English: Across several European countries this year, the cost of public transport has been slashed to help people with the cost of living crisis and to help prevent catastrophic climate change. However, here in the UK, the railways and buses remain largely in the hands of a highly inefficient and unreliable private sector which has no motivation to invest, and is so expensive that even those who are better off are forced to purchase a car instead, while those who are struggling and/or disabled, can't afford to make even essential journeys, such as getting to their local hospital or supermarket. Or, if they have to commute, they may have to cut back on other essentials, such as energy or food. Despite the massive cost to the public of privatisation in high fares and reduced services, the taxpayer is still subsidising the profits of many of the corporations which run Britain's trains and buses. It's deeply ironic that forty years ago the Thatcher government promised that privatising Britain's bus transport would mean "lower fares, new services and more passengers" and avoid "any potential future liability on the taxpayer."