Labour would renationalise rail services in the UK
Remember British Rail? It was very poor service, old rolling stock and unreliable. Current railways are just as bad. The idea of privatisation was to enable investment in the railway but it didn’t happen. It is partially nationalised anyway. Network Rail, ScotRail and others where the franchise was handed back. Fiona Harvie
Personally I have nothing against private enterprise. However, handing over state monopolies to private monopolies has done nothing for competition. The cost of rail travel in the UK is a disgrace. Renationalise rail and in time all other suppliers of public utilities where effective price competition does not exist to benefit us consumers.
Kevin Gray
For it to work they need to slash the prices and invest in new trains and infrastructure.
We’re 30 years behind the continent in respect of rail travel. Private companies have plundered the service for profit with little investment. It’s the same for all public services and they’ll try to do the same with the NHS!
David Mcarthur
Good idea, but not under Labour, all they do is run things into the ground. Trains in Scotland are already nationalised – fourth best in the UK but room for improvement.
Ricky Stewart
Wonder if the re-nationalised service will return with the fleas in the carpets, the insanitary toilets, the disgusting food in the buffet cars, the horrendous level of cancellations and late running trains, the filthy stations, etc. The only positive I recall from the era when British Rail was in state ownership was the restaurant car where one could enjoy proper food while travelling. The long-distance sleeper services were not too bad, although noisy and could have been a lot better. Douglas H Lawson
What a platform to run on!. “We’ll nationalise the train service” and probably make it worse (as government agencies do with most things). You’d think there were bigger things to concern themselves with dealing with.
James Rees
More important services need nationalising first, like electricity, gas and water. Alan Johnson
Something needs to be done. Nationalise the energy and water companies as well... do this and they'll have my vote. Carl Hufton
They should leave the parts that work well as they are and nationalise the rest.
Colin Laidlaw
There was a time when we desperately needed railways to be privatised. Old, unreliable and filthy trains.
Freezing in the winter and boiling hot in the summer months. The greatest cost of bringing railways back under government control would be the leasing of the rolling stock. I noticed the Labour transport spokesman using recent strikes as part of the argument. From recollection, that was also a problem prior to privatisation. Also, if they want us out of our cars, commuters need a better deal equal to or less than the cost of driving.
Alex Monaghan
Nationalisation of the railways in total can only be a good thing, and while they are at it carry on and do the same with all the other vital services.
Sue Middleton
Public services should never be run for profit. It’s a service and should focusing on delivering, rather than appeasing shareholders. Raymond Kaczmarek