Merseytravel U-Turn - Rejects Vertical Integration

[ukrob]

A LONG awaited plan to allow Merseytravel to run its own railway network has been sensationally shelved – in a massive U-turn in transport policy.

Passenger authority Merseytravel has spent £1.5m pressing for the new powers over many years.

In May Sir Roy McNulty’s railway review said Merseyrail was an ideal place to test out “vertical integration”, allowing those areas to take full control of both track and trains.

But now Labour-controlled Merseytravel has voted to break off negotiations about introducing the system on Merseyrail.

Linky

All seems very odd.

 

[emoaconr]

I can't fully see the benefits in vertical integration in such a small patch of a national railway system.

Merseyrail does not have the expertise or equipment to run its own Network... the cost of maintaining the relitively small Merseyrail infrastructure is surely cheaper in the hands of a big Great Britain-wide organisation (Network Rail)? If there was a similar model being duplicated nationwide, then I'd understand.

 

[185]

Probably concerned their expenses might get chopped to pay for it

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/9109460.Merseytravel_rejects_expenses_curb/?ref=mr

 

[Snapper]

Would you want to take on the liability for old Victorian tunnels under the River Mersey?

 

[WatcherZero]

The Authority has caved to heavy back room union pressure including threatened strikes if vertical integration went ahead. Also doesnt hurt that it was a Lib Dem aspiration and now Labour are in power since the last local elections.

 

[ainsworth74]

The Authority has caved to heavy back room union pressure including threatened strikes if vertical integration went ahead.

What an earth do the unions have against vertical intergration?

 

[Zoe]

What an earth do the unions have against vertical intergration?

The infrastructure would likely be run by a for dividend company.

 

[WatcherZero]

They also believe it would lead to the fragmentation of Network Rail and make getting a BR back even harder.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It was a Lib Dem aspiration and now Labour are in power since the last local elections.

I think that the majority of forum members may not realise how much "inner loathing" was felt by the councillors of both these two parties for their opposite numbers over the last few years. This culminated into the hardening of the now ruling Labour Party view on many matters that had been "flagship" policies of the Liberal Democrats, after the results of the last local elections.

There are "political points" to be scored in some policy decisions by the current administration.....or so it seems to appear.