There is a perception that major transport projects are difficult to manage in Britain.
Major over-runs on the Channel Tunnel, the Jubilee Line Extension and the West Coast Main
Line redevelopment are seen as the rule, rather than the exception. Fourthly, the country’s
planning system is notoriously slow and inefficient. The present government has published
a number of documents about the potential damage inflicted by the painful amount of time
taken, for example, to allow Heathrow Terminal 5 to go ahead. Finally, governance arrangements in Britain are highly centralised by international standards. All major projects are subject to approval in the Treasury, which means that the decision about every rail investment, tramway, guided bus, bridge, tunnel or by-pass willpass across a desk in SW1.The conclusion that flows from this is that, while transport is certainly not solely a British problem, Britain’s approach and experience often differs markedly from that of other countries. How can we improve our transport systems if we don't get the essential guidance and funding required ? At the rate we are going we will not meet targets.
