The UK is at a critical point in its history. Brexit, a new economic framework and a recalibrating Labour Party rub up alongside the dash to carbon neutral, the impacts of AI and, of course, Covid-19. The decisions that are taken now will set the direction of the country for years to come. When we look […]
Tackling regional inequality across the UK will be a central theme in this week’s Budget. The Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto commits the Government to “invest thoughtfully and responsibly in infrastructure right across our country in order to increase productivity and wages” and to do so “prudently and strategically to level up every part of the […]
Sadiq Khan has a record that would embarrass even Justin Bieber. The ‘greatest’ hits London has suffered since his election in 2016 include: Robbery up 73% Street muggings up 56% Homicides up 34% Not everything is up of course. Transport reliability is down, TFL’s budget has tanked after some very effective self-sabotage, while rates of […]
Last month the UK government sprang a surprise by announcing a ban on the sale of all internal combustion engine cars and vans from 2035 – five years earlier than previously planned. No petrol, no diesels, and (depending on consultations) most likely no hybrids either. It sounds like a progressive, even daring, pro-environment policy. There […]
Yesterday’s court ruling against the plan to expand Heathrow Airport has elicited much wailing and gnashing of teeth about ‘judicial activism’ amongst sections of the right. Yet such complaints are legitimate only up to a point. Whilst it is perfectly reasonable to oppose a system whereby major infrastructure decisions are so vulnerable to lawfare, in […]
What are we to make of the Government’s decision to bring forward the ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to 2035? It’s a fine example of what is known as government picking losers – one of those decisions which makes our economy more inefficient and our lives more expensive as a result. To start […]
What kind of government does Boris Johnson wish to lead? The Prime Minister has a softness for grand infrastructure projects and likes to think of himself as a quasi-nineteenth century liberal. A builder, not just an entertainer. But he leads a government in which there are plenty of ministers – Priti Patel, Liz Truss, Dominic […]
It’s fair to say the Government’s plans to allow Flybe to defer its Air Passenger Duty payments have been met with a mixed response, with British Airways already launching a legal challenge to try and overturn the decision. Still, one side benefit of the political farrago has been to highlight just how poor a tax […]
A political leader who has just secured a large majority has rarely regretted doing too much, too quickly. Boris Johnson’s extraordinary opportunity for radical reform of the structures of government and economy must not be wasted. The challenge of delivering a successful economy for everyone is immense. So here are five ideas for the new government […]
The year is almost over and once again the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT) are holding the government to ransom. They are taking industrial action on South Western Trains, striking for 27 days throughout December, citing the need for a guard to be placed on their trains for safety reasons. SWT have acquiesced […]
Labour’s plans to reduce rail fares by 33% takes from the poor to pay for the travel of the rich while inevitably providing less money for maintenance and upgrades. As usual, with Labour’s giveaways of other people’s money, they are hoping that no one will look too closely at the detail — although given this […]
It’s a dark day for Londoners. Uber – the ride-hailing app which launched in the city in 2012 and has since revolutionised transport across the world’s major cities – has been handed an effective ban from operating in the capital by Transport for London. Hope is not completely lost for the millions of people who […]
Throughout 2019 CapX has been working with the anti-poverty charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on a project about rebalancing Britain, looking at how to tackle the longstanding issues in the British economy such as the gap between towns and cities, rural and urban areas and the different regions of the UK. A big focus of […]
Counterpoint: To read the case for going ahead with HS2, click here In August Transport Secretary Grant Shapps launched an independent review into HS2 with the aim of aiding the Government to make a “go, no-go” decision by December. The review is supposed to consider HS2’s “affordability, deliverability, benefits, scope and phasing”. The basic idea […]
Counterpoint: To read the case for scrapping HS2, click here The problems that HS2 solves are far-reaching and complex and it is for this reason that many politicians and commentators have failed to make the case for the project. The West Midlands has seen a 121% increase in rail use in the last decade and […]
Counterpoint: To read the case against banning private jets, click here Last week, 11,000 scientists warned that the planet is facing a climate emergency, and approximately 2000 private jets took off from British airports. The scientists said that without deep, urgent and lasting change we are on course for “untold human suffering” via irreversible impacts […]
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