Oh dear!
In just 24 hours ConservativeHome has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Yesterday it reported on the growing pressure from Tory MPs to peg rail fare increases at RPI+1.
So far so good.
Today, alas, there is piece from Tim Leunig, Chief Economist of CentreForward. offering his thoughts on how to keep the cost of the railways and fares increases down.
Aside from usual suggestions from the Mad Vulcan School of Transportation Management (eg abandon electrification and HS2, close stations and lines, encourage more car use, stuff the North etc...) Leunig comes out with this particular gem:
"Create a third class on London commuter routes – standing room only.
Taking seats out is much cheaper than lengthening trains and platforms. A
£1 flat fare standing room only deal would make economic and political
sense. Journey times are under 30 minutes, and many people are standing
anyway."
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