Which of these will disappear from the UK first?

[WestAnglian]

The number of people using cash in some areas (e.g. London) is now tiny. Many businesses see such a small number of cash transactions that they will simply stop accepting it. In addition the high cost of maintianing ATMs that hardly anybody uses means tahe most will go before too long. Cash will be a niche thing mush sooner that 2050.

 

[Cloud Strife]

The number of people using cash in some areas (e.g. London) is now tiny. Many businesses see such a small number of cash transactions that they will simply stop accepting it. In addition the high cost of maintianing ATMs that hardly anybody uses means tahe most will go before too long. Cash will be a niche thing mush sooner that 2050.

Indeed, I was in the UK for a couple of days last week and I didn't even bother with cash or even my bank card. My phone did everything, the only annoyance was having to get a ticket for EMR to the airport rather than just using my phone to pay for the journey.

 

[philthetube]

I think there will be a few petrol cars about, not sure about petrol though, unless there is serious demand for it somewhere I can imagine there being no refiners,

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think there will be a few petrol cars about, not sure about petrol though, unless there is serious demand for it somewhere I can imagine there being no refiners,

It'll exist, possibly in synthetic form. It'll be very expensive, though, as it'll only be used for classic machinery (cars, lawnmowers etc). But people maintaining classics won't mind that as it's a labour of love, not of cost. OTOH maybe it'll not be that expensive as likely we'll have stopped taxing it (bar VAT), changing to road pricing.

 

[mikeg]

I sadly chose royal mail. The privatization was incredibly stupid and probably hindered more than helped it.

Even stupider was allowing private compaines downstream access, killing off a vital revenue stream that kept the universal service going. Even the Dutch, who privatised their postal service before it was fashionable were sceptical about this and rightly so.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I chose post because it only takes the choice of one set of directors. No user input required to make Post dissappear. There will always be parcels as signed documents will still be a thing at times.

I think the days of ADSL lines are obviously numbered - we are all going to VOIP.

With few non-compliant vehicles around, other tracking methods will be deployed to determine the movement of those remaining very conspicuous vehicles. Synthetic fuel does not necessarily remove the health damaging impact of IC vehicles which is the main driver of ULEZ zones.
For petrolheads, the awakening of the courts to the health impact effectively spells the rapid retirement of virtually all IC motive power, and by 2050, they will not only be regarded as socially unacceptable but also effectiverly illegal.

If that happens then say bye bye to preserved steam engines and diesels. I can see any preserved steam engines running under OHLE with a pantograph on the tender powering electric heater elements shoved down the tubes. Failing that a Lithium-Ion lump in the tender with an RA of 20 !.

 

[AM9]

I think the days of ADSL lines are obviously numbered - we are all going to VOIP.

Er! VOIP s nothing to do with the type of line as long as there is enough bandwidth for the packet stream. ADSL is ideal for VOIP telephony as will only take a few kHz to carry voice. In the case of a basic internet connection that can include provision for VOIP, then those unfortunates at the end of a long twisted pair from the exchange, the POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) provider will happily be able to convert the line to ADSL and provide a basic internet connection, (adequate for e-mail or text transfer). Consider the fact that mobile voice codecs can compress voice down to about 3kb/s and perfectly clean voice can be carried in 12kb/s. The only difference between digitided compressaed voice streams and VOIP is the VoIP is pachetised, - like everything else meaning that a break in communication can request a resend of a packet. Whilst this doesn't make live conversation easy, at least all the intended voice gets there - eventually.

 

[Tester]

If that happens then say bye bye to preserved steam engines and diesels. I can see any preserved steam engines running under OHLE with a pantograph on the tender powering electric heater elements shoved down the tubes. Failing that a Lithium-Ion lump in the tender with an RA of 20 !.

Nothing new under the sun!

Wikipedia link to electric steam locomotive

 

[A0]

I sadly chose royal mail. The privatization was incredibly stupid and probably hindered more than helped it.

Why should the state own a parcel delivery business exactly ?

Other countries don't - and the parcel delivery market is competitive.

RM needs to reform - its whole network is centred around letter delivery - that's got to change. And the CWU are obstructing change at every turn - ultimately they will destroy the jobs of their members because they are blocking changes rather than ensuring the changes benefit the company and therefore their members pay packets.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Nothing new under the sun!

Wikipedia link to electric steam locomotive

Well well, that would be ideal for discontinuous electrification !.

 

[Intercity110]

Why should the state own a parcel delivery business exactly ?

Other countries don't - and the parcel delivery market is competitive.

1) the state should, so in times of resession there’ll always be something there (opinion)
2) most of them are: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_postal_services#Europe for reference

 

[A0]

1) the state should, so in times of resession there’ll always be something there (opinion)

Take that to its logical conclusion and the state shpuld own supermarkets, petrol stations, mobile phone shops, chemists, opticians and pretty much anything else it doesn't now.

 

[Bevan Price]

I chose post because it only takes the choice of one set of directors. No user input required to make Post dissappear. There will always be parcels as signed documents will still be a thing at times.

They can't change anything without the permission of Parliament. The Universal Service Obligation is specified by Act Of Parliament, specifying delivery at a standard universal charge to (almost) everywhere in UK, with normally one delivery & collection on each weekday.

 

[Peter Sarf]

They can't change anything without the permission of Parliament. The Universal Service Obligation is specified by Act Of Parliament, specifying delivery at a standard universal charge to (almost) everywhere in UK, with normally one delivery & collection on each weekday.

It is true, I should broaden it out to politicians as well. And what you say reminds me that to me it seems the Post Office has a yoke round its neck. That is because competitors do not have to bother with unprofitable parts of the UK (for example far reaches of Scotland) but the Post Office has to and at a standard price so the profits from the profitable parts of the country have to subsidise the unprofitable parts - something the other parcels firms etc don't have to do.

This kind of blunt instrument reminds me of how in the 1950s (iirc ?) the railways had to stick to a published set of standard prices for parcels - so the competitors knew exactly how much to under cut them by.

Could the Post Office be allowed to simply go under ?.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Could the Post Office be allowed to simply go under ?.

DId you mean Royal Mail, the business that does the universal letter and parcel delivery in the U.K. ?

 

[Intercity110]

Take that to its logical conclusion and the state shpuld own supermarkets, petrol stations, mobile phone shops, chemists, opticians and pretty much anything else it doesn't now.

Some, but not all and only when a crisis happens

 

[Peter Sarf]

DId you mean Royal Mail, the business that does the universal letter and parcel delivery in the U.K. ?

Probably. I always get those mixed up - still see it as all one entity and I think many do. I recall Post Office counters is the "shops" ?.