Is this really a green light for light rail in the UK?

摘要

The UK's report into light rail, Green Light for Light Rail, {TAUT 887) uses a great deal of encouraging language and makes all the right political noises. However, I feel it lacks any real depth in promoting the key reasons for developing light and urban rail systems. Focusing much of the report on the issues of costs as obstacles to development, in my opinion, is a convenient peg to hang the wider issues on. Of course we cannot, and should not, write blank cheques for any public infrastructure project, but other global economies are facing many of the same problems as those being experienced in the UK and yet they are still pushing forward with new schemes, extensions and fleet renewals.