They’re nationalising the train operating companies, right? Not the company that owns the lines, which seems the wrong way round to me. The tracks and stations are the vital resources.
The company that owns the lines (Network Rail) is already nationalised. Its privatised predecessor (Railtrack) collapsed spectacularly all the way back in 2002.
All stations are owned and managed by either Network Rail or a train operating company, so this will bring all stations into nationalised ownership.
The only thing that isn’t being nationalised as part of this plan is the existing rolling stock, which is owned by yet another set of companies. But there’s no reason why new rolling stock won’t be under direct ownership, so that should sort itself out eventually.
All? Not all. One village of indomitable Gauls station remains in private ownership, and that’s St Pancras. All other stations are owned by Network Rail and have been since 2002.
Technically St Pancras is still state owned, but it’s on a long-term lease to a private consortium. Once the lease expires it’ll revert to direct state ownership too, it’s just that that’s got quite a long time horizon on it compared to the TOC franchises (still another 15 years away yet).
The lines were never privatised. Network rail is planned to be merged into GBR. But as it is already under dft control. The plans are a little in the air ATM.
They’re nationalising the train operating companies, right? Not the company that owns the lines, which seems the wrong way round to me. The tracks and stations are the vital resources.
The company that owns the lines (Network Rail) is already nationalised. Its privatised predecessor (Railtrack) collapsed spectacularly all the way back in 2002.
All stations are owned and managed by either Network Rail or a train operating company, so this will bring all stations into nationalised ownership.
The only thing that isn’t being nationalised as part of this plan is the existing rolling stock, which is owned by yet another set of companies. But there’s no reason why new rolling stock won’t be under direct ownership, so that should sort itself out eventually.
All? Not all. One
village of indomitable Gaulsstation remains in private ownership, and that’s St Pancras. All other stations are owned by Network Rail and have been since 2002.Technically St Pancras is still state owned, but it’s on a long-term lease to a private consortium. Once the lease expires it’ll revert to direct state ownership too, it’s just that that’s got quite a long time horizon on it compared to the TOC franchises (still another 15 years away yet).
The lines were never privatised. Network rail is planned to be merged into GBR. But as it is already under dft control. The plans are a little in the air ATM.