Hs2 Tax Payer Funded ?

[fender62]

so let me get this straight, hs2 paid for by the taxpayer, then private rails firms use said hs2
then said tax payers, pay again to use hs2 ie tickets on trains, im not getting it.

[fiction-factory]

How else would it work? Do you have an alternative model? Our railway system is already heavily subsidised by the tax payer- otherwise there would be insufficient investment and fares would be far higher

[Buenchico]

It's no different to travelling on, say, a National Express coach on a motorway. Taxpayers pay for the motorway to be built, a private company (National Express) then makes use of that motorway to run its services on, with the taxpayer who wants to make use of such a service buying a ticket to do so.

However investing in rail infrastructure makes a damned site more sense environmentally than building motorways!

[fender62]

i was just thinking back on british rail..and why it collapsed, many reasons im sure.

[ToraToraTora]

so everything public owned should be free?? right oh!

[Buenchico]

Rail travel is now more popular in the UK than it's ever been
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/GBR_rail_passengers_by_year_1830-2015.png
with plenty of scope for increasing passenger numbers far more but only if there's the infrastructure to do so.

HS2 isn't only about slightly faster journeys; what's far more important is ensuring that there's the capacity to carry all of the passengers who wish to travel by rail. (At the moment many train services run with hundreds of people standing and with other people deterred from travelling by rail due to constant overcrowding. HS2 will provide additional capacity, meaning that more people will be able to travel by rail and to do so in comfort).

[LaMandolina]

As per usual... the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

[fiction-factory]

Are you on the right thread, LaMandolina

[douglas9401]

Bring back the porters I say.

There's a shiny shilling my good man now take my steamer trunk and six suitcases to the guards van and be quick about it.
There's forty tonnes of bananas coming on the next train and it needs to be divied up between all the local Tesco and Asda stores and delivered to them before you finish tonight. Make sure your barrow wheels are well greased.

Yes I know they used to be taken by truck direct to the stores but this is a brave new/old world.

I suppose we could look at forming a real infrastructure organisation for major works but who has time for that kind of nonsense these days? Just get a spiv to quote then put at least double aside as they start their usual dance.

[Old_Geezer]

Don't the train companies pay to use the rail ?

[Old_Geezer]

If so the rail user pays the train companies who pay the rail owner (Network Rail ) who ought to be the government/publically owned thus relieving the taxpayer of paying so much into the public kitty.

[Buenchico]

>>> Don't the train companies pay to use the rail ?

They do indeed, O_G, and heftily so!

[gulliver1]

Hey Ho, There they go"The Con Party" with their "Magic Money Tree" again, £106 Bn.

[fiction-factory]

Don't you support the idea of infrastructure investment then, gulliver?

[ToraToraTora]

surprised gulliver1 is against investment in infrastructure, normally a cornerstone of left wingers.

[fender62]

is hs2 for freight as well ?

[fiction-factory]

I recall that the idea is that HS2 will free up space on the old railways that can be used for freight

[Buenchico]

>>> is hs2 for freight as well ?

It frees up existing tracks for greater use by freight services.

Scroll down to "Improving rail freight too":
https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/89694/hs2-capacity-britains-existing-rail/

[theshedman]

gulliver, "Labour supports HS2 which was a programme that began under a Labour government." It was a Labour magic money tree that started it.

[Theland]

There will be many millionaires made from big fat consultancy and management fees as the establishment pigs sink their jowels into the High Speed Gravy Train.

[gulliver1]

18.56, I see { Mr TTT/Blake ,} is getting confused with The Con Magic Money Tree and Infrastructure.