Articles
1. Do you think that rail services have improved since privatisation in the 1990s?
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Train operators often come in for a lot of criticism. But PE readers have good memories, with many stating that services have improved immeasurably since privatisation, certainly in terms of punctuality.
2. Would you like to see a wholesale renationalisation of the railways?
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The answers to question one clearly inform the results of question two. A return to the fully-fledged days of nationalised rail isn’t too popular among engineers. We’ve been there before, said readers, so why would we return?
3. Would you like to see renationalisation considered on a line-by-line basis?
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The No vote weakened here, slightly, indicating that nationally owned railways might work in certain circumstances. Indeed, it was noted, the recent temporary state ownership of East Coast routes delivered impressive results.
4. Do you think a renationalised railway would mean cheaper fares?
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One of the often-stated downsides of privatised rail is the exhorbitant cost of some tickets, particularly on inter-city routes during peak times. So would nationalised services be any better? Our readers were unconvinced that public ownership would result in lower ticket prices. Many respondents said that politicians had a poor track record in ensuring that the British public wasn’t getting ripped-off.
5. Do you think that energy provision has improved since privatisation?
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Whereas most readers clearly felt that the railways had improved under private ownership, that wasn’t the case for the energy sector. Readers accused the Big Six providers of profiteering, being quick to hike prices when wholesale energy costs increased, but being much slower to cut them when costs came down. There was also a feeling that energy providers deliberately made pricing a complex issue.
6. Would you like to see greater state ownership in the energy sector?
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With a general resentment towards energy providers, it came as no surprise that most PE readers would like to see greater state ownership in the sector. Many respondents said they felt that the current set-up was simply unfit for purpose, and that the energy regulator had failed miserably to act in consumers’ best interests.
7. Do you think a renationalised energy sector would mean cheaper prices?
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That said, most PE readers did not believe that a renationalised energy sector would result in cheaper prices. There was a similar sentiment here to that which had been expressed about the earlier question on rail renationalisation. Respondents had no trust in the commitment of politicians to intervene to ensure that consumers got a better deal. It simply wasn’t in their nature, it was said.
8. Do you think the privatised water industry offers a good level of service?
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Of all the privatised utilities, it was the water providers that came out best. More than half of PE readers felt that the water industry offered a good level of service, providing consistent supply at reasonable prices. However, there were some complaints. Several readers felt more money needed to be invested in leak reduction.