>Today's Guardian notes that one consequence of privatizing UK rail
>service has been a falloff in reinvestment.
>
>The Guardian states: "A report for the office of the rail regulator
>by the consultants Booz, Allen & Hamilton had harsh words to say
>about the lack of investment. 'Track renewals have averaged around
>1.3% per annum during the control period (1995-2001). This is low by
>comparison with European railways, which typically replace around
>2-3% per annum, and with the intended renewal rate of 2.2% per annum
>quoted in the 1995 business plan.
Interesting contrast with the quote from Margaret Thatcher on the front page of today's New York Times: "We are quite the best country in Europe. In my lifetime all the problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions have come from the English-speaking nations across the world."
Doug