A sack of coal would have more chance of getting somewhere in UK than a human being

Photo by Lisa Baker on Unsplash

If you’re a sack of coal you have more chance of getting somewhere in Britain this Christmas than a human being. Getting somewhere, as in literally moving from one point to another via public transport. A schedule of train strikes is soon going to bring Britain to a halt but the government is, at least, working with Network Rail and freight companies to ensure coal, steel and waste are prioritised.

Presumably this means Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s ministers are talking long and hard to the four main freight rail operators — Direct Rail Services, Freightliner, GB Railfreight, and DB Cargo UK (formerly EWS). That’s more than they’re doing with anyone else.

On Sunday, for instance, the government rebuffed an offer by nursing unions to “pause” the strike in return for new pay negotiations.

The government doesn’t want to talk to the rail workers either. Transport secretary Mark Harper has grandly declared that his “role is to facilitate and support — not negoti…