Towards a Financially Sustainable Railway

This chapter begins by outlining the ‘theory’ behind the achievement of a financially sustainable railway, before then examining the realities faced when implementing that theory. This is from the context of the main railway financial outgoings and sources of revenue in both the short- and long-term time horizons. What it suggests is that attainment of such a position has proved to be extremely difficult in practice, with the main reasons for such difficulties outlined and discussed. What is clear, however, is that any such initiatives revolve around the establishment of rigid and robust regulatory and organisational structures that create and maintain a clear separation between state and railway, strongly supported by the ideas of rail financing and rail funding.