If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options
Railtrack...
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Railtrack goes into administration - huge debts reported.
Is this another example of failed Tory policy, years of neglect for the railways, Labour scapegoating or just piss-poor management?
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
Is this another example of failed Tory policy, years of neglect for the railways, Labour scapegoating or just piss-poor management?
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
0
Comments
Are those 'or's inclusive or exclusive? 'Cause I'd like to vote for the lot. <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/biggrin.gif">
Gotta agree with Mac...all of the above.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
true <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/biggrin.gif">
but i think this has been a long time coming. i'd personally like to know how anyone expected to make a profit out of railway tracks and stations, when the network is shrinking, the market is gloomy, and 'leaves on the line' is the best excuse they can come up with.
best solution so far as i'm concerned: renationalise railtrack, thus placing the lines back under an accountable body (the govt). i would far prefer paying a bit more tax, but knowing the railways were safe to travel on, than risking my life every time i get on a train.
not that i can actually get on a train these days - virgin just cancelled 70% of services in cornwall, leaving two (thats one in either direction).
ah well, with railtrack gone, and london underground kicking up a fuss, that PPP bollocks should be scrapped for a while. even better: why not sell our entire network to the french. bad press for the government, but perhaps they'd run (and maybe even on time)
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
However stupid that may sound, it is actually correct. The leaf mulch causes a short circuit!
You mean that they are still letting you buggers out? Outrageous. I shall be writing to my MP immediately...
I listed them all because I believe that each has a port to play. The political dogma which created the mess, which followed years of neglect by both parties, with the Labour party then not accepting any responsibility when the serious problems arose (this year) and then you have the rail managers who put profit before safety and still managed to make sure that golden handskaes are passed around.
A god awful mess which is just about to be repeated in London...and we think that we learn from history...
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
Assets? operating cash? Directors' bonuses?
If it is in administration, should the business world be looking at making a bid to run it (Branson?)
Should the company have been forced into receivership, or should there have been a rights-issue?
Personally, I'm gald Railtrack is going. I don't know how much of the problem was them considering themselves "the worlds biggest 10 meter wide real-estate company", how much greed, and how much a result of boundries created during the deconstruction of BR.
I think one of the main problems any rail authority has to face up to is that the average person-on-the-street doesn't want to take a train, much less so if they think they're gonna end up skewered on a carriage support if they crash.
Railways were initially a great idea, they were the motorways of their day, but then the car came along, and the motorway, and suddenly everyone would rather go by car from point A to B without having to go to point C (your local staion) and D (the destination station) in between. The fact is cars killed the rail system for everything but heavy and non-urgent freight.
I know I would rather go by car than train, only those people for whom it really is very convenient, or who don't have private transport use trains, and that's a piss poor customer base.
Id much rather use trains than my car. Im usually in no fit state to drive early in the morning...If they could ensure that I would get to my destination for a reliable cost, on time every time and preferably not horrifically scarred or dead then I would happily take the trains...Unfortunately they cant ensure those things and they care for nothing but massive profits which is shown in their service and thats why the railways are losing their customers by the boat load.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
I drive to my current job; I'd have to change at brum and catch another bus at t'other end. I have suspicions that the second train would be a sprinter. I'm not keen on doing that to get to work - especially as it takes me 40 mins to get to the station by bus, but only 35 to drive all the way.