Northern (Arriva Rail North)

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern (Arriva Rail North)

(14/08/2017 21:01)Dentonian Wrote:  Train Operators do, as they are the sole users of Rail lines.

On some lines there are regular freight services but passenger services only occasionally use the line.

Quote:As for the proportional to weight argument, that is ridiculous! tw?

Network Rail get money from train operators based on weight per axle. Northern pay around 10p per mile for using a Pacer on the network. EMT pay about 24p per mile for using a pair of 158s on the network. It's slightly more complicated with electric trains as the charge for electricity usage is combined with the cost of using the track. A freight operator can pay over 60p per mile just for the locomotive. It does have some logic to it - a lightweight aluminium train like a 172 puts a lot less wear on the track than a big heavy steel Voyager.

It wasn't a serious suggestion that bus operators should pay road access charges, more to point out the flaw in your logic of directly comparing bus and train subsides.

Also does operating a commercial bus service make the operator ineligible for the Bus Service Operator’s Grant? If not that's another point to consider.

Quote:How about proportional to number of occupants per metre?

Well if you want big buses replaced by smaller buses with more standing room that might be a good way of getting that.