On 15/12/2020 18:59, Jeremy Double wrote:

The EU mandated separation of infrastructure from train operation,
following the pattern established in the UK by privatisation.

Sweden was first. And lots of different models were used; there was the
German model of DB having operations and infrastucture units within one
holding company, or the French model of separating things out then
subcontracting the separated stuff back again to comply with the letter
if not the spirit of the rules.

Of course, the UK never had any influence in the EU...

Did NI Railways ever get - at least nominally - vertically separated?
They had a derogation, but it was due to run out, and AFAIK "vertically
separating NU Railways" was on the priority to-do list for literally
no-one anywhere.


--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK