§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What studies they have made of the engineering and operational performance of the Swiss railways, SNCF, and other national rail systems; what conclusions they have drawn about the comparative quality of service provided by Railtrack and the operational companies in the United Kingdom; and how far such studies will inform their policy for the future of the railways in the United Kingdom. [HL41]
§ The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)Railtrack and train operators have regular contact with their counterparts in other countries. This has enabled them to exchange ideas on best practice. However, the extent to which conclusions can be drawn about the comparative quality of service is limited not only by data availability but also by significant national variations in the context for rail, including the level of subsidy from the taxpayer, and by the priority given to rail in national transport policies over successive decades.