Yes, it's that time of year again.
Britain's rail fares have risen by an average of 2.2%, much in line with real inflation.
At the same time massive new investment continues with electrification of the Great Western mail line and its eastern tributories, the North West Liverpool-Manchester-Preston-Blackpool triangle and a number of other major infrastructure projects. There are also more shiny new trains, albeit mainly for the London-orientated south.
The screams from the media, including some about the average 3% profits being made by the train operators being exported to subsidise rail fares in Europe are both emotional, absurdly xenophobic and indicative of a welfare state-bred belief that cheap train fares are as much an entitlement as other welfare benefits.There is also an illogical underlying belief that it is immoral for anyone to make a profit from providing a public service. This doesn't just apply to the railways or even transport in general.It also paralyses the essential reform and re-funding of Britain's National Health service. That though is another story.
The upward drift of rail fares is aimed to reduce the amount of government,- for which read taxpayer,- subsidy to the railways. The doctrine of "User Pays" is not unreasonable. Why should a moorland sheep farmer who never goes anywhere near a train subsidise a much better off London commuter?
Railway and all transport funding is likely to come under review again after the May General Election. With Health, education and foreign aid all red ringed against "cuts" the distorted pressure on other departments grows by the day. Fortunately the Great Western electrification is well under way now and it is too late for the axe to be wielded although it could be misguidedly and short termist "thrifted". The fact that it ends up in Wales is helpful though. Similarly the north western triangle is beyond the point of no return and it also has political significance.The long neglected Midland Main Line may though have to wait until the Great Western is finished and the trans-Pennine, one minute the political flavour of the month and the next left aside, is also vulnerable timewise although both projects will happen at some stage even if after 2020. HS 2 will come under attack, but political nerves need to hold on this one. It has taken years to progress as far as it now has (The glacial movement through Parliament of the Hybrid Bill to enable work to actually start on 2016 or more likely 2017.) and to start the interminable battle against the Chiltern and shires opposition groups again is as debilitating a prospect can imagined. It must just battle on and get built this time round before rail capacity between London and the north strangles itself.
Most of the road projects announced, or more correctly re-announced for the umpteenth time, by the government recently are a long way from seeing the first shovels hit the ground. The local opposition "Say no To..." groups will be girding themselves and getting armed with evidence of newts, bats and the rest.
Road improvements are not going to remove any of the case for a continuous programme of rail improvements. That being so, the rail commuters in particular are going to have to accept that they will have to pay increasing fares to use the only system capable of getting them to work in the big employment centres, especially London. That won't stop the annual media "Shock, Horror" circus at fare rises time. They need it anyway because it is stuff they can write in advance for 1st January editions without having to interrupt their festive season.
Britain's rail fares have risen by an average of 2.2%, much in line with real inflation.
At the same time massive new investment continues with electrification of the Great Western mail line and its eastern tributories, the North West Liverpool-Manchester-Preston-Blackpool triangle and a number of other major infrastructure projects. There are also more shiny new trains, albeit mainly for the London-orientated south.
The screams from the media, including some about the average 3% profits being made by the train operators being exported to subsidise rail fares in Europe are both emotional, absurdly xenophobic and indicative of a welfare state-bred belief that cheap train fares are as much an entitlement as other welfare benefits.There is also an illogical underlying belief that it is immoral for anyone to make a profit from providing a public service. This doesn't just apply to the railways or even transport in general.It also paralyses the essential reform and re-funding of Britain's National Health service. That though is another story.
The upward drift of rail fares is aimed to reduce the amount of government,- for which read taxpayer,- subsidy to the railways. The doctrine of "User Pays" is not unreasonable. Why should a moorland sheep farmer who never goes anywhere near a train subsidise a much better off London commuter?
Railway and all transport funding is likely to come under review again after the May General Election. With Health, education and foreign aid all red ringed against "cuts" the distorted pressure on other departments grows by the day. Fortunately the Great Western electrification is well under way now and it is too late for the axe to be wielded although it could be misguidedly and short termist "thrifted". The fact that it ends up in Wales is helpful though. Similarly the north western triangle is beyond the point of no return and it also has political significance.The long neglected Midland Main Line may though have to wait until the Great Western is finished and the trans-Pennine, one minute the political flavour of the month and the next left aside, is also vulnerable timewise although both projects will happen at some stage even if after 2020. HS 2 will come under attack, but political nerves need to hold on this one. It has taken years to progress as far as it now has (The glacial movement through Parliament of the Hybrid Bill to enable work to actually start on 2016 or more likely 2017.) and to start the interminable battle against the Chiltern and shires opposition groups again is as debilitating a prospect can imagined. It must just battle on and get built this time round before rail capacity between London and the north strangles itself.
Most of the road projects announced, or more correctly re-announced for the umpteenth time, by the government recently are a long way from seeing the first shovels hit the ground. The local opposition "Say no To..." groups will be girding themselves and getting armed with evidence of newts, bats and the rest.
Road improvements are not going to remove any of the case for a continuous programme of rail improvements. That being so, the rail commuters in particular are going to have to accept that they will have to pay increasing fares to use the only system capable of getting them to work in the big employment centres, especially London. That won't stop the annual media "Shock, Horror" circus at fare rises time. They need it anyway because it is stuff they can write in advance for 1st January editions without having to interrupt their festive season.
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