Answer to Question #314920 in Civil and Environmental Engineering for Reem

Question

discuss and outline How previous and current government policies/ incentives affect property investment in the Uk in general and in London particularly

Answer 1

Britain at its best is a country that invests in the future. For centuries we have been pioneers in

infrastructure. We invented the steam engine and the first Underground system, we were the

first to split the atom, built the world’s first jet engine and invented the world wide web. We

invested in roads, railways and housing to help drive our economy forward, share prosperity

around the country and make sure our people could compete in the world.

But in recent decades, we have let this proud record slip. This is not the fault of any one party or

any one government. It’s been the result of a collective national mindset that has privileged the

short term over the long term, and has postponed difficult decisions.

Our roads are congested, which costs the economy billions every year, and trains are still

overcrowded with hundreds of thousands standing on their commute each day. And lack of

housing means the average person is now in their mid thirties before they can afford to own a

home of their own.

We have made real progress since 2010 in reversing this trend. We’ve focused the

Government’s capital spending on infrastructure, taken steps to stimulate private investment

and unblocked delivery problems. But now we need a long-term strategic plan to deal with

these challenges over the next decade.

These challenges would be significant enough in normal times. But these are not normal times.

We are in a global race, competing with countries like China and India – countries which

understand the importance of modern infrastructure to a thriving economy and are investing

billions in updating everything from their road networks, to intercity railway lines and power

stations. The strength of our economy and the fairness of our society in the future depends on

making the right long-term investment decisions now.

Already, this Government has given the green light to High Speed 2, is undertaking the largest

investment in our railways since Victorian times and is building Crossrail – Europe’s biggest

construction project. In these pages, you will see the next steps. We are presenting a dynamic

vision for the future of British infrastructure – and a fully costed and detailed plan of how we

will get there.

It includes proposals for the biggest investment in our roads since the 1970s, a plan, build and

repair 200,000 affordable homes, and the long term certainty that our scientists and energy

sectors have been crying out for.

This is what the UK needs – a strategic, long term plan. It’s a plan to build, repair and renew our

key infrastructure. And it’s a plan we hope the whole country can get behind.