ATOC - makes case for new railway lines

[whole diary]

[Btline]

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Why do you keep posting that?

I've got the message: You need to log in again!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i didn't post it to this thread that is worrying

[Timmer]

I would be more excited about this report if there was the money that could be spent in reopening these lines. The sad fact is there isn't unless the private sector come up with it and I don't see that happening unless a very large carrot is dangled in front of them that they are going to make some serious profit out of it and you won't get that from reopening a few branch lines sadly.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

ok im going to give a rough estimate i think unless there is serious structural work the cost of reopening lines is about 6.6 million per mile, now if a line was 8 miles long and had 500 passengers a week @ ^5.50 each it would take 35 years to get the money back

[super tm]

Why should I give him credit when it means my taxes are in future going to be astronomical?

I'm already fairly outraged at the ^7.50 in NI i've had to pay this year! Thank god I don't qualify to pay tax yet. 18 soon. Joys  

A passing comment on Labour, do they not slightly resemble a Tory government?

You pay tax at any age if you earn enough.  Age does not come into it.

Very true. Believe my limit is something like ^5,500 per tax year. Luckily, due to being paid weekly, the way NI and tax are working out is different. (at least I think!)

Weekly or monthly makes no difference. Taxman still gets the same amount 

[Andy]

one area where I favour the Tories is Europe. Lab and Lib are too Euro-friendly for my liking - why any party can associate itself with the most corrupt so called "democracy" in the Western World beats me! In fact, you can't call the EU^» (European Union - about) parliament a democracy!

So I agree with the Tories (and UKIP) about keeping the pound etc, and being Eurosceptic.

Without wishing to be party political or pro/anti Europe, I'd like to invite you to compare the European and British Parliaments to see which has the higher proportion of elected members. 

Also, the current Labour government has kept the pound.

Finally, of the four most important treaties which created the European Union as it is today and defined Britain's role in it, two (The Single European Act, Maastricht) were signed by a Conservative Government and two (Nice and Lisbon) by a Labour government.   

[Btline]

Peter Mandelson said that a Labour government is committed to switching to the Euro at some point.

The Tories will "never join the Euro" and obviously, neither would UKIP.

The EU^» (European Union - about) parliament is corrupt. Full stop!

This Lisbon treaty will be the final treaty, as it removes the need for treaties to be ratified by each country, and our right to veto etc. Basically, the Lisbon treaty is the start of a creation of the United States of Europe.

[tramway]

In defence of corruption at high levels I was just wondering what political shenanigans IKB^▸ (Isambard Kingdom Brunel) had to undertake to get anything done. If he had had to go through the hoops regulations now require he would have given up at Maidenhead.

Relex I suspect that your quick sums might be rather conservative, with payback quite a bit quicker, and if ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) as a group had a bit more clout with longer franchises then they would in all probability happen, fully supported by NR^» (Network Rail - home page).

Unfortunately with the system as it stands the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) and ultimately the Government hold all the aces.

[devon_metro]

The Tories will "never join the Euro" and obviously, neither would UKIP.

Good!

[Zoe]

The Tories will "never join the Euro"

Don't be so sure of that with Cameron.

[Btline]

Don't be so sure of that with Cameron.

Exactly. You can't trust Cameron. He says anything to get votes!

It was Cameron who scrapped the long term Tory policy of Grammar Schools in every town, but then backtracked to say that existing ones would stay. Clearly, he realised he would loose many votes in Kent, Birmingham and other counties with Grammar Schools.

Cameron claims he'll have a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, but reading the small print, if Ireland ratify it, he won't! But that didn't stop him making a big thing of it over the EU^» (European Union - about) elections.

[Andy]

Peter Mandelson said that a Labour government is committed to switching to the Euro at some point.

The Tories will "never join the Euro" and obviously, neither would UKIP.

The EU^» (European Union - about) parliament is corrupt. Full stop!

This Lisbon treaty will be the final treaty, as it removes the need for treaties to be ratified by each country, and our right to veto etc. Basically, the Lisbon treaty is the start of a creation of the United States of Europe.

We're largely on the level of perception rather than argument here, so I'll just reply by saying, again, without expressing support for any party or any particular stance with regard to the E.U., that it does seem to me that a once-and-for-all binding referendum should be held on the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s continued membership of the E.U. It's time Britain decided what it is and where it's going and came clean with itself and its partners and neighbours both inside and outside the E.U.

To get back to railways, I agree with your point that focussing on actually getting the ball rolling on a select group of key lines rather than give a lengthy wish-list would be the best way forward.

[devon_metro]

Don't be so sure of that with Cameron.

Exactly. You can't trust Cameron. He says anything to get votes!

It was Cameron who scrapped the long term Tory policy of Grammar Schools in every town, but then backtracked to say that existing ones would stay. Clearly, he realised he would loose many votes in Kent, Birmingham and other counties with Grammar Schools.

Cameron claims he'll have a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, but reading the small print, if Ireland ratify it, he won't! But that didn't stop him making a big thing of it over the EU^» (European Union - about) elections.

I bet labour aren't that hot on Grammar school either, its funny however, as mine gets 100% Ofstead reports every year

[Btline]

Only UKIP support them now.