Analysis What would Isambard Kingdom Brunel have done?
Mar 11, 2024
Podcast explores how Isambard Kingdom Brunel's bold engineering designs could tackle current UK infrastructure woes, with a focus on HS2 project controversies, funding challenges, and historical vs present-day project management complexities.
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Brunel's Project Management
- Brunel, while visionary, wasn't always a great project manager, often exceeding budgets and facing difficulties.
- His focus on novelty and ambition sometimes led to overstretching resources and investors.
Hammersmith Bridge Closure
- Hammersmith Bridge's closure exemplifies how infrastructure failures impact daily life.
- Disputes over funding have left the bridge unusable for five years, causing increased travel times and local disruptions.
Bureaucracy and the Lower Thames Crossing
- The Lower Thames Crossing project highlights bureaucratic hurdles in UK infrastructure.
- Despite spending £800 million on planning, no construction has started, illustrating inefficient processes.