If you flew above busy roads into our great cities at 8.30 on a mid week morning you would see busy and congested roads with many queues of traffic at traffic lights. Much of the traffic would be bumper to bumper in  slow moving  blocks or close together where it is flowing.
You would also observe large runs of empty train track going straight into the heart of the city interspersed with some well distanced trains. If you wait at a provincial station most of the time the track is empty.
The railways usually tell us they are using all the capacity on main lines, particularly at busy times. Despite all the trains going in the same direction on main track runs , and despite the ability of a system controller to know exactly where all the trains are, there are large gaps for safety reasons.
Modern digital signalling can allow much greater control and accuracy which in turn could allow at least 50% more trains to use the same track run safely. It does not  need the wildly expensive extra HS 2 track to increase capacity to the north. Improving signals and extra surveillance of train positions and speeds should mean more trains and fewer accidents. More technology could stop drivers passing red signals by mistake or without permitted override. Knowing speeds and locations of trains can drive the signals.
Having extra capacity on the existing network is important to cater for bulges in demand and to offer more timetable  flex. Trains should be good at moving large numbers  of people to a single point, as for a large sporting event, concert, conference or busy office district, Rail needs to lay on more specials and peak services when trainload numbers are wanting to travel. Reception stations for such venues need to be safe for peak crowds instead  of tube stations closing for rear of too many people turning up.
February 6, 2024
Nobody wants to travel by train. The railways should be dug up and tarmacadam laid so that cars can use the direct routes into cities.
Multi storied car parks are already available at most railway stations. We need lighter and more efficient ICE cars so they can use multi storied facilities.
February 6, 2024
Well trains have their place particularly for some commuting routes, journeys to airports and some intercity travel. Also for people who cannot or do not want to drive. Though self driving cars will change this eventually.
JR says âTrains should be good at moving large numbers of people to a single point, as for a large sporting event, concert, conference or busy office districtâ well to a point but what do all these trains and drivers do for the rest of the time. The trains may be full for the inward journey at say 8.00am and the return at 5.30 but overall occupancy of the vehicle all day might then only be as low a 5%.
February 6, 2024
So Kwasi has decided no to stand at the next election, but then he had zero chance of winning anyway. Just like about 50%+ of Tory MPs at this rate with Sunak. Clearly the man (Classics & History at Trinity Camb.) was totally out of his depth at Energy and as Chancellor – but he is a fairly bright and sensible chap who has a working compass (in general though clearly not on Net Zero or Energy Policy).
He was unlucky to become Chancellor at a time when Sunak and Andrew Bailey had booby trapped both the ÂŁ and the whole economy with their total ineptitudes of QE, endless government waste like furlough/covid loans, HS2, PPE corruption, the net harm lockdowns and net harm Covid vaccinations for all.
The King is very sensible to opt for private healthcare and has already started treatment for his condition (Bladder Cancer seems most likely after just a few days). The more people who opt for private treatment the more pressure it takes off the NHS and hopefully reduces the totally unacceptable cancer waiting times in the NHS system. It also brings more money into healthcare in the UK thus more doctors, facilities, capacity and nurses.
February 6, 2024
That makes about 60 MPs deserting the socialist ship Tory party.
Is Truss announcing a splinter fringe group what the Tory party should be? If so why is she not just holding an internal meeting so the majority of her left wing socialist culturally Marxist party can sort out what its core values are about?
February 6, 2024
@Lifelogic +1
It is obvious to all that any ‘actual Conservative’ would win the next election just look at the so-called opposition. For opposition you have to include the residue of this Boris Johnson(collective responsibility) cabinet that is out of its depth and running the Country into the Ground – To the Conservative Party and CCHQ, I say you guys must have a Conservative somewhere hidden away- even the most junior most inexperienced real Conservative would clean up in an election.
February 6, 2024
Many cancer patients will recognise the way the King was diagnosed – it is known as an incidental diagnosis, when the disease is spotted during care for another condition. The King, 75, went in for treatment for an enlarged prostate – and during that procedure, the signs of cancer were spotted, leading to the diagnosis made public on Monday. This route to diagnosis is surprisingly common. While there is a big focus on screening programmes and urgent referrals from GPs, one in five cancers is actually diagnosed when patients are being seen for something else.
Over the past 12 months, 66,000 cancers have been diagnosed and treated through this route.
But where the experience of the public differs from that of the King is how quickly all this happens – he was admitted to a private hospital, for treatment for the enlarged prostate, less than two weeks ago and has already started cancer treatment.
The NHS target is for cancer treatment to start within 62 days of the disease being suspected. But over the past year, one out of every four patients diagnosed incidentally in England waited longer.
And the waiting time has gradually lengthened during the past decade or so.
It is a similar story for those diagnosed through other routes, such as via screening or a GP referral. Overall, more than one out of every three waits more than 62 days.
So all you who bang on about excess deaths stats – go back and read the above again.
Does it strike a chord? A few years ago we lost a dear friend to lung cancer, late suspicion by GP (cough) wait for referral, wait for chemo, admin issues, consultant on holiday, by the time it could start he was already too sick to take the chemo – they admitted.
There’s our World class NHS.
February 6, 2024
To busy to read and publish? It strikes the reality of the descent from acclaimed to often absymal.
February 6, 2024
+1
February 7, 2024
There is considerable evidence (ignored by the Establishment Scientists) that the jabs suppress the body’s natural immune response to fight cancer cells. There has been a considerable increase in aggressive cancers and cancers which had appeared to have been successfully treated.
February 6, 2024
I recall the crowd being marshalled for access to the Oval tube at the end of a day’s play at Test Matches, probably adding half an hour to the journey if you had been seated close to the Vauxhall end. When I lived in Richmond I used to walk to big matches at Twickenham. I often ended up working very late in central London, so my choice became cab or night bus. Last trains were before midnight.
February 6, 2024
Not financially viable – British rail for the cup final – rail is done. We want convenient individual journeys.
February 6, 2024
Starmer in the Times today:- âWe desperately need to ramp up green investmentâ so another deluded net zero moron heading for No 10. After Blair, Brown, Cameron, May, Boris, Sunak.
February 6, 2024
Non had or has any real understand of science, climate, energy, entropy⊠degrees in PPE, Economics, PPE, Geography, Classics, PPE respectively. Not that any had or has any grasp of real economics either it seems despite PPE allegedly including a bit or economics. But even Mrs Thatcher fell for climate alarmism.
February 7, 2024
+1
February 6, 2024
I would love to go back to train travel c1965.
It was truly wonderful.
After what âtheyâ have done to this country I scarcely want to put my nose outside the door ( including the garden).
Politicians are the Midas touch in reverse.
Dust and bitter ashes.
February 6, 2024
E,
Trips to and from school. Smokers carriages the norm with a permanent fog inside. ‘Ladies only’ carriages. Slam door carriages built to accommodate a more slender people.
At least the rolling stock has improved.
February 6, 2024
I loved all that.
I loved the trains and buses.
I loved the plain speaking people.
I loved this country.
I loved my freedom.
February 6, 2024
I think there are bigger problems than trains for this party and govt to sort out!
The question JR needs to address is why has this not been resolved over the last 14 years and why is he still raising another Tory failure? We had all the franchising guff, shelled out Multiple tens of millions of taxpayer cash and still mange to mess it it up providing a dire service that no one can rely on. With his govt.âs scaremongering about climate rot the trains stop running in case it rains or the wind blows! Weather events like winter happened for about 4.2 billion years.
February 6, 2024
+++
February 6, 2024
@Everhopeful – we know because the keep proving it, Governments their friends in the âBlobâ should never be hands on running anything. If the State has employees to do actual work that requires delivery of a product or service it fails, it always fails big time. Now it appears that Governments canât even create contracts that require a delivery of a product or service â to many floating around stroking ego and out of their depth, lacking just a modicum of management skill. So we all get to pay for the incompetence.
February 6, 2024
+++
February 6, 2024
+1 Everhopeful
I feel exactly the same.
February 6, 2024
+++
February 6, 2024
Speak for yourself. I am a pensioner and I don’t own a car, but am fairly mobile by bus and train. Your plan would have people like me in a 15 minute city while your new routes would soon be clogged with extra cars.
February 6, 2024
B,
Mega buses more reliable and cheaper than trains.
What is going to happen to all those caraveners, EVs will not cut the mustard. More delays?
February 6, 2024
Try an Uber. We could fund free Ubers to all pensioners for a fraction of the cost of British Rail.
Incidentally, a family member has developed pancreatitis from the Covid Jab. Goes from normal to requiring Morphine in 10 minutes. Takes an Uber to hospital because itâs faster and more efficient than ambulances!
We need roads, we need cars to take us from door to door.
February 7, 2024
There writes a townie. Ever tried getting an Uber in the countryside? Thought not. Cars are a necessity (probably not in towns and cities) and government should not be trying outlaw them. Shows they have no knowledge of what goes on outside the M25, nor do they care much. Sorry about the health issue. I know a bit about that as I am undergoing horrible treatment for cancer. Our nearest hospital is 20 miles away. No Ubers for us and taxis want 50 quid each way. Otherwise agree.
February 7, 2024
I live in Northumberland. Of course we need cars and for all pensioners etc, we can fund Ubers for a fraction of the current useless public transport system.
I was asked by a townie about the problems pensioners/townies/the sick would have without trains/busses. I think we should fund Ubers.
Do you disagree? So we opt for cars and individual door to door transport for all and fund a proper road system. Ditch the rest.
February 6, 2024
â Rail needs to lay on more specials and peak services when trainload numbers are wanting to travel. Reception stations for such venues need to be safe for peak crowds instead of tube stations closing for rear of too many people turning up.â
For example:-
Last night after the Brentford v Manchester City match there was a quarter of an hour wait for a train from Kew Bridge to Clapham Junction. Often there are engineering works at weekends and the station closes. So you have to check the internet to see if various routes are affected,
The nearest Tube – Gunnersbury – closes for an hour after matches finish.
However, buses suddenly become as rare as hensâ teeth.
If you drive there is a very good chance your car will be broken into. Traffic nearby is usually horrendous anyway.
Broken Britain?
February 6, 2024
“Nobody wants to travel by train.”
What rubbish. Plenty of people want to travel by train. I much prefer going in and out of central London by train. Much easier and more relaxing. The car parks are there for me to leave my car at the start of my journey and come back to, they are not there at the end. The peak train service in and out of Paddington can transport 7000 people per hour in each direction. Where would you park 7000 cars in the Paddington area?
And that’s before considering people who can’t drive. What about them?
February 6, 2024
PP,
Agreed.
February 6, 2024
There are no longer 7,000 people per hour who want to go to or from St Pancreas. Thatâs the point. We canât afford to provide that capacity for you and the other person travelling to and from Paddington.
February 6, 2024
Last time I travelled from Reading to Paddington it was standing room only both from Reading to Paddington and on the return journey, both on 10 carriage trains.
I don’t know where you get the idea that trains are running empty. I can assure you that they are not.
February 7, 2024
Then they should be in profit! No problem. Why are they whinging and demanding more funding? ⊠or were you on the lonely train âŠ
February 6, 2024
and even better if you join a ‘theatre club ‘ where members get discount by block booking a coach load, the driver does the work, drops you nearby, collects you all at a similar place and wafts you back to the original carpark.
Marvellous.
February 6, 2024
M T
Yes the Local Theatre Club has an excellent arrangement, Park your car at Cantley for free (I wonder for how much longer given Wokinghams Car Parking Policy) Coach takes you into London, drops you outside of the Theatre, Picks you up again outside, for the return home all at a sensible cost.
February 7, 2024
exactly what I refer to , and the profit goes to a charity.
February 6, 2024
MT,
Hiring a coach is now much more expensive than it used to be. People that used to organise trips have told me it is not viable now.
As the passengers would all be drinking alcohol, driving was not an alternative. So the groups now use trains and buses.
February 6, 2024
Peter
If the fare structure and cost was sensible you may well be right, but I am afraid the present set up is far too complicated and expensive for one person, let alone a family.
February 6, 2024
@lynn.
Sorry, I disagree.
As for “no one uses Railways”, may I suggest travelling on a Saturday and Sunday and trying to get a seat, impossible on some routes!
February 6, 2024
@Lynn – You are generalizing to much; your wish or scenario is dependent on where you live. Passenger volumes Liverpool Street Sation 80 million, Waterloo 57 million, London Bridge 47million thatâs 3.5million a week though just those 3 stations.
Mayor Khan has gone to war on the motorist and his compatriots around the Country are following suit
Cars are for the very rich and those very import people that donât wish to mix with the hoi polloi. can you imaging Sunak or Hunt wanting to share the road with you?
February 6, 2024
I am considering whether I want to share ANYTHING WHATSOEVER with Sunak or Hunt!
February 7, 2024
That is surely nonsense, Lynn. I for one travel to parts of West and central London fairly often and would not wish to do those journeys by car. The station car parks in the places I go through are full. Railways have a major place in a modern country’s transport structure, especially in overcrowded regions like South-East England. But they do need modernisation and adequate investment, as our good host says.
February 6, 2024
Good morning.
The problem with public transport is that it cannot deliver you from door to door like a car does. There are also other factors, such as cost etc. But it is the conveience of the car that wins out.
For much longer journy’s, say to Scotland, many perhaps would consider the train, but there to it has competition in the form of air transport.
It seems to me that the trains niche is moving high capacity of people over medium to short journies into large city areas and back again. But there again it is having competition from Home working.
The future does not look good for trains and it will be a bleed on government resources for many decades to come. No scheme is going to work, be it privatisation or State ownership.
February 6, 2024
Mark B
I think you are correct about the niche for railways being large numbers into cities over short or medium distances.
Public transport only works in those densely populated towns and cities.
If I lived in London, Manchester, Birmingham or even Reading, I would not even consider owning a car because public transport is so readily available. If I needed to go on a long journey or take a weekend break, I would hire a car.
I think during the covid lock down, daily commuters realised that a very large proportion of their income and time was used up on that journey to and from work. They suddenly found a lot of money left at the end of the month rather than a lot of month left at the end of the money. That is what the public transport sector is really up against.
February 6, 2024
The govt scared people from using trains during the covid scam. The WHO already spreading scare stories of another pandemic worldwide shut down. Sunak handing them power over us. What does JR expect?
February 6, 2024
Until trains can be reliable and punctual and nor subject to the whims of Marxist unions, they have no future . Like the electricity networks they have been destroyed by government interference. The franchises should be allowed to go bankrupt and then the staff retired on sensible contracts. If the unions insist on maintaining Spanish practices the companies should disappear.
February 6, 2024
House of frauds select Committee thinks that banning excellent ICE vehicles will have to be extended as the pesky public can’t afford or won’t buy the useless EVs
Most EV manufacturers are scaling back production and Toyota has no inclination to join the fray.
Still the unelected Midget wants to go ahead fining manufacturers for not hitting his targets so they’ve stopped making small affordable cars preferring to sell larger more profitable ones.
This constant government interference in the free market has got to stop and the liblabcon must be removed from the equation.
February 6, 2024
MB,
People managed well in the days before widespread car ownership.
There was convenience for car owners then – but that has now disappeared due to the volume of cars on the road apart from very late or during the night.
In contrast car drivers now have the aggravation on traffic jams and the need to find and usually pay handsomely to park at their destination. If they own certain cars then there is a chance they will be stolen (or parts such as converters removed).
The idea of paving rail tracks for cars is daft. You would also need to install exit and entry roads to the track and arrange for parking along the routes. Abandoned rail tracks are usually given over to walkers – unless heritage services take over.
February 6, 2024
Itâs Sir Alfred Shermanâs âdaftâ idea.
February 6, 2024
LA,
Itâs still a daft idea, regardless of who claims ownership.
February 7, 2024
Itâs brilliant. We want individual journeys not busses and trains moving in circle whether they are needed or not, with one person on board – the driver!
But no statist chooses to see that.
February 6, 2024
Public transport is not as efficient as a car most of the time. They take indirect routes, spend much of the day travelling empty, need end connections, need professional drivers and staff, usually far slower and far less flexible, cannot carry much luggage, cannot store luggage either so you have to lug it round all day. Not even efficient in energy terms. A bus to Gatwick from say East Grinstead stopping every few yards and taking a very indirect route can take over an hour by car 15 mins. Bus occupancy average often fewer than 8 too.
February 6, 2024
Historically signalling has relied on wires to trackside sgnal, Then came communications to the cab but actual control was still by trackside signal. Suppose trains were equipped with GPS transponders so that drivers know the positions of the trains in front of their own. How much closer could they run, allowing for signal failure. Suppose such a system were enhanced so that if the gap closes too quickly the brakes are applied automatically. there would still be a limit to how close the trains could run safely, allowing for failure and variation in track condition (ice, leaves, wet, hot and cold), gradient, curvature, load and other variables. To run a fixed schedule the calculations must assume all the worst conditions apply concurrently. I understand some actuarial calculation is normal practice to compare the economic value on the lives at risk and potentially saved to the cost of additonal safety measures, coupled with a failure modes and effects analysis.
It seems to me that it is not a simple problem. The ultimate limit is determined by what is considered safe. Who should decide that and on what criteria? Should trains be a safer mode of travel than cars? Safer than planes? Or buses? Or ships?
February 6, 2024
Victoria Atkins our rather dim Health Secretary under training (with zero medical training) show once again just how daft she is.
âNHS old boysâ network makesâ bad workplace for women – about 70% of NHS staff are female and most doctors now starting or in training are female. This is a problem as they tend to take career breaks and work fewer hours so you have to train rather more of them which is expensive. They are also far less likely to repay all their student debt.â
Working conditions at the NHS are indeed dire. Staff rarely even get free parking or decent food facilities. Needless to say Ms Attkins with zero medical training is paid about five times what a junior doctor gets after 6 years of medical training gets. Plus she gets free parking at work and her commuting cost paid tax free on expenses and many subsidised bar and restaurants and a work crĂšche. Yes she demonstrates her unsuitability for the job endlessly.
February 6, 2024
Many NHS staff have to pay up to ÂŁ28 a day for parking at work and this out of already heavily taxes pay.
Rather a pathetic interview will Sunak yesterday. He continues his lies that he is cutting taxes they are actually still rising. He blames doctors strikes for he failure to tackle the dire NHS – well he could pay doctors and medical staff enough to live on perhaps? He is failing on four of his five promises but claims progress on all but the NHS one.
The main reason they should change Sunak is his history means he is largely to blame for the current mess the inflation, the net harm lockdowns, the dire economy, the highest taxes for 70+ years, the net harm vaccine that the fool still assures us are safe despite the very clear statistics and he stick to his net zero lunacy. He is out of touch and not a politician a middle manager at best. Nothing to lose by ditching the socialist dope.
February 6, 2024
LL,
Six out of twenty nine posts so far. Well done!
You haven’t even made a ” xxxx is surely correct in today’s Telegraph. ” one yet.
Are you using AI to generate them ?
February 6, 2024
LL,
Atkins is in the papers prioritising âthe old boyâ syndrome in NHS! Another left wing woke failure in the wrong party along with Nokes, May and a host of others.
February 6, 2024
@Lifelogic – lies all they have. It is suggested by a recent poll that he will be devoid of foot soldiers/canvassers from the ranks in the election, could it be they are fed up with the lies they have been expected to tell to gain votes over the last 14 years
February 6, 2024
@ Lifelogic – you have no need to tell us about Victoria Atkins for she came to our notice as Health Secretary pre-condemned by reason of a very poor parliamentary reply to one of Sir John’s questions in her previous ministerial job.
She will be replaced soon enough by someone equally clueless but for a while keen and with the fatal flaw of being eager to please.
February 6, 2024
To be fair Lifelogic to become a lawyer her training would be four years (instead of the 5 years of most medical degrees), then she would undertake pupillage to become a Barrister. The current rates for that are: Salaries for those undertaking pupillage (final stage of qualification for the Bar) must be no less than ÂŁ20,703 per year in London and ÂŁ18,884 outside of London (2023).
February 6, 2024
A simple explanation as to why the hoi polloi haven’t generally studied law and become a lawyer – -you need family money.
February 7, 2024
AT,
Law degrees 3 years. Where do you get the four years? One year LLP? They can do that on the job. Hardly challenging.
February 7, 2024
All the graduate lawyers I know Hope had to do an extra year like a master’s. I can’t remember what it’s called off the top of my head. One young lady I know did a four-year degree in Scotland (as most of their degrees are), then a 5th year in another university to complete her degree training, then she had two years on a low standard fee, i.e. ÂŁ22,550 for first-year trainees. ÂŁ26,125 for second-year trainees. These current rates are recommendations and are not compulsory but are what most graduates start on.
February 7, 2024
apologies for two replies John, but prospects explains:
Is a three-year law degree enough to be a lawyer? The short answer is no. An LLB on its own isn’t enough. If you want to become a solicitor, upon completing a Bachelor of Laws you’ll then need to sit the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE), complete two years of qualifying work experience and pass the SRAs suitability requirements.
February 7, 2024
Or a second job like a young man I know.
February 7, 2024
And often nepotism to get your first training position. But why do we have a health Sec. with a law degree and zero medical or business experience as health secretary? Paid 4 times as much as many Doctors with 8 years medical training most rather brighter too.
February 8, 2024
Thats just silly now, sheâs 47 years of age, how much are 47 year old doctors earning after promotion to Senior Management?!!! She isnât a clinician in the NHS, they pretty much run the show in the operating theatres and wards donât they? She is there to oversea and manage the nationalised institution on the publics behalf in line with the legal contract boundaries.
Personally I would hold her to account for not finding out for us where the biggest problems are, which Trusts are doing well? What are they doing better than the others, at the worst trusts insist direct Management step up and improve or be replaced. If I were her Iâd want a list of everyone on the waiting list for over 18 months with their operation requirements, the time that operation requires, whether it needs a hospital bed or not and I would focus on that, even if I had to send them to hospitals elsewhere in the Country, abroad or open up more money for treatments to be done by international surgeon teams (if ours wonât do overtime) on weekends that donât require overnight stays and get people back to work.
Iâd build social care wards for what they term âbed blockersâ, people who donât require nursing and doctors they need social carers as they canât go home, with 100 beds per large hospital. I would train 16-18 year olds in the first line of care qualifying them to enable them to enter into nursing training should they wish to at 18. I would take this out of schools and colleges and divert the trainers. Itâs too late now perhaps but they are getting the funds now soâŠ
February 6, 2024
This article makes no sense at all on this issue. If RMT and ASLEF members, whose job is to serve the public by training the train rather than indulging in Marxist politics, refuse to climb into their cabs and drive the actual train then no amount of capacity will make a difference.
I just give up with the Tory party. It’s pure, insincere, uncommitted bullshit that pours forth. Legislate against the unions across the board or pack up and go home because a weak, woke Tory party is pointless if it isn’t going to defend the moral majority
February 6, 2024
The stark reality is that we no longer really need “Train Drivers” Dom. I know guys that have model railways that are completely automated and have been for years. Compared to self-driving cars, the technology required is trivial (and for a ‘Big’ (unmanned) model railway, look no further than the Docklands Light Railway). The same could be said of the London Underground of course…
In terms of convenience, a parcel doesn’t care if gets pulled over to let a passenger train pass, so all that rail capaicty could be used if fully automated (with more than a signalling update). What to do with all those Train and Tube drivers? Well – there are all these ‘Green’ jobs coming along “real soon” apparently. đ
February 6, 2024
You are not wrong.
February 6, 2024
Best wishes to King Charles for a speedy recovery from his rather serious medical issues.
Good to see he is not taking the homeopathic root that he is such a great enthusiast for. He is also a fan of people (other than himself and other wealthy âimportantâ people with private jets and Astonâs) not flying or driving). Does he not perhaps see any political problems with this general approach given his rather privileged position?
February 6, 2024
In recent years I have used public transport more to access events in London and the local city, mainly because of the cost of parking but also the sheer density of traffic has made road use problematic. I haven’t enjoyed driving for years and journey times have become unpredictable with pop-up roadworks and traffic density.
But the high cost of rail has deterred me from making some discretionary trips entirely. 3 of us wanted to visit an exhibition in Birmingham NEC but the cost would be over ÂŁ200 (on top of the event costs) for say 4 hours at the event and 6 hours travel time. It would have been cheaper by car but still around 6 hours on the road. So we didn’t go at all.
Increasing the utilisation of rail tracks is likely a good thing, especially if freight is increased to exploit, it but there also has to be a significant cost reduction to encourage use and avoid replacement by alternatives.
February 6, 2024
Posted above before I saw your previous piece discussing costs and subsidies which would have been the more appropriate thread.
February 6, 2024
Nobody would dispute any of the well thought-out points in today’s piece. Modern digital signalling could be integrated with computers actually driving the trains, saving ÂŁbillions in wages. The Docklands Light Railway has run for years with no accidents on it’s driverless trains.
Two industries – the police and the railways – escaped the attentions of the anti-union Thatcher/Major years. Look at all the trouble we have had with both of them since.
February 6, 2024
Yeah as long as you don’t let Fujitsu near the railways. How would they cover up the carnage their systems would do?
February 6, 2024
The activities of the Police during the miners’ strikes and the Football crowds was possibly the dawn of where we are today.
February 6, 2024
At least Charles will not have to wait for Cancer treatment on the NHS – unlike so many who wait months or years. Many have dies due to cancelled or delayed screenings.
See the excellent Prof Karol Sikora on X.
âUsing the three empty Rutherford centres is a solution that can deliver for thousands of patients almost overnight. Politicians/charities talk of grand plans, but here is a ready-made fix…
Cancer patients don’t need funding in ten years, they need world-class treatment nowâ
February 6, 2024
A good interview with the excellent Prof. Angus Dalgleish on Farage last night on the Kingâs Cancer – see also his excellent âDeath of Science retreat from reason in the moder worldâ book.
February 7, 2024
LL,
Not just theory. He is a brilliant cancer doctor. Another experienced lost voice because govt wants to shut people like him up because it does not fit the govtâs dishonest narrative.
February 6, 2024
Trains are inconvenient, dirty, dangerous, plagued by constant strikes by already over-paid personnel and expensive to use.
More folk working from home or taking jobs nearer home has reduced the customer base.
The railway system as it is, is no longer fit for purpose.
Sadly local authorities in league with central Government believe if they continue to punish car drivers through ever more financially crippling means. They’ll get customers back on the railways.
February 6, 2024
Your suggestion would increase the costs without increasing the revenue Sir John. To attract more customers would require lower prices and door to door service which trains can not do.
You have suggested a nationalised model where subsidies increase.
February 6, 2024
Perhaps demand for rail travel doesn’t need more services. See above comments.
Perhaps Sir J, you find out ‘what the customer wants’….BEFORE spending more money.
It’s the simple business principles that need to be addressed first.
February 6, 2024
We have been here many times before. The system as it stands is technically way out of date. Drivers are only necessary for emergencies should modern technology be adopted. It is an enormous capital cost for intermittent use. Consequently passenger fares are very high. The railways themselves have failed to market their facility for freight.
The obvious alternative for 100 mile trips is the car, ICE propelled. Longer journeys are better by air. Problem is local and national government is wageing a feud with the car and aircraft to such an extent that they are putting an end to the cities they are responsible for.
Frankly who would choose to travel to our capital or many of our once great cities. They are dirty, expensive, alien places where life is at risk on a daily basis. Dodge City on a larger scale with no Sheriff. Like Dodge they are in terminal decline. Even Speakers Corner that totem for unmolested free speech has become a centre for, unchallenged by the law, anti semitism. The very fabric and culture of our nation is under direct threat from imported medieval thinking from around the World, and even Parliament fails to act. Confirming that the present Parliament is a major part of the problem.
February 6, 2024
Here a simple return to the pre scam timetable would suit wonderfully.
Theyâve cut the service!
The plan obviously is for the public not to travelâŠat all!
February 6, 2024
Train timetables still reflect the optimal figures calculated after the war based on stretches of track that allow a train to enter and exit without collision. Computers have proven this to be optimal given the track stretches.
You would have to put automatic brakes on every train and signals in the track and slow the trains down so they could stop in time.
February 6, 2024
What % of British trains don’t have automatic brakes?
February 6, 2024
There is another factor with trains: they are heavy and require long stopping distances – hence the separation between them. For long distance travel the train is difficult to beat. However, for short journeys, unless it is going from where you are to where you want to be, it is inconvenient and expensive.
February 6, 2024
But why stop there? Why not full âSelf Drivingâ trains that do not need a human Driver at all. Less accidents and no strikes!
February 6, 2024
Ah! Because computers never make mistakes! đđ€Ł see Horizon!
February 6, 2024
Nothing new or secret about running trains on time, just look at Switzerland and Japan for an example, they have been doing it for decades. How do they do it ?
Have used the trains in Switzerland myself when taking a railway holiday about 10 years ago, what a difference, d trains leaving to the second, (some double decker) on time, quiet, clean and not hugely expensive either for what you got.
We have been using a similar system that you describe with the LDR driverless trains in London, the Underground (most of it overground) also seems to run multiple train routes on the same track and stations with trains on different routes with better frequency, but less comfort, than the standard overground railways.
February 7, 2024
Do all Japanese trains have drivers, full crews and ticket offices?
February 6, 2024
British Rail used to put on football specials at discounted fares so that the ordinary public didn’t have to share carriages with rowdy fans. In summer there were periodic excursion trains to seaside resorts from Birmingham New Street. If a train broke down it could quickly be replaced with on-hand spare stock. But of course the myriad of privatised companies have no spare stock or paths for such operations.
February 6, 2024
I’m sure technology could make the trains run more efficiently; improve frequency in peak times and improve capacity for commuter trains. It wouldn’t make much difference out here in the sticks where you get two trains an hour and they’re half empty even at peak times.
Living in the Southwest, the rail service is expensive but OK …. as long as you want to go to London. It was the same when I lived in Kent and Surrey. But you try and go across-country and it becomes very difficult. Often you have to go to London, navigate the underground and then continue your onward journey on another train.
Not all Events are in London; many are not even held in a city or town. So when you get to the railway station nearest to the Venue – possibly meaning a train to London, a couple of tube journeys, train out of London – coaches or buses are needed to complete the journey. And that journey, for one person, would cost well over ÂŁ100.
Or you could put ÂŁ20 worth of petrol in the car …. and several of you could go direct.
The railway is not an efficient means for moving people around the country.
February 6, 2024
Yesterday we learned that a migrant who sailed a dinghy across the Channel in which a woman drowned has been given an 18 month prison sentence (i.e. nine months minus time in custody). Surely the judge’s pen must have slipped and it should have been 18 years. The court didn’t even revoke his Master’s license. And we know that he won’t be deported or prevented from lodging a bogus ‘asylum’ claim. How can we make left-leaning judges take immigration offences seriously?
Also 20 migrants on the Bibby Stockholm are supposedly converting to Christianity. Is the Government going to allow us all to be victims of this blatant scam?
February 6, 2024
According to most highly cited paper on costal flooding (Hinkel et al., 2014). In 2000, the paper predicted that globally 3.4 million people will be flooded each year from coastal flooding. By 2024 this was supposed to up to 6 million.
Do you see any coastal flooding? Any?
Global warming is a scam.
February 6, 2024
The European farmers got off their hang ups and protested – the EU changed policy – just like that.
Is there a lesson somewhere?
February 6, 2024
Sir John
You have outlined this previously. If a chunk of the money that is being wasted on HS2 (a line from nowhere to nowhere) created seemingly at the behest our master in the EU was used to update controls and signalling the whole railway network would enjoy more capacity and get to move more people. Certainly, more people than will ever use HS2
February 6, 2024
What I as with many taxpayers would like to know along with the Conservative Government is there also a specific Minister administering, taking responsibility, being held to account for the contract between those contracted to build HS2 and the demand for the Taxpayer to keep paying.
It seems a bit weird that the Conservative Government went out to competitive tenders to build the line. Then those that came in with a price to us the Taxpayer of ÂŁ37 billion in 2012 where awarded the contract. Yet some how in just in just over a decade the contractors have failed to honour the contract and are now expect us the taxpayer to give them ÂŁ106 billion. A defective contract or deliberate manipulation by those involved?
If the price changed, why as would be normal did the contract not go back out to tender? Why is this Conservative Government âgivingâ entities 3 times the tender price with seemingly no oversite or due diligence in place.
The reason for a contract is that it is a bond between the buyer and seller, âI will do this and you will pay me thatâ The contractor knew exactly what was involved when they quoted, they did the ground work and due-diligence to arrive at the price, the Conservative Government knew the spend needed when they took the money from the taxpayer. For there now to be a difference demonstrates neglect by those that awarded the contract, the Conservative Government â how can we trust these people to work on our behalf?
February 7, 2024
The tender-tactic works like an online relationship scam.
The victim (in this case taxpayers NOT the Government) is attracted by fancy talk and a low bid. Once committed to the relationship, the scammer has a problem and needs some money… not too much; mustn’t cause alarm. The victim helps by giving/lending money …. so now has a real buy-in to the “relationship.”
Then more money is needed and the victim pays up again …. and again.
Successive Governments have gone along with the scam, and usually (like Michelle Mone and the Covid scam) some in Government expect to benefit hugely. Taxpayers are the victim.
February 6, 2024
Sir John
Isnât the truth of the situation with our Railways as with other modes of public transport that they need taxpayer subsidies to run. That in itself should not be a stumbling block. The real flaw in the system is we have a Conservative Government that just loves to spend, spend some more and when that is not enough it borrows massively. What this Conservative Government refuses to do is control the spending, manage the spending and take responsibility and be held account for what it spends of our money.
We have a Conservative Government along with a specific Minister of State for Transport, with a ÂŁ37 billion contract awarded to build HS2 â that the Contractors have failed to honour it, yet ÂŁ37 billion has blossomed to ÂŁ106 billion and no one accepts responsibility or wants to be held to account. That is a failure of Government
Then as we have seen we have a Conservative Government with their Post Office Minister all refusing to accept responsibility or wanting to be held to account, for the wrong doings and injustices. They the Government and the specific Minister was paid to manage on our behalf
They donât get it, they are paid to be responsible for the money they take from us, they have failed. Logic is they should resign and lets us get someone in that will take on the duties of serving the Country.
February 6, 2024
Twice a week I have to commute a short journey, my travel authority spent millions on new trains (net-zero strategy) my 15min journey time is the same, the ticket cost has increases and I still have to âstand-upâ for the whole journey
February 6, 2024
I used to use trains, but I prefer not to now. The service deteriorated in the onboard train services, with dirty toilets, food declined, and a lack of drinks over-brewed tea, and no air conditioning on our last journey, so all packed into one carriage like sardines even though we’d paid and reserved a seat, I believe it was just to cut down on staff, some people insisted on sitting in the cold carriage the staff weren’t happy. When you get to Euston, you can’t transfer internally in the station to the tube when they first changed it, and you’re not from London, so it’s odd to go outside first.
The signage at Bank for out-of-towners is confusing and unclear. Parking at the station is expensive, and the car parking spaces are very small, so you get your car doors damaged whenever you leave your car there.
Every train to Scotland has problems. One journey took 7 hours from Warrington, I’ve had enough of them.
February 7, 2024
Once I stopped working in London and up until post covid I avoided trains for the same reasons but since then we have started to use cross-rail for most trips to London, strikes permitting. This service is so much better in comfort and schedule than I remember and at a reasonable cost.
Plan B, in the event of strikes, has been to drive to the outskirts and take the tube.
But this doesn’t work for other destinations owing to ticket costs and complexity together with concerns over the reliability of schedules.
February 8, 2024
Yes I have used crossrail, very nice train carriage but there was a beggar on it walking up and down telling us he couldnât afford to have a wash or buy food, people were being nice and some generous in the hope that he would move on. London is very well served for public transport, it is quite unbelievable sometimes how frequent services are when you come from the North if you miss a train you have to wait an hour and miss your connection because nothing connects very well. A family member in London has no car, however, when they tried to come home at Christmas by rail, Euston closed down and they had to come up the East Coast Line as we had a family meal planned, it cost an extra ÂŁ120 and we had to drive for 1hr 30min in rush hour to pick up at Derby as the Derby – Crewe connection train was also cancelled. I just have lost all trust in railways.
February 6, 2024
“It does not need the wildly expensive extra HS 2 track to increase capacity to the north.”
This statement shows a total lack of understanding. The Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 was about increasing capacity IN the Midlands and the North, not TO.
The town where I grew up has a train station. It got 1 train an hour in the 60s, 70s and 80s. It still only gets 1 train an hour and won’t, unless something changes, get any more. Why? Line capacity.
As, like most of the country, there is only one track in each direction, the long distance trains that run between Manchester and London (which go through the town I grew up in without stopping there) share the track capacity with the stopping services serving all the towns and villages. Increasing the frequency of the stopping services to 2 an hour would result in all the long distance trains ending up being stuck behind the slower, stopping services, so in order for the long distance trains to run as desired, the number of stopping services is capped at 1 an hour (doing so creates a 30 minute time window for the fast trains to run without being slowed down) and will remain so while both types of service have to share the same track.
The solution is to move the long distance trains on to different tracks, and that is exactly what HS2 would have done, freeing up the existing line capacity to provide the sort of service frequency that those of us living in the South East take for granted and expect.
But no, instead this government cancelled HS2, leaving those in the Midlands and North behind yet again and the town where I grew up stuck with its 1960s service.
February 6, 2024
The destruction of our railway infrastructure following the Beeching Report effectively committed the UK to road transport. This was a tragic error and we are paying the price for this lack of vision today. We desperately need this rail infrastructure for connectivity as our roads are now hopelessly congested. The increase in ever heavier HGVâs creates huge issues for road surface management as they create most of the damage to road surfaces plus they conflict with cars and vans. Not only should rail transport for people be developed to improve connectivity rail transport for freight should also become a priority relieving our road networks. Freight rail hubs should be developed close to City centres to enable freight distribution centres to function. All this shows how decisions taken decades ago come back to haunt us. Iâve no doubt this will equally apply to HS2 as indeed it will apply to renewable energy!
February 8, 2024
The majority of long distance HGV trunking is done at night when most people arenât using the roads. The hub and spoke transport systems work tirelessly throughout the night to get goods delivered within 24 hours, when in the last 50 years have you heard of them going on strike, bottlenecking, they didnât cancel services like the rail operators did. Some fantastic warehousing operations like Amazon deliver within 12 hours. We have had a lot of Irish freight taken off our roads each day it is a big boost especially when you consider they donât pay British ved or buy taxed fuel here.
Where would your Freight hub be right in the centre of London?
February 6, 2024
The Post Office/ Royal Mail is a nationalised industry and look at the mess that is in. The Railway Drivers and their Union seem to be determined to destroy the railways completely. We need reliable trains, reasonably priced tickets, and a good standard of cleanliness and catering, which we have not got at the moment. A really good, efficient train service would be my choice for long trips, Leeds to London for example, or Leeds to Scotland, but the price of the ticket is horrendous, so I go by car. Cheaper and more efficient.
February 6, 2024
What’s the marginal cost in running an extra train from Wokingham to Waterloo given capacity on the track, available rolling stock, etc?âAnd how much of that is the far-too-high salary of the train driver?âIf significant, then halve the salary.âWould that allow another train to run without losing more than the normal subsidy-needing loss?
Union power is destroying the railways.âLet them win.âThis will destroy the union.âRe-boot.
February 6, 2024
Our whole means of getting around is a mess . Roads are crowded , Buses are late , Trains – well they are unreliable and expensive . In short it boils down to overpopulation and Union belief that they are in control . We need to go back to a Maggie style attitude and approach .
February 6, 2024
Trains move much faster from a standing start.
If a train engine pulls 30 carriages, each being 60ft long, and each having 60 seats occupied: The train pulls 1800 passengers SIMULTANEOUSLY in an 1800ft long vehicle.
1800ft of Tarmac road could take 150 12ft-long cars with bumper touching bumper. 4 people per car would total 600.
When the leading Tarmac road car revs to go from a red light everyone still behind waits and watches until every driver in front has each gone through a long process broken in slow 12ft pieces.
The train pulls 3 times as many people with one engine, and when the train moves, ALL 1800 MOVE TOGETHER.
Reply Yes so you need to find 1800 people who all want to go to the same places at the same time and can get to and from stations. Much of the time trains are closer to empty.
February 6, 2024
What train (engine) pulls 30 carriages? where are there 1800 ft platforms – or doesn’t the train stop until it gets to a terminus?
February 7, 2024
The train in the sentence starting with âIfâ can have any number of carriages for the purpose of calculation. On Quora, long haul freight trains are described as having more than 75 carriages. Switzerland has had a mile-long passenger train with 100 carriages on a journey through the Albula-Bernina route from Preda to BergĂŒn.
February 6, 2024
Reply to reply: yes JR, much like busses. It takes a day on public transport to do what can be done in an hour by car. Even if you canât drive and donât own a car, getting a Uber is cheaper, quicker and more efficient all round.
Letâs subsidise the roads!
February 7, 2024
@Reply – a cunundrum but then much of the time cars are also closer to empty traveling on roads which have been narrowed to prevent safe overtaking of cyclists.
February 7, 2024
Reply to Reply
I agree with you favouring cars, and better use of space. The example was solely to show how much faster full trains can pull travellers through the lights. The fundamental problem is overpopulation.
February 7, 2024
Well we are dying at the highest rate we can manage to solve your âproblemâ. We may well increase the rate this year.
February 6, 2024
In Japan a specific distant destination created a pleasant weekend break. Those who knew it as their haven went and enjoyed it immensely but disliked the wasteful travel time. In response a bullet train service was eventually provided to slash the journey, enabling more people to enjoy themselves. The popularity surged, but then tailed off to near nothing as too many people found it too easy to reach and nowhere as good as âbeing awayâ for the weekend!
February 6, 2024
The Ukraine war sees rapid innovations in drone usage with the prospects for human payloads and precise navigation by artificial intelligence of drone swarms. In civilian application, individual commuting door-to-door by drone then is a near possibility. If railways had not been invented, would they be invented now?
February 6, 2024
[…] If you flew above busy roads into our great cities at 8.30 on a mid week morning you would see busy and congested roads with many queues of traffic at traffic lights. Much of the traffic would be bumper to bumper in  slow moving  blocks or close together where it is flowing. You would also observe large runs of empty train track going straight into the heart of the city interspersed with some well distanced trains. If you wait at a provincial station most of the time the track is empty. The railways usually tell us they are using all the capacity on main lines, particularly at busy times. Despite all the trains going in the same direction on main track runs , and despite the ability of a system controller to know exactly where all the trains are, there are large gaps for safety reasons. Modern digital signalling can allow much greater control and accuracy which in turn could allow at least 50% more trains to use the same track run safely. It does not  need the wildly expensive extra HS 2 track to increase capacity to the north. Improving signals and extra surveillance of train positions and speeds should mean more trains and fewer accidents. More technology could stop drivers passing red signals by mistake or without permitted override. Knowing speeds and locations of trains can drive the signals. Having extra capacity on the existing network is important to cater for bulges in demand and to offer more timetable  flex. Trains should be good at moving large numbers  of people to a single point, as for a large sporting event, concert, conference or busy office district, Rail needs to lay on more specials and peak services when trainload numbers are wanting to travel. Reception stations for such venues need to be safe for peak crowds instead  of tube stations closing for rear of too many people turning up. Source link […]
February 6, 2024
There are signs that some âget it!â Unfortunately, this Government along with CCHQ are so anti-Conservative, anti-UK they have become a spent force
From Guido â
âTories arenât prepared to argue for individual freedom-oriented policies that are actually popular on the doorstep but receive push-back from âeliteâ institutions and sentiment in London. â
https://order-order.com/2024/02/06/truss-britain-is-full-of-secret-conservatives/
February 6, 2024
Thereâs more ââItâs time for Popular Conservatismâ
âThe rise of an international, barely accountable, governing elite is at the heart of this â remote bodies that agree righteous policies without deigning to consider the cost.â
âThe sovereignty of Parliament, as the representative of the people, has been eroded and power handed to an increasingly assertive bureaucracy,â
https://conservativehome.com/2024/02/06/jacob-rees-mogg-its-time-for-popular-conservatism/
Unfortunately, this Conservative Government along with CCHQ are so anti-Conservative, anti-UK they have lost touch with their own promises.
February 6, 2024
Others have had enough or can see the writing on the wall, 58 to date no longer want to belong. I would say belong to a Socialist spendthrift party. Then again if they had done their job served the people not acted for their overlords in other lands, we might still have had a democracy and not decline. – https://conservativehome.com/2024/02/06/our-list-of-conservative-mps-standing-down-at-the-next-election-timpson-the-latest-to-announce/
Still, this Conservative Government along with CCHQ are so anti-Conservative, anti-UK they have lost touch with reality but are rubbing their hands of mission accomplished their is no Tory Party
February 6, 2024
All conservatism is popular. Itâs just increasingly rare!
February 6, 2024
âModern digital signalling can allow much greater control and accuracy which in turn could allow at least 50% more trains to use the same track run safely.â
All trains should today be driverless.
February 6, 2024
There is obviously a use for a fast, traffic-free dedicated public bulk carrying service between and into large cities.
But the very expensive to maintain old technology of steel wheels on a steel track requiring trackside or overhead power lines should be replaced with rubber tyres on a tarmac track and a much larger fleet of driverless coaches, which could also access the existing road system to provide a service closer to the door-to-door convenience of a car.
February 6, 2024
The government needs to do a proper business-like investigation into the railways.
1) How do they compare to other railways such as: 1. Switzerland. 2. Germany. 3. Japan. 4. New Zealand. 5. China 6. Canada 7. France etc
2) What exactly do we need our railways for? How to the help private enterprise and our economy as well as relieve our roads? What can we learn from other countries here? How can we replicate what other countries are doing well?
February 6, 2024
The Government is not a business and canât do anything âbusiness likeâ. They need to do their own job and butt out of the Market. Period.
February 6, 2024
“Modern digital signalling can allow much greater control and accuracy . . . ” writes JR. You would think so. But much of the daily disruption on, for example, the London Underground is caused by signalling failures. The Hitachi signalling unit was taken over fairly recently by a local company. It does not seem to have deterred the near daily disruption of services owing to signalling failures.
February 6, 2024
Michael Portillo is probably more qualified to manage rail with his regular modern and historical train trips using Bradshaw’s logging of systems.
He invited us to join him in Andalusia living a simpler life .I wish.
February 6, 2024
if you believe Lis Truss democracy may be unpopular. I contend it is an innocent virgin, vulnerable to a myriad of anti democratic tendencies by less than honest politicians.
Look at the assault orchestrated by May , her CS cohorts and a pliant membership of t
he Commons. Then we move to Sunaks usurping of power. After which is the parallel government by the civil service and vested interests. Plus of course the blatant effort by the CoE to sabbotage the deportation of illegal and criminal migrants
If our next government wishes to change this state of affaires. There are few I would trust to undsdtakr the task.
February 6, 2024
Relative is seriously ill in hospital, the absolutely shockingly poor service from the NHS is staggering. Everything from the extortionate car parking, to the staff actively trying to antagonise emotionally upset relatives, to the lack of capacity for children forcing surgeons who are only used to working on adults to do childrens procedures, which they are openly reluctant about. Senior politicians really need to pull the plug and say openly the whole thing is not fit for purpose.
Sorry I am very upset. The smiling faces of the trust directors on a notice board in their reception disgust me.
February 6, 2024
+1.
February 6, 2024
The reason for a âbetter railwayâ is because the Net Zero Strategy is designed to destroy our motor industry to reduce CO2 emissions and at the same time transition us hoi polloi out of our affordable, practical, efficient and comfortable private transport into restrictive âactive travelâ and the increased use of expensive and unreliable railways again.
Leaving private transport and the roads for those who really need itâŠ