Interesting article

BBC News - Publicly owned rail is popular. But is it making the trains run on time? - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck5yn0n14r8do

 
This quote, from the article, sums it up quite well doesn’t it?

 
The comment from Mr. Glaister probably comes under the heading of 'Stating The Bleeding Obvious', but...

The graphs in the BBC article indicate that overall SWR performance since nationalisation in May 2025 has been largely static (punctuality) or worsened (cancellations).

However I saw a recent interview with Lawrence Bowman, SWR MD, in which he stated that he was now able to work towards what he called 'Full Establishment'. This was explained as having sufficient staff to run the defined timetable without recourse to Overtime or Rest Day Working.

Perhaps the DfT / Treasury clowns have now had a 'public ownership' change of approach - it seems to be accepted that it was government stopping this application of common sense.

It will be interesting to see if this actually happens and, if so, whether it produces the expected improvements.

 
This, in a nutshell.

The Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says that she wants to see subsidy levels fall. Meanwhile, Network Rail has acknowledged a squeezed budget means difficult choices, and shoring up the network against the effects of more extreme weather requires investment.

Prof Glaister says: "When the public is hoping for a better level of service, more reliability, fewer breakdowns and lower fares, what they're really asking for is more money to be put into the railway.

"I don't think it's likely the government is going to be able to find more money, probably [it will have] less, actually. And so I think there's a real problem with ministers raising expectations from this policy."

 

Sure, that's what the public are hoping for.   But let's look

1. There are no offers of a general better level of service, though there may be some bright spots.  Indeed nothing much is said about level of service and could we be in for another Beeching, or Serpell? That could save money.  I won't give any pointers in the South West ... but I could look at East Anglia and and ask about lines such as those through Berney Arms, East Tilbury and Emerson Park, and to such places as Sheringham, Sudbury and Southminster and wonder about their economic case.

2. More reliability and fewer breakdowns could be achieved by reducing the number of services run and increasing running times, could it not?  Swiss timekeeping has an excellent reputation, but I've made a number of journeys where we have paused to make up time.  And modern technology (I've see demos) can hide that slowing down by programming the trains to run slower than they could - not awaiting time at stations but running a little slower between

3. "Fare Simplification" is what is suggested, and can be achieved, can't it, by simply scrapping some of the lower fares?  Let's get rid of super off peak - no, it's not in headlines terms putting "fares up" but it'll sure as heck make a substantial difference in our parts to weekend travellers!

 

"No offers of a general better level of service" - sure about that?

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/25506607.mp-heidi-alexander-promises-better-buses-reliable-trains/

“No more Sundays wondering if the train will turn up. No more baffling array of ticket types and prices - a public service, where reliability is the watchword and pride is restored.

“Great British Railways is coming soon and will be run by the people for the people.”

 

Sure, that's what the public are hoping for.   But let's look

1. There are no offers of a general better level of service, though there may be some bright spots.  Indeed nothing much is said about level of service and could we be in for another Beeching, or Serpell? That could save money.  I won't give any pointers in the South West ... but I could look at East Anglia and and ask about lines such as those through Berney Arms, East Tilbury and Emerson Park, and to such places as Sheringham, Sudbury and Southminster and wonder about their economic case.

2. More reliability and fewer breakdowns could be achieved by reducing the number of services run and increasing running times, could it not?  Swiss timekeeping has an excellent reputation, but I've made a number of journeys where we have paused to make up time.  And modern technology (I've see demos) can hide that slowing down by programming the trains to run slower than they could - not awaiting time at stations but running a little slower between

3. "Fare Simplification" is what is suggested, and can be achieved, can't it, by simply scrapping some of the lower fares?  Let's get rid of super off peak - no, it's not in headlines terms putting "fares up" but it'll sure as heck make a substantial difference in our parts to weekend travellers!
[/quote]

"No offers of a general better level of service" - sure about that?

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/25506607.mp-heidi-alexander-promises-better-buses-reliable-trains/

“No more Sundays wondering if the train will turn up. No more baffling array of ticket types and prices - a public service, where reliability is the watchword and pride is restored.

“Great British Railways is coming soon and will be run by the people for the people.”
[/quote]

I'll have some of what she's on! (please) 

 

It depends, I suppose, on how you define "better" and how you measure "level".  

A train every 15 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads to Bath Spa, calling at Keynsham, Oldfield Park and Bath Spa. Two carrying on via Chippenham and Swindon in the hour (one each to Bedford and London) and two via Westbury to London via Salisbury (all stations to Basingstoke) and to Southampton Central (all stations).  A train every hour Swindon to Yeovil, alternating onward to or via Yeovil Junction and Weymouth.  All trains at least 5 carriages long (London trains 9 or 10) and with timings to include 15% extra recovery time at key points along the way.   ... Is that "better"?

Tickets - singles only,  any time and off peak only, with off peak being for journeys starting after 09:30 and before 16:00, and after 19:30, 7 days a week.  Season tickets to be replaced by smart ticketing, linked to your credit card  or a Cuttlefish card (an overgrown Oyster) card.   Railcards available for all, at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels offering 12%, 24%, 36% off all tickets for an annual fee.   Holiday (rover) cards available for a week in dynamic geographic areas, no time restrictions.

 

You set the parameters at "a general better level of service", you are getting rather specific now! 

Ticketing suggestions seem sound, and you would have thought that with one organisation rather than numerous TOCs consistency would be much easier in that context, but we'll see. I doubt anything that reduces overall revenue will gain much traction given her other comments about reducing subsidy!

Of course returning to the plan of shutting 90-odd% of ticket offices would be attractive to someone wishing to cut costs..................

 

Yep, that's why it's an e=x=a=m=p=l=e asking whether such a setup would be considered "better".   


Simplifying tickets - and truly doing so in a modernising way and not as a sneaky way for a general uplift of income while claiming "no rises" would be welcome. Sadly it would reduce the need for many of the skills and knowledge of members here, but that's progress.  It would also progress, with gates like they do in The Netherlands, for 99.9% of tickets rather than what feels like 80% and so the need for so much work looking after fare advise, collection and checking.

 

I think if someone promises “No more Sundays wondering if the train will turn up. No more baffling array of ticket types and prices - a public service, where reliability is the watchword and pride is restored.“Great British Railways is coming soon and will be run by the people for the people.” - most reasonable people would accept that as a "general better level of service" Graham, but hopefully your more exacting requirements will be met.