MungoBrush wrote:Cannydc wrote:MungoBrush wrote:Cannydc wrote:Finally, a Tory achievement I am happy to praise....
Rail services on East Coast Main Line are being brought back under UK government control, operator Stagecoach Group says.
Stagecoach, which runs the franchise with Virgin Trains, said it has been advised that an "operator of last resort" would be appointed to the London to Edinburgh service.
Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling is expected to make a statement to parliament today.
Stage 1 of a very long walk back to proper state ownership of our utilities.
And a gift to Labour. Corbyn will be delighted, the Tories mortified.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44142258
Dont worry,
It's just a temporary measure until a new operation is appointed.
"Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told Parliament that temporary state ownership would provide the smoothest transition to a new operator."
Just imagine if it had been in public ownership. All those losses would have had to have been paid for by taxpayers
"Mr Grayling told parliament that Stagecoach and Virgin have lost almost £200m, but that there had not been a loss to taxpayers"
Grayling said: “The route continues to generate substantial returns for the government."
And would continue to do so if under state ownership - so instead of paying vast subsidies to the likes of Virgin, why give it to them to start with ?
It's Tory dogma. No more, no less....
That's because Stagecoach/Virgin paid the government £3.3 billion to operate the service.
Not tory dogma
Just good business practice
And a good deal for the taxpayers.
No they haven't. Please provide evidence that there were no trenche payments and that they paid the £3.3 Billion on starting the franchise. Thanks.