The Spanish capital was able to triple the length of its metro system in just 12 years – faster and cheaper than almost any other city in the world. So, why is the UK\u2019s rail infrastructure building lagging so far behind that of other European countries? And what more can be done to keep costs down and build faster? Well, the London Assembly discussed it this week – let’s dig in to what they said.<\/p>\n
READ MORE:<\/b> Is the London Underground Bakerloo line extension going ahead? Everything TfL has said, route map and new stations<\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/b> The barely used London Underground station that looks more like someone’s house<\/a><\/p>\n Why does building in the UK take so long? La Latina Metro stop in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by: Nano Calvo\/VWPics\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Madrid\u2019s metro was built over three election cycles, using ring-fenced money which wasn\u2019t touched throughout the full 15-year build, says Dr Alexander Budzier, CEO of Oxford Capital Projects. Ring-fenced funding is a government budget allocation that can\u2019t be diverted to other projects, no matter which party is in power. It also used a simple standardised design to help keep costs lower.<\/p>\n In comparison, the UK has a lengthy planning and development process which can mean some projects take place throughout multiple elections and world events. These changes in government, as well as potential external factors, can mean the costs of building are likely to increase or cause the project to take longer.<\/p>\n Ben Hopkinson, Head of Housing and Infrastructure at the Centre for Policy Studies, said: \u201cThe longer a project is in flight the more likely it is that some global shock might affect it, so your Brexits, your Covids, your energy crises – so when you have a really long delivery timeline you’re more likely to have external shock which drives up the cost of construction.\u201d<\/p>\n London\u2019s Bakerloo line extension, which will extend the line from Elephant & Castle into the south east of the city, is one example of work happening at at a \u201cglacial\u201d speed, according to Hopkinson.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cSo if you go back to the Bakerloo line example \u2026 so the entire timeline [including initial planning] to build four-and-a- half miles of track is over 35 years; there are literally glaciers that move faster than that.\u201d<\/p>\n The UK\u2019s railway building can also be a little more short-sighted. Dr Budzier said that \u201climited sources\u201d are often spent on \u201climited schemes\u201d but then in ten years time \u201cthere\u2019s nothing there.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cFunding constraints at the moment lead to a massive loss of talent so rather than keeping developing schemes or ideas for future projects in order to cut costs and meet the first budget, a lot of that engineering talent leaves the door and goes.\u201d<\/p>\n What can be done to keep costs down and speed things up? Empty Stations During Coronavirus.Charing Cross Tube Bakerloo Line 8.15 Very Quiet. 13-March-2020 (Photo by Jeremy Selwyn\/Evening Standard via Getty Images)<\/p>\n \u201cLondon will always be more expensive than the rest of the country\u2026[but ]it is feasible,\u201d said Dr Budzier. Goals to cut down costs by 20 percent may even be a little conservative to some.<\/p>\n Hopkinson added: \u201cOnly 20 percent is not nearly bold enough\u2026there are a lot of ways we can learn from other countries \u2026if we got closer to European average cost delivery it would be about 50 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n Giving power back to the local government to approve, fund and manage projects can help get these completed within political cycles, meaning they are less likely to be changed by new governments.<\/p>\n Gareth Dennis, Railway engineer, speaker and writer said: \u201cTreasury is just not wired to care about the things people on the ground care about; they have a different view of the way the country works to cities that have a much closer understanding of the fabric of communities and society.\u201d<\/p>\n Transport for London<\/a> could be bolder in its approach, he added. Buying out areas and using these as long-term assets for development will help bring back uplift which can help fund more projects which is \u201cmore in line with the Japanese model of rail infrastructure,\u201d said Dennis.<\/p>\n The Mayor of London could also do more to push through projects, considering the level of regional political power London has, he says.<\/p>\n \u201cLondon is head of the charge in terms of its developed power can assert more obviously there are political to and froing about what powers sit where but actually I think the mayor should be doing everything they can within powers given to them democratically and little bit of a gap now between doing what is being down and what could be done,” said Dennis.<\/p>\n Why This Matters<\/p>\n Rail infrastructure isn\u2019t just about getting from A to B – it\u2019s the backbone of a modern, connected economy. When projects take decades and cost far more than necessary, the consequences ripple out: housing developments stall, commuter routes stay congested, and billions in public money is diverted away from other essential services. Understanding why the UK falls behind on rail delivery helps citizens and policymakers push for smarter planning, greater transparency, and long-term investment that benefits everyone.<\/p>\n Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com<\/a> <\/b><\/p>\n![\"La](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/f29993a9c7a254af6d2303fde29945a9.jpeg\"\/)
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