With just ten minutes of online research I came up with five benchmark figures to help me calculate the likely costs of constructing a new light rail system in the UK. What did we do before the internet? Where did we get all of this amazingly accurate data from?
However, to avoid any accusation of using biased or incorrect data, I looked carefully at when this data was published and inflated the costings given to current prices using the Government Retail Price Indices so they are all consistent. That exercise completed, I’m now in a good position to press on with my draft costing exercise, aren’t I? No.
My internet research gave me figures ranging from GBP8m to GBP55m (EUR9m-62m) per kilometre. Such a range is far too large to be deemed sensible, so I averaged the five benchmarks found to give a rate of GBP30.8m/km (EUR34.6m/km). Surely I must now be in a logical place to continue with my costings? No.
On I go, researching how many stops are included on each of the previous projects making up my benchmark data. I count the vehicles in the fleet and attempt to calculate how much of the route is segregated and on-street using both system and online maps. Now I can fine tune my data, am I now in a position to create a realistic model for how much my proposed LRT scheme will cost? No.
The simple fact is that this type of two-dimensional approach runs the very real risk of actually damaging the potential future of light rail projects in the UK. My basic research has shown that numerous quotes from industry representatives includes information available on Wikipedia – so can we trust all that we read or hear from our colleagues in the sector, let alone interested parties who have no formal training or experience within the industry?