ScouseAndy
Lead Service Attendant
In Europe thethey have devised the perfect systemSo, I suggest Federalizing the railroad mileage. Is that how it's done in other major countries??Hodge-podge of private and public ownership? Aside from Amtrak owned, there are some commuter agencies that own some of the lines around a FEW major cities, it is all private. While there is a mix, "hodge-podge" implies a more even mix to me than there actually is, the overwhelming majority of railroad mileage in the US is owned by the RR companies, not public agencies.
1. Force the UK to privatise its national rail system under a franchise system - where each franchise is awarded to those that bids the lower subsidy needed to run services for ex year
2. Then allow the French, Dutch, German and Italian state own rail companies to win all the franchises between them
3. These franchises then cut essential services such as removing the guard (conductor) from the train and making the driver solely responsible for safety but it works on the London Underground so why not on surface rail hey!
4. Now these franchises cost the UK tax payer millions in subsidies which get sent to said national train companies as profit so they don't need as much money from their own tax payers
It's a fantastic system that works for everyone bar the British tax payer and British rail passengers.
Indeed perhaps Amtrak should just join the gravy train and run one or more of our franchises so you can divert the money into your own trains??
(Yes I've over simplified things but the above is the general gist of how the UK tax payer is funding the European rail network £
2.