The ambitious HS2 project that is the 'foundation' of the Old Oak project has been severely criticised by the House of Lords Committee as financially unjustifiable. Comparing costs to the French TGV it is ten times more expensive. If this stalls the HS2 project then Old Oak could be dead in the water and TF would be up sh*t creek...
I don't really understand the economics of it anyway. From what I can see it shaves a bit of time out off getting to London, just makes it easier for London to get even more important economically as people can commute from even further away. I spent a year or so commuting to London from Notts/Lincolnshire borders, its no way to live. If they sold it as a gigantic public works programme to boost the economy through spending I could understand it.
If Labour get in then the thing will start in Scotland and take about 100 years to get to London. Should have always been the BBC in W12
The Old Oak Common hub was planned before HS2. Crossrail (which will be completed in 2019) was the foundation of the project. HS2 came along after and was designed to fit in with the new station. Old Oak IS going ahead, with or without HS2.
HS3 is far more beneficial than HS2 and should proceed immediately. HS2 will be riven with legal challenges, disputes, delays and spiralling costs and will be obsolete by the time it is constructed Won't happen is my view
