The UK government has been slammed by opposition and local leaders in the north after announcing that parts of HS2 construction will be delayed by two years.
The Department for Transport (DFT) revealed yesterday that due to the rail project, once again, coming up against “soaring costs”, the construction of a number of HS2 sections are to be pushed back by another two years.
The delay will affect the north west section of HS2, from Birmingham to Crewe, and then from Crewe to us here in Manchester.
“We have seen significant inflationary pressure and increased project costs,” Transport Secretary Mark Harper said yesterday, “and so we will rephase construction by two years, with an aim to deliver high-speed services to Crewe and the North West as soon as possible after accounting for the delay in construction.”
HS2, which has the full name High Speed 2, was originally intended to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds.
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The UK government has announced that parts of HS2 construction will be delayed by two years / Credit: HS2
The leg to Leeds has since been scrapped in November 2021, but work on the first phase of the project between London and Birmingham is now well under way, with a part of the line due to open by 2033, despite the fact the project has faced delays and mounting concerns over the exact route, and its potential environmental impact.
While a budget of £55.7 billion for the whole of HS2 was set in 2015, this was made before the Leeds leg was cancelled, and the estimated cost of HS2 was therefore set between £72 billion and £98 billion at 2019 prices.
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A report published last October found it was unlikely that the £40.3 billion target for the first section of the line would be met.
A senior figure at the DfT warned back in January that ”tough decisions” would lie ahead for the scheme.
And now, the government has confirmed it will be “prioritising HS2’s initial services” between Old Oak Common in west London and Birmingham Curzon Street in order to save money – which means the completion window for the first part of the scheme has now shifted from 2032 to 2036, while services will not extend to Manchester until the 2040s.
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The rail project is said to have been hit by “soaring costs” / Credit: HS2
Local leaders have previously said that the wrong HS2 solution for Greater Manchester could “damage” and have a wider impact on the north, an now the announcement of the two-year delays has seen the government be hit with even more backlash from opposition parties, and local authority figures across the North West.
Labour said the latest delay meant the North having to “pay the price” for government failures.
“Tens of thousands of jobs, and billions in economic growth are dependent on this project,” Shadow Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, stated.
“The North is yet again being asked to pay the price for staggering Conservative failure. Conservative chaos and chronic indecision is holding back jobs, growth and costing the taxpayer. This is the biggest project in Europe and delays pile costs up in the long run.
“Ministers now need to come clean on precisely how much their indecision will cost taxpayers and the North.”
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Also responding to the “disappointing” delays annoucement, Lord McLoughlin, Chair of Transport for the North, said: “I was reassured by the Transport Secretary that we are still getting HS2 to Manchester, however, it needs to be understood whether or not these cost savings can be realised while still achieving the same desired outcome and conditional outputs.
In response to the #HS2 announcement by Secretary of State @Mark_J_Harper, our Chair @Patrick4Dales said we must transform the #North by building both HS2 and NPR in full.
— Transport for the North (@Transport4North) March 9, 2023
“The government needs to avoid being penny wise and pound foolish, as delays don’t necessarily lead to savings, and in fact can drive costs upwards.”
He added that HS2 must be delivered in full in order to “transform the North”, adding that the rail project, together with the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) project, can “unlock the North’s economy from the existing position of poor infrastructure that has held it back.”
“It is the communities and businesses across the North of England who are suffering most by any delay or inaction in delivering the scheme,” he concluded.
Featured Image – HS2
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Four rare African ducklings have been hatched at Chester Zoo for the very first time
Danny Jones
More conversation celebration down the road at Chester Zoo, as the award-winning wildlife park has welcomed four African ducklings who belong to a rare breed.
As is so often the case with the work they do all year-round, their arrival could help signal the species’ survival in the long run, whose status was sadly upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the official IUCN Red List.
The particular type of fowl we’re referring to is the Maccao duck, a stiff-tailed bird that typically belongs to the fresh and brackish inland waters of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Medium-sized, chunky, with big bills and subtle striping around their heads, they’re gorgeous creatures as is, but especially so as ducklings…
If you didn’t say ‘awww’ out loud, then you’re just lying.
As the Zoo itself put it, they are “rare, fluffy and VERY cute.” Celebrating what is “a breeding breakthrough for one of Africa’s rarest ducks […] so these little guys are kind of a big deal.”
These little delightful little duckies are known for diving down to the bottom of lakes and riverbeds to forage for aquatic invertebrates and plants; in fact, given the choice, they tend to prefer going underwater over flying pretty much full-stop.
As a resident species that doesn’t migrate like many other birds, they are native to nations like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. They’re identifiable by their dark black heads, blue bills (among the males, at least) and presence within the wetlands.
However, their estimated numbers continue to drop, and unfortunately, just 14 of their kind currently remain in Kenya and only 100 in Tanzania, with fewer than 5,000 believed to be left across the entire African continent.
Not only is this the first time the species has ever been successfully bred by bird experts at Chester Zoo, but conservationists hope ducklings will put a spotlight on the threatened species.
Their scientific name is ‘Oxyura maccoa’.Just like human babies, they prone to stuff all over their face.As far as ducklings go, these adorable little African variants are pretty special. (Credit: Supplied)
The zoo’s Head of Birds, Andrew Owen, said of their birth: “As one of just seven zoos in Europe – and 12 zoos globally – that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they’re the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team,
“This success gives a real boost to the future of the species, and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does count.
“To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa’s most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special.”
Nothing short of brilliant news, we’re sure you’ll agree; better still, in addition to the crucially charitable and conversation-based tourist attraction being named one of England’s most popular destinations once again, but these are the only rare birds welcome by the zookeepers this month.
Vogue’s immersive ‘Inventing the Runway’ show is coming to Manchester
Thomas Melia
A Vogue immersive show titled ‘Inventing the Runway’ is coming to Manchester, and it’s even co-created by Anna Wintour herself.
Ever fancied learning more about the fashion world? Well, now’s your chance to hear everything you need to know from global fashion leaders and lifestyle magazine Vogue.
The Anna Wintour-approved immersive experience comes alongside the announcement of Factory International‘s Winter lineup, which features another new event all about voyaging to the moon.
This Vogue-fronted experience will incorporate interviews, visual media and more to help attendees visualise fashion shows of the past, present and future.
As well as understanding how fashion shows became the pinnacle of a designer’s vision, this runway-themed display also includes looking back at iconic moments of fashion and pop culture.
‘Inventing the Runway’ by Vogue is focusing on outfits worn by models and A-listers alike, with narration from the one and only Cate Blanchett.
You can expect to see curated pieces by significant creative minds in fashion history like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and lots more.
Throughout the Vogue experience, as well as coming visually face to face with fashion, you will also hear a soundscape that perfectly reflects this innovative industry with a fusion of classical and pop music.
This fashion exhibition uses the same Lightroom technology behind the impressive David Hockney experience that opened back in December.
Vogue is using this show to honour anyone who has made an impact in the fashion world.The Met Gala has become a staple in everyone’s calendar year in and year out.First Northern Quarter’s Chanel show, now this… Très chic. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons/GoodFon)
Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer, Condé Nast, and Global Editorial Director, Vogue said: “At Vogue, we’ve been lucky enough over the decades to see many incredible runway shows, which have often told the story of fashion as much as the clothes themselves.”
“This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first-hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”
You can experience Vogue’s ‘Inventing the Runway’ immersive show from 18 December to 10 January when it visits Aviva Studios this winter.
Find out more information and grab your tickets HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
10th March 2023 
