Better by Taxi?

[mushroom25]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18032721
the above explores the hypothesis that in Greece, it makes economic sense to close the railways and subsidise passenger transport in taxis. The article provides a UK comparison, which suggests that when 4 persons share a taxi, the cost of a train vs the cab is the same, in terms of cost per passenger km.

all the UK's railways are subsidised to a greater or lesser extent - the latest available figures are here - http://www.dft.gov.uk...-indicators-input-01/

UK Railways. A continuing good deal for the country? or an outdated expensive burden, whose subsidies would be better spent on the roads?

[mike11111]

I don't know about trains but where I live the cost for four people sharing a taxi is cheaper than four individual bus fares.

[jno]

how about quicker, though? As more taxis hit the roads, they'd become ever more jammed, whether crawling around London or inter-city.

[Gromit]

If everyone who travel by rail or cargo that goes by rail instead used the roads there would be gridlock and no one would go anywhere fast. And exhaust pollution would be hugely increased.