![\"Menai](\"http:\/\/www.propertysurveying.co.uk\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/Menai_bridge.jpg\")
One of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s first suspension bridges which Thomas Telford built over the Menai Straits is a very dramatic feat of engineering.\u00c2\u00a0 The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Colossus of Roads\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/strong>was actually respon<\/span>sible for many infrastructure projects which had a varied economic history and these included such diverse schemes as St Catherine\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s dock, infrastructure on the Trent and Mersey Canal, the suspension bridge at Conwy, the Caledonian Canal and many other schemes. Some of these were financially successful and practical and some are still used to this day.<\/p>\n Similarly, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was also very influential in constructing various schemes that were both successful and didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t last the test of time <\/span>economically (such as the Great Western Railway).\u00c2\u00a0 He designed and constructed a number of dramatic infrastructure projects which, however, did stand the test of time <\/span>such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which shares a lot of similarities in construction and design to the Menai bridge in North Wales.<\/p>\n How does this assorted track history affect us today?<\/p>\n Well, we are about to spend \u00c2\u00a343 billion of tax payers money on the HS2 link. This effectively is going to save no more than the odd half an hour here or there for people to access Birmingham and Manchester via rail from London. The Institute of Economic Affairs has suggested a likely total cost will be \u00c2\u00a380 billion pounds.<\/p>\n It is estimated to cost \u00c2\u00a31400 per head for every man, woman and child living in the United Kingdom. This incredibly expensive long term \u00e2\u20ac\u0153project\u00e2\u20ac\u009d was perhaps initially forced through by the new coalition government needing to be seen to do some heavy infrastructure projects at the start of this most recent recession.<\/p>\n The number of smaller sensibly channelled projects that could be carried out around the whole country could have vast and far reaching implications for large portions of the country. Instead, it appears the HS2 ‘white elephant’ is to be continued.<\/p>\n The level of upset in the Chilterns and the other areas between London and Birmingham is immense.<\/p>\n Some commentators have pointed out that if Scotland cedes from the union, part of the infrastructure costs to connect the top end of the HS2\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s destinations to Glasgow and Edinburgh will effectively be for the benefit of a different country that will not be paying for the expensive additional links that will be required. Certainly there is a strong argument that if Scotland does cede from the union, any links beyond Manchester or Newcastle should actually be paid for by the Scottish Government.<\/p>\n Such decisions made by politicians are frequently made with such a long term end in sight that it is unlikely that the politicians making the decisions now would be around to see the completion of such schemes, if indeed they are completed, and therefore will not have to take any responsibility other than in the history books for the inevitable excessive cost that these projects will come in at over original budgets.<\/p>\n![\"Clifton](\"http:\/\/www.propertysurveying.co.uk\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/Clifton_bridge_.jpg\")