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Jan - this is where my comments come in regarding the market and the need to improve competition. That should be the main role of government in this respect, to ensure there is competition and a working market.
Trains - well there is competition in two respects, against the car, with coaches and also at the point of tendering for routes. The contracts do not just go to the best price, or should not do, it should also be based on proposed service delivery, capital investment and enhancements along with fare proposals. In other words the whole package. This, along with contract monitoring to ensure contract delivery, is where the government has a role to get the best possible service at the best possible price.
As for water. I did read somewhere that it could be opened up to competition with different providers in the same way electricity and gas get sent down the same tubes and wires from different providers. This really would help in this.
As in all cases it is essential no cartel develops, that there is competition and a free market. It should be easy and quick to change providers and good information needs to be made available to inform the consumer.
That said so much of the price rises, particularly in power, are driven by government legislation and the same wholesale markets so it is true that all companies are faced with the same pressures to increase prices. British Gas though have got complacent and depend on consumer complacency far too much and deserve a kicking as a result. My main concern here would be to get more entrants and competition while seeing how the wholesale market can be made more efficient without compromising supply.
At the end of the day Jan - having choice is what we need, not a monopoly.