Torchgate

"The problem with the railway company is that it does not embrace growth and indeed the DfT did not structure it to do so". That is RF's take on the whole Torchgate debacle (not yet utterly cured, just in truce mode). You can offer many angles on Torchgate and blame various elements. But the bottom line I think is that the Northern business in Northumbria is not driven by a burning desire and abilty to seek passenger growth. In turn that reflects the privatisation model we have tried to make work for 17+ years. It is a bad model.

If you would like much more information I have been Facebooking here .