Independent, London, UK 7/10/20
Distance learning: rail travellers must acquire the habit once again ( Simon Calder )
As the ghost trains rumble on, it’s time to bring the railways back to life
The ‘modal shift’ from rail to road has been an outstanding success for its proponents – and a disaster for those of us who believe that rail must be at the heart of travel
My journalistic colleagues are a responsible bunch. During an online meeting this week I asked a dozen of them, “Who’s been on a train since March?”
None had. Neither has Mark Smith, the international rail guru who founded the Seat61.com website. He told me: “I haven’t been on one for four months, possibly the longest train-free period of my adult life.
“But feedback from those who have (travelling outside the peaks) suggest a huge amount of fresh air is being shipped around.”
Continue here.