They say it's our railway - so are we to blame too?

Oct 14 2003 By Bill Midgley, The Journal

I have been greatly intrigued recently by those full page advertisements in the press to the effect that "it is your railway."

Perhaps the shareholders of some of the rail companies might wish to dispute this, but that's not the source of my puzzlement: it's really why such advertisements are appearing now.

Of course, when things are in a mess it's always easier to share the blame and, as we continue to demonstrate that we have a railway system that would be something of a disgrace in the 19th Century, never mind the 21st, it may be that we are seeing an exercise to let us all share the responsibility! In the same week a Government spokesman announced that it was not the role of Government to second guess the activities of the electricity companies. I would have thought that that was exactly the role of Government and its regulators, particularly as the supply of power is so essential to business and industry. Government cannot simply stand back and allow market forces, or whatever other influences there may be, to find their own levels. There is often much complaint about what our European neighbours give by way of support to their own energy producing organisations, often resulting in low cost energy, or certainly at a lower cost than we have to pay in the UK, which hardly helps in making our businesses more competitive.

What disturbs me most about both of these issues is the apparent gap between Government and business. The problems of transport have been well aired and there is obviously going to be no short-term solution. This might be translated in that there are going to be many short-term problems in the movement of goods and people, which again will impact on costs.

Power, however, is another matter. And there have been some frightening examples of what happens with lack of investment in the electricity infra-structure. Like it or not, the Government does have a responsibility, and it should not shuffle that away on others.

And if those businesses that have picked up that role cannot provide what the community, and particularly the business community as a whole requires then they should be called to account. There are in place regulatory bodies and user councils for what used to be our nationalised services, and perhaps what is lacking is real teeth for those organisations. Far too often whatever powers they do have tend to ignore the needs of business.

The means of production and distribution has a political ring about it but it is pragmatism not politics which should take priority.

Would the same advertisements regarding the railways have appeared if they had been a success story over recent years? We will only find out if and when the railways do run at a level that is needed and expected. We may, however, have a long time to wait.