Media Numeracy

[Black Hole]

According to Louise Minchin on BBC Breakfast today (8.18am, 11/02/2020), £106bn is "more than three times" £36bn. For "more than", read "almost".

(The former is the current estimated cost of HS2, the latter is the original estimated cost.)

 

[hairy_mutley]

But "more than" may prove correct in the long run.

 

[Black Hole]

I'm sure it will, but that hardly excuses the maths.

 

[EEPhil]

Not numeracy, but basic map reading skills. Oddly, the local BBC newsroom got this right - in my opinion. Highways England are the ones in the wrong - maybe.
There are big traffic jams in Nottingham caused by the partial closure of the ring-road or A52 at Clifton Bridge. The bridge crosses the River Trent roughly NNE to SSW. Certainly closer to north-south than east-west. However, Highways England keep referring to the eastbound carriageway being closed. The BBC called it southbound this morning. Historically, the A52 used to run Derby to Grantham through the centre of Nottingham and therefore eastbound made sense. But Clifton Bridge is now part of the diverted A52 and at that point there is no eastbound traffic at the bridge - unless you are on the river.

 

[MikeSh]

But Clifton Bridge is now part of the diverted A52 and at that point there is no eastbound traffic at the bridge - unless you are on the river.

The A52 is a largely W-E road and the directions on it will be referred to by those. Odd parts may run in other directions, they might even turn back on themselves, but the official directions of the two sides will not change. If you are heading to Derby say, you are westbound, even if you are actually travelling south or north on some sections.
The clue is in the bit about where you are bound for.

 

[gomezz]

Similar to the Panama Canal running from the Atlantic ocean to the Pacific ocean by heading eastwards.

 

[EEPhil]

The clue is in the bit about where you are bound for.

If I was using that road to get from where I used to work to my home - it would be southbound.
Anyway - the BBC are now referring to it as eastbound. Even the same presenter has changed her opinion as to the direction.