(06 Mar 2015, 8:32 pm)aureolin wrote But surely the government shouldn't be preventing competition, on the basis that it may result in a private operator being unable to meet their contractual commitments? We have to ask ourselves what is this all about, I feel. Are we trying to offer the best quality and value for the customer, or are we trying to ensure maximum profit for a private company? 

You know yourself that there would be hell on if Arriva and Go North East agreed not to compete on the Durham Road corridor and East Durham coast road, because it financially impacted each other in doing so. The competition commission would be all over it like a rash, and quite rightly.

Or (mind eezypeazy, there's a bold, generalised sweeping statement coming up), they just nationalise the lot.

Competition is slim to nil up and down the country, with small sections having a couple of toc's, calling at differing stations on the way.

I remember when Grand Central wanted to set up and whoever was operating the ECML (there have been that many), argued the case that competition would damage their business. Think they said something that the competition was un-sustainable too.