China opens 11,000km of Motorway
Discussion
In 2012 China has opened 11,000km of motorway, making a total of 90,922km altogether. Just 20 years ago China had no motorways at all.
To put that in perspective... the ENTIRE British network totals a paltry 3,555km
Obviously China is a vastly larger country than the UK, but it does show where other countries are investing their money in infrastructure, we are pissing it up the wall in welfare payments.
China... 10% GDP growth a year...
Britain, barely 1%
To put that in perspective... the ENTIRE British network totals a paltry 3,555km
Obviously China is a vastly larger country than the UK, but it does show where other countries are investing their money in infrastructure, we are pissing it up the wall in welfare payments.
China... 10% GDP growth a year...
Britain, barely 1%
Statistics in this case are misleading. The UK is largely developed as a nation, as is our infrastructure. China is not, so is starting from a much lower base. It also has a population at least 20 times that of the UK, much of it in abject poverty compared to the poorest in our society. Once again, they are starting from a lower base and have further to rise.
I would rather compare our growth to other developed nations than waste too much time looking at oranges and apples.
I would rather compare our growth to other developed nations than waste too much time looking at oranges and apples.
10 Pence Short said:
Statistics in this case are misleading. The UK is largely developed as a nation, as is our infrastructure. China is not, so is starting from a much lower base.
Just to address this point... the UK I would argue has a very undeveloped motorway network... in fact it's one of the lowest in Europe per capita.
Km of motorway, per million inhabitants, 1996 and 2010
Edited by jbi on Tuesday 1st January 10:44
jbi said:
Just to address this point... the UK I would argue has a very undeveloped motorway network... in fact it's one of the lowest in Europe per capita.
so what? In itself, it means very little. I note from your table that the likes of Spain, Portugal and Ireland are higher up the table. Well, our economy isn't brilliant but it's still in better shape than those.Edited by jbi on Tuesday 1st January 10:44
jbi said:
Just to address this point... the UK I would argue has a very undeveloped motorway network... in fact it's one of the lowest in Europe per capita.
Whilst that's a fine graph to illustrate a point, it misses the point that the UK is a small densely populated country and that many European motorways would be classified in the UK as dual carraigeways.spikeyhead said:
Whilst that's a fine graph to illustrate a point, it misses the point that the UK is a small densely populated country and that many European motorways would be classified in the UK as dual carraigeways.
A dual carriageway is not a motorway.They are built to different standard with grade separated junctions, a hard shoulder and more favorable alignment.
The fact the UK has decent dual carriageway's means nothing... they are NOT motorways, nor can they handle as much traffic.
Lets compare Motorway's per square km then if not per capita.
M of motorway per square KM
UK: 15.46
Spain: 20.4
Denmark: 31.09
Germany: 34.63
Edited by jbi on Tuesday 1st January 10:57
jbi said:
In 2012 China has opened 11,000km of motorway, making a total of 90,922km altogether. Just 20 years ago China had no motorways at all.
To put that in perspective... the ENTIRE British network totals a paltry 3,555km
Obviously China is a vastly larger country than the UK, but it does show where other countries are investing their money in infrastructure, we are pissing it up the wall in welfare payments.
China... 10% GDP growth a year...
Britain, barely 1%
Sales of disco records rose 60 percent in yrs 1974 to 1978. .........if these trends continue......To put that in perspective... the ENTIRE British network totals a paltry 3,555km
Obviously China is a vastly larger country than the UK, but it does show where other countries are investing their money in infrastructure, we are pissing it up the wall in welfare payments.
China... 10% GDP growth a year...
Britain, barely 1%
The UK has different population densities to the others, and a very different geography, too.
You are seeking to say something that doesn't really make sense, unless your point seeks to establish that Spain and others have over developed motorway networks relative to their population, usage and need.
Whilst you could argue there are some needs in terms of strategic improvements to the UKs motorway network, such as additional capacity across the Pennines, I don't think the UK should be trying to compare its road network to China, Spain or anybody else.
You are seeking to say something that doesn't really make sense, unless your point seeks to establish that Spain and others have over developed motorway networks relative to their population, usage and need.
Whilst you could argue there are some needs in terms of strategic improvements to the UKs motorway network, such as additional capacity across the Pennines, I don't think the UK should be trying to compare its road network to China, Spain or anybody else.
jbi said:
Ireland and Spain's economic woes are simply due to a collapsed housing market an the Euro.
The fact is... if they didn't have the infrastructure, they would be in even worse shape for recovery.
European grant money paid for every km of Ireland's new infrastructure in the last 15 years. Ireland are now fThe fact is... if they didn't have the infrastructure, they would be in even worse shape for recovery.
ked.Need me to join the dots?!
jbi said:
spikeyhead said:
Whilst that's a fine graph to illustrate a point, it misses the point that the UK is a small densely populated country and that many European motorways would be classified in the UK as dual carraigeways.
A dual carriageway is not a motorway.They are built to different standard with grade separated junctions, a hard shoulder and more favorable alignment.
The fact the UK has decent dual carriageway's means nothing... they are NOT motorways, nor can they handle as much traffic.
Lets compare Motorway's per square km then if not per capita.
M of motorway per square KM
UK: 15.46
Spain: 20.4
Denmark: 31.09
Germany: 34.63
Edited by jbi on Tuesday 1st January 10:57
Of course, all motorways are dual carriageways given that the carriageways are separated by barriers.
What you mean is, Motorways have 3 lanes. Which of course they don't. Some have 2, some have 4
Anyway, French Autoroutes often have two lanes, German Autobahns often have two lanes. In many cases if that same road, with two lanes, was in the UK it would be called an A road rather than an M. (as I said, a motorway is always a dual carriageway, not all dual carriageways are motorways)
Basically, those stats are not comparing like with like, or there's no consistency that we can be sure of.
Put another way, include dual carriageway A roads in the mix and the UK could proportionally move up the charts. However, as spikeyhead said, the UK is small and densely populated. We don't have space for more multi-lane highways (to throw in a generic term), whereas China clearly did, from its very low base.
What we need in this country is less people, that'd help. Maybe some of you could go to China?
PS watch out for those apostrophes
jbi said:
I suppose there is two separate argument's
One in that infrastructure growth is vital for economic growth and
Two... that the UK has room/requirements for motorways growth and that such investment would be beneficial.
Does the UK need to spend capital on general motorway infrastructure growth just to boost the economy- no.One in that infrastructure growth is vital for economic growth and
Two... that the UK has room/requirements for motorways growth and that such investment would be beneficial.
Does the UK need to spend capital on general motorway infrastructure growth to remove a bottleneck from from growth of the economy- no.
Existing physical bottlenecks should be improved to provide local relief, but I don't believe there's any traction in the country as a whole benefiting from a wholesale programme of road building.
jbi said:
10 Pence Short said:
Statistics in this case are misleading. The UK is largely developed as a nation, as is our infrastructure. China is not, so is starting from a much lower base.
Just to address this point... the UK I would argue has a very undeveloped motorway network... in fact it's one of the lowest in Europe per capita.Km of motorway, per million inhabitants, 1996 and 2010
Edited by jbi on Tuesday 1st January 10:44
hornetrider said:
i'm sure the entire network is just waiting to collapse 
Most accident's are caused by overloaded trucks.
The Chinese are known to run their articulated trucks with up to 100,000kg on them and when multiple overloaded trucks enter the same section of road... usually problems occur.
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