With today's announcement that Northern is to be brought into government control, and with LNER and Network Rail already under government control, is this re-nationalisation by the back door?

Northern: Rail firm brought under government control - BBC News

Will all the Beeching cuts of the 1960s get reversed?

Personally, I think utilities such as Gas Water and Electricity shouldn't be in private hands as we all need them to live, they should be non-profit organisations only raising extra revenue for investment in improving the infrastructure.

Railways, not so sure.


Ed

Ed, the Tories privatised the railways.  It would be an admission of policy failure if they nationalised them again. I think you can be rest assured that this is only being done because Northern are so incompetent.  Watch this space for an announcement that the franchise is up for tender (Northern need not apply) soon.

Good to hear at the same time that HM Government is considering reopening two lines closed by Beeching.  More of this would be welcome.

Regards,

Terry

They also took us into the EU and now their taking us out again 

(Worlds gone mad)


Ed

Let's not go there!

Terry

[user=711]col.stephens[/user] wrote:

Let's not go there!

Terry

Agreed  :thumbs

Ed

Funny how users complain about overcrowding.  Last week we took the 9.30am Southport-Manchester Victoria and the train was empty until the last few stops.  I thought that the trains were comfortable and travelled on time.  It will be intersting to see how Boris' boys get on in charge.

Sounds like the railway companies need to have control over the track. Not lease it from the government. Hang on, that sounds familiar.  :hmm

Nigel

I'm with you all the way Ed - the "essential services" should be state run, not-for-profit organisations.

Postal services, NHS, gas, water and electricity plus public transport.  Not sure if "public transport" should include bus services but certainly railways.

The argument, used at the time of privatisation, was that private enterprise could do a better job of them.  If government can't run a railway system, then there's absolutely no chance they can run a country !!!

I ought to add that I'm not a socialist so don't support the "everything should be state owned" theory - quite the reverse but "essential services" should not be used to generate profits other than those required for direct re-investment.

Whatever "colour" you support, I think it's no secret that the majority of the public think these services were sold off (on the cheap) to avoid having to raise taxes.  We're now paying dearly for that odd penny off income tax and, as if that wasn't enough, we're still subsidising the railways although we no longer own them.  

We live in a crazy world.   

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

I'm with you all the way Ed - the "essential services" should be state run, not-for-profit organisations.



Postal services, NHS, gas, water and electricity plus public transport.  Not sure if "public transport" should include bus services but certainly railways.

I totally agree.

Terry

Petermac wrote: "I'm with you all the way Ed - the "essential services" should be state run, not-for-profit organisations.



Postal services, NHS, gas, water and electricity plus public transport.  Not sure if "public transport" should include bus services but certainly railways.



"
I totally agree.

Terry

Me too!

I'd count the N.H.S. as pretty essential, but it's been split up into so many factions all trying to maximise profits, etc., some Regional Health Authorities paying, say, 10p for an aspirin, another paying 25p for the same thing.

 Waste too adds up, for the sake of a sterilser the stainless steel tweezers used by my practice nurse to remove my post-operative sutures were to be thrown into the waste bin until I asked if I could have them for modelling. The scalpel, likewise, was thrown away, I couldn't keep that because I might have a. hurt myself or b. hurt someone else with it whilst on the premises.

Nursey [one of the old school] explained and was just as sad about it as I was.

D