The state of the British rail network has come under severe criticism in a new report.
In comparison with equivalent systems in the rest of Europe, UK railways was found to be lacking in several distinct categories, with report author Eilis Lawlor claiming that profitability has been the priority instead of delivering a good service.
The study was commissioned by the Rail Maritime Transport union and conducted by Just Economics. It revealed that the country's trains are less comfortable and efficient than networks elsewhere in Europe, as well as being expensive.
"In terms of bang for buck, not only does the UK come bottom of the index of outcomes but it also spends a relatively large amount of money to achieve this woeful result. This means that it also comes bottom of the value for money league," the report read.
While the document may not be well received in the rail industry, it could provide a boost for car rental services, as commuters and holidaymakers attempt to find the best way of getting around.
Yet the reason for the poor state of UK railways is no mystery, according to Network Rail head Sir David Higgins. He told ft.com that the country has taken a "holiday" from investing in the sector for the past few decades.
He explained that this is why the network is so far behind its European counterparts such as Switzerland, where a solid investment plan has been in place for years.