Post by Psamathe on Jun 3, 2020 17:38:45 GMT
I've been against HS2 since initial announcements. I've never accepted the rational and justifications because irrespective (and long before) C-19 I've rejected their capacity predictions as I've always thought society and technology will allow massive changes to business practice making "commuting" an out-dated activity.
In my working days despite being a techy I had to go to customer sales meetings and I'd regularly be in a car driving Oxford to Manchester/Bristol/Croydon/etc. all because (potential) customers wanted to meet face to face. But the generation moving into such roles these days are almost happier using video conferencing/texting/e-mail meaning the long distance travel for meeting won't happen (anything like so much). Working from home will become commonplace meaning commuting will become the exception, etc.
So changes to society mean that capacity calculations for e.g. HS2 will be wildly out as society will likely be changing faster that they manage to destroy ancient woodland.
Then along comes C-19 and most people stop commuting and many work from home and a few high profile companies have announced they are making it long term (i.e. beyond C-19), other companies will undoubtedly/hopefully recognise the benefits to them and encourage more working from home.
So will COVID likely have indirect impacts on society beyond disease avoidance and economic recessions/depressions or will we return to business as usual after C-19 direct impacts have passed (e.g. after vaccine widespread and economy recovers)?
I worry because many are commenting on it being a fabulous opportunity to develop a greener economy but Government seems to be ignoring such thoughts and trying to focus on a return to "business as usual" a.s.a.p.
Ian
In my working days despite being a techy I had to go to customer sales meetings and I'd regularly be in a car driving Oxford to Manchester/Bristol/Croydon/etc. all because (potential) customers wanted to meet face to face. But the generation moving into such roles these days are almost happier using video conferencing/texting/e-mail meaning the long distance travel for meeting won't happen (anything like so much). Working from home will become commonplace meaning commuting will become the exception, etc.
So changes to society mean that capacity calculations for e.g. HS2 will be wildly out as society will likely be changing faster that they manage to destroy ancient woodland.
Then along comes C-19 and most people stop commuting and many work from home and a few high profile companies have announced they are making it long term (i.e. beyond C-19), other companies will undoubtedly/hopefully recognise the benefits to them and encourage more working from home.
So will COVID likely have indirect impacts on society beyond disease avoidance and economic recessions/depressions or will we return to business as usual after C-19 direct impacts have passed (e.g. after vaccine widespread and economy recovers)?
I worry because many are commenting on it being a fabulous opportunity to develop a greener economy but Government seems to be ignoring such thoughts and trying to focus on a return to "business as usual" a.s.a.p.
Ian
