UK Finally Getting Train Network Fixed?
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05.29.07
Trains are preferable to planes in my opinion; they're greener, stations are in the centre of cities, unlike airports, and they're often more comfortable. However, in the UK they're also considerably slower, more expensive and less reliable. The rail network was once owned by the Government, but has since been privatised and split into countless smaller companies, all of whom seem to be competing in an incompetence competition.
That's why it's fantastic news that the Government are to unveil a multi-billion pound rebuilding programme this summer. The good news is that 1,000 extra rail carriages have been ordered, and a £500m reconstruction of Birmingham's New Street station will be approved, along with a £3.5bn overhaul of the Thameslink route through London.
The bad news is that this will take a very long time, and while it's happening fares will continue to shoot up much faster than inflation. It seems that my children, or their children may have a decent rail network, but that there's not much chance of me getting to work on time regularly. :: The Guardian
See also :: Air Travel and Climate Change: Take the Train :: Leo DiCaprio: "I Took a Train Across the Atlantic"
Price remains a major incentive when choosing a mode of transport for travelling. Right now, rail travel in the UK is not just a little more expensive than cars or planes but much more expensive.
As long as this remains the case, people will continue to seek cheaper alternatives even if they are more polluting. Of course, there are people who have no choice but to travel by rail. And more of us seem to be travelling longer distances to get to work. That may be one of the reasons why passenger numbers are rising.
Nevertheless, we still have the ridiculous situation in the UK where travelling by train from say, London to Newcastle, is more expensive than flying abroad to mainland Europe.
I am still amazed that the Labour government didn't completely reverse the utterly ruinous policy of rail privatisation instigated by the Conservative party. Without a doubt, privatisation has been a total disaster!
A level playing field would be a good idea- like removing the tax free status of aviation fuel for internal and european flights and imposing VAT on plane tickets. Then the price of train tickets may be able to start competing with what is in effect a State subsidised air travel sector.
Not just flights to Europe. You can get a single from London Heathrow to New York JFK for around £100 ($200) with Zoom and to get from London to Edinburgh by train it'll cost you.......... around £100! It's insanity of the highest order and the government aren't doing anything of any signifcance to combat it. It is essential that all off peak train fares are frozen at their current level for at least 5 years.
While this money is welcome, it's too little too late. After decades of underinvestment our infrastructure is crumbling, delays are the norm and trains are dangerously overcrowded at peak times and empty in off peak times (because of our illogical and expensive pricing system which penalises last minute travel).