Surplus is necessary for resilience in an unpredictable world

Our flood management systems are under increasing pressure. In recent years the UK has been hit by several extreme floods which have ruined homes and businesses, and taken lives. Population growth and climate change are expected to make flooding worse: analysis for the 2017 Climate Change Risk Assessment estimated that flood risk will increase by […]

Carillion shouldn’t be brought under state control, but maybe central banks should be

A strong thread in the acres of print about the Carillion debacle is that the private sector should not really be involved in infrastructure projects. The public sector would, apparently, do it better. Readers who experienced life under the nationalised rail and telephone systems might be forgiven their scepticism. One idea which is taking hold […]

Infrastructure – Who Cares?

The launch of the draft National Infrastructure Assessment took place in Birmingham, overlooking the site of the city’s station-to-be at Curzon Street on HS2. In the room were all the new Metro Mayors from the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, the West of England, Cambridge and Peterborough and the earlier established London Mayor. It was the […]

Ellie speaker at Policy Forum for London event

Ellie was recently invited to speak at the Policy Forum for London’s event on the priorities for developing London’s night time economy. Specialising in the economic impact of developments and proposals, Ellie spoke about London’s night time economy hotspots and historic growth, as well as the business case for the Night Tube. When thinking about the […]

The Wolfson Economics Prize 2017 – our shortlisted entry led by Paul Buchanan

Wolfson 2017 logo Finalist

As a niche consultancy with expertise in the planning, economic and financial appraisal of public and private sector transport, the question for this years’ Wolfson Economics Prize “How can we pay for better, safer, more reliable roads in a way that is fair to road users and good for the economy and the environment?” was […]

What changes could Hyperloop deliver?

Hyperloop One

The last in our series of blogs on WEBs. Having worked on the Hyperloop projects, Volterra Partner Paul Buchanan looks at the impact futuristic modes of transport have on WEBs. WEBs and Hyperloop I have been lucky to work on four or five Hyperloop projects; this means thinking about the impact of Hyperloop on where […]

WEBs – can they be negative?

Toronto in 2010

The second in our series of blogs looking at how Paul Buchanan has continued to develop the techniques and spread the application of WEBs. Can WEBs be negative? I spent many years after Crossrail espousing the power of WEBs: the economic growth that resulted, the additional tax revenues accruing to government and all of the […]

The history of Wider Economic Benefits (WEBs)

Commuters

Paul Buchanan started WEBs, secured the original approval of WEBs by government and has continued to develop the techniques and spread the application of WEBs ever since. This series of blogs looks at some of the key changes and innovations that were introduced over time. They range from the original work on Crossrail, through early […]