THE reference to the Hull-Beverly-York rail link (Readers’ Letters, September 11) needs comment.

The revival of this route has been raised frequently as a relief to the A1079.

History will show that when it was “in situ” it was not viable due to the cost of track maintenance, signalling, staffing and all other needs to run a railway which outstripped any revenue from the flagging customer use.

In fact, it is a proven fact that the cost of running any railway outlined above, is never covered by the revenue.

When the original private companies were developing railways, costs were not considered. It was the Industrial Revolution and, in any case, no one knew what the revenue would be.

When the bankrupt railways were nationalised at great expense by the Labour government soon after the Second World War, it became obvious that railway services running costs would always outweigh the revenue.

Hence lines like the one in question were a prime candidate for Lord Beeching’s closure plan.

The present railway service including a few new ones, when nationalised and now privatised have always needed regular handouts and other financial manipulations by the Treasury.

The introduction of a new service for Hull-Beverley-York or anywhere else will need similar financial treatment from the cash- strapped Government or private sector with little chance of financial return.

J Beisly Osprey Close, York.