Comparing Britain with China is a bit farfetched. China’s record in term of complete disregards to human’s rights and how they deal with the population when a major construction project is planned, it is unfortunately well known. People are just kicked out of their houses with no right of compensation or a duty from the authority to rehouse them. The state owns everything and everybody. Any dissent from the population is swiftly dealt with by sending their armed forces.However other ‘democratic’ countries such as Spain, Japan or even Italy have managed in recent years to improve their transport infrastructure at a much quicker pace than Britain and done so with the consent of the population that sees these improvements as bringing economic benefit not just to the country as a whole but to them as individuals. Unfortunately in Britain our politicians for too long have been more interested in their political interests rather than what is good for the country. Inadequate planning policies, coupled with lobbying and antagonism from the various environmentalists, conservation societies and the NIMBY attitude has not helped us move forward.Yet we all recognise and, to a certain extent, ask the much needed improvement in our infrastructure: more roads, better and quicker rail connections, bigger airport but at the same time we contracted ourselves as we are not prepared to sacrifice our own interest or moan about how much these improvements will cost to the taxpayers. We are reaping the benefit of the legacy that previous generation has handed down to us and yet, at the same time, we are not thinking of the legacy that we will need to leave for our next generations.
Rosa Popham ● 4842d