Last week, Claire Perry, transport minister, answered a written question from Jamie Reed, MP for Copeland, on rail services per head of population in each region of England. (He asked a similar question last year covering rail spending per head for the previous five years.)
While in six of the nine English regions, spending is more or less the same, it has risen massively in London, from £298 per capita in 2013/14 to £353 in £2014/15.
The next highest rail spending last year was Yorkshire & Humber at £98 per capita (down £2 since 2013/14). The lowest were East Midlands, at £34, and the South West at £35 per head of population: these had also fallen from the previous year.
What is more interesting is the reason Ms Perry gave for the increase in London spending:
“The step change seen in London spending last year is due to increased spending on London Underground and HS2 plus some increase in the Network Grant.”
So, while HS2 has consistently been claimed as a way of evening transport spending between north and south, in reality, the place gaining the biggest increase from HS2 is in fact London.
Dave and George folly of failures. Name yours and your losses.