In message , at 17:29:36 on Tue, 5 Dec 2017,
Anna Noyd-Dryver remarked:

"The private train companies are laughing all the way to the bank.""

Surely at least some of the increase is required to pay for the generous
pay increases the union keeps negotiating for its staff?

Staff costs apparently make up around a quarter of every fare, whereas
profits make up 3%...

On a similar note, a labour spokesperson was banging on about energy
costs on the TV half an hour ago. British Gas makes 5% profit margin,
and only 10% is "operating costs" (the rest are corporation/green taxes,
Ofgem-regulated grid charges & raw materials) it seems unlikely that
nationalising them would make a great deal of difference to the price
the consumer pays.

Even if they managed to stay equally efficient, management-wise.
--
Roland Perry