The French got their fantastic trains years back through huge govt. investment. Same here. Some things just don't work if you leave it to competition. Does anyone seriously doubt that the big six energy companies aren't a price fixing cartel for example?
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Gareth J
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"short stopping" is not allowed but difficult to police without ticket checking exit barriers. Starting a journey half way through is even tricker. (Typing as I sit on a gwr train from London to Exeter!)
Supposedly it's all to do with some routes being more popular and therefore more expensive. Needless to say, if enough people find a way around the rediculous price structure, they'll find a way to close the loophole or make their profit elsewhere!
Supposedly it's all to do with some routes being more popular and therefore more expensive. Needless to say, if enough people find a way around the rediculous price structure, they'll find a way to close the loophole or make their profit elsewhere!
Trains will get a lot cheaper when they become automated and they don't have to pay drivers such high wages!
The trains companies obviously make a profit - they aren't charities after all - but the profits aren't has high as you would think for level of sales. Between ALL of them they made about £400million. That averages out at £40million each. When you see how much British Rail used to get from the taxpayer you realise it isn't so bad. The golden days of British railways were created by independent companies - God's Wonderful Railway for example!
There are more people travelling on our railways now than ever - look at the drop in numbers during the British Rail period!
The trains companies obviously make a profit - they aren't charities after all - but the profits aren't has high as you would think for level of sales. Between ALL of them they made about £400million. That averages out at £40million each. When you see how much British Rail used to get from the taxpayer you realise it isn't so bad. The golden days of British railways were created by independent companies - God's Wonderful Railway for example!
There are more people travelling on our railways now than ever - look at the drop in numbers during the British Rail period!
I don't think the point is about profit- it's about what a nation invests in order to make its citizens' lives easier and more productive. Private companies will major on the most profitable routes, and incidentally help to skew house prices in those areas best served. This has benefited some in the south-east to the detriment of other areas of the country.
I think the 'private good, public bad' view has been too simple in areas like the railways.
I think the 'private good, public bad' view has been too simple in areas like the railways.
slim_boy_fat
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That could be because a) many folk can't afford to own a car and b) those who can, often can't find anywhere to park it in a conurbation of any size.
Best be careful we don't get Political here.......
Perhaps not as stupid as pheasants, we get loads of them up here and I've seen them stand stock still in the middle of the road as you approach at xx mph - maybe they suffer from a version of 'ostrich syndrome'........
Thankfully I'll be retired by the time they get round to full automation
as a side note we're the lowest paid train drivers in the UK up here in Scotland.
The Dutch Railway had to subsidise Scotrail out to the tune of £10million this year.
Virgin, Stagecoach and First Group who are all UK companies run several of the franchises here. Virgin and Stagecoach run both the East Coast and West Coast intercity franchises. First have the GWR, South Western Railways, Transpenine Express franchises and they have interests in another couple. National Express have no UK franchises at the moment but do have several in Germany.
