I always thought that it was only in the UK that major infrastructure cock ups could occur ......
After all, we tie everything down for years or decades, in an arcane and destructive planning process, so that often the development is out of date by the time its allowed, and developers either have to go ahead, even though its no longer really fit for purpose, or risk another decade in that same planning process submitting fresh plans.
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| 2,000 Of These Put Britain To Shame |
After all, we tie everything down for years or decades, in an arcane and destructive planning process, so that often the development is out of date by the time its allowed, and developers either have to go ahead, even though its no longer really fit for purpose, or risk another decade in that same planning process submitting fresh plans.
So it made me laugh to find that the French rail provider has just ordered 2,000 new trains, only to find that they are too big for the older rural platforms .... they are now having to spend millions of euro's to alter all the rural platforms to accommodate the new trains ... cue many red faces.
But in words that should resonate around the Conservative Party, French Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier blamed an "absurd rail system" for the problems. "When you separate the rail operator from the train company," he said, "this is what happens."
Personally it was the realisation that in France, they can order 2,000 new trains that was the big news, while in the UK if we get 30 or 40 more new carriages, its declared a triumph for our rail system and privatisation.
Despite this cock up, France is of course decades ahead of us on affordable Public Transport ..... You got it wrong Tory Party when you separated the the rail operators from the track operator and introduced multiple operators..
But in words that should resonate around the Conservative Party, French Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier blamed an "absurd rail system" for the problems. "When you separate the rail operator from the train company," he said, "this is what happens."
Personally it was the realisation that in France, they can order 2,000 new trains that was the big news, while in the UK if we get 30 or 40 more new carriages, its declared a triumph for our rail system and privatisation.
Despite this cock up, France is of course decades ahead of us on affordable Public Transport ..... You got it wrong Tory Party when you separated the the rail operators from the track operator and introduced multiple operators..
NB: Britain has had to extend the platforms of many rural stations due to the longer trains as the electrification of the lines rolls out across the country.
My rail line is about to be partially closed for 6 weeks, while whats described as electrification works are undertaken. I will be left to the tender mercies of the buses they have laid on as replacements, and have had to inform my employers that I may be seriously late to work over the period.
ReplyDeleteWhat made me laugh about all this, was that in the past week alone 3 Scottish trains have been cancelled because of 'overhead line breaks', meaning the electrified lines keep having major problems, and this is just summer. Our rails woes are about to get a lot lot worse.
Can't argue with your conclusion. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteWell here we are a decade later, and the UK rail service is still a mess. Some operators have handed in or lost their franchises, which are now government-operated franchises again.
DeleteWhile the rail unions have been carrying out a guerilla war of strike actions for the last 2 years in support of increasingly large wage demands.
It's hard to see anything but government control and forced amalgamation of the unions involved (RMT, ASLEF, and TSSA) in to one 'national rail union', because they make settlements almost impossible.