Why doesn't this happen in the UK ?

[jimny1]

Considering the UK has a national network of trains from one end of the country to the other operated by various companies you would think there would be stiff competition regarding prices , just as we have here in Spain
But no , instead of decreasing fares , they increase them every year , sometimes more than once a year and at unsustainable rates , UK rail fares must be some of the most expensive in Europe, if not in the world
And if workers dont get what they want they spit out their dummies and threaten strike action
Train drivers earn up to £65,000 per year there , no wonder the fares are rising so fast
Spain has its faults but regarding public transport i have no complaints , and when there is competition you see a good reduction in prices to reflect this as in the article below
https://euroweeklynews.com/2024/03/26/p ... oNewsAlert

[freddo]

UK train drivers are demanding 100k as a salary

[jimny1]

UK train drivers are demanding 100k as a salary

I did read that Fred , at this rate they will be on higher wages than MPs , both just sit on their @rses and are capable of causing train wrecks

[Rspltd]

There is a difference in how it is paid for. The British Government made a decision some years ago that the cost of U.K. train travel should be borne by those who use it and the subsidies have been moving in this direction for some time. In Spain everyone pays for it whether they use it or not. Last year the Spanish Government spent nearly £10 billion on its 30% contribution. Regional Governments contribute a further 20%. Spain expects to spend €24.2bn on development, maintenance and renovation in entire five-year plan, which runs to 2026. There is no competition as such - all the free and reduced offers are Government generated and come out of taxes.

[Rosiemac]

I heard an MP speaking earlier this week and she thinks a salary of £100,000 isn’t high if you live in the U.K. certainly, the cost of living in Northern Ireland is not cheap but it’s a lot better than the mainland . The cost of living in the Rep. of Ireland is massively more than it is here. To my knowledge, most people who work in Spain earn a very low wage. There seems to be a huge division between the wealthy and the ordinary man in the street. Look at the cost of houses! The bigger, classier houses are FAR more expensive , hugely more expensive than the smaller family homes. There doesn’t seem to be anything in the middle. In the U.K., there are houses of all sizes to suit mist pockets.
We viewed new build close to our Spanish home about 4 years ago. Three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen/ diner: lounge, garage and large underbuild room. There was the usual pool and small outdoor area for cooking. Cost .€695,000. These properties are not being sold to average Spanish families.
Two very different countries. On top of that , Spain aren’t providing benefits and social housing for people who have not paid into the system. The U.K. is a haven for people who can’t or won’t work. One of these days , things will change because it’s my belief that the country cannot afford to continue providing the dream.
Back to train travel, all pensioners in NI receive free train and bus travel around the province and also into the Rep of Ireland. It’s a lovely perk and used by many older people daily. All subsidised by the government.

[freddo]

All subsidised by the population, the government do not have money

[Lincoln45]

I heard an MP speaking earlier this week and she thinks a salary of £100,000 isn’t high if you live in the U.K.

That was Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crgdly318jeo