Title: Would it be realistic to renationalise the railways? - BBC News
Headings: Would it be realistic to renationalise the railways?
Would it be realistic to renationalise the railways?
Nationalisation of the railways
Rail services around the world
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Content: Labour has suggested that it will review the franchising system and allow the public sector to bid to operate rail lines. The Conservatives say that would be unworkable. image copyright
National Railway Museum
image caption
A British Rail poster from 1978
John Major's Conservative government split up British Rail into a series of franchises 20 years ago. Since then the number of passengers travelling on the railways has doubled. But the public subsidy has risen. A YouGov survey in May 2014 suggested that the public supported renationalisation by a margin of 60% - 20%. But how easy would it be to renationalise the railways? Not difficult at all, says James Abbott, editor of Modern Railways. Network Rail, which manages the track, is already in public hands. The train companies have time-limited franchises.