The railway boom made Britain's economy more productive by reducing transport costs.

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In the productive sector, it is clear that the advantages the cities once had from reducing transport costs for manufactured goods are no longer important. but the urban advantage in saving transport costs for people and ideas still matters.

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The transport secretary called for Labour to "demonstrate whether they are serious about reducing costs to passengers" instead of "tinkering at the edges with uncosted commitments drawn up on the back of an envelope".

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