>Or did the privatised rail system allow people to more reasonably travel long distances for work, allowing people to move further out, allowing cities to grow

>Or did the privatised rail system allow people to more reasonably travel long distances for work, allowing people to move further out, allowing cities to grow and require more workers and thus raising house prices further out with increased demand? No. The increase in house prices was both staggering and coincidental with investors buying up properties an leaving them empty. >don't think it's as simple as "the franchises are doing exactly what British Rail would've done British Rail was neglected and lacking investment. This is part of the privatization handbook - intentionally underfund and then use that as a pretext for pushing privatization. I think if it was well funded we'd have a cheaper, better system.