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
Baby Boom or Bust
Revenge of the Workers
Parental Alienation
Look who's talking - the rise of ‘voice cloning’
Who Defends Europe?
Reimagining the Nation
Cancelling Colston
Science in the Time of Cancel Culture
Stalemate: Israel and the Palestinians after Gaza
A Hundred Glorious Years?
A New Unionism?
Funny Money
Marvellous Medicine
The Zoomshock Metropolis
What the Foucault?
Global Britain: is there substance behind the slogan?
Science in the Time of Covid-19
The Fine Art of Decision Making
Levelling Up Wakefield
Magic Weapons
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Global News Podcast
The Infinite Monkey Cage
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins