The point, surely, is who pays for these regulations? It is the tax payers in all cases. Who benefits? The consultants who carry out the work and appear to have no concern for the taxpayers. One example is the Bat Tunnel. It is believed to totally unnecessary because the Bats concerned are not a threatened species. Just ask yourself, who signed off on the construction of a 100 metres of expensive steel bat tunnel in the belief s/he was saving the lives of bats who entire navigation system is so sophisticated that they can detect a moth in total darkness.
As for the Lower Thames Tunnel reports, which cost over £400 million before a spade entered the ground. I pay £4000 a year in income tax on my pension. How many pensioners paid for these reports? Is there no shame in the people who insist on these surveys and insist that someone else pays for their extravagant lifestyles?
“ ChatGPT’s best guess is that £120m could create around 50,000 metres of hedgerow.”
It does not cost £2400/m to plant a hedge. AI is wrong again.
A quick bit of searching found https://www.rjtreesandhedging.co.uk/hedging-calculator-i48 which comes to around £14/m for trees and guards to plant a hedge. Plus watering costs etc but I doubt they amount to £2380/m.
Even more hedges then!
Why do you continue to avoid bringing up the hierarchy of mitigation?
The point, surely, is who pays for these regulations? It is the tax payers in all cases. Who benefits? The consultants who carry out the work and appear to have no concern for the taxpayers. One example is the Bat Tunnel. It is believed to totally unnecessary because the Bats concerned are not a threatened species. Just ask yourself, who signed off on the construction of a 100 metres of expensive steel bat tunnel in the belief s/he was saving the lives of bats who entire navigation system is so sophisticated that they can detect a moth in total darkness.
As for the Lower Thames Tunnel reports, which cost over £400 million before a spade entered the ground. I pay £4000 a year in income tax on my pension. How many pensioners paid for these reports? Is there no shame in the people who insist on these surveys and insist that someone else pays for their extravagant lifestyles?