Ha ha ha.... the disgrace that is HS2 just gets worse.
Now, to save money the Govt. has decided to reduce the top speed of trains on the new lines (thereby reducing the specifications of the system & making it cheaper to construct).
Whatever might think of the original conception of High Speed Rail, this project has demonstrated the difficulty the UK in actually delivering infrastructure projects (and specifically railways).
Just ludicrous
@ChrisMayLA6 Ooof. The FT is usually good but this article is - not great.
First, notice the headline - 'consider slower trains'
Then later on it's talking about reducing the maximum speed of the trains to 320 Kmh (from 330 normal, 360 max).
Also doesn't specify whether the construction savings come from the construction of the trains or the track.
@ChrisMayLA6 If they are talking about the trains, that's not the end of the world - by the time that HS2 is extended to Manchester (let alone the Scottish central belt) we'll be decades down the line and new trains will be required anyway.
If they are talking about compromises in the track construction, that probably means changing to ballasted track construction. This will be cheaper up front (although entailing higher maintenance costs, including additional depots for maintenance vehicles).
Emeritus Prof Christopher May
Jamie Scott