British Transport Secretary Admits Current Train Commute "Drives Me Bloody Crackers"

With increasing fares, delays and an "awful" service on Sundays, the British Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin isn't the only commuter unhappy with the service and admits that the expediency of HS2 was exaggerated.

1 minute read

September 9, 2013, 9:00 AM PDT

By Kat Martindale


With his constituency in Derbyshire, Patrick McLoughlin spends a great deal of time experiencing the delays, overcrowding and high costs of travelling by train in the UK.  Travelling off peak on a Sunday, when many services experience severe delays due to engineering works regularly scheduled for the quietest day on the network, was described as "awful". 

The proposed High Speed 2 (HS2) train is expected to relieve some of the overcrowding that exists as a result of passenger journeys doubling over the last two decades, reaching 1.5 billion in 2012-13.  With 4,000 people a day having to stand up until they reach London Euston and 5,000 people standing until they arrive at Birmingham New Street, McLoughlin sees this as the main selling point for HS2.  He admits that the shorter journey times were "wrong", and blames a PR blunder. 

The minister also rejects the claims that the budget for the project had doubled to £70 billion, stating that "the budget is now set: £42.6bn to build the railway, £7.5bn for the rolling stock."  The National Audit Office will publish a report on Monday 9th September, in which it is expected to criticise the project.

Sunday, September 8, 2013 in The Telegraph

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today