6th May 2008

I'd like to think the Labour strategists read my last weeks moan and re-wrote their policy the next day, but that's the stuff of science fiction. Still, they went and bought back the railways yesterday and have back tracked for a couple of years introducing the carbon tax on fuel which is a start. Richard Prebble was bleating on the radio this morning about that being a disaster, but then common sense was never a strong point with Prebble. Why the journalists have to drag up these "has-beens" of failed past policies for a sound bite is beyond me.

Having bought back the railways, one hopes that old party hacks don't get jobs on the Board of Directors and they appoint some bright cookies to run it efficiently. We need trains to replace the multitude of trucks that ply the main trunk routes to move freight with the same flexibilty and speed. That's where ecomomies and carbon footprint savings can be made. One engine pulling the equivalent freight of 50 trucks and 50 times less wear and tear on the roads, fuel burning emissions and fossil fuel importation. Oh the trucking business interests will be up in arms, but the 'market' will never look towards the interests of conservation of resources, it is only interested in making a dollar.

Rail deserves a resurrection, let's hope the bureaucrats don't stuff it.

TC