railways - billions for profiteers
WORKERS, JULY 2004 ISSUE
This year, the government is paying out £5.32 billion to the myriad companies involved in our railways. This is four times the amount that governments used to spend on British Rail.
Now we have twice as many late trains as with BR, and all that the government can promise us for the future are higher fares and more cuts in services.
Meanwhile, costs escalate, and all land on the taxpayer. For example, the train companies need to find another £7 billion to use the tracks, but their contracts protect them from having to pay this money themselves. As a result, the full cost lands on the government, and, via them, on us.