... Underperforming
Firstly, when I say transport in the UK is a mess, what I mean is that it underperforms against its potential. We have one of the best public transport networks in the world. But given we spend £40 billion on transport, we bloody should do. The problem is that we could get so much more at little or no extra cost, if we simply made decisions the right way round.
What we should do is plan places, then timetables, then projects. We tend to do the opposite.
Infrastructure-first
Transport investment in the UK typically starts with a scheme to solve an operational problem: generally a lack of capacity.
- “Thameslink trains through London are at capacity” > The Thameslink Programme
- “The West Coast mainline is full” > HS2
- “Manchester Piccadilly is crowded” > Ordsall Chord
