"Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced a £2bn package to help increase cycling and walking capacity across the UK, as commuters face new challenges of getting to work during the coronavirus crisis."
Some questions:
1. Of what conceivable use is this to commuters living 20, 30, 40, 50 or miles from the workplace, something that is quite normal in the UK?
2(a). Would it not be better to use this crisis as an opportunity to do something about the over-priced and horrendously over-crowded trains that commuters are currently forced to use?
2(b). Why, after many years of debate and several £ billions, is the government still procrastinating about HS2, which may or may not go ahead, while on the continent 200mph trains with a guaranteed seat are the norm?
2(c). How is it that the country that built the first railway line - from London to Bristol - in five years can fall so far behind the rest of the world? Is it something to do with the people we elect to parliament? Is it something to with the fact that our industry has all been sold off to offshore based companies, and we no longer have the skills or the capacity to achieve anything?
3. How is it that the taxpayer can afford £2billion for what will in all likelihood be little or no more than an expensive consultation process that will achieve absolutely zero, but can do nothing about the growing numbers of people sleeping in shop doorways in the heart of our "great" capital? Does Shapps think cycle lanes are what they need?
The good news is that in all probability this is just another headline that will amount to no more than the others we have had inflicted on us by this government and by a press that over-inflates every word of speculation, and which cites, when it suits them, the man on the Clapham Omnibus as an "expert" who "told us".
At least we haven't had the "new 100% accurate testing kit on the way next week" headline for a couple of days now. Or have I missed something?"
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