Public Transport - National(ised) Express

So National Express' beacon franchise is to revert to ownership by you and me. Interesting. To anyone that can't remember why the railways were nationalised in the first place after the 2nd world war, I'd like to remind you of the prime motivation. The railways were not making money, and the firms that ran them were going bust hand quicker than an express train on the High Speed Rail Link. The government of the day stepped in because Public Transport was seen as a key service. Like buses and trams, it was seen that these services should be subsidised with public money to ensure that everyone had access to cheap travel. In the 1990's post Thatcherism economics convinced the government of the day that there was money to be made in them there railways. Mmmm. However, in order to get the Dragons of the day to be 'in' the government had to offer subsidies to these commercial companies, who in return would improve the service. There are two flaws here. Firstly it means that you and I are subsidising the profits, and therefore the dividends paid to the shareholders of those commercial companies. Secondly, it means that as the franchises to run the lines, go to the highest bidder, the railway companies have to recover all this from the fare paying public. So what makes great sense for the government, means higher fares for you and I. Mmmm. But here's the double whammy. Those higher fares mean that it's cheaper to drive. How can that be right. Back in the day, public transport was reckoned to be cheap and accessible. Recently I travelled from Wellingborough to St. Albans, which is about 50 miles. It cost nearly £25, off peak. This journey would have cost about £5 in fuel for me to make. This of course takes no account of the cost of the bus to get to the train station, or the ludicrous cost of parking at the station had I driven. To run salt further into the public transport wound, it would have been a lot quicker by car too, as well as more comfortable. Travelling by car is a no brainer. Jimmy Saville once said "Let the train take the strain", nowadays, can your wallet take the strain. How can this be good for the environment when it's cheaper and more convenient to take the car? If this, or any future government is to grasp the green nettle then it must address this.