The road to nowhere

Transport is fast becoming a major political issue. A survey before Christmas showed the disparity in funding between transport in the South West (£19 per head per annum) and London (£2731 per head per annum). Plymouth is 15th largest city in the country, but it now has no airport, and is 45 miles away from the nearest stretch of motorway. The railway line is diesel, and under threat from coastal erosion and storms.

So the announcement of the HS2 link has not been received well here. Yes, I am sure there is a good economic case for better links between London and Birmingham, and onto the north. But there are over a million people in the peninsula who do not have 21st century transport links, and that can only hinder future growth and investment in the area. It sometimes seems like ministers in London do not appreciate the vast distances involved in travel down here. There must be better and more even ways of spreading £32 billion across the rail infrastructure. Or am I missing something obvious?