Christian Wolmar

Published by Aurum Press (2005), ‘On the Wrong Line’ by long term journalist and rail commentator Christian Wolmar gives a valuable description of how not to privatise railways. It includes not only the costly and counterproductive break up and privatisation of British Rail by the Major Government, but some useful background of railways in Britain from the 19th century up until the 1992 White Paper. This promoted franchising with ‘network ...

Transport expert Christian Wolmar looks at the implications of road pricing schemes for local authorities. The London congestion charge is widely perceived as a success but no other local authority has even presented a fully developed scheme, let alone implemented one. Far from opening the floodgates, so far only one street in Durham has been tolled. Councils have shown a marked reluctance to follow the Mayor of London’s example. The Mayor of ...

It’s ten years since the handful of passengers on the 0510 Twickenham-Waterloo unknowingly made history as the pioneers of rail privatisation. CHRISTIAN WOLMAR assesses TOCs’ progress. The tenth anniversary of the first privatised train passed with little attention, despite a press release from the Association of Train Operating Companies which touted the huge benefi ts that had occurred over the decade. I remember that journey well. It was the 0510 from ...