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Re-nationalisation

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Neone know about the re-nationalisation, erm um Public/Private partnership plan for the rail system?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Railtrack has gone into administration and the government will create a new not-for-profit company to manage the country's railway infrastructure. More news here:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1583000/1583675.stm

    If at first you don't succeed, hit it with a bigger hammer.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The re-nationalisation of the railways is long overdue. If the British treasury cant afford to finance a modern efficient rail network, we should cut our losses and sell it at a knock down price to the French SNCF, their railways are the best in the world AND state-owned.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    New company is called, erm, Nutrack.

    well, Nu-Track, but Nutrack is funnier. =P

    or at least that's according to have i got news for you. =P
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    'Tis true. Even Christian Wolmar is calling it Nu-track.

    About re-nationalisation, here's my personal opinion. Its not the fact that the railways were privatised that was the problem. It was the WAY they were privatised - designed to get the maximum amount of cash for the treasury. A little background: At that time of privatisation the railway network was in a state of decline and it was assumed that road transport would become the norm in the future. Trouble was, the government didn't reckon with profit-hungry train operators trying to get the maximum amount of traffic back on the rails. Combine this with the New Labour administration's obsession with getting people to use pulic transport for environmental reasons and it wasn't long before the system became overcrowded. The weakest link in the chain was Railtrack. A private company with a monopoly over a railway collapsing under the strain of increased traffic. It simply couldn't cope.

    What I think should have happened is that the train operators should have been privatised (to provide much-needed investment in rolling stock) but the infrastructure should have remained in government hands. Think of the roads, Private companies and even individuals can take their vehicles onto the roads with minimal fuss. It is open access. The roads are owned by the state and maintained by the highways agency and local goverment. Its simple and it works.

    If at first you don't succeed, hit it with a bigger hammer.

    [This message has been edited by Captain Slog (edited 27-11-2001).]
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    But then again the roads aren't perfect either, are they?

    When I was in Germany, I travelled on the commuter trains and underground around Munich, and the trains were just as old as ours. They were clean (unlike ours) but the rolling stock was no worse than the British stuff.

    When will people realise that public transport is not the answer? Not everyone wants to go to the same place at the same time, and most drivers love driving - not just for the freedom to go where you want when you want, but also because driving itself is fun.

    What we need is investment in alternative fuels so that we can continue to drive when the oil runs out without polluting our environment.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There just aint enough room on the roads!

    All evil needs to thrive is for good men to sit back and do nothing
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Privatisation was done badly - i dont know a better way to ofdone it, however if you look at BT/BA/Railtrack - they are all makig less of a loss than they were under govt. If you want something run inneficiently get a civil servant to do it <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;


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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Marmite:
    There just aint enough room on the roads!

    Do you drive?
    Cars are SO much more convenient than public transport. They aren't even comparable. Trains are OK for longish journeys but ideally you'd have a car at each end because, let's face it, we don't all live within walking distance from the station. People who live out in the country have no choice and have to drive, or be driven.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I much prefer trains for longer journeys as you can get up and stretch your legs and you can get food or go to the toilet without stopping. Public Transport is also good for commuting, because you don't have to find a parking space when you get into town. However, cars are ideal for the weekly shopping run, because its hard to get all your bags onto a bus without inconveniencing other passengers. I don't have a car, so it can be a pain in the backside going shopping for me. But one day I'll have enough money for a Rover, then I'll be free, free I tell ya, ha ha ha ha...


    If at first you don't succeed, hit it with a bigger hammer.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I prefer train journeys for long distances as well but in this country it costs twice as much to go by train than to drive.

    It costs £60 for a return ticket to York for me. I can drive there on just over a tank of petrol which is around £25.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Kentish Man:
    Do you drive?

    Yes i do, the point i'm trying to make is that we're running out of road! Do you get wound up in traffic? well it's only gonna get worse, that is why i'm an advocate of a fully integrated transport system, that way at least people have an option and hopefully some people will get out of their cars and leave the road for me!!!


    All evil needs to thrive is for good men to sit back and do nothing
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Space, until the recent confusion has always had a good publuic transport system, and with a tram on the way it will improve. However people complain that it is too slow, too expensive e.t.c.
    If those people would stop driving their kids to school every morning and made them get the bus it wouldnt be so bad, when school is out the roads are soooo clear here.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I totally agree with Whowhere. One time the bus I was travelling on got delayed because the route went past a school where lots of parents were picking up their kids. My bus and another bus were driving in opposite directions. Because of the cars parked on both sides of the road, the buses could not pass each other. This caused much delay and frustration while we tried to squeeze the buses round the parked cars.

    I say get cars off the road and make more room for buses.

    If at first you don't succeed, hit it with a bigger hammer.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Marmite:
    ...and hopefully some people will get out of their cars and leave the road for me!!!

    Everyone thinks that and that's why no-one actually uses public transport - they just wish everyone else would!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Whowhere:
    If those people would stop driving their kids to school every morning and made them get the bus it wouldnt be so bad, when school is out the roads are soooo clear here.

    Agreed. But try getting three boisterous kids onto a bus at 8 in the morning...
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