NR fined £14m...

[yorkie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7267658.stm

Network Rail has been fined a record £14m by the railway regulator, after engineering work over-ran during the Christmas and New Year period. .... read more

So, where does the £14m go? And how will passengers benefit?

Is there some logic to this, or is it as bizarre as it sounds?

 

[PhilipW]

I think that it is as bizarre as it sounds. The money will go to the Rail Regulator then onwards to the Treasury from whence it came.

So £14 million less will now be spend on improving the railways. Hardly a 'passenger led' concept'. The only people who suffer are the passengers. The fine is a wonderful headline that gives the impression that something is being done.

 

[Nym]

I think the money should have gone to the likes of VT and LM that have had to suffer at the hands of Network Rail Accounts!

I've ranted properly here, not copy and pasting it...

http://railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=195090#post195090

 

[Metroland]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7267658.stm

So, where does the £14m go? And how will passengers benefit?

Is there some logic to this, or is it as bizarre as it sounds?

I'm waiting for the highways agency to be fined millions for overrunning roadworks, or the truck company that was involved in this morning's crash on the M5 to pay compensation to everyone it delayed for shutting the motorway.

And people wonder why it's sometimes cheaper to drive?

Passengers would benefit more from a cheaper railway, not making it progressively more expensive by loading it with red tape.

Incidentally Indian railways has just posted a several billion pound profit, which is being used to cut fares, and re-invest in the railway. The fares are so cheap, it makes any other form of transport seem ridiculously expensive...

 

[Nym]

the HA fines the contractors, as NR does...

 

[TheSlash]

the HA fines the contractors, as NR does...

With respect Nym, it has reached TheSlash through the Jungle Telegraph, that there are no contractors to fine in this instance.
However this maybe subject to change as it is reported a McGinley van was seen on the M1 at least once during this blockade chaos. That should automatically qualify them as being totally at fault for the complete fiasco and once again the sun will shine upon the running line, for the thieving b*stard scum contractors have been brought to justice
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'm waiting for the highways agency to be fined millions for overrunning roadworks, or the truck company that was involved in this morning's crash on the M5 to pay compensation to everyone it delayed for shutting the motorway.

Mr Metroland, how would this proceed if it was later proved that a negligent car driver had caused the lorry to crash?
My experience of HGV drivers {English} is that they are normally the most aware of what is happening immediatly around them.
Several times i've come up a slip road for a motorway, looked right and realised and i won't get past the HGV before the end of the lane. So i have backed off {slowed down} and joined the carriageway behind the vehicle. Then, when a slot becomes available, i've moved 'round' the HGV using the middle lane, without prompting, the HGV driver has flashed me and i've flashed the hazards back. It's an unwritten language of "Good move" "Thanks, you too!"

 

[Nym]

even better when you're driving one of the other HGVs, then they pull out for you

 

[Metroland]

Mr Metroland, how would this proceed if it was later proved that a negligent car driver had caused the lorry to crash?

Then the car driver should get the blame and pay out multi-millions in compensation.

But we all know that this would make it unaffordable to drive, rather like it is to buy certain train tickets.

It's not exactly fair competition though is it, that one form of transport 'gets away with it', while others are forced to pay? And that's my point.

 

[Nym]

You mean it isn't already unaffordable to drive? £3,200 insurance for a group1, for me, at my adress!

 

[Metroland]

It's incredibly expensive to drive. 29p per mile for a small car, 49p for a medium size car, and 80p per mile for a luxury car (or more).

It doesn't stop the RAC and their ilk for campaigning against drivers paying their full costs, which is reflected in road tax. Nor are individuals held to account in the same ways as other forms or transport, which reflects why the latter are so risk adverse, which adds even more costs and distorts competition.

If you want to read the academic studies, there is one here

http://www.its.leeds.ac.uk/projects/STCC/downloads/SurfaceTransportCostsReport.pdf

And anyone that will be doing transport studies, will be learning exactly the same thing.

 

[TheSlash]

Just looking at one thing and another and i came across this thread
A knowledgable gentleman has told me that the fine is intended to show up NR management. Although the money will go round in a large circle, the fine will be a black mark on the record of the managers concerned.
It's a round about way of showing poor performance