Christian Wolmar

In his assessment of performance in the railway school at the end of the academic year, 'headmaster' Christian Wolmar concludes most pupils continue to struggle, with some too keen on visiting the Treasury tuck shop. As the scholastic year winds down with yet another spate of ‘rail chaos’ headlines, the heat generated this time by a real heatwave, it is time for the annual assessment of the performance of the various ...

The London congestion charge has attracted more opposition than any political measure since the poll tax. Despite its undoubted success in its primary aim of reducing traffic levels and consequently making London a better place in which to live, the sniping has continued virtually unabated. The line of attack has had to change. Initially, opponents warned of gridlock and chaos in the areas surrounding the congestion charge zone. The charge was ...

Privatisation was designed to cut the cost of the railway to the government. So it's an acute irony that it has resulted in the loss of the financial discipline of a nationalised industry, contends Christian Wolmar. During the past three weeks, a succession of announcements and publications have given us an insight into how the privatised railway Mark 2 is supposed to function. And it ain't a pretty sight. The news that ...

The wonderful thing about trying to achieve my middle age ambition of a maiden century is that I care so much. Age normally inures one to emotion, a brilliant natural protection against the depression engendered by those increasingly frequent trips to the dead centres, the crematoria and cemeteries, where you know that one day, all too soon, it will be your turn. But cricket is all enveloping, a fantastic diversion from ...

It is no exaggeration to say that Ken Livingstone's congestion charge has been one of the most successful innovations ever to come out of local government. Indeed, the success of the London scheme has implications well beyond the realms of transport and suggests several positive lessons to local authorities. The widespread acclaim for the scheme not only shows that innovation and courage can pay off, but that it is possible ...