It's 2024, and the Manchester extension of HS2 has been cancelled. The leg to Leeds was cancelled in 2021. The remaining line to Birmingham is now less than half the initial planned route, and will cost over double the initial budget. This is not exclusive to HS2; Sprialling costs and missed deadlines have become commonplace in big engineering projects, the UK is now one of the most expensive places in the world to build infrastructure, but Britain has a proud history of engineering, and one name in particular looms large - Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Ruthless, bloody minded and notoriously driven - what could he do about the current state of UK infrastructure?
Presenter: Neil Maggs Producer: Johnny I'Anson Editor: Clare Fordham
The low pay puzzle
How real is the existential threat from AI?
Power Drive
How to cure the small town blues
How to Dismantle a Democracy
What is 'British culture'?
Has the family had its day?
What's the future of nudge?
Can reading really improve your life?
Can the UK afford a mental health crisis?
France: a constitutional crisis in the making
What on earth is the national interest?
What makes a good school?
How can we grow the UK economy?
The Democratic Brain
How far should reparative justice go?
Is there a new elite?
Why are so many workers on strike?
Does work have to be miserable?
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Global News Podcast
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
The Infinite Monkey Cage
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins