Britain's HS2 Is Frankenstein's Railway
Birthed with good intentions, HS2 is more likely to inspire horror and revulsion among those who look upon its face — chiefly for its habit of vaporizing billions of pounds of public money while taking ever longer to deliver a railway. The latest of multiple reviews and resets, and the first to be presented by the Labour government that took office last year, shows that this basic syndrome hasn't yet changed. The target for services to start will be pushed back beyond its (already delayed) window of 2029 to 2033. No replacement date was given, though the second half of the 2030s now looks probable. No fresh cost estimate was given either, but the final bill is likely to be north of £100 billion ($135 billion) in today's money — compared with £35 billion in 2010, when the plan called for a much bigger network.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
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UK Secondhand Shopping Will Top $6 Billion, Amazon Reports
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'Customers are actively seeking secondhand items across a broad range of categories—from tech and fashion to home appliances,' said Mariangela Marseglia, vice president of EU stores at Amazon. 'Reselling returned items isn't just good for the planet and for business—it's what our customers want.' The region's average monthly spending on pre-loved goods more than doubled over five years, hitting around $169 a month from a previous $79, the CEBR said. Furthermore, 27 percent of online secondhand purchases in the UK represented sales that 'wouldn't have happened without the used option being available,' per the report, which 'shows how resale channels can create new buying opportunities that might not otherwise occur.' 'At Amazon, we believe that putting returned items back on sale isn't just good for the planet and for business; it's what our customers want,' said John Boumphrey, Amazon UK country manager. 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Despite Second Chance's 'growing popularity,' Amazon said, barriers remain. The report identified product condition concerns (43 percent), lack of warranties (39 percent) and seller trust (29 percent) as key obstacles preventing wider adoption.
