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The UK runs one of the worst rail services in Europe[0]. The involvement of the operating companies is a charade with the sole purpose of siphoning public money
by Jochim 4y ago
The UK runs one of the worst rail services in Europe[0]. The involvement of the operating companies is a charade with the sole purpose of siphoning public money into private hands.
What value is a private operator adding to the system when tracks, signalling, timetables, and fares are managed by the public body? Especially given they aren't providing the rolling stock themselves.
Note that the private operators did such an awful job of managing timetables and fares that the responsibility was taken from them.
[0] https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/how-britains-railways-compare-with-europe-182786 https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/how-britains-railways-co...
- Symbiote 4y agoSorry, I was very ambiguous but I meant only that the public-run infrastructure was working much better than when that was privately run. Britain's railway network is one of the safest in Europe, and it's a very busy network. I agree the private operators bring nothing. Train tickets are one of the few things that are more expensive in Britain than here in Denmark, and I can't think of anything at all that's better about trains in Britain, other than the more varied scenery. (Advance ticket tomorrow morning London-Manchester, £40, walk-up peak fare £184. 2½ hours, 260km. Advance ticket tomorrow morning Copenhagen-Århus... £38, walk-up peak fare £48. 2¾ hours, 310km by land.)