Don't do as I do, do as ....................

[whole diary]

[Clan Line]

today's Telegraph

[Witham Bobby]

You'd have thought that city-centre to city-centre a train would work out as a faster option than a plane, anyway, with all the pffaff of traffic and airport procedures.

But the point about tickets being more expensive by rail than air is a sad and somewhat shocking state of affairs

[ChrisB]

If fuel used in air travel was taxed at the same rate as on the rail, that would make rail more competitive

[ray951]

If fuel used in air travel was taxed at the same rate as on the rail, that would make rail more competitive

Would be interested to know how much tax, and what tax, is paid on fuel by rail, it is also fair to note that air travel tickets are taxed (APD^▸ (Air Passenger Duty)) and train tickets aren't.

Without wishing to go off topic RDG^‡(resolve) said this in 2020 "This is in contrast to levies on electricity used to power trains more than doubling in the past four years, according to the RDG, which said taxes now make up 40% of total electricity costs for operators", anybody any idea what these taxes/levies are?

[grahame]

You'd have thought that city-centre to city-centre a train would work out as a faster option than a plane, anyway, with all the pffaff of traffic and airport procedures.

But the point about tickets being more expensive by rail than air is a sad and somewhat shocking state of affairs

The irony is that money paid for train tickets, these days, is broadly money that's within the realm of HM Government; I was chatting about an example of reducing MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s travel expenses with a member our MP's team the other day and he was saying they try to book sensible in cost but have to be able to justify line by line expenses, so reducing fares by quirks of the system isn't on.  On the other hand, they can't just get the simplest ticket if it's very expensive because the is seen against expenses, even is an a payment of £50 "over the top" would simply reduce the bottom line for the Treasury by £50 - different parts of the public purse but perception is important.

So - Network Rail staff flying?  Slightly different case because the money's going for the most part to EasyJet, RyanAir or someone rather that all or most of it back into the public pot. 

My personal thoughts are that people working on or advocating rail should lean towards rail where it's practical, and especially where it keep the money in the same purse that funds rail. So Network Rail staff should lean towards using the railway.  As a demonstration to the public and also as a part of their "forever learning" and keeping up to date with things on the ground.  HOWEVER that's a 'lean' and not an absolute and if it's prudent in both terms of staff member's time / cost and them having to spend nights away, then that's something that tips the balance.

Before criticising, I look at what I do.   I wait for a train, but if there's not one available on a local journey and I can be home an hour or more earlier, I'll take a bus.  If no bus I will call my SO and on promise of stopping and KFC on the way home, I'll get pick up at WSB^» (Westbury - next trains).   Where rail is absurd, I will take a bus or even drive or fly.  Whitby to Redcar. Faro to Seville. Melksham to Catania.

[Witham Bobby]

If fuel used in air travel was taxed at the same rate as on the rail, that would make rail more competitive

SNIP

 taxes now make up 40% of total electricity costs for operators", anybody any idea what these taxes/levies are?

My manufacturing business uses a lot (to my mind) of electricity.  We go out of our way to sign up to "renewable source" tariffs.  A few years back these had no Climate Change Levy on them.  But the tax graspers decided a few years back that CCL would apply.  So we pay VAT^▸ (Value Added Tax) at 5% (recoverable) and CCL at (I think) 0.775p per kWh.

We're currently paying around 25p/kWh (up from around 8p a couple of years back), although I'm hoping the next round of contract renewals will be at lower rates, because the present rates are distinctly not sustainable for us.  The sky high electricity price is what happens when government ministers go around blowing up perfectly serviceable power stations without suitable replacements for the lost capacity being in place.

[ChrisB]

How are you paying only 5% for VAT^▸ (Value Added Tax) - I thought that rate needed a considerable amount of domestic-style usage?

[Clan Line]

The sky high electricity price is what happens when government ministers go around blowing up perfectly serviceable power stations without suitable replacements for the lost capacity being in place.

So, very, very true. Just expensive (for the tax payer), meaningless gestures. It's too late already, King Canute realised that and moved inland - he died in Shaftesbury and I don't think the tide came up that far !    A wise man after all, but still the butt of comedians (like those buffoons in Westminster).

[Ralph Ayres]

Network Rail don't set the fares of course. It would be rather worse if the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) were using air travel in preference to rail.

The other silly bit about this is the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) charging the very people who provide the tracks they use to run the trains, but then Network Rail charge the TOCs for using the track so I suppose it's tit-for-tat. When it was all one company the Network Rail staff would have had bearer passes to use for duty travel and wouldn't even have thought about air travel unless the journey was impossible by rail at the relevant time.

[Witham Bobby]

How are you paying only 5% for VAT^▸ (Value Added Tax) - I thought that rate needed a considerable amount of domestic-style usage?

You're right. We're charged at 20%, not 5%.  It's recoverable, though, which it wouldn't be if the supply was for domestic purposes