I don't sign up to a lot of the bizarre Merlin attitude that's all the rage, as you know - but ride availability is a fair gripe, especially when it is as prevalent as it is in your example.
What makes this worse at Alton is that the product has already been eroded by the planned closures of more than a couple of large rides, so when additional rides are closed, that really doesn't work well for them or the guests. I do wonder about Thirteen and Rita being closed, I haven't asked, but it was perhaps something related to power in the area, unavailability of access, but of course it could be that they were both struck down by the Intamin curse.
If you've worked in a park, or in the industry, or even if you have just visited a ton of parks - you'll know there are very few operators who don't open rides purely to save money or because they take a CBA attitude to things. It's not good for business, it gives your product a bad name, etc etc. There are of course lots of reasons why rides are closed - mechanical, electrical, infrastructure, staffing, inspection etc.