Page "Rail transport in Great Britain" Paragraph 10

Passenger services experienced a renaissance with the introduction of high-speed inter-city trains in the 1970s.

Passenger levels have fluctuated since this time, increasing during periods of economic growth and falling during recessions.

The 1980s saw severe cuts in government funding and above-inflation increases in fares and the service became more cost-effective.

In the early 1990s, the five geographical Regions were replaced by a Sector organisation, where passenger services were organised into Inter City, Network SouthEast and Other Provincial Services sectors.

This new organisation showed promise of being a more efficient organisation of the railways but within a couple of years of its implementation the structure was fragmented by the privatisation process.