ABB125
Established Member
Inspired by this thread, I thought I'd create one about infrastructure in general in the UK.
Everything seems to cost more here than in other countries. For example, Hindhead tunnel on the A3, which opened in 2011, cost £371 million (which I assume is at 2005ish prices, which is when the planning was done. Being generous and assuming 2010 prices, this is just under £500 million today, according to the Bank of England's inflation calculator) for about 4 miles of 2-lane dual carriageway, of which a bit over 1 mile is in tunnel. Compare this to Norway, a country well-known for its cheapness and low standards (or not!), where a 6 mile section of 2-lane dual carriageway, of which a bit under 4 miles will be in tunnel, is about to have the contract signed to be built for about £247 million (see here). So a new road in Norway, 50% longer and about 350% more tunnel, is costing half as much as in the UK. Why?
I'm sure there are other examples in all sorts of different sectors, this is just one I've come across. What is it about the UK that makes things so expensive?
[end rant]
Why is high speed rail in the UK so expensive to construct?
From reading a few blogs and watching some Youtube videos, one thing I have learnt is that high speed rail in the UK is very expensive compared to other developed countries. From example one video suggested high speed rail in the UK is almost ten times more expensive to build per kilometre than...
railforums.co.uk
Everything seems to cost more here than in other countries. For example, Hindhead tunnel on the A3, which opened in 2011, cost £371 million (which I assume is at 2005ish prices, which is when the planning was done. Being generous and assuming 2010 prices, this is just under £500 million today, according to the Bank of England's inflation calculator) for about 4 miles of 2-lane dual carriageway, of which a bit over 1 mile is in tunnel. Compare this to Norway, a country well-known for its cheapness and low standards (or not!), where a 6 mile section of 2-lane dual carriageway, of which a bit under 4 miles will be in tunnel, is about to have the contract signed to be built for about £247 million (see here). So a new road in Norway, 50% longer and about 350% more tunnel, is costing half as much as in the UK. Why?
I'm sure there are other examples in all sorts of different sectors, this is just one I've come across. What is it about the UK that makes things so expensive?
[end rant]