New Carriages for the rail network, but who will pay?

The headlines on yesterday's London freesheets were "victory for commuters" as the government announced an aditional 1000 carriage for the rail network! But, don't be fooled by the spin. This "victory" is a double edged sword, which will see the commuter, and non-commuters, paying for these new carriages.

As I've said before the privitisation of the railways brought with it a number of good, and bad, points. One of the good points was the quality of new rolling stock, such as Virgin's Pendolino which was praised during last months Cumbria derailment.

However, we have recently seen an increase in interference by the Department for Transport, who do appear to want to be the new British Rail (god help us all - Ed). So it came as no surprise when they announced yesterday that they will be supply the new rolling stock. Yes, the government, and not the private train operating companies.

Now, for a start, the Operating Companies already receive a rather large subsidy from the government, as well as working at a profit. But instead of forcing the TOC's to use that subsidy for rolling stock improvements, and increasing passenger capacity, the government are simply going to give them more money, which will be paid for by (you guessed it) the tax payer!

The TOC's are private companies, and BR is long gone, but the DfT seem to have completely forgotten this fact. If they wanted to solved the issue of passenger capacity, they should instruct the TOC's to pay for additional carriages, or have there subsidies cut or removed, of failing that have their franchise revoked. Wouldn't that make a bit more business sense.

But unfortunately this government are living in the past. They are unable to solve a problem, and their answer is always to increase taxation and throw more money at a problem, and the see if the problem will fix itself. Plus wouldn't tax payers money be better spent on say, the NHS, instead of making lives even easier for the TOC's. Whereas the current situation now sees me facing a higher tax bill for the addition carriage, and then having to pay higher fares to sit on it.