Why would it be one "odd lone MP?" Don't M.P.s representing Northern constituencies talk to each other? Don't they agree on anything? I find it hard to believe that they haven't all been told repeatedly by their constituents that the local train service needs longer trains.
The Government in London has reduced Council budgets by 40% in the last decade. Transport subsidies have been squeezed massively which is why a fair few bus services have been withdrawn. Unfortunately they don't control fares and can't force operators to accept each others tickets on routes that change hands at evenings and weekends
And stories in the press (mail) today of £1bn Crossrail trains rusting away in sidings with no-where to run. While people up north struggle in 2 car pacers.Its an interesting point. New labour claimed to represent the North, but then came up with things such as the Northern "No growth" franchise. Too much of an Islington sect perhaps.
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7116453/Crossrail-trains-worth-1BILLION-sit-idle-depot.htmlCrossrail trains worth £1BILLION sit idle in depot waiting to be used on new rail line that may not be fully open until 2021
what has mucked up buses is free pensioners passes. This wasnt fully funded, so local government has to find the money to pay the bus companies.They can certainly stipulate that any services they subsidise accept other operator's tickets. In fact, they can impose pretty much whatever conditions they wish. Whether anybody can offer at a price that is acceptable is another matter.
Well this is devolved from central to local government though so unfortunately London Council doesn't care in the slightest about anything outside of the Greater London area in the same manner the local authority for Newcastle would not care about anything beyond the realms of Newcastle.Yes that’s not how government should work though, is it? The point of having a government is to ensure that resources are spread around appropriately.
Please don't link the Daily Mail on this forum again. TaAnd stories in the press (mail) today of £1bn Crossrail trains rusting away in sidings with no-where to run. While people up north struggle in 2 car pacers.
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7116453/Crossrail-trains-worth-1BILLION-sit-idle-depot.html
what has mucked up buses is free pensioners passes. This wasnt fully funded, so local government has to find the money to pay the bus companies.
And its the council where the bus runs, not the pace where the passenger pays council tax, that pays. so tourist areas are disproportionately hit. I bet lake district buses are crammed with out of county pensioners, and the bill falls on Cumbria Council.
what has mucked up buses is free pensioners passes. This wasnt fully funded, so local government has to find the money to pay the bus companies.
And its the council where the bus runs, not the pace where the passenger pays council tax, that pays. so tourist areas are disproportionately hit. I bet lake district buses are crammed with out of county pensioners, and the bill falls on Cumbria Council.
They're pretty crammed with school kids around start/finishing times as there are painfully few buses for large numbers of kids who have to travel pretty long distances. Unlike London, though, kids (or their parents) have to pay through the nose for bus passes which can be pretty extortionate (in Lancaster for example, uni students pay far less for bus passes than school kids!).
Whilst London's youth don't have to pay for their local transport, surely their parents do via Council Taxes? After all, TfL is largely financed via local taxes.
Weird post.And stories in the press (mail) today of £1bn Crossrail trains rusting away in sidings with no-where to run. While people up north struggle in 2 car pacers.
Council tax isn't cheaper "up north"
nope. It fuels the idea up north that London get all the new stuff and the north just gets the crumbs. OK, its a mail story but lots read it.Weird post.
What has Crossrail delays got to do with the fact that the replacement of 2 car Pacers is delayed, other than the fact that delays to projects happen, which is not the subject of this thread.
and delayed trans-pennine electrificationSo does the fact that Grayling greenlit funding for development of Crossrail 2 at the same time as shelving the much needed Castlefield works
It’s linked to property prices, so it must be?
nope. It fuels the idea up north that London get all the new stuff and the north just gets the crumbs. OK, its a mail story but lots read it.
...
That's all the Mail does, fuel fire. They see a divide and jump on it, like a fly on the preverbal. Has the Mail mentioned the new Northern & TPX fleets testing and under construction right now? Or ever mentioned the 1972 Bakerloo line fleet will stay in service until the 2030s? Odds on no, but a non story to make people dislike London? They'll do it.
much council spending comes from grants from central government.
I also recognise that this also applies to some other English regions, but it justifies the comments, complaints even, that some of us have been making on various threads over the years (and which some metropolitan types seem to find unreasonable, tedious or not worth bothering about.)
Council tax isn't cheaper "up north"
It’s linked to property prices, so it must be?
Its an interesting point. New labour claimed to represent the North, but then came up with things such as the Northern "No growth" franchise. Too much of an Islington sect perhaps.
New Labour had a PM from a Durham seat; a DPM from a Hull seat; Chancellor from Scotland; Foreign Secretary from Lancashire.
In today's Labour Shadow Cabinet all 4 "great offices of state" are held by London MPs !
Just saying ...
By your actions shall ye be judged.
I suspect that most people in "the north" are more worried about sure start or minimum wages or increased child benefit or more police or lower crime or more teachers or moving 500k+ children out of poverty or reduced NHS waiting lists or free nursery places. But yeah, didn't sort out the trains so total failure.