Emeritus Prof Christopher MayMay 26, 2025

Much of the support for renationalising the railways was grounded in the hope that state ownership would reduce rail fares (which are among the highest in Europe);

however, it now seems that will be unlikely, as any extra cash saved by nationalisation will be spent on maintenance, infrastructure & increased services (which in fairness are also what the network needs).

But as fares are what voters most immediately experience, how will this play out?

#railways #politics
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceqg73znzzeo

Labour cannot promise cheaper rail fares under renationalisation

Transport Secretary says she will "strain every sinew" so customers get value for money as SWR brought back into public hands.

BBC News
Show threadRKMay 26, 2025

@ChrisMayLA6

I admire the German Deutsche Bahn model:

1. Buy and run four private train companies in the UK, including London Overground and the Grand Central line.

2. Charge Brits up to £2 per mile.

3. Use profits made in the UK to subsidise German train tickets (58€ per month, unlimited travel).

At least one nation has benefited from Thatcher’s privatisation.

Show threadClaudius Link

@RaffKarva @ChrisMayLA6
While i totally agree with your general gist, here are some corrections.

The German train ticket you mentioned (Deutschlandticket) is only valid for regional trains. These are often not run by the Deutsche Bahn but by local rail companies (often on a somewhat public ownership of the local government)
So unlimited travel for 58 euros is slightly misleading

The Deutschlandticket is financed half by the state government and half by the local government and not by the Deutsche Bahn (they receive money for the regional connections they run). So I don't think the Deutschlandticket is cross financed by British rail travellers. These profits are just used to bolster the results of Deutsche Bahn 😬

Source (German)
https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktuelles/deutschlandticket-2134074

Deutschlandticket: Fragen und Antworten | Bundesregierung

Mit dem Deutschlandticket ist der öffentliche Nahverkehr in ganz Deutschland nutzbar. Seit Januar 2025 kostet es 58 Euro.

Die Bundesregierung informiert | Startseite
May 27, 2025 at 7:29amWeb