Since the EU forced open access for freight Europe wide and since public money is used to subsidse rail services there are rules to follow, note current complaint by private coach operators re Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann its the same thing
The EU position meant that passenger service got every cent they where supposed to get, equally if there was money for freight that would be ring fenced. In the old days it was one single balance sheet so it was lost in the numbers
Its quite fair and open and the passenger has done the very well out it as the money allocated to them is now being used as it was intended.
The key point to note is that freight would actually reduce passenger operating costs as the track maintenance cost would be shared out. Its a win win for both
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