Time for a sea change?

[Peter Kelford]

With Stagecoach disqualified from bidding and Virgin set to loose the WCML franchise, the only future is in a First Group/Abellio Duopoly, until Abellio leaves due to Brexit. Then First Group would have free reign over UK passenger services. Surely it's now time for a total shake-up, with all the services going to one operator?

 

[johnnychips]

You could call it...erm...’British Rail’.

 

[transmanche]

[...]until Abellio leaves due to Brexit.

Why would Abellio leave 'due to Brexit'? So long as they're making a profit, there's no reason for them to close down their UK operations.

 

[Peter Kelford]

Why would Abellio leave 'due to Brexit'? So long as they're making a profit, there's no reason for them to close down their UK operations.

It's a Dutch company and additional taxation and bureaucracy might just persuade them to leave.

 

[Peter Kelford]

You could also split the country into 3 franchises:

Franchise 1:'British Rail'/'Rail UK'/'Rail England' etc.
Franchise 2: Scotrail
Franchise 3: International - Eurostar/ScotLink

This would prepare the UK rail network for Scottish Independence.

 

[transmanche]

It's a Dutch company and additional taxation and bureaucracy might just persuade them to leave.

No, Abellio Transport Group Ltd is a British company that is owned by a Dutch company. A big difference.

And so long as it makes the expected profit/return on its investment, there's no incentive for Abellio to close its UK operations.

 

[mrcheek]

Abellio leaves due to Brexit.

wow, Project Fear seems to have worked on a few people!
Of course, once Brexit happens, the entire economy will collapse and nobody will be able to afford food let alone rail travel......

In any case, Brexit wont happen. Once it got delayed, that was the end of it, it will be delayed again and again until it never happens

 

[Bletchleyite]

wow, Project Fear seems to have worked on a few people!
Of course, once Brexit happens, the entire economy will collapse and nobody will be able to afford food let alone rail travel......

OT, but scaremongering does not help either side of the debate. That is just as much of a load of rubbish as the "land of milk and honey" version. The reality is that it will damage the economy, but not as much as that kind of scaremongering implies.

 

[Peter Kelford]

wow, Project Fear seems to have worked on a few people!
Of course, once Brexit happens, the entire economy will collapse and nobody will be able to afford food let alone rail travel......

In any case, Brexit wont happen. Once it got delayed, that was the end of it, it will be delayed again and again until it never happens

I hope so. Not project fear but a strong viewpoint nonetheless

 

[03_179]

You could call it...erm...’British Rail’.

Yep .. completely agree

 

[LOL The Irony]

You could also split the country into 3 franchises:

Franchise 1:'British Rail'/'Rail UK'/'Rail England' etc.
Franchise 2: Scotrail
Franchise 3: International - Eurostar/ScotLink

This would prepare the UK rail network for Scottish Independence.

If you're going to go through the effort of that, just nationalise.