[ClumsyPilot]

> they're completely different cultures and jurisdictions

Separated by huge distance of 20 miles, both have thousands of same EU laws )still on the books, share thousands of years of history and at one point ruled by the same aristocracy.

[frereubu]

There are lots of national laws outside EU laws. For example, in France, compulsory purchase of private land by the state (to do things like build new railway lines) has to be 1.5 times its value, the idea being that this only happens when they really want to do it.

[closewith]

Okay, but still completely unhelpful to judge per km costs in one versus the other due to the enormously different political and legislative environment.

[ClumsyPilot]

If they enormously different, what are you going to call South Korea, Armenia, China? I mean is anything comparable?

The real point I was trying to make is that they achieve similar outcomes, in passenger safety comfort.

And if we really do believe that legislation is so different, then is there any point of arguing about an innovation in the physical parameters of the system, after all you can only make a tram 20% lighter, but you can make the legislation 300% worse or 300% better

[OJFord]

True. And yet, they are completely different cultures and jurisdictions.