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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Have train fares gone up or down since British Rail?

Content: Supporters say that Directly Operated Railways, a state-run body, rescued the East Coast main line after the collapse in 2009 of National Express's franchise. The firm had been unable to deliver promised revenues to the government. Directly Operated Railways handed a billion pounds in premiums to the Treasury during its period in charge. But after the government decided to return the franchise to private hands a bidding process in November gave it to a consortium of Virgin and Stagecoach - called Intercity Railways. The unions and Labour have argued the line - which runs between London and Edinburgh - should have been kept in public hands. 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.