I cannot think of a single initiative any owning group has introduced for the lasting benefit of passengers by virtue of running both buses and trains
National Express had the right idea. It quit rail franchising in January 2017 having had its fingers well and truly burnt on East Coast almost a decade ago; but the others just do not seem to learn the lessons.
Stagecoach has now lost a fortune and been shown the door on East Coast; FirstGroup is running TransPennine Express at a loss with talk of South Western Railway in trouble too, while Arriva and Go-Ahead’s reputations for being skilled at implementing new timetables are completely trashed.
I love train travel as much as riding around the country by bus, but I have never really understood the groups’ love affair with running trains. Despite what proponents of renationalisation claim, there has been virtually no profit for shareholders and I cannot think of a single initiative any owning group has introduced for the lasting benefit of passengers by virtue of running both buses and trains.
With a couple of dozen notable exceptions, you still cannot pick up a bus timetable at most railway stations, even when operated by the same company.
The shambles ar…
