Great Western Coffee Shop

All across the Great Western territory => The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom => Topic started by: woody on February 13, 2011, 11:28:10



Title: Axing British Rail ^was a big mistake^
Post by: woody on February 13, 2011, 11:28:10
According to Professor Sean McCartney, head of accounting and business history at Queen Mary, University of London privatisation of Britain^s railway network was a ^big mistake^ and as a result train fares will have to rise beyond the means of most passengers if it is to survive or the financing of the system has to be radically changed.
 http://www.railpro.co.uk/news/?idArticles=700
What do think?


Title: Re: Axing British Rail ^was a big mistake^
Post by: brompton rail on February 13, 2011, 12:56:00
Probably he is correct, but isn't it a bit like going out this morning without a coat and saying " this was a mistake, it's raining, I will get wet"

We are in 2011 with a government that is no more likely to re -nationize the railways than the previous Labour administration, and we are NOT in 1997!

All we can hope for is better franchising, a more responsive and efficient Network Rail, and some Government investment (but personally I would prefer to see that spent on the existing network and not HS2, but that is my opinion and another can of worms, and NOT for this thread,)


Title: Re: Axing British Rail ^was a big mistake^
Post by: Electric train on February 13, 2011, 17:15:13
Probably he is correct, but isn't it a bit like going out this morning without a coat and saying " this was a mistake, it's raining, I will get wet"

We are in 2011 with a government that is no more likely to re -nationize the railways than the previous Labour administration, and we are NOT in 1997!

All we can hope for is better franchising, a more responsive and efficient Network Rail, and some Government investment (but personally I would prefer to see that spent on the existing network and not HS2, but that is my opinion and another can of worms, and NOT for this thread,)

Agree with most of this, except HS2 this could be done with a large private sector investment and allow the existing industry to lead it.  Lest government micro management of NR.  NR can (and dose) work with the TOC's only really goes wrong when the government decide not to make a decision


Title: Re: Axing British Rail ^was a big mistake^
Post by: Phil on February 13, 2011, 18:29:46
Closing thousands of Post Offices was a big mistake too. It's not going to change anything though.


Title: Re: Axing British Rail ^was a big mistake^
Post by: JonG on February 14, 2011, 18:39:48
Putting public transport into doesn't work, because the desire of the management of private companies for profit.

It is virtually impossible to run a reliable public transport system for profit because the cost ratio (incoming/outgoing) is such that unless you hike fares and/or reduce expenditure makes it unfeasible to do so.


Title: Re: Axing British Rail ^was a big mistake^
Post by: woody on February 14, 2011, 23:40:12
The head says privatise the railways and run it as a business but the heart says run it as a service in the public sector.What we have at the moment is the worst of both worlds and it needs sorting.Either go one way or the other,ever since rail privatisation we have been kidding ourselves that you can have your cake and eat it by pouring ever larger amounts of public money into the railway a situation that simply cannot continue.



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