HS2 replaced with Dacia Sanderos

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【Summary】The HS2 rail link between London and Birmingham will be scrapped and replaced with a train made of Dacia Sanderos, significantly reducing costs. Although the Sandero train will not reach the promised speeds of HS2, it will have exclusive access to the hard shoulder, allowing passengers to bypass traffic. The move aims to make commuters forget about the initially promised journey times and potentially free up funds for the Phase 2 leg to Manchester.

FutureCar Staff Sep 29, 2023 4:16 PM PT

The entire HS2 rail link between London and Birmingham is set to be scrapped and replaced with a train made up of Dacia Sanderos, according to the government. This move is expected to significantly reduce the cost of the project, potentially freeing up funds for the Phase 2 leg to Manchester. Although the Sandero train won't be able to reach the speeds initially promised by HS2, passengers will have the advantage of using the hard shoulder along the M1 and M6, allowing them to mock drivers stuck in traffic.

Transport chiefs hope that this change will make commuters and voters forget about the previously promised journey times of 52 minutes between the two cities. The insider who revealed the plans stated that replacing HS2 with a train of Sanderos solves all of their problems. It will be completed under budget, avoid the need to demolish green belt areas, and require less maintenance compared to a traditional train carriage.

However, there will be no food or drinks service on the Sandero train, as it is expected that passengers won't have much money left after purchasing the ticket. The insider also expressed uncertainty about whether the leg to Manchester will proceed as planned, citing the need to address potholes in the north and the cost of spare wheels for the Sandero train.