Great British Railways - good idea or not?

[the other bob wilson]

Based on what I’ve read and heard, it’s a yes for me, was there any call for the denationalisation in the first place?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57176858

[Rjk]

It seems a little better thought out than the current system, but i'd still prefer nationalisation in this case.

Privatisation can deliver the best value for the consumer, but only where there is something approaching a perfect market with no barriers to competition etc.
That hasn't even remotely been the case since privatisation, and it won't be the case now. private companies will still operate the actual trains, and this has removed the risk on them of selling tickets if nobody turns up on their trains then they won't get paid any more or less. they just have to be on time and clean.

Difficult to see it making a big impact on the main issue for me - how expensive it is.

[blue matt]

we have moaned about private train companies making big profits and the ticket prices rising year on year while the standard has dropped since privatisation

got to be a good thing, hasnt it

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I used the trains for many years all over the country before privatisation

I thought the service was good on the whole

The train I used to get to Manchester Piccadilly was 12 coaches long , had a buffet bar and was never late

Now the Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly is like someone's train set, with someone pushing round a little trolley and people are packed in like sardines

Privatisation , Everyone's a winner

Well mostly the European train operating companies 🙄

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

we have moaned about private train companies making big profits and the ticket prices rising year on year while the standard has dropped since privatisation

got to be a good thing, hasnt it

if it works

I wouldn't trust shapps to boil an egg

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

It seems a little better thought out than the current system, but i'd still prefer nationalisation in this case.

Privatisation can deliver the best value for the consumer, but only where there is something approaching a perfect market with no barriers to competition etc.
That hasn't even remotely been the case since privatisation, and it won't be the case now. private companies will still operate the actual trains, and this has removed the risk on them of selling tickets if nobody turns up on their trains then they won't get paid any more or less. they just have to be on time and clean.

Difficult to see it making a big impact on the main issue for me - how expensive it is.

nationalise the buses , nationalise the trains

What we have now is four or five big companies raking in the cash

[Rjk]

nationalise the buses , nationalise the trains

What we have now is four or five big companies raking in the cash

I would nationalise them in a heartbeat, I don't think this halfway house they're proposing today would change anything.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I would nationalise them in a heartbeat, I don't think this halfway house they're proposing today would change anything.

Its a smokescreen , all nonsense

[Wash DC Blue]

Absolutely!
They have been a shambles and ridiculously expensive since privatization.

[life on mars]

The devil will be in the detail , I'm 100% sure Grant Shapps will not shape its re design , civil servants will and sector experts , he is just the mouth piece..

Id also like to see the oppositions detailed plan rather than sound bite or calls or call to fully nationalise everything which we know will cost millions that then feeds down the ticket buyer , the other issue would be the return of national train strikes ,now that does hurt workers .

[Majorblue]

The honest answer has to be “who knows”.
Something had to change as the current set was simply not working.
I guess we have to give it time and hope.
However, with less than two years before I no longer need to commute and toddle off into retirement I will probably see little improvement.

[FormerlyJohnnyBreadhead]

Privatisation , Everyone's a winner

Well mostly the European train operating companies 🙄

And ironically train fares in Europe are much lower.

[AntEvans]

Just another example of Westminster's imposition of the Butcher's Apron/rebranding of everything they can as British. It'll only stop if Scotland shows the good sense to leave. The Etonians and their corrupt buddies will then no doubt try to impose the flag of St George on the rest of us.

[Its been emotional]

They have made billions apon billions through privatisation.
One of the biggest corruption scandals is the leasing of the units which cost millions every year, even the shite we put up with in and out of Cardiff Central.
They would not allow you to buy a train only lease thus making them guaranteed billions every year.
And to top it off if there is any maintenance work or upgrades needed you have to pay for it yourself (the TOC's) that is.
That's just one example of the whole system getting raped by the fat cats of this Country and Westminster

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Based on what I’ve read and heard, it’s a yes for me, was there any call for the denationalisation in the first place?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57176858

..or the nationalization in the very first place ?
Actually I've always thought that provided they could be run efficiently, effectively, and intelligently, all utilities should be under State ownership.

[delmbox]

"He told the BBC the changes did not mean fares would inevitably rise, but could not give guarantees."

I've got a wild guess about where this ends up

[Eric Cartman]

Can't be worse than the current system. Effectively what they are saying is that there was a lack of direction and governance of the rail system within the UK, but we knew this as it was one of the convenient and completely deliberate side effects of privatisation - escaping accountability.

Obviously the involvement of private companies in a system which is rarely competitive makes absolutely no sense, we have to cut this government some slack though - their opposition to nationalisation of the railways is entirely ideological and you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

[Gofer Blue]

I used the trains for many years all over the country before privatisation

I thought the service was good on the whole

The train I used to get to Manchester Piccadilly was 12 coaches long , had a buffet bar and was never late

Now the Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly is like someone's train set, with someone pushing round a little trolley and people are packed in like sardines

Privatisation , Everyone's a winner

Well mostly the European train operating companies 🙄

One of the reasons why I gave up my season ticket. Try getting on this train further west down the line! On Saturdays when the number of people travelling to Cardiff increases significantly (shopping trips, hen parties etc) dear old Arriva Trains would put on just 2 coaches. On a weekday with a handful of passengers you would have 3 coaches! It's no different now with TfW.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

One of the reasons why I gave up my season ticket. Try getting on this train further west down the line! On Saturdays when the number of people travelling to Cardiff increases significantly (shopping trips, hen parties etc) dear old Arriva Trains would put on just 2 coaches. On a weekday with a handful of passengers you would have 3 coaches! It's no different now with TfW.

its embarrassing to see that

Why don't they run an inter city train to Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool like they used to ?

[xsnaggle]

some things need to be run nationally and it has nothing to do with politics. The railway is certainly one without a doubt.

I'd suggest probably water gas and electricity too.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

some things need to be run nationally and it has nothing to do with politics. The railway is certainly one without a doubt.

I'd suggest probably water gas and electricity too.

Except it was the conservatives and the people who voted for them , that privatised everything

So its clearly a political ideology thing based on neo conservatism with a hint of libertarianism

However , that being said , did Blair reverse any of it ?

We know the answer to that

[xsnaggle]

Except it was the conservatives and the people who voted for them , that privatised everything

So its clearly a political ideology thing based on neo conservatism with a hint of libertarianism

However , that being said , did Blair reverse any of it ?

We know the answer to that

you are so indoctrinated you cannot accept anything as it is can you? you have to blame someone for everything. Why not just put it right without all the pointless bullshit?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

you are so indoctrinated you cannot accept anything as it is can you? you have to blame someone for everything. Why not just put it right without all the pointless bullshit?

Well the point about politics was raised by you

It clearly had everything to do with politics

It was thatcher and her right wing govt that privatised everything not nailed down and it was based on a political economic theory of the power of the market place

And its been a disaster

I am afraid thats a fact

[Former Labour leader]

This new 'Great British Railway ' policy in fact only applies to England.

[xsnaggle]

Well the point about politics was raised by you

It clearly had everything to do with politics

It was thatcher and her right wing govt that privatised everything not nailed down and it was based on a political economic theory of the power of the market place

And its been a disaster

I am afraid thats a fact

I don't disagree. What I said was that politics aside somethings should be nationalised. I wasn't talking about yesterday or 40 years ago I was talking about now and tomorrow. We cant change what's gone but we can change what is in front of us, whoever is running the government