UK: PRIVATISATION GOES OFF THE RAILS - BR.

Roger Eglin reports on the progress of the unpopular policy of tearing BR apart.

As consumers reap the benefits of privatisation from more efficient public utilities, it is easy to forget the battles that punctuated progress towards the early privatisations as unions, managers and left-wing politicians fought their various corners. BT and BAA both won the struggle to remain intact. Electricity lost and was split up while the sale of the nuclear power industry was pulled at the last moment. But however tough these confrontations were, none of them matches the slugging match rail privatisation has become.