tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post1156224581839888422..comments2024-03-05T10:52:24.691+00:00Comments on Mark Wadsworth: Southeastern train service 'good value for money'Mark Wadsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-13351826577912175752014-10-14T19:29:33.943+01:002014-10-14T19:29:33.943+01:00TBH, most railways were built to carry freight. P...TBH, most railways were built to carry freight. Passengers were an afterthought. An exception was the Metropolitan Railway, who, sensibly also bought and devloped the land that its line was going to serve, hence capturing the uplift in land values for itself instead of doing all the hard work and have someone else pocket most of the money. Bayardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15211150959757982948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-86358977023488492992014-10-14T14:22:54.095+01:002014-10-14T14:22:54.095+01:00TBH, railways and bridges are largely monopolies w...TBH, railways and bridges are largely monopolies who collect rent (out of which they pay running costs) and in your example, the railway or bridge owner IS a private landowner.Mark Wadsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-52730356016206831902014-10-14T14:15:50.006+01:002014-10-14T14:15:50.006+01:00Lola- you are of course right. Snatching a moment ...Lola- you are of course right. Snatching a moment from work to comment on something quickly never sensible on this site!<br />There is something nagging me though- the trains have a monopoly in some respects- and without the wealth creation happening at each end of their tracks, they would have no business. Tickets are like a toll over a bridge, and the price has no market connection to the cost of providing the service. Clearly (as YPP policy would state), building a bridge or railway is a net good if the overall rent rises outweigh the cost of building and maintaining such things, but if the railway/bridge co. pockets the increase in rental value themselves, is that any better than a private landowner doing so?ThomasBHallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08998362261169422976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-21666289031958909432014-10-14T12:31:45.742+01:002014-10-14T12:31:45.742+01:00TBH. I think it is rather the other way about. T...TBH. I think it is rather the other way about. The landowners in the provinces take margin from the train cos. That is the train cos spend all the money making the trains faster and cheaper and all that gain is swallowed up by higher land prices. Lolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586735342675041312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-60825199767679855532014-10-14T09:30:19.175+01:002014-10-14T09:30:19.175+01:00Let's not forget that while yes, trains are th...Let's not forget that while yes, trains are the best way for many people to access higher paying jobs- the whole tax structure of the UK leads to hugely wasteful allocation of resources and the hollowing out of employment in the regions. Much like a landowner, the train company takes the rent difference between the places with good jobs, and the places with low(er) property prices. Just because the situation whereby people are encouraged to commute crazy distances isn't the rail companies' fault, doesn't stop them being bastards!ThomasBHallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08998362261169422976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-26309293899928353052014-10-13T23:49:57.110+01:002014-10-13T23:49:57.110+01:00Mark,
Yup - Intercity is so pricey that I try and...Mark,<br /><br />Yup - Intercity is so pricey that I try and arrange meetings after 11, or else I drive down to Hungerford which is just in Network South East and catch a train.Tim Almondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13369256383976094670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-3773909913945890562014-10-13T21:07:21.597+01:002014-10-13T21:07:21.597+01:00Hehe good spoof, perfectly done. I had to check th...Hehe good spoof, perfectly done. I had to check the original just to be sure.<br /><br />To be honest, trains in the south east are good value*. If they weren't, they wouldn't be so bloody packed all the time.<br /><br />* intercity fares are an absolute outrage, and I can't comment on local train fares elsewhere in the country.Mark Wadsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-7326913815957771142014-10-13T20:24:48.496+01:002014-10-13T20:24:48.496+01:00Didn't anyone mention house prices?Didn't anyone mention house prices?Lolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586735342675041312noreply@blogger.com