The recent history of our trains is much the same as that of the country itself: a hare-brained plunge into underinvestment, privatisation and crony capitalism
In a country understandably gripped by a feeling of autumnal doom, the 11th-hour cancellation of the latest burst of train strikes may look like a welcome outbreak of calm, and of tentative optimism. Though some sources whisper that the rail unions may be adjusting to the fact that the industry has very little money, the RMT’s Mick Lynch says the industrial action “has made the rail employers see sense”, implying concessions that have yet to become clear.
But from the perspective of the average passenger, even if the unions’ disputes with Network Rail and the train operating companies are somehow resolved, everyday life on the lines will still be a trial. The government, let us not forget, is on to its third transport secretary in not much more than six weeks, and the confounding mess now overseen by the freshly promoted Mark Harper almost defies description.
John Harris is a Guardian columnist
