One of the few areas where support for the through services was less than 100% was from elements of the rail enthusiast lobby, where the view was that changes of train along the way add to the experience and provide variety on the journey, and where their cost of travel hasn't been a major decider. That was a far from unanimous view - probably very much a minority one - but it does help to suggest to me that the passenger card is a stronger and purer one than the enthusiast card.
Hmm
That might be seen as something of a simplistic view, because the “rail enthusiast lobby” (which includes I presume some serving railwaymen) might actually understand the practicalities of running a service with reduced passenger numbers as a result of pandemic. Joe Public will not be aware of these and will only see a one-sided point of view, probably seen through rose-tinted glasses.
If the majority view always prevailed, we would have brought back hanging and conscription many years ago. We would have run the risk of having to pardon dead people or filled the Armed Forces with people who didn’t want to be there and weren’t wanted there anyway, just because the majority thought it was a good thing.
Joe Public will often support things for no apparent reason. I remember standing on Teewell Hill Bridge between Staple Hill and Mangotsfield in 1963 after the Beeching Report was published as two neighbours were walking by and a Bath stopper had just come out of Staple Hill tunnel. Said He to Her “it will be a pity when they close it” but I had never once in y life seen em waiting on Staple Hill station...
Indeed, for an example you need look no further than Melksham. After the station reopened it was found that there were a lot more people who supported the reopening than were prepared to put their hands in their pocket and buy a ticket, and that is why the service was abysmal for 30-odd years.
So did you do a survey to measure levels of support? Did you ask questions like “do you oppose the withdrawal?” and “would you use the service if it was reinstated?”
If you asked “how many times a month did you use the service when it ran you might – just might – get a different perspective, and one perhaps not to far adrift from the “rail enthusiast lobby”
I’ll do Brexit next if you like.
