We are, today, enlightened by an article in the Daily Telegraph on the subject of rail fare increases, an article authored by Tom Chivers, the Telegraph's assistant comment editor and who, we are informed, writes on science, culture and anything that crosses his mind. It has to be said that when and if anything crosses Chivers' mind it must do so fleetingly, if this article is an example. Perhaps the Telegraph's assistant comment editor is in need of a research assistant, one who might have the idea of using Google and inputting, for example, the phrase: 'eu user pays'?
Whilst the idea of 'user pays' is but at this stage, a proposal, it is a proposal that will be brought into force in the future and because of that it is certain that increases in rail fares will be much greater in the future - and that the suggestion there can be a reduction in rail fares, or any transport fares in the future, is but a dream. I have posted on transport, the user pays principle and the overriding subject of the Trans European Network - Transport, many times in the past - the most recent being here.
It is extremely frustrating that journalism, especially that exhibited in the piece under discussion, appears to believe in the principle of jam today, whilst the arguments and views put forward have the structural strength of jelly.
Change of URL
13 years ago
5 comments:
They STILL don't get it: As train fares rocket, MPs enjoy first-class travel at our expense
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081455/As-train-fares-rocket-MPs-enjoy-class-travel-expense.html?ITO=1490
Then there are MEPs.
I wrote to my local paper about the EU initiative for 30kph/20mph speed limits in town and residential areas, only to be rebuffed by Brian Simpson MEP, Chairman of the EU Parliament's Transport Committee, accusing me of misleading the readers. I have responded and included a request that he advise the readers of my town (Warrington) what impact EU regulations have on national transport policies (as he should know if anybody does!). I look forward to Thursday's edition.
So, the bottom line is that rail fares are neck and neck with gas prices at this point.
Having read that subsidy per passenger is £2700 in the Southeast and £200 in Northern England; it might make London totally unviable if rail fares were ever to reflect costs.
The East Coast Main Line has had no subsidy since the 1990s
DP111: No they don't, least of all the EU impending regulations.......
k: Best of luck with that!
JH: And everything else......
TT: London becoming unviable: Ah yet another policy thought through not!
Post a Comment