Will changes in the North mean change in the North?

摘要

NORTHERN returned to the public sector on March 1 after 23 rocky years under different private operators. It moved as Regional Railways North East from British Rail to private operator MTL on March 21997, with an overall subsidy for 1997-98 of £225 million. Meanwhile, North West Regional Railways switched from BR to Great Western Holdings (GWH) on February 5 1997 for a 1997-98 subsidy of £185m. When Arriva, as its most recent private operator, took over on April 1 2016 it received a subsidy of £284m. Adjusted for inflation, that £225m plus £185m should in 2016 have been £685m. By this measure, the various Northern operators have reduced their dependence on taxpayers.