Kat wrote on Dec 15^th, 2010 at 9:21pm:





I couldn't agree MORE

The only WORSE scenario is public/private partnerships
(No partner has to - or is ever willing to - accept responsability when things go pear-shaped)

UNFORTUNATELY - these two models have been embraced by BOTH major sides of politics

I don't see a reversal at any stage in the near future

We COULD learn ffrom this example - but we probably WON'T ...





Transport for London in £310m deal to buy back the Tube
8/05/2010

The London Tube was last night effectively brought back under state control in a £310million deal.

Transport for London bought the shares of private contractor Tube Lines - which repairs and upgrades some sections.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "This deal is excellent news for London." He added: "I am confident that London Underground is more than capable of delivering the improvements to the capital's network we need, on time and on budget."

The deal brings to an end the £30billion Public Private Partnership which sold off parts of the Tube.

The RMT union's Bob Crow said it was "a recognition that transport privatisation does not work".


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/05/08/310m-tube-deal-to-buy-privat...

Sprintcyclist wrote on Dec 15^th, 2010 at 10:56pm:


The government treated the state owned electricity generation and provider assets as cash cows and directed these to pay them "dividends" unconnected to any earnings but to cover any black hole or shortcoming of the budget. This meant the providers usually had to borrow to pay and leaving little for maintenance of the infrastructure as well. It was basically a tax. Now I think they are trying to sell the not only because they are busted/a broke but they have an idea how much electricity will increase and their usual pointing at the power companies saying they are independent when they are state owned doesn't really fly anymore.