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High Speed Rail China vs UK

Paul Wilson

I was amazed by the contrast between China and the UK in high speed railway development. China has built 42,000 km since 2008, while the UK has only planned 215 km by 2033. Bullettrain side

What can the UK learn from China? How can the UK improve its infrastructure and connectivity? What are the pros and cons of high speed railway for both countries?

China has a clear vision and strategy, aligned with its economic and social goals. China uses high speed railway to boost regional development, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance national integration. China also has strong political will and public support, which help it overcome hurdles. Rocket

The UK lacks a coherent and consistent vision, and faces delays, controversies, and cost overruns. The UK also has more challenges in land acquisition, environmental impact, and public opposition. The UK needs a clear and compelling case for HS2, and how it fits into its broader plans. Construction

China has a competitive edge in engineering and technology, which enable it to build faster, cheaper, and safer. China has its own standards, designs, and equipment, suited to its needs. China also has a large and skilled workforce, and a robust supply chain and quality control. Tools️

The UK relies more on foreign expertise and technology, which increase its costs and risks. The UK also has more technical and operational challenges, such as interoperability, compatibility, and safety. The UK needs to invest more in its own research and innovation, and collaborate and learn more with others.

China may have compromised some health and safety aspects, such as labor rights, environmental protection, and social impact. China may also have issues of overcapacity, debt, and corruption. China needs to balance its speed and scale with its quality and sustainability. Herb

The UK has more stringent and rigorous standards and regulations, which ensure its health and safety, and its environmental and social responsibility. The UK also has more checks and balances, and more transparency and accountability. The UK needs to maintain its high standards and values, and find ways to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Star2

In conclusion, China and the UK have different approaches and experiences, which reflect their contexts and priorities. Both can learn from each other, and from others, to improve their systems. High speed railway is a catalyst for transformation. 

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Do you have any insights or suggestions? 

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  • Paul Wilson said:
    High speed railway is a catalyst for transformation. 

    Hi Paul,

    You haven't really explained this point, which is the important one. Could you explain what transformation you mean, and why you think high speed railway is a catalyst for it?

    That said, I will say that my personal view is that what the UK needs is better rail connectivity rather than high speed rail - we were already seeing a drift away from city-centred employment before covid, and the lockdown experience seems to be increasing that trend. My guess is that the idea that rail links should mainly go from city centre to city centre (the essence of high speed rail) will tend to diminish. 

    (I emphasise the word "personal" because I work in the rail industry, on everything from light rail to high speed, but I wouldn't want this to be taken as the view of my employers or clients.)

    I believe current research is still showing that journey speed is not UK rail travellers biggest concern? IIRC reliability, quality of information, clear pricing, and comfort were all rated as bigger concerns? And getting freight off the roads is another set of problems again, but again speed doesn't seem to be the biggest issue here.

    OK, I know I am glossing over a bit the fact that high speed lines can increase capacity on the network, which in turn can help address connectivity and reliability concerns, and provide more freight capacity. Whether it's the best and most proportionate way of resolving those issues is a very complex matter which I'm certainly not qualified to comment on. And it's one which it is phenomenally difficult to get an unbiased answer to, a large part of the rail and construction industry makes an awful lot of money out of high speed rail - which is not to say that it's not the right thing to do in the right circumstances, just that getting to the truth of the value argument can be challenging.

    I will also say that personally I've never compared (or felt the urge to compare) the UK rail infrastructure to China, both the political and geographical situations are so different that I've found it very difficult to ever draw useful comparisons. (What would be interesting would be to compare China to the USA, similar geographies but very, very different attitudes to rail.) Comparing the UK to South Korea I've found much more interesting, you may want to take a look at their approach to rail, there may be some very interesting lessons we could learn from there.

    Thanks,

    Andy

Reply
  • Paul Wilson said:
    High speed railway is a catalyst for transformation. 

    Hi Paul,

    You haven't really explained this point, which is the important one. Could you explain what transformation you mean, and why you think high speed railway is a catalyst for it?

    That said, I will say that my personal view is that what the UK needs is better rail connectivity rather than high speed rail - we were already seeing a drift away from city-centred employment before covid, and the lockdown experience seems to be increasing that trend. My guess is that the idea that rail links should mainly go from city centre to city centre (the essence of high speed rail) will tend to diminish. 

    (I emphasise the word "personal" because I work in the rail industry, on everything from light rail to high speed, but I wouldn't want this to be taken as the view of my employers or clients.)

    I believe current research is still showing that journey speed is not UK rail travellers biggest concern? IIRC reliability, quality of information, clear pricing, and comfort were all rated as bigger concerns? And getting freight off the roads is another set of problems again, but again speed doesn't seem to be the biggest issue here.

    OK, I know I am glossing over a bit the fact that high speed lines can increase capacity on the network, which in turn can help address connectivity and reliability concerns, and provide more freight capacity. Whether it's the best and most proportionate way of resolving those issues is a very complex matter which I'm certainly not qualified to comment on. And it's one which it is phenomenally difficult to get an unbiased answer to, a large part of the rail and construction industry makes an awful lot of money out of high speed rail - which is not to say that it's not the right thing to do in the right circumstances, just that getting to the truth of the value argument can be challenging.

    I will also say that personally I've never compared (or felt the urge to compare) the UK rail infrastructure to China, both the political and geographical situations are so different that I've found it very difficult to ever draw useful comparisons. (What would be interesting would be to compare China to the USA, similar geographies but very, very different attitudes to rail.) Comparing the UK to South Korea I've found much more interesting, you may want to take a look at their approach to rail, there may be some very interesting lessons we could learn from there.

    Thanks,

    Andy

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