Re: More on perpetual roadbuilding.

Doug <jagmad@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On 22 Aug, 17:32, %ste...@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Steve Firth) wrote:
Doug <jag...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
The Government is pushing ahead with a massive road building
programme

Complete and utter ***.

If there is no roadbuilding, as the motorists who dominate this
transport newsgroup are eager to claim, why is it costing so much?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cost-of-britains-roadbuildi
ng-projects-soars-by-almost-1634bn-898981.html

"Britain's road-building programme will cost the taxpayer billions of
pounds more than expected, with some major projects more than doubling
in price in five years, research indicates."

Ah yes, lets look at rail shall we?

"INFORMED SOURCES August 2002 - Project costs out of control "

"the latest figure of £13billion for the West Coast Route Modernisation
is an affront to everyone denied treatment on the NHS, every care home
closing, every foreign aid scheme cut back. It looks as though the
boiling frogs in Railtrack, the Strategic Rail Authority , the
Department for Transport (don't you love that 'for') and, yea, even unto
the Treasury, think that £32million a mile for the WCRM is just one of
those things."

<http://www.alycidon.com/ALYCIDON%20RAIL/INFORMED%20SOURCES%20ARCHIVE/IN
F%20SRCS%202002/Informed%20Sources%2008%202002%20p2.htm>


"The rail industry is riddled with "uncontrollable costs" and needs
fundamental change, according to a report by an environmental group.

The report uncovered "the staggering scale of costs and inefficiencies
and secrecy", Transport 2000 said."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3541757.stm


"Mr Winsor also claimed the demise of Railtrack had ended up costing
taxpayers between £11bn and £14bn."

"Back in May this year, Transport Minister Kim Howells promised a
radical shake-up of the railways in a bid to tighten the government's
grip on the way the industry was run.

He criticised Tom Winsor, saying that a £22.3bn cash boost for Network
Rail had caused the transport department "enormous difficulties"."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3864463.stm


The numbers in these reports put the amounts spent on roads in the
shade.
.