This car is probably too far gone to qualify for the government's new "scrapping grant" to boost the ailing car industry, but old cars now qualify for a £1000 grant and a further £1000 manufacturer's discount.
As a result of the law of unintended consequences, derelict old bangers are suddenly worth £2000. It is the kind of thing that happens when governments operate without any underlying principles to guide their decisions and policies can only be made on an ad hoc basis. It is a recipe for disaster.
The cost of this piece of nonsense is is expected to amount to £300 million, enough to pay for 60 new Electrostar trains like these. Who decided the priority or did the decision just happen?
The Guardian has published a couple more articles against HS2, one by specialist rail commentator Christian Wolmar, and another today by journalist Simon Jenkins. The main arguments in favour will doubtless be wheeled out by the commentators: the need for capacity and the disruption caused by upgrading existing routes. HST itself will severely disrupt services to Euston during the construction period. Capacity can be increased at a fraction of the cost by a variety of measures, provided that it is accepted that the additional traffic will run at existing speeds. It is not generally known that the Midland main line is, or was, four track all the way from London to Trent Junction, between Nottingham and Derby. This is because the additional tracks are separate, having been added for coal trains which trundled down to Brent sidings, on the edge of London, from a collection point at Toton in Nottinghamshire, where the Midland Railway build a huge marshalling yard. Beyond Derby, the main l...
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