Much of the support for renationalising the railways was grounded in the hope that state ownership would reduce rail fares (which are among the highest in Europe);
however, it now seems that will be unlikely, as any extra cash saved by nationalisation will be spent on maintenance, infrastructure & increased services (which in fairness are also what the network needs).
But as fares are what voters most immediately experience, how will this play out?
#railways #politics
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceqg73…
Labour cannot promise cheaper rail fares under renationalisation
Transport Secretary says she will "strain every sinew" so customers get value for money as SWR brought back into public hands.Sean Dilley & Dearbail Jordan (BBC News)
Mike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺
in reply to Emeritus Prof Christopher May • • •While I'd love cheaper fares, more services and better infrastructure - I'm not convinced - as an occasional user of European trains - that British railways are as bad or as expensive as we make out.
Certainly if you rock up to the station today and expect to go to the seaside NOW you will be paying a LOT of money, but plan ahead (& buy a railcard) and there are a lot of affordable tickets to choose from.
We don't suffer from Germany's creaking infrastructure leading to huge delays and cancellations, or French mad timetables, bonkers luggage rules or surly staff.
Ticketing in Britain is over-complicated and desperately needs reform, but headline prices are misleading.
Quixoticgeek
in reply to Mike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 • • •"just plan ahead" is a tax on spontaneity. Your gran is taken ill and you need to get to the hospital quickly on the other side of the country so you can spend the last few hours with her? Hope you can afford it.
The purpose of public transport is to transport the public. Imagine if we had road pricing that required you to buy a discount card, and book slots on the motorway weeks in advance. They'd be riots. The same should be true for trains.
Peter Brown
in reply to Quixoticgeek • • •“Imagine if we had road pricing that required you to buy a discount card, and book slots on the motorway weeks in advance. They'd be riots. The same should be true for trains.”
That.
Exactly that.