[Sun column] Jeremy Clarkson: “UK is falling apart and yet we have £4m bridge over road for BIRDS to use”

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Important_Ruin@reddit

General consensus is there isnt any money, because there isnt.

Who had 14 years to maintain those bridges and instead didnt Tory Boy Clarkson, wasn't your neighbour Prime Minister for 6 years.

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Serberou5@reddit

Labour had years in power to fix it before that though? See both sides can blame the other side since it's so easy but provides no actual solution to the problem.

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Roads and infrastructure weren't falling apart like they are now, because they were maintained, then council budgets cut and national budget cut meaning maintenance is reduced for roads and infrastructure.

Can't not maintain stuff for 14 years an expect them not to fall apart.

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Serberou5@reddit

Maybe not in your area but it was worse in mine that it is now. That's not the point I was making though I was saying we all need to stop blaming others and all pull together to get this stuff fixed.

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Time_Substance_4429@reddit

How do we pull together to get roads fixed, NHS waiting lists for surgeries down and things like railway improvements etc?

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Hyperion262@reddit

If you want an honest answer it is to stop expecting governments to waste time with pointless ideological posturing and vote for realpolitik people who will actually do practical things that impact our society for the better.

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Time_Substance_4429@reddit

I don’t disagree, but point out who those people are, where are they coming from and what incentive is there for them to take long view decisions when the terms of each Parliament aren’t long term at all?

Couple that with the power and influence of private individuals and businesses that simply aren’t interested in the everyday issues of people.

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Hyperion262@reddit

Yeah it’s a fair point that they don’t exist at the moment, but I would argue that’s because everyone’s obsessed with ideological differences rather than what we want in common. We need the public to want a unifier before one can stand to be elected.

Easier said than done I know but if you look at how Labour changed from the 80s to the 90s it can be done.

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Time_Substance_4429@reddit

I see your point about Labour but will counter it with that change also brought people like Mandelson and Campbell into prominence. Arguably some of Blair’s decisions lead us to the road we are still on, with the direction of travel accelerated by the following Governments and theirs.

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Bank-Expression@reddit

You’re all falling into the same bickering that keeps us divided and chaotic. Blue tie or red tie it doesn’t matter, the whole system needs to be redesigned to better serve the general public. Then maybe we would have money spare for projects that are in the average man/woman’s interests

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Optimaximal@reddit

But the problem being pointed out is that even if you designed the perfect system now, you still have to reverse the 14 years of underinvestment, which will cost even more money, time and investment.

The Tories didn't just spend 14 years underinvesting, they effectively salted the earth for whomever came behind them.

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Serberou5@reddit

If you say so. Infrastructure is better in my area now than it has ever been.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

Where do you live?

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Serberou5@reddit

Nor does your perception of everything failing means that it actually is.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

But it actually is.. you can see it even through this article of Clarkson moaning about bridges.

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Serberou5@reddit

Do because it is in London that means it is everywhere?

Investment is always needed but standing around blaming others people will not help one jot. That is my point that we should stop all that and just invest where needed it doesn't matter how the issues were or were not caused.

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ffwillis@reddit

I think it’s quite fair to blame the people who are responsible for it - The Conservative Party.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

But EVERYWHERE needs investment at once because its been ignored for 14 years.

Bridges and roads are falling apart because the money has not been available for councils as council funding was slashed, highways England budget was slashed, yes there has been some big infrastructure projects (queen Elizabeth crossing in scotland) but there are a mryad of other infrastructure projects which have not been done in that time. Thinking local to me the Gateshead Flyover is condemned and being pulled down because money needed to repair it was not made available from central government. So now an entire major road junction is being pulled down and replaced at god knows what cost because it went beyond economic to repair.

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ffwillis@reddit

Most studies show standards of living, child poverty, etc have increased by large amounts over most of the country.

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Time_Substance_4429@reddit

Except it is. Using your «in my area» anecdote, in my area, almost every road is subsiding to the point where the cracks are wider than motorbike tyres in some places, they cause your vehicles to swerve, and hidden dips have accounted for multiple accidents recently. A small section (less than 200m) was recently repaired at a cost of £500,000, and it will last last than 2 years with the rest of the 10 mile stretch still deteriorating at a fast rate due to the heavy traffic and constant agricultural vehicle usage.

GP appointments are a 9 week wait if you can’t sit on the phone at 8:00 to get a same day one, which is nearly impossible when by 08:01 all of them are gone due to there being 1 GP surgery in a town of 11,000. Hospital wait times are measured in months, and pushing well over 6 months in many areas. Dental appointments for NHS work is also becoming harder to find even for people’s children.

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TheHumbleLegume@reddit

You’re pissing into the wind with attempting that discussion.

Don’t talk about how PFI contracts under Labour have burdened the public sector with incredible debt that nobody can buy their way out of.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

We arent talking about PFI contracts but bridges that Clarkson is moaning about.

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TheHumbleLegume@reddit

“Don’t look at that, as it undermines my argument, look over here instead at stuff that supports me.”

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PorcoGrand@reddit

Isnt that what you just did with PFI when they were talking about bridges?

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Important_Ruin@reddit

But we arent talking about PFI. Let's look at the Tories and COVID how many billions did they hand off to their mates and also for Test and Trace and an App? The billions they wrote off with COVID loans

PFI was launched under Major a Tory. It was still being used by Tories in their government in 2010s.

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Serberou5@reddit

I know right. My local hospital is totally fucked for the next 30 years because of them. But Conservatives bad.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

Along with cuts in NHS spending by Tories have also fucked your hospital.

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Important-Plane-9922@reddit

Shameful person. Grow up and admit you got it wrong.

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Serberou5@reddit

When you admit that you live to go around insulting people when you don't agree with them.

Sounds like you need to grow up if you have to resort to insults in your daily life.

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Important-Plane-9922@reddit

It’s not a matter of agree or disagree at this point. The conservatives were objectively disastrous for this country and quite frankly most conservatives can’t see beyond their own circle to be in any position to talk about what’s good for the country and its people.

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dj4y_94@reddit

Yeah getting fed up of seeing Clarkson articles where he bemoans the state of the country given the party he voted for his entire life was in charge for 14 of the last 16 years.

You'd think he'd connect the dots.

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OriginalAdvisor384@reddit

That was labours mess they inherited

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TheObrien@reddit

He’s can’t even slag off the bridge - as it would have been in planning and approved long before this government…

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UnableSilver@reddit

It's all politicians these days. They say whatever they think you want to hear to get elected. And completely ignore all that once in and it's full steam ahead with whatever their ideology dictates from then on.

Hell, just look at starmer, an actual human rights lawyer who has zero problems abusing said rites of those islanders just to get them off the island so he can give it to his buddy.

And lastly, their ideology led to when the crap hit the fan in Iran, the UK had ONE working warship that was in drydock being fitted. The water system going out while on the way is just chef's kiss.

Now saying all that, I still think it's not truly too late.....if labour is ousted. I think Rupert Lowe and Trump would get on famously.

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UpsetStudent6062@reddit

Disagree with your first para. Politicians tell you what THEY want you to hear. Your opinion is worthless.

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t3hb3st@reddit

Conservatives are notoriously incapable of connecting dots. They're more of a paint by numbers group where they just follow the narrative they're told with blind belief.

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Hyperion262@reddit

You are allowed to complain about a political party or decision even if you voted for them.

We get one vote every 5 years, it’s ridiculous to think you can’t disagree with anything in half a decade

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DoNotCommentAgain@reddit

The current party in power did not create any of those problems, the Tories built plenty of bird bridges while they destroyed the economy and he didn't say a fucking thing.

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Hyperion262@reddit

He complained about them almost every single episode of his incredibly popular tv show.

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ffwillis@reddit

He complained about the Boris/Truss/Sunak governments. I don’t recall him complaining much when Cameron and Osbourne were gutting the country which had lead to where it is now.

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R3myek@reddit

But Jezza isn't complaining about the party that put Austerity at the heart of our nations politics. He didn't complain about it while they were doing it. Now they are out of power he is complaining about the Reds continuing Blue policy.

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Hyperion262@reddit

He complained about the government constantly on his show.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

Labour Gov up until 2010, then became relatively quiet and now shouting about it again on Clarksons Farm since Labour came into Gov again, even doing a silly gimmic of banning Starmer from his pub.

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Hyperion262@reddit

It started filming in 2020. Most of Clarksons farm was filmed with a Tory government. His complaints were against Tory government and councils.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

He complained about Brexit, and his local council but specifically targeted Labour and complained about Labour in most recent series and the PR stunt of banning Starmer from his pub for all his Tory ockles.

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Hyperion262@reddit

That’s because Labour are now in power. When he was complaining when the Tory’s were in power his complaints were about the Tory’s.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

He wasn't to the degree he does about this Labour governmen, his neighbour is a former Tory PM. He is a Tory. He didnt ban any Tory PMs from his pub just Labour one.

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Hyperion262@reddit

So we’ve gone from he never does it, to he criticises one more than the other. Which is what every single human does regarding politics. You’re all just whinging.

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Important_Ruin@reddit

I didnt say he criticise, he criticises less but still had his odd complaint. However he never made such a public PR to ban a Tory PM from his pub.

Since Labour have been in he's whinged in near enough every article about Labour something.

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Durzel@reddit

If you were being generous you could say he’s being paid to write inflammatory columns that follow The Sun/Express mindset, and that he personally doesn’t feel as strongly about this stuff as he professes to be.

But either way he’s pushing buttons, and the argument that the Tories ran the country into the ground while he said nothing are perfectly valid.

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KateKnight_cd@reddit

If that is the case he is worse he is prostituting his beliefs for Murdoch money

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Durzel@reddit

Yeah, no arguments there.

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DoNotCommentAgain@reddit

That's far worse.

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Hot-Delay5608@reddit

He's connecting the dots all right, he's looking for those tax cuts for the millionaires

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BuggyDClown@reddit

I'm certain Clarkson was critical of the government in those 14 years as well

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Oldschool-fool@reddit

Let’s be honest who ever was in charge as government we would be in exactly the same position. Do you really think things would be any better if labour had been in charge for that period ? 💩

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Important_Ruin@reddit

Yes. As their policy was not austerity. Brown wanted spending to stimulate the economy using 'golden rule' on infrastructure projects especially.

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ffwillis@reddit

Yes.

Most of the problems our country face now were created by the ideology of Cameron and Osbourne.

Austerity was not needed and does not work. For some reason they thought their own particularly harsh brand of austerity would work. To the surprise of virtually nobody, it didn’t. The decay and neglect of public spending and services increased the appeal of Brexit, a suicidal decision which has lead to increased immigration and a decrease in budget - Leaving the country in a far worse off and potentially unfixable situation than we were prior to the Tory party winning in 2010.

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Sstoop@reddit

i hate this “we have money for this thing so why can’t we do this thing” when it’s something like this. as if this 4m would’ve been otherwise used to stop the uk from falling apart.

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StripedRooster@reddit

There is something to it though. £100 million for a tunnel for bats over HS2 which will benefit something like 600 bag, whilst a barn in Cornwall or possibly Devon got a £100k grant and benefits 2000 bats.

Despite reading this in the Guardian, I thought this was propaganda until I researched it.

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Evening-Ad5765@reddit

The money is all being spent on importing poor people from the third world and giving them obscene benefits the native British aren’t eligible for. Last year was the first year welfare spending outstripped tax revenue in the UK. UK is no longer a first world country. And the British government is the enemy of the British.

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Fuzzy_Dragonfruit_20@reddit

Idiot.

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TheHess@reddit

The biggest welfare cost is pensions.

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Regular_Promise3605@reddit

He was awfully quiet about this under a Tory government. Same with the farming.

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Iricliphan@reddit

Okay, you might not like the guy, but this is just absolutely false. He always critiques infrastructure, especially under Torys. Just because you didn't see it reposted on reddit doesn't mean he hasn't.

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Specialist_Sport4460@reddit

But it's never the Tories to blame when he does that. Usually picks target like Unions or "woke" to blame it on.

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Iricliphan@reddit

No, he does lambast pretty much everyone going.

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Specialist_Sport4460@reddit

No he absolutely does not. He has a set of targets and an audience that also dislikes those targets. Type "Clarkson criticises tories" into google and every single link is him going after "left wing loonies".

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Iricliphan@reddit

Here he is lambasting Liz Truss

He was also very critical of the Rwanda plan, Brexit and Boris Johnson and that's all from a quick Google. The man takes shots at anything he finds ridiculous.

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Specialist_Sport4460@reddit

He repeatedly attacked anyone who was anti brexit. Also criticizing Liz Truss is probably the lowest bar on the planet. I think he's entertaining but I don't need to delude myself that he's not very obviously bias to do so. He's a public schoolboy with public schoolboy opinions who presents as a "normal bloke".

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Beer-Milkshakes@reddit

100% thats his whole shtick. He is meek during the Tory reign and loud and insufferable during Labour.

Labour haven't hit their lending forecasts btw. They're hundreds of millions of pounds better. Which is instantly better than any Tory gov for decades

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Important_Ruin@reddit

But but Labour bad for economy.

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Exact-Put-6961@reddit

There is no hope for the economy under Reeves. Look how few new businesses have been started

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Beer-Milkshakes@reddit

Thats the line fed to us from the 1980's. People who unironically repeat it are either echoing an out of date sentiment. Or can't be convinced a thing can change in 40 years

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wealthythrush@reddit

Thats how the entire UK media platform works.

The UK news is the same as the US but dressed up as intellectualism.

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-6h0st-@reddit

He’s hurt because of inheritance tax changed for farmers

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ElCuntIngles@reddit

Nah, he's hurt because of inheritance tax changes for Jeremy Clarkson.

He bought the farm to dodge inheritance tax. The idea to farm it for content was hatched when his tenant farmer retired.

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-6h0st-@reddit

That’s the silent part. Of course he would not care for farmers in general, just using them

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LesserShambler@reddit

Good.

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Burnleybadboy@reddit

The farm started during Tory government? He was complaining plenty about them

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Regular_Promise3605@reddit

Yes and he gave the Tory government a chance to fix it, as soon as labour got in he was acting like it was the end of the world. Clarkson is a true classic Tory, always has been.

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Competitive_Pen7192@reddit

Clarkson was pro EU which I'm assuming was due to his love of cars.

Otherwise he's pretty misaligned with his views.

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jeepfail@reddit

I believe he said it made his job easier.

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Apprehensive-You9999@reddit

Coming from the guy actively fighting against inheritance tax and also putting in place a plan that his family will avoid it using trusts?

Wonder why the government doesn't have enough money

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FlipStig1@reddit (OP)

By the way, Clarkson also paid attention to US President Donald Trump’s comments on who should own the Falkland Islands (remember how things went down for Top Gear in Argentina all those years ago over that infamous license plate?), and he had this reply:

“RIGHT. I see. Because we wouldn’t help him in Iran, Mr Trump is going to say the Falkland Islands might actually belong to Argentina.

“Well they don’t, matey boy, and we fought a war – without America’s help incidentally – to remind everyone.

“I’ll tell you what’s also ours. A corner of Hawaii where there’s a monument, above, to James Cook, close to the spot where he was killed.

“That’s why there’s a Union Jack on the state flag. So button it, Orange Man, or we’ll pop over there and build a Wetherspoons on it.”

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Poonchild@reddit

“We”. What did Jeremy do?

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TexasBrett@reddit

Would love a Spoons in Hawaii. Would actually be able to get a pint for less than $10.

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ScottOld@reddit

The loo would be in the volcano

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GikeM@reddit

Nah they'd send you into USS Arizona.

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themcsame@reddit

Worth it for a $3 pint honestly

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OHoSPARTACUS@reddit

Actually UK had Americas help in a subtle but critical way. The British used an American air base as their main forward base of operations, which was absolutely critical in making sure the Brit’s had access to the air power they needed to retake the falklands

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Intergalatic_Baker@reddit

RAF Ascension isn’t an American base, that prefix RAF, means it’s owned by the MOD.

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dylan_lol000@reddit

Are you talking about Ascension?

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FlipStig1@reddit (OP)

Quick fact check regarding Clarkson’s comments about the Falkland Islands war: the United States did back the UK in subtle but critical ways. However, the backdrop of the Cold War also meant that the US had to tread carefully with Argentina during that period.

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Ok-disaster2022@reddit

There's also a US flag flying over the grave of Lafayette in France. We don't claim France.

The UK attempting to attack and hold Hawaii would be hilarious disaster . If it can to the worse the Marine officers would just let the Marines off their leashes. Marines are almost as bad as Canadians for war crimes.

Then if course the US would invade the UK and finally make it the 51st State. If the UK doesn't want to be part of the EU, then they'll be a territory of the US.

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squelchy20@reddit

"USA, USA, USA"

Fucking loser.

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TheHeroChronic@reddit

You should boycott the USA, starting by deleting reddit

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Fragglesmurfbutt@reddit

You should boycott the UK, start by not using the World Wide Web.

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lexx2001@reddit

Whilst we all hate each other we’d definitely band together and fight tooth and nail so that didn’t happen

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Time_Substance_4429@reddit

Considering that recently the all powerful US military had to have the Finns to be asked to take it easy on them during recent war games exercise, i’m not sure you can willy wave about it too much.

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Fragglesmurfbutt@reddit

Lol my dad is bigger than your dad energy

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InnocentTailor@reddit

So much pointless dickery from keyboard warriors and leaders.

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AbbreviationsCold161@reddit

Hopefully with better English comprehension so that we know what he's saying. Or is it that they've had big night on the Budweiser and are halfway through a six pack, hence the rambling illiteracy.

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Ok_Counter_8887@reddit

I cannot fathom the levels of stupidity it would require to play soldiers in your head and be so excited and giddy that the country that would sacrifice you in a heartbeat could "beat" another country

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Iridemymasturbike@reddit

getting rowdy in the colonies?

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Soft-Section528@reddit

Imagine getting this rattled over a throwaway column from Jeremy Clarkson

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silentv0ices@reddit

It's OK the royal marines enjoy playing with American marines it usually results in a quick surrender. I suggest you look up operation green dagger.

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Regular_Promise3605@reddit

Tbf the Americans did help massively with the refuelling to get British ships to the falklands.

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Ben_Dover70@reddit

The US navy also took over the Royal Navys NATO patrols to free up more RN ships during the war. I like dunking on the US as much as the next guy but saying they did nothing during the Falklands is inaccurate.

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ElderlyChipmunk@reddit

We also loaned them sparrow A2A missiles.

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_DoogieLion@reddit

Doesn’t count. UK being doing the same the US planes en route to Iran and orange pedo says we haven’t been helping.

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OHoSPARTACUS@reddit

Trump is a moron

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TheLimeyLemmon@reddit

He really said "matey boy"?

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Time_Substance_4429@reddit

He’s also wrong, the USA did help just not in an overt military way and he knows this as he’s very knowledgeable on military matters.

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LordBogus@reddit

I agree but there is no money for a wetherspoons

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StruttyB@reddit

Like he cares !

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Bagsy938@reddit

Maybe he should pay his taxes then? Blokes full of hot air

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bborzell@reddit

What an incredible blowhard windbag.

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New_Impact_1156@reddit

Brother said nothing for 14 years 🤣

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New-Reward-2895@reddit

The UK is not falling apart.

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Temporary-Aside5306@reddit

None of these complaints when his mates were in charge

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Still-District-6149@reddit

These days, if you say you're English

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Aceman1979@reddit

Another zero effort post by a mod.

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Thestickleman@reddit

Blame the torys that were in charge for so long and when (I hope not) reform gets in power watch it crumble more.

Labour is investing so much into, infrastructure, construction and massively upgrading our energy generation

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tj100011@reddit

Wait till ha finds out how much we subsidise farmers

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b_rodriguez@reddit

Maybe he should have spoken up when his mates were running things.

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Commercial-Stick-718@reddit

Why didn't the Tories who he voted for fix the infrastructure when they were in power?

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Intergalatic_Baker@reddit

Well, considering I’m on the fucking project this twat’s bemoaning, it was a condition of a fucking garden centre.

Secondly, it’s a dual purpose bridge, yes, it’s surface is a fucking garden, but if, for whatever reason the road bridge made out of the same design fails, we can hoist this out and replace the other one, rip up the garden and place a road down.

There’s other reasons too, why have a dedicated footbridge design that costs money to design and check, when you can have another one of the bridge you’re already installing. Means economic of scale and you know what, got apprentices to learn how to build a steel structure with Concrete, sue me.

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Davies301@reddit

Is the UK not one of the only countries where the transit system actually makes a profit?

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shamateur@reddit

Don’t object to paying more tax then, Jeremy, you cunt.

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MyAltPoetryAccount@reddit

If only money could be made by forcing people who buy massive amounts of land to avoid inheritance tax we could maybe repair a few of um.

Clarkson is a clown, a funny clown who makes TV shows I enjoy but a clown none the less

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Rev_Dean@reddit

Hey Jeremy, you remember those episodes where you were being all sad and complaining about the lack of biodiversity?

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_Ishmael@reddit

I'm dreading the next season of Clarkson's Farm because it will be the first season filmed after Labour's win and I have a horrible feeling it's just going to be scene after scene of Clarkson complaining about how everything is Labour's fault.

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Amazing-Visual-2919@reddit

Perhaps if his employer Amazon paid more tax?

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Ok_Bug_7301@reddit

He’s a self-serving dumbass, everyone should know that already.

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Gwyllithar@reddit

its for bats and barnowls (and other wildlife) that fly low and/or follow linear features, so they either wont cross motorways or get pasted by lorries when they try......

its also a tiny amount of the overall cost of the scheme, and I for one dont mind this money being spent to protect whats left of our wildlife.

Its farmers like clarkson who have denuded this country of its biodiversity and wildlife, which has led to problems such as increased flooding, soil erosion, poor soil quality and lack of polinators. this money is an investment in our country as much as the road itself.

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MichaelBealesBurner@reddit

Waiting for the day he declares he’s voting for reform.

All he cares about is tax breaks

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Dangerous-Squash1151@reddit

"UK is falling apart" says Clarkson? Because of all your mates in Chipping Norton I presume? What an utter bellend the man is.

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jazzymusicvibes@reddit

British politics are weird

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somedudefromnrw@reddit

He's tremendously entertaining and we can respect the hard work that went into creating TG, TGT and CF but saying he's got a lot of jerk in him isn't outlandish

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Acceptable-Matter774@reddit

Taxes being too low has not been UK issue for more than a century. Social programs don’t grow that tax base. Regulations and red tape further bleed growth.

High taxes drive away those with the skills you need. Believe it or not, people work hard because they want money, not because they want to support the masses.

Tax cuts alone won’t save you when everyone is on the dole and you are importing unemployable angry mobs from other continents.

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familyguy20@reddit

I hope when the new GrandTour starts a new subreddit is created

Couldn’t give a flying fuck what this asshole has to say anymore 🤷‍♂️

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thebigbioss@reddit

Jeremy Clarkson used to be paid over £4 million a year for presenting. So maybe thats a more apt comparision for the bird bridge.

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Key-Win-1366@reddit

He's provided much more value for the organisations he's represented than that bridge ever will

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thebigbioss@reddit

So i was intrigued by the premise of this so called "bird bridge" and can't find any other reference to it.

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DoNotCommentAgain@reddit

Yeah because your mate privatised the country, fucked up the economy, made the rest of us plebs much poorer while you Tory cunts got richer and then initiated a Brexit referendum and then quit when it wasn't the result he expected.

Stick to cars.

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Dando_Calrisian@reddit

There's no money because many rich people are doing all they can to avoid paying taxes... such as investing in farms to avoid inheritance tax

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shredderroland@reddit

God forbid we spend some money on protecting nature we destroyed in the first place

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Belle_TainSummer@reddit

Is his problem that we are not spending money on social programmes? Because he is right, we should.

Or is his problem that we are spending money on biodiversity protections? Because he is wrong.

Is he saying that we are not doing A because we are doing B? Because then he is being mendacious and deceptive. We are not doing A because of specific ideological choices by successive governments of all stripes for the last two decades at least. If we stopped doing B, then we would still not do A. If he just wants us to stop doing B, then he should not lie and pretend it is because of problem A in the first place.

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hawkish25@reddit

I would also like to see the intersection of biodiversity protection leading to higher cost overruns on infrastructure. But without a doubt they are linked, plus NIMBYism in blocking construction and slowing things down.

Multiple things can be true at once. Strongly welly intentioned policies can lead to disastrous long term effects.

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pappapora@reddit

Jesus’s Jeremy! I know it’s hard for you to get your thick head around a bridge for the birds but in this day and age, especially as a father with daughters I feel better knowing my daughters are using the “birds only” bridge. Keep to cars Clarkson!

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After-Dentist-2480@reddit

UK isn’t falling apart, although if tax dodgers like Clarkson paid their taxes and stopped the eternal pessimism to further their own political views, things might be a lot better. And perhaps he could stop truth twisting.

It is for snakes, toads, badgers, and other wildlife. In Surrey, a special green bridge now crosses the A3 motorway. From a distance it looks like a normal stretch of countryside, but underneath is one of the busiest roads in the area. Why does it exist? Because roads split habitats in half. Animals get trapped on one side, and many die trying to cross. This bridge changes that. It is covered in soil, plants, and natural vegetation so wildlife actually uses it like normal land. It quietly reconnects ecosystems that were cut apart by traffic. It is not just about animals crossing safely. It is about rebuilding entire pathways in nature that humans accidentally broke. A bridge like this does not look dramatic. That is the point. If it works properly, you barely notice it is there. And maybe that is the most interesting part. The best infrastructure is not always for humans to see, it is for nature to survive

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kh250b1@reddit

The UK is massively underfunded. We dont have money for any serious infrastructure. Even HS2 which is around the same cost as an EU to Ukraine loan, is fucked up, partially aborted and years over finish date.

We are becoming a poor country and people are too stupid to see where its all going

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Usagor@reddit

Clarkson feel free to walk through a wheat thresher you fake Tory motherfucker.

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Miserables-Chef@reddit

Maybe the rich, tax dodging twats should pay their fair share then.

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sarcasticorange@reddit

The US provided the UK with weapons, intelligence and logistics for the Falklands.

We don't own them. That's silly. But let's keep facts accurate.

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Ok-disaster2022@reddit

Not really. The Falklands was a UK driven defense of their territory. If anything the US was surprised by their attack and it put Reagan and Thatcher at odds. The UK even set up their online fleet if bombers and refuelers to go to and from the Falkands on a bombing run. if they had help from the US they could have refueled in Miami or gotten reduling assistance from the US.

Could the modern UK make the same run? Not really. The UK is a second rate military at this point and manages to make the US military, except the US Navy, seem competent at procurement.

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sarcasticorange@reddit

Yes, really.

The US provided harpoon, shrike, and sidewinder missiles.

Facilities at Ascension Island were provided as were tankers.

Additionally US intelligence was crucial to the mission.

Again, not boots on the ground or air support or anything like that, but definitely "help".

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/sep/06/falklands.world

https://www.sandboxx.us/news/how-american-spies-helped-the-uk-retake-the-falklands/#:~:text=The%20Falklands%20War%20that%20lasted,to%20the%20eventual%20British%20victory.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1981-1988/south-atlantic#:~:text=The%20Reagan%20administration's%20efforts%20to%20contain%20the,belligerents%20to%20draw%20down%20their%20military%20engagement.

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