LETTER: Efficiency by rail
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.From Mr S. Norton
Sir: The reason why Michael Meacher is right to condemn the giveaway of Red Star (contrary to your editorial of 22 August) is that, in the transport field, environmental efficiency is at least as important as business efficiency. If you want to get a parcel from A to B, what could be more environmentally friendly than putting it on a train or bus that is making such a journey anyway?
It is arguable that one reason why rail freight (including parcels, and the argument applies to passengers too) is uncompetitive is that the failure of road freight to meet its true costs has pushed railfreight volumes down so far as to undermine the economies of scale. This is a further argument for treating transport as a "public interest enterprise" rather than a free market business.
If carriage of parcels by rail is a casualty of the fragmentation of our railway industry, then our dependence on lorries will be further intensified - to the detriment of communities fighting destructive bypasses whose purpose is to carry these unnecessary lorries.
Yours sincerely,
Simon Norton
Cambridge
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments