Roads and railways: where south-east Asia leads, Britain trails behind

South-east Asian countries have grasped what the UK has sadly forgotten: that prosperity for the population is linked to investment in infrastructure

If anyone needs convincing of the need for greater UK investment in infrastructure, they should visit south-east Asia. Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, has a modern airport and a highways network that is arguably better than that of any major UK city other than London. Lining the highways are large factories built by global corporations such as Canon and by local businesses. The huge levels of employment and wealth creation would not exist without the highway infrastructure.

Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, has a modern highway network connecting it to other major cities, and a clean, modern suburban rail network. Its airport is world class. Viewed from the air, the massive industrial developments around the highway network are breathtaking. The high-speed railway that is being built to Singapore will open at least 10 years ahead of the first of the UK's high-speed lines.

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