The success of the project requires that when complete that it runs profitably. Much has changed since the 1960s when many of the lines were closed. The price of oil has risen greatly and will very likely rise more, and certainly it will rise faster than coal, as oil is in short supply but coal is not. This should allow fares to be set at a reasonable rate. Businesses will be encouraged to locate at or near the stations. Any travel that is subsidised or given tax breaks by the government will be required to use the railway. The holiday scheme will include very low priced rail tickets. The rolling stock will be new and of a modern design. Employers will be able to give their workers train tickets to travel to work and this will be free of tax and national insurance. The railway will operate a station to station parcel service, and also carry the royal mail. Provision for a rail connection will be a consideration for the granting of planning permission for large new developpments.
It will be very desirable to get freight currently carried by lorry onto the railways instead. Just building facilities for this and hoping that it will arrive is not enough. Supplies for supermarkets are perhaps a good starting point. A rail-link could be built to connect with the central depot in the midlands and gradually rail links could be built to the major suppliers and major destinations such as shopping complexes. The existing haulage firms and the supermanket chains would have to participate and perhaps would own their own rolling stock, even engines.
Railways and coal mines 4
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