Not really, it’s quite a recent thing say the last 100 years
I came back to post this wasn't true but kilo got there first.
But there's more to it than population. Most of the other big cities in the UK are based on industries that grew up there for geographical reasons, and most of the people living there were poor factory workers. I bet if you look at the population of affluent middle classes in London vs other cities it'd be 100x bigger than in 1800 it'd be far more disparate even than the total population comparison.
And it goes back further than c19th. In 1750 Manchester had 20,000 people, London had 650,000. In 1100 the estimated population of London was 15,00, but Manchester was a small village.
Fair point
I know the point's been made and acknowledged but I love this stuff so I am gonna share some more.
The Romans built a road network of course primarily for military reasons but the improved communication/transport links they created had an impact on development that continues today.
https://phys.org/news/2022-11-roman-roads-laid-foundation-modern-day.html
Because the big cities could get goods and the provincial ones got markets. It's a two way process. I don't think that modern transport links are any different.
Most of the current UK main roads aren't on the exact same roads as the Roman ones (although some are) but the places they go to and the cities they connect make the network look a lot like the modern one. It was already taking shape 1900 years ago.
How do you pay stamp duty?
Last time I checked stamp duty would not cost me £120,000 whereas your tax 'idea' would.
I guess a lot of opposition to HS2 is based around the experience of travelling by rail in the UK - slow, dirty, delayed, confusing and expensive.
It doesn't haveto be like that.
Modern rail can be fast, clean, punctual and affordable.
Like most shit things in the UK. Things don't have to be like this. It's the modern Tory scourge. Cut everything because **** you.
@molgrips – are the 2 black lines part of Northern Powerhouse rail?
Dunno but there is a road between Manchester and York on there!
I guess a lot of opposition to HS2 is based around the experience of travelling by rail in the UK
My opposition would be that it was just another London commuter line instead of a national project, It should have been
Southampton to Glasgow
London to Edinburgh
Dover to Swansea
Liverpool to Hull
Plus much better lines connecting other major cities to the HS2 network.
