'Big shift' to rail urged for UK (BBC News)

[RF News]

The UK needs to shift much of its road traffic onto the railways to curb greenhouse gas emissions, a report urges.

More from BBC News...

[Shed Cat]

"The report's authors said Britain could learn much from countries with superb rail systems, such as Japan, where trains routinely arrive and depart on the minute, equipment failures are rare, and where many railway stations form centrepieces of cities and districts."

I want to go to Japan to see this paradise for myself.... Sayonara

[John H-T]

I hope some body has told the lobby who want to get even larger lorries onto our roads.

The Railway Freight companies have already said they could not compete and much traffic won back by the railways would return to the roads!

[Resolution]

Originally Posted by John H-T

I hope some body has told the lobby who want to get even larger lorries onto our roads.

The Railway Freight companies have already said they could not compete and much traffic won back by the railways would return to the roads!

Ah! but there-in lies the rub John IMO.

The Private freight Companies are only looking at their own profit and loss.

A Nationalised Gov run Rail service would also have in mind the small cost to the taxpayer of providing a rail freight service on top of it's passenger requirements against the building of motorways and subsequent congestion.

The alternative is a massive subsidy for road freight and congestion on our motorways....and increased taxation on the private motorist to get them off them because the roads can't cope!

The other thing that amazes me is that throughout Europe.....the canals and large rivers are used widely for none time specific bulk freight over hundreds of miles.

What the hell.......What's wrong "on this Island" of using ships around our coasts to transport some goods?.............Bet your life the Germans would...and the French! All it needs is planning ......... but! we British aren't good at that are we?...Nah! Let's descend into chaos instead!

Flabbergasted! (but getting used to it now).