Originally Posted by
Alan Baker
The supposed city centre to city centre "advantage " of rail is always overstated. Few people live near London rail termini. If you wanted to get from, say, Slough to Edinburgh by rail you are faced with a trip to Paddington and the Underground to King's Cross before getting your train to Edinburgh. It would be much quicker to fly from Heathrow. Similarly, if the devastated businessman lives near Manchester Airport, flying is much the quickest option.
It may also surprise the tireless pro-train brigade to know that very few people hold meetings in railway stations . . . and very few businesses are walking distance from said railway stations.