<P> Rail transport in England is the oldest in the world: passenger railways originated in England in 1825 . Much of Britain's 10,000 miles (16,000 km) of rail network lies in England, covering the country fairly extensively, although a high proportion of railway lines were closed in the second half of the 20th century . There are plans to reopen lines such as the Varsity Line between Oxford and Cambridge . These lines are mostly standard gauge (single, double or quadruple track) though there are also a few narrow gauge lines . There is rail transport access to France and Belgium through an undersea rail link, the Channel Tunnel, which was completed in 1994 . </P> <P> England has extensive domestic and international aviation links . The largest airport is Heathrow, which is the world's busiest airport measured by number of international passengers . Other large airports include Manchester Airport, Stansted Airport, Luton Airport and Birmingham Airport . By sea there is ferry transport, both local and international, including to Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium . There are around 4,400 miles (7,100 km) of navigable waterways in England, half of which is owned by the Canal and River Trust, however water transport is very limited . The Thames is the major waterway in England, with imports and exports focused at the Port of Tilbury in the Thames Estuary, one of the United Kingdom's three major ports . </P> <P> The National Health Service (NHS) is the publicly funded healthcare system in England responsible for providing the majority of healthcare in the country . The NHS began on 5 July 1948, putting into effect the provisions of the National Health Service Act 1946 . It was based on the findings of the Beveridge Report, prepared by economist and social reformer William Beveridge . The NHS is largely funded from general taxation including National Insurance payments, and it provides most of its services free at the point of use, although there are charges for some people for eye tests, dental care, prescriptions and aspects of personal care . </P> <P> The government department responsible for the NHS is the Department of Health, headed by the Secretary of State for Health, who sits in the British Cabinet . Most of the expenditure of the Department of Health is spent on the NHS--£ 98.6 billion was spent in 2008--2009 . In recent years the private sector has been increasingly used to provide more NHS services despite opposition by doctors and trade unions . The average life expectancy of people in England is 77.5 years for males and 81.7 years for females, the highest of the four countries of the United Kingdom . </P>

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