(stupid question day) what is magic about 2 or 3 hours?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The press and Journal

A leading expert on urban development has called for sub-two hour rail journeys from Aberdeen to the central belt and a dedicated Scottish government minister for cities if the north-east is to have a successful economic future.

Brian Evans, professor of urbanism and landscape at the Glasgow Urban Lab organisation, spoke to business leaders and representatives from other groups from all across the north-east yesterday at a special conference in Aberdeen to mark the launch of the Scotland’s Urban Age report.

From Plymouth City Council

Rail connectivity supports jobs and growth. 3 hour journeys are recognised as the limit to doing ‘return travel in a day’ and 3 hour maximum journey times between Plymouth, London, Birmingham and Heathrow is our objective.

So ... does a successful economic future require you to be 2 hours, 3 hours, or some other time from your capital city?   Does this 2 or 3 hours (or however long it is) include transit times between the station and your total journey start and end points, or is it purely the time for which the train's wheels are rolling?

[CyclingSid]

The expectations tend to differ by area. It used to considered that the bulk of a hospital's catchment had to be within 20 minutes drive time in the South East. This time apparently increases as you go west and north. I am sure similar for rail, Wales and Scotland probably expect longer journeys, the South West possibly less so. No doubt the reward factor also comes in, people more willing to commute longer distance to well paid jobs in the City. Contrary to this, there used to be reports of London police doing weekly commutes from France, and London fire staff from Wales because of cost of housing.

[ChrisB]

It's simply the fastest time that can be accepted to be achievable.....nothing more, frankly.

If Plymouth were located around the Truro area, they wouldn't be even suggesting 3 hours, and if they were located around Exeter, it would be 2 hours.

[Red Squirrel]

So ... does a successful economic future require you to be 2 hours, 3 hours, or some other time from your capital city?   Does this 2 or 3 hours (or however long it is) include transit times between the station and your total journey start and end points, or is it purely the time for which the train's wheels are rolling?

If Britain was made up of empowered regions we might not be looking (as we tend to) at travel times to London, but rather at improving connectivity between regional centres - Plymouth to Exeter being one of the more obvious local examples, and perhaps Bournemouth to Bath/Bristol...