Closure by stealth

Closure by stealth is a term most frequently used in the UK and Ireland to refer to the deliberate downgrading of a service by the management or owners with the intention of driving away users or customers. The aim is to make the service uneconomical, and thereby justify its closure or withdrawal.^[1][2] It is most widely used in the case of government-regulated services, where a company needs permission from local government or central government to withdraw a service.

Railways

The classic examples of closure by stealth involve UK railway services.^[3][4][5] These are often regulated at some level by local or national government, and the only way the owner can withdraw such a service is by demonstrating that the local population no longer needs that service. Some of the UK rail closures made under the Beeching Axe while British Rail were operating services were justified at the time by deliberately not including future efficiencies and bringing forward many years of future costs into a short time frame to show, by accounting, that the route was not sustainable. By degrading the quality of the service – for example by scheduling trains to run at inconvenient times or frequencies (known as parliamentary train services), in one direction only (trains serving a certain station on their outward but not on their return journey, examples include Polesworth and Pilning) or by raising fares – transport operators can force passengers to take other modes of transport, justifying the view of the service owner that the service is no longer required (a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy).^[6][7]

Other services

Apparent closures by stealth have been observed in other services, such as post offices, hospitals, public libraries and magistrates' courts.^{[8][9][10][11]}

References

1. "Consultation on the Implementation of the Railways Act 2005 Provisions on Closures and Minor Modifications - A response from the City of Edinburgh Council" (PDF). Scottish Government Office. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
2. Johnston, Peter (2003-08-31). "Letters to the Editor - Off the rails". The Observer. London: Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
3. "Long battle to save Settle-Carlisle line ended in triumph". Bradford Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 2010-08-22. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
4. Graham Ellis. "Melksham and TransWilts train service - closure by stealth?". Well House Consultants. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
5. Ray King. "RDS rescue plan for threatened line". Railwatch. Archived from the original on 2005-12-17. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
6. "Response to the Office of the Rail Regulator's Interim Review of Track Access Charges Third Consultation paper" (PDF). Rail Passengers Council and Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
7. Hansard. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 6 Dec 2004 (pt 14)". Hansard. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
8. Erica Watson. "Closure by stealth of Westbury Hospital". BBC. Retrieved 2006-11-04.^{[permanent dead link]}
9. Rosie Murray-West (2006-10-23). "Indecision that blights 1,000 post offices". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2006-11-04.^{[dead link]}
10. Ian Thomas (2000-05-19). "Is there a future for public libraries?". BBC. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
11. Bob Walter, MP. "MP leads campaign to halt North Dorset court closures". Bob Walter, MP. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2006-11-04.