East Coast train line under public control

[McAz]

[MungoBrush]

I prefer to quote actual facts from an official government source:

"For the seventh year in a row, train operating companies (TOCs) paid more (£763m) to government in premium payments than they received in subsidies"

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_fil ... 016-17.pdf

Ha ha ha - so we are to believe your research and journalism over that of FullFacts.org, the Guardian and Independent...

Government support to the rail industry is roughly three times what it was at the end of the 1980s, varying year to year. (FullFact)

Train operators pay £200m to shareholders after £4bn subsidy
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/16/rail-operators-200m-dividends-subsidy

So you’re happy to kick in extra taxes out of your pay packet so that rail users can pay lower fares?

...no contest, sunshine - though your ego is something to marvel at.

It's an official government publication from the Office of Rail and Road
It's the same publication that full facts get their info from
But it does have many pages with long sentences, and lots and lots of stats.
So I can understand that you didn't actually read it.

[McAz]

Foreign-backed investors are pocketing £200m a year from Britain's privatised railways just by leasing them trains

RMT union reveals train passengers would see their fares cut by 2.1 per cent if 'rip-off' was ended

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/foreign-backed-investors-pocketing-200m-11000578

So you’re happy to kick in extra taxes out of your pay packet so that rail users can pay lower fares to pay dividends to the rich?

Mungo is.

[Punk]

Foreign-backed investors are pocketing £200m a year from Britain's privatised railways just by leasing them trains

RMT union reveals train passengers would see their fares cut by 2.1 per cent if 'rip-off' was ended

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/foreign-backed-investors-pocketing-200m-11000578

So you’re happy to kick in extra taxes out of your pay packet so that rail users can pay lower fares to pay dividends to the rich?

Mungo is.

....not very bright?

[MungoBrush]

Foreign-backed investors are pocketing £200m a year from Britain's privatised railways just by leasing them trains

RMT union reveals train passengers would see their fares cut by 2.1 per cent if 'rip-off' was ended

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/foreign-backed-investors-pocketing-200m-11000578

So you’re happy to kick in extra taxes out of your pay packet so that rail users can pay lower fares to pay dividends to the rich?

Mungo is.

....not very bright?

Behind my smile is my IQ
I must admit this does not sit with the likes of you
You're really sweet mmm you're really nice
But didn't mama ever tell you not to play with fire

Don't think that I'm not strong
I'm the one to take you on
Don't under estimate me
Boy I'll make you sorry you were born
You don't know me the way you really should
You sure misunderstood
Don't call me "not very bright"

[jra]

Future plans.

https://www.lner.co.uk/about-us/Better- ... er-future/

[Cannydc]

"Behind my smile is my IQ"

So now I understand where the lyrics to "My Blank Smile" came from....

What a dick.

https://genius.com/Shaolin-death-squad- ... ile-lyrics

[MungoBrush]

What a dick.

So anyone who posts FACTS is now a dick in your eyes?

[Punk]

What a dick.

So anyone who posts FACTS is now a dick in your eyes?

Have you posted any facts?

You said we had balanced the budget. That wasn't a fact that was a whopping great lie because Hammond admits the budget won't be balanced for a fair few years yet, despite the pledge that it would be by 2015/16. Maybe 2023/24 if you are lucky but then Labour would take credit for it.

[jra]

Right.

According to the link below the UK is in the top 10 in the world for rail usage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... rail_usage

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ty_map.svg

[Cannydc]

Right.

According to the link below the UK is in the top 10 in the world for rail usage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... rail_usage

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ty_map.svg

Passenger numbers are falling.

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_fil ... -18-q4.pdf

Fares are rising faster than wages, or inflation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42536159

The ticketing system is farcical

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/95688 ... twork-rail

And the timetable fiasco is beyond satire...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -explained

Inarguable facts that point to the miserable failure of franchising, and to the need for change. That change is re-nationalisation.

[MungoBrush]

Passenger numbers are falling.

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_fil ... -18-q4.pdf

Fares are rising faster than wages, or inflation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42536159

The ticketing system is farcical

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/95688 ... twork-rail

And the timetable fiasco is beyond satire...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -explained

Inarguable facts that point to the miserable failure of franchising, and to the need for change. That change is re-nationalisation.

Nationalisation has failed so many times in so many countries
I would have thought that by now you would have changed your tune.

[Cannydc]

Passenger numbers are falling.

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_fil ... -18-q4.pdf

Fares are rising faster than wages, or inflation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42536159

The ticketing system is farcical

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/95688 ... twork-rail

And the timetable fiasco is beyond satire...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -explained

Inarguable facts that point to the miserable failure of franchising, and to the need for change. That change is re-nationalisation.

Nationalisation has failed so many times in so many countries
I would have thought that by now you would have changed your tune.

Nope.

I don't advocate nationalisation of failing companies. Nationalisations of failing firms have been less successful than nationalisation to provide infrastructure.

Nationalisation's effect on the economy often depends on whether it has inhibited competition. In Rail's case, it certainly does.

And finally, a key problem for nationalised firms is the scale of investment and innovation - this will certainly need to be seriously monitored and addressed.

The same will apply equally to water and power. It can, and will work.

[Punk]

Passenger numbers are falling.

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_fil ... -18-q4.pdf

Fares are rising faster than wages, or inflation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42536159

The ticketing system is farcical

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/95688 ... twork-rail

And the timetable fiasco is beyond satire...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -explained

Inarguable facts that point to the miserable failure of franchising, and to the need for change. That change is re-nationalisation.

Nationalisation has failed so many times in so many countries
I would have thought that by now you would have changed your tune.

So many countries? List 40 if there are that many.

[jra]

Right.

According to the link below the UK is in the top 10 in the world for rail usage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... rail_usage

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ty_map.svg

Passenger numbers are falling.

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_fil ... -18-q4.pdf

Fares are rising faster than wages, or inflation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42536159

The ticketing system is farcical

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/95688 ... twork-rail

And the timetable fiasco is beyond satire...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -explained

Inarguable facts that point to the miserable failure of franchising, and to the need for change. That change is re-nationalisation.

Re-nationalisation won't guarantee adequate funding of the railways. Past governments have proved that.