Transport Select Committee Grant Shapps

Todays hearing with Grant Shaps

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/788532c4-2669-4d2b-b6b3-311ebfadf797

Seems to suggest that Northern will be OLR or Direct Award.

Says:

Pacers need to be gone looking at using other trains potentially to eliminate them earlier

diesel trains need to be gone earlier in line with banning petrol/diesel cars

HS2 review still in Autumn nothing definitive on dates

Hydrogen is answer to rail decarbonisation but infers electrification is also a solution

Williams Review will be a white paper before end of the year but legislation will be next Queens Speech

Much more user friendly than Failin Grayling but that wasn't difficult

Quite a lucid and open session.
Northern certainly seems destined for "special measures", with bids invited from Arriva and OLR for a direct award.
Looks like we are to have a rail supremo independent of DfT - what a job, given all the constraints.
It also looks like fewer, longer "franchises" which will have a reduced scope.
Changes will start next year but legislation will have to wait until another Queen's Speech.
Mr Misery Graham Stringer kept going on about Pacer withdrawal by year-end, but I'm not sure a solution was offered.
Shapps did say the currently planned TP upgrade was independent of the "new line" for NPR.

I’m interested to know what these ‘other trains’ are, presumably DMUs that Northern can start using straightaway

Andyh82 said:

I’m interested to know what these ‘other trains’ are, presumably DMUs that Northern can start using straightaway

Click to expand...

Loco hauled EMUs I hear.

This story has been picked up by the Press Association this morning; see:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...n-of-diesel-trains/ar-AAJ0fmN?ocid=spartanntp