While the British government takes control of its railway network to freeze fares and improve reliability, in Spain we maintain a system where private concessions prioritize economic profit over service. The contradiction is evident: here, private management is sold as efficient, but the British reality shows that public management can offer fairer prices and punctual trains.
Renfe and concessions: an outdated technical model 🚂
The current structure of railway concessions in Spain fragments investment in track maintenance and renewal, causing chronic delays and aging rolling stock. In contrast, the British public model centralizes planning, allowing for standardized maintenance protocols and optimized train procurement. If Spain adopted a similar system, it could reduce operating costs and ensure a more stable service frequency, without relying on the profit margins of private operators.
Public is expensive, except when it works 🤔
It's curious that in Spain we are sold the idea that private is synonymous with efficiency, but then we see the British nationalizing their network so that trains arrive on time. Here, meanwhile, we pay increasingly expensive tickets and console ourselves with carriages that look like rolling museums. Perhaps the next step will be to also privatize delays, so that at least they become more profitable.