Meanwhile, across the pond…..

I wrote recently about the ugliness of the proposed transportation budget in this country (here).  As it turns out, the recent British budget for transportation provides a dramatic contrast – one that should make us shake our heads, or perhaps hope for better days.

The British budget lists 10 transportation programs targeted for increased funding (I won’t go into the differences in budgeting practices.  Suffice it to say that I’m referencing the mid-year UK “Autumn Statement” budget released last November, details here).  The 10 programs (translated into Americanese) are:

1.     Local aid,

2.     Strategic highway bottlenecks,

3.     Technology: EV charging infrastructure, alternative fuels, autonomous vehicles, etc.,

4.     Digital rail signaling,

5.     Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor

6.     Highway and rail flood resilience,

7.     Strategic highway studies,

8.     Smart ticketing for transit customers,

9.     Discretionary major local projects, and

10. Rail upgrades and realignment in Birmingham (a la CREATE).

Bear in mind this is from a Conservative government!

I particularly like the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor project, which aims to coordinate new housing with rail and roadway improvements to support this strategic corridor (report here).  I think we call that planning.