Bat shed crazy

The colossal cost of high-speed waste.

‘People say you’ve gone over the budget, but did people think about the bats?’
– Sir Jon Thompson, Chairman, HS2

The economy of the United Kingdom has been growing at a modest 1.5% per annum for the last 20 years. China clocks in at 9%, India at 5% and the USA at 3%.

Rather than embracing entrepreneurialism, innovation and free trade, there seems to be a culture of regulation, consultation, and middle management lethargy in the UK.

High speed rail

One public infrastructure project which should have boosted Britain’s prospects and growth was the HS2 (High Speed 2) rail link, intended to connect London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds.

But it has seen substantial budget increases and delays since its inception.

The HS2 project was originally estimated to cost around £33 billion when it was first approved in 2012. Over the years, costs escalated significantly. By 2019, the estimated cost had risen to £106 billion due to rising land, labour, and materials costs, as well as the burden of regulation and complying with ever more bizarre laws. By 2023 the estimate had reached £120 billion.

An estimated £24 billion has already been spent on the programme. This includes expenses for land purchases, construction of initial phases, planning, and preparatory works.

Bats

One of the most absurd lines of expenditure has been the £100 million spent on bat conservation measures, including a ‘bat barn’.

One might see this as HS2’s commitment to meeting strict environmental and wildlife regulations. The UK has stringent laws regarding the protection of endangered species, including bats.

As a result, HS2 was required to build habitats, tunnels, and even barns to ensure the preservation of wildlife disrupted by construction. The bat barn and other similar expenses became a controversial symbol of excessive costs due to regulatory and compliance demands. Supporters view it as necessary environmental stewardship.

The curved bat shed structure will run for around one kilometre alongside Sheephouse Wood, in Buckinghamshire, creating a barrier allowing the local colony of Bechstein’s bats to cross above the high-speed railway without being affected by passing trains.

Other more expensive options, including a bored tunnel and re-routing the railway away from the wood, were considered during the passage of the High Speed Two (London to West Midlands) Act through Parliament.

HS2 spent ‘hundreds of thousands of pounds’ on lawyers and environmental specialists. This is an example of the UK’s genuine problem with completing major infrastructure projects.

HS2 has been required to obtain 8,276 consents from other public bodies related to planning, transport and the environment to build phase one of the railway between the capital and Birmingham.

HS2 told a rail industry conference the bat protection structure is needed to appease the Government adviser Natural England, despite there being ‘no evidence that high-speed trains interfere with bats’.

As if this story isn’t absurd enough already, it turns out that the number of bats affected was vastly over-estimated. So, in the end, the shed cost around £300,000 per bat.

Opportunity cost

How many new homes could have been built with this £100 million?

The typical cost of building a home in the UK varies significantly based on location and size. Using a mid-range estimate of £200,000 per home, the £100 million spent on the bat shed could have potentially funded the construction of around 500 new homes.

The ‘bat shed’ exemplifies the complex challenges and regulatory hurdles faced during the HS2 project’s development.

In December 2024 the structure was completed, amid ongoing debates over cost and necessity.

The EDF Energy nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset has similar challenges. In their case, it isn’t bats. It’s badgers.

The UK has become a figure of fun around the world. We no longer have any authority or a serious presence on the world stage. We are a Monty Python parody. A former world power reduced to pushing Orwellian laws down the throats of frustrated business leaders.

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