The end of the rail?

[gmc]

Sir Richard Branson condemns rail bid process as Virgin Rail loses West Coast Main Line franchise to FirstGroup - Home News - UK - The Independent

Sir Richard added that this was the fourth time Virgin had been outbid in a franchise tender process.

He went on: "On the past three occasions, the winning operator has come nowhere close to delivering their promised plans and revenue, and has let the public and country down dramatically.

"GNER and National Express over-promised in order to win the franchise and spectacularly ran into financial difficulties in trying to deliver their plans. The East Coast is still in Government ownership and its service is outdated and underinvested, costing passengers and the country dearly as a result.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When will the Department for Transport learn?"


He makes a rather valid point, also if they fail that will be the nd of the railways. Thanks to thatcher we now pay more in subsidies than we did when it was nationalised except now we are subsidising shareholders profits. .

Protests at large rail price hikes across the country | Ekklesia

Government railway subsidy is massive - much higher than in British Rail days - yet we have some of Europe's highest fares coupled with travelling conditions that almost force passengers away, Phillips added.

“The problem is the siphoning of taxpayer subsidy into shareholder profits instead of investment in the rolling stock and network. Instead of ever higher subsidies and poorer services, the Green Party's answer is re-nationalisation," he concluded.




Give it another ten years or so and maybe we will see energy renationaliised.

Who has been the worst prime minister iover the last thirty years, Thatcher, Blair or Brown? I can't decide.

[Snowfire]

It was suggested today in the paper (The i) that maybe the public should vote with their feet and use cheap flights or one of the most extensive coach systems in Europe.

I'ma regular commuter to London. My ticket is a fifth of my net salary and my mates is nearly a third

[Oscar Namechange]

Hang on.... Arn't First Group 1.8 billion In debt ?

[Bryn Mawr]

To their benefit Virgin have invested heavily in rolling stock during their tenure and appear to run a good service. I would have thought that should count for more when it comes to renewing the franchise - much like a sitting tenant who's improved the property when it comes to lease renewal.

I did wonder though why there were people at St Pancras handing out free ice-creams last Sunday - especially when I say the Virgin brand on the labels