Build And Be Damned

The Victorians famously built wildly ambitious infrastructure projects, like roads, railways, sewers and tunnels. David Wighton asks whether we should copy their example.

The Victorians and their predecessors have been celebrated for their forward thinking, building assets which are continuing to benefit the British economy. Yet some of their grandest projects left investors broke or actually created headaches for later generations. So - which is more important: cost-benefit reports or sheer boldness of vision? David Wighton finds that the lessons from the past turn out to more complex than they first appear.

Producer: Sandra Kanthal.

The Victorians built grand ambitious railways, sewers and tunnels. Should we do the same?

The Victorians famously built wildly ambitious infrastructure projects, like roads, railways, sewers and tunnels. David Wighton asks whether we should copy their example.

The Victorians and their predecessors have been celebrated for their forward thinking, building assets which are continuing to benefit the British economy. Yet some of their grandest projects left investors broke or actually created headaches for later generations. So - which is more important: cost-benefit reports or sheer boldness of vision? David Wighton finds that the lessons from the past turn out to more complex than they first appear.

Producer: Sandra Kanthal.

The Victorians built grand ambitious railways, sewers and tunnels. Should we do the same?