which is 319m a mile. And they arent comparing like for like, the comparators don't include stations, rolling stock, depots.
1
1
31
@matildakdavies
It's not the most expensive above ground railway project per mile, honolulu metro is far more. You're also comparing a cost per mile including rolling stock, stations, depots, with a tgv cost per mile of just the line (everyone does it, but I expect more the Times).
1
1
34
@DrChrisParry
Los Angeles was a big disappointment. A huge sprawl and difficult to get around without a car. Not much to see from the car either.
4
0
31
The real aim of Richard Wellings is to turn our towns and cities into car dependent, non walkable sprawling shitholes, ruining our health, destroying our urban centres and communities, reducing our quality of life.
Bus travel is generally slow, inconvenient and inefficient compared to cars. The real aim is to restrict the public's mobility as part of the "climate lockdowns" agenda, with people's lives increasingly confined to tightly controlled 15-minute cities.
108
133
331
3
5
31
So there are large miscalculations in 2 of 3 parts of the justification for the cancellation of hs2. All the information its based on was known in 2020, before this very same government gave the go ahead. Nothing changed since. Inflationary pressures but that's not mentioned.
1
6
31
@LouHaigh
@EastMidRailway
That's what happens when you have a govt uninterested in rail in charge, not EMR's fault. Longer term, there's an hs2 shaped solution to this... (hint).
2
1
29
My company would sack me for sending confidential information on WhatsApp, so why are ministers using it for govt business?
4
4
29
Large projects are estimated against a base year, the cost of building the entire project in that quarter's prices. Even a perfect project with a 50bn budget in q2 2011 prices with no cost increases would be 75bn in 2023 prices. That's the baseline, unavoidable
1
6
30
That he turns off replies is a sign of his utter contempt for anyone else's opinion.
2
0
31
"we should spend money on improving east west links in the North"
"hs2 prevents other rail investments"
Common arguments against
#hs2
. I wonder how many people realise this is taking place right now? £11.5bn.
5
4
30
@matildakdavies
multiple issues in your piece on infrastructure costs. The graphic on costs doesn't adjust for inflation, scope or estimate type. Hinckley point for example has increased 30% in real terms. Hs2's first budget was 50.1bn in 2011pv, equivalent to 63bn in 2019pv
2
3
32
-hs2 investment would help local and regional services and the line itself is npr to Liverpool
-caused a huge row and their communication has been awful
-why get Gilligan in to advise on how to cut hs2?
Going to put him down as a probable thicko.
0
4
28
@ITFC_Alex
@PickardJE
No, its not "just to save 15mins per trip". A trip I make would reduce by 90mins, but speed was never the primary reason, which is capacity to run more freight, local and regional services, greater reliability, more seats. Based on the budget set in 2019 it is not over budget.
1
0
28
@transportgovuk
Yes, don't employ a dodgy journalist from a less than transparent think tank to decide transport policy for the next 20 years.
Also stop lying to us.
I'll DM my account details for that share of £1.8m
1
0
29
@Mark_J_Harper
@yorkshirepost
Your name will forever be connected with the UK's biggest infrastructure mistake in modern times and how you tried to deceive the public with this fake package of alternatives. Will become clearer over next 6 yrs. Sunak has ruined any positive political legacy you might have had.
0
3
28
#hs2
20 minutes to birmingham, largest deforestation since world war 1... Part of the problem...
3
2
28
@Mark_J_Harper
@RishiSunak
He's been utterly useless and you'll likely lose your job in the next general election as a result. The decision on hs2 is disastrous which will become clearer when phase 1 opens and you'll be forever associated with it.
0
1
27
@TomTugendhat
Tom, what I've seen over past few days of conference, the decision on hs2, Andrew Boff being ejected for a light heckle, the transport minister pandering to a conspiracy theory, the motorist culture war have disgusted me. I've joined the labour party to help kick sunak out.
2
1
27
"Sunak had always believed the costs were out of control given that the budget for the entire scheme had almost doubled from £55bn in 2015 to £106bn"
He didn't know what the actual budget was and doesnt understand inflation. Righto.
3
4
27
@Richard18618097
Doesn't matter privatised or nationalised, the govt are trying to build a high speed line here and everyone is moaning about it. Since privatisation, number of passengers have doubled, making it overcrowded and, incidentally, why we need said high speed line to increase capacity
2
2
26
For hs2, the base year has changed every 4yrs. Crossrail though never changed, all at 2007 prices. This base year change exaggerates perceived cost and the media report as if its a cost increase. Govt are switching to 2023 prices from 2019 and using that as a pretext to cancel.
2
8
27
@gsoh31
Problem is, it was May that initially rejected a soft brexit on advice from Nick Timothy. Many problems stem from that moment.
2
3
27
@JaseHargreaves
@panny_antoniou
@StewCElliott
Not really that tiny though is it and with the most populated area in Europe in one corner and 8/10 of the biggest urban areas of the nation to the north of it, makes a good fit.
1
0
23
Cn we slam the breaks on Rishi? I don't want to live in a Richard Wellings fantasy.
WATCH: PM tells
@thesun
: “I’m slamming the brakes on the war on motorists - it's as simple as that."
Sunak "hare-brained" LTNs and 20mph zones
Blasts Westminster as out of touch and too focussed on trains, declaring "cars are freedom for most people."
435
68
276
4
2
27
@JenWilliams_FT
Start of the document with the reason for cancellation of hs2 has significant errors in the data too, almost every chart has an error. At one point they show costs per mile of other hs schemes but the figures are taken from a document using costs per km and they haven't converted
4
7
25
"hs2 hasn't tripled in cost, it has not doubled, its around.... Hello?"
You have 6 seconds to talk to me 👋 what would you say? 🤐
9K
4K
79K
1
0
26
943 likes, but its utter bullshit. Its not even the most expensive per mile in the UK. Why the need to lie about it?
1
3
24
@nichola12773373
@RobFrancis82
Hs2 helps make it function. Its primary point is additional capacity to run more freight and more frequent local and regional services, whilst also speeding journeys between our biggest urban areas with additional seats. Will also help improve reliability. Increases modal share.
3
0
22
Actually that really annoys me. How dare he make policy and not be prepared to defend it.
2
1
26
I visited East Germany in 1987 and it was fucking horrible. I was only a child, but the place was so grey, uninviting and austere.
Returned in 1998 and the transformation was incredible. Anyone seriously wanting to live in that regime needs their head assessing.
In 1990 the experiment of communist East Germany came to an end.
Yet for a time it was a successful project, raising living standards against the odds.
@aaronbastani
speaks to
@hoyer_kat
about Europe’s most successful communist country, the DDR.
1K
80
848
5
2
26
Good summary from a document in the House of Commons library from last year. So are we in "the most extreme scenario" or did Spreadsheet Sunak just not like it?
2
6
25