solar-forum
Active member
Vanity projects of (questionable) value to any other than a small number of people (largely based in the affluent South).Except HS2 and the Elizabeth Line
Where are the major infrastructure investments in energy security, water, hospitals, schools, affordable housing? The UK gets 40% of its electricity from gas, yet we have the smallest storage capacity for that gas (a few weeks at best) in Western Europe. Where is the long sighted investment in Nuclear power as France did (and Germany used to do before Merkel decided to decomission and rely on gas from an unreliable partner.). (OK, let's not rely on EDF in the UK, but they are not the only nuclear builders). If we stamped out short term nimbyism (often led by local politicians) we could also invest much more heavily in sustainable power from wind, tide and solar energy. Why have we not bulit any new water reservoirs for over 30 years? OK, privatisation of water, and electricity supply (both stupid ideas) means that private companies have to make those investments rather than Government, but if you are stupid enough to give away national assets to the private sector you must then at least write into the contracts the /legal/ requirement for statutory investment before short term profit. Why are we desperately short of new hospitals and schools? Investing in the health and education of people is a good long term investment with significant positive return. Failure to do so is a short sighted waste of human resource and capability. And unless you can provide decent housing at an affordable price to your citizens you cannot call yourself a civilized country.
