“The Brighton Belle,” ran the flashy slogan, over a lightning bolt. “London to Brighton in one hour.” That boast, plastered on posters by the London Brighton & South Coast Railway, was made about a century ago. Back then, it was impressive. Now, its creaking service hit by more strikes this week, Southern Rail hardly mentions it.

The Brighton line is just one example. As Britain’s Victorian inheritance crumbles, the government is facing decision after decision on infrastructure – airports, roads, utilities, railways – and it responds with delay after delay. The support for High Speed Rail 2, reiterated this week by Chris Grayling, is a rare exception, but Britain can’t afford to build enough of these projects on the public dime. To get our infrastructure up to modern standards, the government needs to get more private money into the system.

Britain used to lead the world in infrastructure. Most projects began as a hodgepodge of private enterprises, like the Brighton line, before they were amalgamated, nationalised or both. But now, even as commuters, air passengers, drivers and energy bill-payers watch costs rise and services decline, private companies have to beg to put money into infrastructure. Want to build a toll road? No, thanks. A new runway? Wait a couple of decades. Finance high speed rail? Oh, we’d rather the government did it.