[amiga386]

That's somewhat unfair.

In rail, it's more like is that there's nothing for 20 years, then the government announces one project. Everyone piles onto that one project and gold-plates everything because they already know there's not going to be any more projects after this one for 20 years.

Then the project overruns by billions.

The government pays, then vows not to make that mistake again, so they don't have any more projects for 20 years.

Rinse and repeat.

A much more healthy cycle is like the Italian build-out of high speed rail, where they have multiple projects going, working their way from one city to another, and the line is usable after each part is done.

(in the case of HS2, a lot of the blame can be laid at the feed of NIMBYs, and the government pandering to them. Oh you lovely Tory-voting home counties voters! Yes, it's essential we preserve this ancient forest and that protected species, I know, so important, we'll make the entire line underground for your part of HS2, of course we have the extra billions to pay for that. Fuck you, you dirty northerners. I've just had to stump up a fuckton more than expected to pay off my voters, so I'm cutting your part of the line. You'll be lucky if HS2 goes north of Birmingham)

[gib444]

Sorry but it's errant nonsense that HS2 is the only rail project of the last 20 years

Crossrail, Transpennine Route Upgrade, East West Rail, MML upgrade, Borders railway, Thameslink upgrades

[amiga386]

If it wasn't clear, I was talking about high-speed rail. Of course the other lines are very welcome! You can throw in the electrification projects too, all good.

HS1 was meant to start in 1996, only began in earnest in 2001, and was completed by 2007. HS2 was launched in 2009, only began in earnest in 2019, and is still ongoing.

So all we currently have to show for the past 30 years and billions in investment is a little bit of high-speed rail between London and the Channel Tunnel.

By comparison, the Italian high-speed network expands every year or so, as they keep completing phases of routes all over the country.