> To build a railway between Euston and Curzon Street in Birmingham, I need 8,276 consents from other public bodies, planning, transport, the Environment Agency or Natural England. They don’t care whether parliament did or didn’t approve building a railway.

Google suggests that line would be about 127 miles long, or about 200 kilometers. That’s one different consent form for every 25 meters of track. Mind boggling.

> I need 8,276 consents from other public bodies, planning, transport, the Environment Agency or Natural England

> That’s one different consent form for every 25 meters of track. Mind boggling.

I can easily imagine Sir Humphrey lecturing Bernard on why 8276 is not enough consents and why they need more of them.

Our country inherited/modeled our civil services and bureaucracy based on the British system. We know the effort it takes to get things done.