UK government announces £375bn infrastructure programme - Polidicks

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25201064[/url] [quote]A plan to boost infrastructure spending in the UK over the next two decades is being unveiled by the government. The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) includes the government selling off its 40% stake in the Eurostar rail service. In all, about £375bn of investment in energy, transport, communications, and water projects is planned. ... Included in the new NIP being announced on Wednesday are: • a further £50m for a redevelopment of the railway station at Gatwick Airport • a government guarantee to support finance for the development of a new nuclear power station at Wylfa, north Wales • confirmation that a UK guarantee has now been agreed for the £1bn Northern Line extension to Battersea, in London • funding for improvements to the A50 around Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire, to start no later than 2015-16 • the target for the sale of corporate and financial assets will be doubled from £10bn to £20bn between 2014 and 2020, including the government's shareholding in Eurostar[/quote]

We could use some infrastructure improvement over here. Ours is all crumbling relics from the late 50s and early 60s. Solidly built, but age, wear and the elements have taken their toll and they're in dire need of either repair or replacement.

I think it's great that we're actually spending money on infrastructure. I'm a big believer in making public transport a viable alternative to personal transport. Especially if that transport ends up being powered by clean energy- [quote]• a government guarantee to support finance for the development of a new nuclear power station at Wylfa, north Wales[/quote] Well, fuckin' A!

[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;43065508] Well, fuckin' A![/QUOTE] [citation needed]

[QUOTE=Sadim;43065823][citation needed][/QUOTE] Oh? I get that there's not a direct link between the power plant and public transport, but nonetheless, more nuclear power is better.

Well this is great news; hopefully it won't involving too much tearing down of historical stuff, and rural areas could definitely use better internet.

[QUOTE=ironman17;43065988]Well this is great news; hopefully it won't involving too much tearing down of historical stuff, and [b]rural areas could definitely use better internet[/b].[/QUOTE] About fucking time.

Rest of europe is completely metric, make britain so as well...

nvm

[QUOTE=smfE;43066005]Rest of europe is completely metric, make britain so as well...[/QUOTE] Too difficult, most people don't know what a metre physically is since we're too use to imperial in this country.

[QUOTE=smfE;43066005]Rest of europe is completely metric, make britain so as well...[/QUOTE] Officially we use metric, but most people still use imperial. For example, all of our archery (draw length/strength, range) is in imperial.

[QUOTE=Britishboy;43066187]Officially we use metric, but most people still use imperial. For example, all of our archery (draw length/strength, range) is in imperial.[/QUOTE] You thought to use archery as an example over speed limits?

[QUOTE=smfE;43066005]Rest of europe is completely metric, make britain so as well...[/QUOTE] dont know what you mean we're all taught litres, centiletres, metres , etc. we're very much metric the only time imperial measurements are used are literally on roadsigns.

Infrastructure spending was always on the cards, just needed to get growth stabilised. Despite the big figure, I don't think that money will go very far.

[QUOTE=smfE;43066005]Rest of europe is completely metric, make britain so as well...[/QUOTE] Keep it around so that its easier to deal with the Americans. Learning metric your whole life is great but when you need to take courses that involve construction, welding, etc it can be a pain.

Does anyone know how much our stake in Eurostar is worth?

I was always taught Imperial; metric stuff was just for science class. And since I'm not studying science, I really have no need for metric unless I leave the country.

[QUOTE=Instant Mix;43066223]dont know what you mean we're all taught litres, centiletres, metres , etc. we're very much metric the only time imperial measurements are used are literally on roadsigns.[/QUOTE] I only mean road signs, speed and such. It's not an enormous since everything else is metric basically, i've been to britain many times now. And i've been taught and used nothing but metric my entire life, do i need to learn imperial just because there is 1 country on this planet left using it

I can't into imperial, but I can't into metric either. I can do meters and centimeters, and then to be told by my boss who is like 40 "It's 10 foot over there." "What is a foot."

don't worry, the situation isn't as dire as America's when it comes to the proliferation of the metric system

[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;43066209]You thought to use archery as an example over speed limits?[/QUOTE] Priorities are in order: keeping the Scot's and French at bay then worry about driving 'TANNIA [IMG]http://inthefootsteps.org.uk/images/Agincourt/longbowmen.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Scrappa;43066768]Does anyone know how much our stake in Eurostar is worth?[/QUOTE] I heard the number £10bn floating around. Only £2bn short of the entire cost of building the tunnel. Not a bad investment really. [editline]4th December 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Instant Mix;43066223]dont know what you mean we're all taught litres, centiletres, metres , etc. we're very much metric the only time imperial measurements are used are literally on roadsigns.[/QUOTE] Road signs aren't even really imperial though, they are now metric measurements (like 100m instead of 100yrds) converted to imperial (hence weird things like 110yrd). Someone could go round overnight and stick stickers onto most of them that read "100m" etc. Some things (like the big motorway position signs that count up / down) are getting measured and displayed in metric though, so we are getting there. Slowly. Speed is the real issue with this idea though, pretty much no one knows speeds in kmh.

I really don't know why you are talking about the metric system in this thread? What does it have to do with anything???

[QUOTE=Medevila;43066732]As an American being anti-metric is the path of least resistance so I'll continue to fight against common sense[/QUOTE] I don't see why it's against common sense, what reason is their to drop imperial from our daily lives, we use it in science already, and if we really need to we can use a converter to translate our units to metric, just a harmless bit of cultural difference.

[QUOTE=thelurker1234;43075164]I don't see why it's against common sense, what reason is their to drop imperial from our daily lives, we use it in science already, and if we really need to we can use a converter to translate our units to metric, just a harmless bit of cultural difference.[/QUOTE] Because when you ingrain it into peoples minds its not a harmless cultural difference, if people are not used to using it they can make very big mistakes. Someone who is not familiar with the metric system might not instantly notice that a measurement is completely wrong (for example something being measured in meters instead of mm). This sort of thing causes problems, including in one case the loss of a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter"]$300m orbiter[/URL]. The imperial system is stupid and needs to disappear. The fact people insist on using it (and teaching it) can only cause more problems.