London gets more transport investment - what would it mean for West Wilts?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Government

Ministers and TfL^» (Transport for London - about) agree £250 million government funding to upgrade London’s transport system

Funding brings much-needed capital  investment and will support jobs across the country. 

* passengers in and around the capital to benefit from further £250 million government funding
* investment in upgrades will bolster manufacturing jobs and suppliers around the country
* latest package brings total government support for TfL to more than £6.6 billion since 2020

Pro-rata spending in my own neck of the woods would give us a dynamic loop just to the north or south of Melksham and and an electric bus to run from the business area to the major residential areas, the Town Centre and Station - based purely on the population of Melksham.

The populations of Trowbridge and Westbury together would pay for the investment in platform zero re-instatement at Westbury, and additional rolling stock to ensure there were enough trains with enough capacity.

Chippenham HAS had investment in the extra lift, but that's peanuts and when added to pro-rata funding for Bath might allow electric trains to reach Bristol Temple Meads.

And I've not even asked anything for Warminster, Frome or Bradford-on-Avon.

[grahame]

Pro-rata spending in my own neck of the woods would give us ...

Capital expenditure is by nature lumpy and it's very easy to be jealous of others - "the grass is always greener".  So to put this "you don't spend as much on us" into context, I bring you this from  Statistica - the government spend on transport by region:


Click on the image to enlarge

For every £1.00 spend per head of population in the South West, £2.86 was spent per head of population in London, £1.48 in the South East, and £2.05 in Scotland. London and Scotland are of course extremes of lifestyles, which perhaps justify a higher spend with people crammed to much closer together (London) or spread out very thinly (Scotland). Here in the South West (yes, I know we have members in the South East and London), are we supporting you in your less efficient lifestyles elsewhere in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)?

[CyclingSid]

This does not apply only to transport, but to every aspect of public (and a lot of private) funding. This was supposed to be the objective (?) of the levelling-up programme.

[TaplowGreen]

This does not apply only to transport, but to every aspect of public (and a lot of private) funding. This was supposed to be the objective (?) of the levelling-up programme.

Indeed. Levelling up is not just about transport and worth noting too that those figures cover a period almost 2 years old.

Here are more up to date figures for all levelling up projects for perspective......round 1 October 21 (£1.7 billion), Round 2 January 23 (£2.1 billion)

[TaplowGreen]

.......and per head of population for completeness....

[IndustryInsider]

How does this compare with money that used to be received from the E.U.?

[Witham Bobby]

How does this compare with money that used to be received from the E.U.?

The EU^» (European Union - about) had, and has, no money.  It distributes what it receives from European taxpayers, via national Governments that generally run deficits themselves


The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) was a net contributor to the EU.  Whatever UK taxpayer's money was handed over to the EU, less of it was returned to the UK Goverment to distribute as "EU grants"

Whether the Whitehall machine and politicos are capable of properly and reasonably collecting taxes and distributing to useful causes is a different question.  The HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) experience suggests not.

[WelshBluebird]

The EU^» (European Union - about) had, and has, no money.  It distributes what it receives from European taxpayers, via national Governments that generally run deficits themselves

The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) was a net contributor to the EU.  Whatever UK taxpayer's money was handed over to the EU, less of it was returned to the UK Goverment to distribute as "EU grants"

Of course, what you miss out here is how that money was spent. Countless UK government's have shown they have had no interest spending money on the areas where EU grants were given. Think lots of Wales, Cornwall and the North of England. So those specific areas very much did benefit from EU money, much more so than what they are now (and were previously) from UK government spending.

[TaplowGreen]

The EU^» (European Union - about) had, and has, no money.  It distributes what it receives from European taxpayers, via national Governments that generally run deficits themselves

The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) was a net contributor to the EU.  Whatever UK taxpayer's money was handed over to the EU, less of it was returned to the UK Goverment to distribute as "EU grants"

Of course, what you miss out here is how that money was spent. Countless UK government's have shown they have had no interest spending money on the areas where EU grants were given. Think lots of Wales, Cornwall and the North of England. So those specific areas very much did benefit from EU money, much more so than what they are now (and were previously) from UK government spending.

.....and ironically Wales, Cornwall & the North of England all voted to leave the EU.......

[Clan Line]

Countless UK^▸ (United Kingdom) government's have shown they have had no interest spending money on the areas where EU^» (European Union - about) grants were given. Think lots of Wales, Cornwall and the North of England. So those specific areas very much did benefit from EU money..............

Did you really expect the UK Government to dole out money to "Wales, Cornwall and the North of England" when these areas were already getting handouts from the EU  ? This "EU money" you refer to would have been appreciably higher in value if the UK Government had been able to give it direct to these areas instead of it losing a considerable amount of its financial value in its travels through the EU's financial shambles.

[Witham Bobby]

Did you really expect the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Government to dole out money to "Wales, Cornwall and the North of England" when these areas were already getting handouts from the EU^» (European Union - about)  ? This "EU money" you refer to would have been appreciably higher in value if the UK Government had been able to give it direct to these areas instead of it losing a considerable amount of its financial value in its travels through the EU's financial shambles.

Regional policy (or economic, social and territorial cohesion) is an area of EU competency.  Member states' governments have difficulty in taking any kind of action themselves in matters where the EU holds competency, such as agriculture, the internal market, consumer protection and transport.

Despite the stereotypes, the reason many people voted to leave the EU was that they felt these decisions were made better closer to home.  I remain unconvinced that any of our politicos have grasped the opportunity to do things a bit differently in future.  Or even glimpsed them.

[Clan Line]

 .........where the EU^» (European Union - about) holds competency................

A classic oxymoron !

Totally agree with your comment about our "politicos" !