What goes around, comes around.
Sole control of Britain’s rail infrastructure is to be taken out of the hands of the state-owned Network Rail and shared with private firms under government plans to be announced next week, it has been reported.
The move, which would represent one of the biggest changes to the running of the British rail network in recent years, would see track maintenance undertaken by Virgin, Southern, ScotRail and other operators for the first time.
Good Lord! Of course, there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth among the immature cretins below the line, all demanding that the inefficient state take control. But, we’ve been here before. When the railway was privatised, maintenance was carried out by independent companies; GTRM, Jarvis, Amey and so on. The success of this was, er, of variable quality – Jarvis in particular managed to fuck up spectacularly. And this was, in part, why maintenance was taken back in-house by Network Rail.
The latest plans, however, have a fine twist:
The transport minister, Chris Grayling, reportedly believes the plan will incentivise the private operators, which rely on the tracks being in operation, to complete the repairs more quickly than Network Rail, thereby decreasing disruption.
He also sees the move as a way of cutting fares. In 2007, as shadow transport secretary, he said: “We think, with hindsight, that the complete separation of track and train into separate businesses at the time of privatisation was not right for our railways.
Hindsight? Only if you are a politician. I was in operations at the time of privatisation and it was blindingly obvious to me then that a horizontal split was a bad idea and that it made sense for the train operators to have control of the track and signalling and to carry out maintenance either directly or via contractors under their control. But, then, I wasn’t blinded by ideology.
But to those who demand that it all be taken back by the state and to those who demand that it be fully privatised, I make one point – it will be the same people whatever you do. The track gangs will simply be TUPEd over to their new employer, so plus ça change.
Having suffered many a winter morning and evening at the hands of Network Rail, I say good riddance.
It may be the same people but they are incentivised by a company which is more accountable for their actions.
True – and I am quietly optimistic. What I would like to see is Network Rail dissolved and the signalling also falling under the jurisdiction of the TOCs.