Post-Covid, railways are still merely coasting

We are all trying to do our bit to help save the planet — and one of the best ways to make a difference would be to use our cars less. Many people dusted off their bicycles during the pandemic and it is to be hoped those who caught the cycling bug will remain under its influence.

Its benefits for the environment and personal wellbeing are well documented.

Portsmouth’s e-scooter trial has also proved popular, though controversial, as a good way of getting from A to B over short distances.

The Portsmouth area is also fairly well served by buses, and many rely on them for regular journeys.

But what about travel further afield?

Working from home is now the norm for many, and it is likely that the daily commute along the south coast or up to London might become a thing of the past, at least on a daily basis.

For trips to the capital, Brighton, Southampton or beyond, the railway remains the sensible option.

And while many things changed during the long months of lockdown, the railways have chugged along in much the same way as they always have.

A missed opportunity if ever there was one. Dilapidated Victorian stations might at least have been given a lick of paint, and some thought given to how to ready our rail network for the post-Covid world.

Sadly, we emerge from Covid to find the railways just as they were before the rest of the world changed.

We need greener transport for long distances.

Railways need passengers to survive.

The companies that run the trains must do more to tempt drivers out of their cars.

Investment and improvement are badly needed.

To quote a famous politician, if not now, when?