On 30 Jan, 11:03, Neill wrote:
If the unions called a week-long strike, even tying it in with a week-
long nation rail strike to protest against franchises cutting jobs,
would that cost the companies concerned more in lost revenue than they
save by these probably needless redundancies? I would support Bob Crow
and his union cronies for once if they took strike action, as I
believe they represent the workers of a public service organisation,
that should be run as such, not as a company that employs people at
the behest of shareholders, consultants and the whimsy of the economic
climate.

Neill

Apparently the BBC is suffering because "the growth of households will
slow". They budgeted, not based on the current number of license fee
payers, but on the projected number based on the housebuilding boom.

If TFL budgeted on overly optimistic future expectations, such as fare
increases (which seem politically more unlikely in a deflationary
economy), and increase in passenger numbers (when they're actually
going to be decreasing), the will have a big budget shortfall for the
next few years. Had they budgeted on this years figures, and next
years agreed price rise, without assuming anything in the future, they
should have been ok.

The long distance TOCs will be hit by buisness travel. Last minute
£200+ open-return jaunts to Manchester are going to be rarer.