Gordon's Wonderful Railway

The Government has reiterated its commitment to "sharing the cost of rail services fairly between taxpayers and passengers". The Department for Transport (for transport, but not of transport; vaguely in favour, but not unduly concerned) still continues to promulgate its bizarre theological distinction between taxpayers and fare-payers, as though commuters spend every minute of every hour they endure amidst the confusion, overcrowding, inefficiency and expense of the British railway non-system thanking Gordon, Tony, the best Edwina Currie could do and various cowboy contractors that their tax money will be spent on identity cards instead. Fares are, in fact, likely to go down soon; not because of any interest on the part of the rail companies in offering their victims a better bargain, but because of the deflationary consequences of the end to boom and bust. There will also be less demand for rail services because many people will feel less inclined to commute once they have been laid off; so those who are lucky enough to retain their jobs might also be able to get a seat next year.