Is Britain a better place since 1997?

[bigc]

I did a debt counselling course last year. Part of the course showed that luxuries have come down in price but essentials such as rent/mortgage, council tax and fuel bills are taking out a much bigger chunk of wages now that they were 10 years ago. Gas for example 200% higher and as I pointed out earlier council tax bills are 110% higher.

surely doesn't this come down to the inevitably of supply and demand? there aren't enough houses, energy is depleting so it's inevitable the price rises, whereas little microchips are popping up faster than player rumours on here. it doesnt make it right, i agree, but that is the linking relationship.

there should be more new homes built, but then of course, NIMBYs hate that and we've seen just how much leverage they can hold.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

According to a variety of sources, there are less homes being built than under the Conservative government.

I guess there is no need for great haste, as the government are making an absolute killing out of Stamp Duty for the time being.

 

[bigc]

I'm not talking bollocks, Where have you seen investment in the infrastructure of the railway in recent years? What improvements have you seen to the track layout on the london - brighton line in recent years? And punctuality has got nothing to do with investment it's down to giving a few regulating decisions back to the signalmen like it used to be under BR.

isn't it rather restricted though? due to it only being two tracked, especially with the Ouse Valley(is that what its called?) viaduct. out of interest, what is your solution, or how would you best do things? You know more than me and I'm curious to what potential solutions there are.

 

[dougdeep]

Selective culling is the way forward.

 

[north stand falmer]

Farang, I think you might find that Freddie is one of the more senior posters on NSC, hence his user name

He/she doesn't get any preferential treatment because the likes of you say they're a senior poster. everyone is equal on this message board and demand no respect. No respect as in my first sentence.

 

[Yorkie]

According to a variety of sources, there are less homes being built than under the Conservative government.

I guess there is no need for great haste, as the government are making an absolute killing out of Stamp Duty for the time being.

And inheritance tax. I was talking to my cousin earlier who is 65. She had her house in Steyning valued which is now £350K. Quite a lot of houses are within that price range now and inheritance tax (which used to be there just for the very rich) is still 300K. Those of you who have ageing parents will have to pay inheritance tax when they die.

 

[Yorkie]

He/she doesn't get any preferential treatment because the likes of you say they're a senior poster. everyone is equal on this message board and demand no respect. No respect as in my first sentence.

You insinuated that he wasn't old enough to know about technology. It was pointed out that he did.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

And inheritance tax. I was talking to my cousin earlier who is 65. She had her house in Steyning valued which is now £350K. Quite a lot of houses are within that price range now and inheritance tax (which used to be there just for the very rich) is still 300K. Those of you who have ageing parents will have to pay inheritance tax when they die.

Indeed. The way forward is to divide the house into two. My Grandfather and Grandmother each owned a half. When my grandmother passed on, my Father and Uncle then owned 1/4 each and so on. Unfortunately not everyone is able to do that, due to a variety of reasons. Considering the average house price is now £210k, the government will be cleaning up...

 

[Yorkie]

Indeed. The way forward is to divide the house into two. My Grandfather and Grandmother each owned a half. When my grandmother passed on, my Father and Uncle then owned 1/4 each and so on. Unfortunately not everyone is able to do that, due to a variety of reasons. Considering the average house price is now £210k, the government will be cleaning up...

Unfortunately for her, she's already a widow. She was looking into the possibility of gifting it to her daughter already and then hoping she lives for 7 years. We weren't sure if that loophole has already been closed.
The inheritance tax has to be paid upfront before the property is sold so involves a bridging loan.

 

[British Bulldog]

isn't it rather restricted though? due to it only being two tracked, especially with the Ouse Valley(is that what its called?) viaduct. out of interest, what is your solution, or how would you best do things? You know more than me and I'm curious to what potential solutions there are.

Balcome to brighton should be split up into small sections of reversible working so it means you can run any train in any direction over short sections, It gives you the flexibility to signal your way around problems. Haywards Heath needs to be made fully reversible so you can enter any platform from any direction just as east croydon does. Redhill needs a complete re-signalling because the current layout is far too restrictive and far too slow and we could do with another platform at Gatwick to aleviate some of the congestion there. Thats just the start of it.

 

[north stand falmer]

You insinuated that he wasn't old enough to know about technology. It was pointed out that he did.

I do apologise. Must cut down on this acid.

 

[dougdeep]

Balcome to brighton should be split up into small sections of reversible working so it means you can run any train in any direction over short sections, It gives you the flexibility to signal your way around problems. Haywards Heath needs to be made fully reversible so you can enter any platform from any direction just as east croydon does. Redhill needs a complete re-signalling because the current layout is far too restrictive and far too slow and we could do with another platform at Gatwick to aleviate some of the congestion there. Thats just the start of it.

And all stations should have a home made pasty shop like Seaford.

 

[Rookie]

Unfortunately for her, she's already a widow. She was looking into the possibility of gifting it to her daughter already and then hoping she lives for 7 years. We weren't sure if that loophole has already been closed.
The inheritance tax has to be paid upfront before the property is sold so involves a bridging loan.

if she intends to stay in the house then the loophole has been closed. Can not get a benefit from something that is given away.

 

[British Bulldog]

And all stations should have a home made pasty shop like Seaford.

Quite right! And they should be free if your train is 5 minutes late.

 

[bigc]

Balcome to brighton should be split up into small sections of reversible working so it means you can run any train in any direction over short sections, It gives you the flexibility to signal your way around problems. Haywards Heath needs to be made fully reversible so you can enter any platform from any direction just as east croydon does. Redhill needs a complete re-signalling because the current layout is far too restrictive and far too slow and we could do with another platform at Gatwick to aleviate some of the congestion there. Thats just the start of it.

Would this speed things up or simply be useful in troubleshooting incidents? I'm guessing we are unlikely to get anything faster than the current 49mins Victoria to Brighton service.

Also, being a train man, could you explain what the logic was in having any of those 319 trains NOT on the thameslink route? I know Southern got some and now they are being transferred to FCC, but what was the point in having the only stock that could run that particular route(so I'm told?) transferred to other TOCs, who could use any EMU on those routes. Stuff like that just seems stupid, especially during the time where FCC had those 4 carriage trains on the route.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Quite right! And they should be free if your train is 5 minutes late.

BB - Being a loyal man and working for the same 'company' over the last couple of decades - would you say that things improved since the Railway was privatised?

I read an anonymous letter from a man who used to work for British Gas who left his job when it went private - he used to set up his little tent and read his paper for a few hours. String out the job until it moved into overtime etc. When it went private, there was no chance of something like this and everything became profit orientated and more efficient, so he left!

Would you say that privatising was a step forward or step sideways or step backwards? Could we have afforded to invest in the system without private finance?

 

[algie]

Wasted 99.9% of it.





Horror stories, the super bugs are out of conrol, nurses and doctors are being saked like Prescotts lover. Hospitals A&E are closing.



The reason crime is up is because this goverment has given the signal for every villian to help them selfs and if caught you'll get a slap on the wrist let alone a prison sentance.




Blair have brought terror to our door step, don't need to explain.



Wake up and smell the coffee.

Another poster with sense

 

[British Bulldog]

Would this speed things up or simply be useful in troubleshooting incidents? I'm guessing we are unlikely to get anything faster than the current 49mins Victoria to Brighton service.

Also, being a train man, could you explain what the logic was in having any of those 319 trains NOT on the thameslink route? I know Southern got some and now they are being transferred to FCC, but what was the point in having the only stock that could run that particular route(so I'm told?) transferred to other TOCs, who could use any EMU on those routes. Stuff like that just seems stupid, especially during the time where FCC had those 4 carriage trains on the route.

It would speed things up from our point of view because it gives us the fleibility we hav'nt got at the moment, You talk about 319 units well the worst thing to come out of privatisation & how the investment has gone since is the amount of diferent units running around. Anybody with half an ounce of common sense would've insisted on all trains running on the network being compatable computer and coupling wise. Logic tells you if one train breaks down the next one should be able to attach and push it into a loop somewhere, Not on our railway. If a 319 unit breaks down and it's got a 377 unit behind your f***ed.

 

[British Bulldog]

BB - Being a loyal man and working for the same 'company' over the last couple of decades - would you say that things improved since the Railway was privatised?

I read an anonymous letter from a man who used to work for British Gas who left his job when it went private - he used to set up his little tent and read his paper for a few hours. String out the job until it moved into overtime etc. When it went private, there was no chance of something like this and everything became profit orientated and more efficient, so he left!

Would you say that privatising was a step forward or step sideways or step backwards? Could we have afforded to invest in the system without private finance?

In all honesty BOF it was the worst thing to happen to the railway, All it's created is £millions of wasted money being passed from one company to another in penalties for late running trains. And I feel safer with railwaymen doing railway jobs rather than contractors.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I'm not talking bollocks, Where have you seen investment in the infrastructure of the railway in recent years? What improvements have you seen to the track layout on the london - brighton line in recent years? And punctuality has got nothing to do with investment it's down to giving a few regulating decisions back to the signalmen like it used to be under BR.

Punctuality has got nothing to do with investment? Rubbish and yet more rubbish.

Why's the line shut between Three Bridges and Brighton every other weekend? Just to piss off Albion fans trying to get to Withdean? Well, partially, yes, but mostly to improve the infrastructure. Are you really suggesting improved punctuality has more to do with giving regulating decisions back to signalmen than with upgrading tracks and points and cutting back trees to put an end to the leaves on the track thing and the like?