Get lost

Very popular these satellite navigation devices for cars. They help get you to your destination quicker, although some do lead people astray, although you have to wonder at the level of intelligence of someone who follows their sat nav's directions to the extent of opening a shut level crossing gate. I digress...

These devices work thanks to the network of (currently 30) Global Positioning System satellites that was originally developed by the US Department of Defence and are currently maintained by the USAAF at a cost of $750M per year. The service is provided to the general public at no charge. Seems a nice idea, the public get something for nothing (well apart from the cost to the US taxpayer) and we can avoid map reading related arguments when driving in Cornwall or even London. It is no longer (since 2000) true that the signal has a random error added to make the civilian system less accurate than the military system.

So what should we in Europe do? Say thank you to the US (or even just ignore them) and get on with life? Don't be daft, we are ruled by the European Union and they can't bear to leave things be, especially American run things. So in 1999 the EU started planning a rival system. The original plan was for this system to cost £0.7bn and be privately funded and run; the latest estimate is £2.7bn and costs will no doubt rise again. This is surely not a problem as this is a privately funded project? Well it was to be privately funded, however now the EU have realised that there is no real market for a charged for untested competitor to compete with a free to the end user working system. Here is the BBC's latest update to this story.

Another marvelous waste of tax payers money.