 | Forum
Reply | The benefits of rail nationalisation?
at 18:08 16 Feb 2024
This move to remove off-peak (non-advance) fares is worrying. But it's wrong to say its anything to do with nationalisation.
Under the franchising system that ran from privatisation in the 90s until Covid hit, the government (through DfT) would specify requirements for a route and prospective franchisees would bid on how they'd achieve this. In this way, DfT pushed through removal of guards on several routes.
Since 2020, most routes are now operating on a concession basis with the private company running the route no longer holding operating risk (instead they get paid a percentage of the turnover costs). DfT pushed all of the rail companies to independently "suggest" closing ticket offices. After the subsequent uproar, that proposal was dropped.
I have no doubt the trial to removal off-peak fares originated from DfT, not LNER. But the same process would have occurred regardless of which route it was trialled on. There's a strong argument this route was chosen because LNER has relatively high approval ratings (well, higher than Avanti, etc) so it would be more palatable on this line.
At the end of the day, the current government is guiding the railways to managed decline. That's the case regardless of the details of how the operating companies financial details are handled. |
| Forum
Reply | Ipswich Fans in China
at 08:28 14 Aug 2021
Hey ChinaBlues,
I lived in Shanghai about 10 years ago. Back then, I went to see Shanghai Shenhua play a few times and ended up buying a season ticket in the "ultras" (ha!) area for 300RMB (~£30 - I expect its increased now). I ended up meeting a couple of Town fans at the games and it was a good experience.
If you only go to one Shenhua match, go when they play Beijing Guoan - the rivalry that Shanghai residents feel when Beijing fans is something to behold. The fact that Guoan play in green+yellow while Shenhua are in blue helps you get into the spirit of things! One mid-week match against Guoan was the closest I saw to a riot in China - the police were pretty freaked out at the idea of loosing control, even for a few minutes. There was a standoff between a couple of hundred Guoan/Shenhua fans after the match and I remember seeing someone trying to hit someone (weakly) with a plastic chair inside the ground.
The Shenhua base at Hongkou is a proper football ground too - no running track here and the seats are close to the edge of the pitch.
Enjoy your time in China!
John |
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