The one thing I don't think has ever been made wholly clear is what the costs are of roads, vs. the revenue their users raise.
We are often quoted statistics about the Railway and how on average, passengers fares raise - 50% or whatever figure it is - of the cost of providing their journey.
I wonder what proportion of the total cost of running our roads - from building and maintaining to lighting, signalling, policing and so on - is raised by revenues from users including fuel tax, road tax, VAT on the various elements.
If one were to apply similar logic, the Humber Bridge would be on the list......
I have no doubt there are train services operating today that would scarcely be missed if they ceased. The obvious and immediate candidates are various "parliamentary" services - locally they would include Sheffield <> York locals; Sheffield <> Cleethorpes locals and, of course, Stockport > Stalybridge (or is it the other way around at present?)
Of course, another approach to these would be to make them into services that are of use.
I do believe that, particularly as regards many regional services, things could be done a lot better; mostly, more efficiently and more commercially - to narrow the gap between cost and income. Promotional fares to increase usage; modified working practices and so on.....