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December 12 General Election - Impact on Rail

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LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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It looks like Parliament will be dissolved on November 6, so normal government will cease until a new administration is in place.
As a result I don't think any significant rail decisions will be made before January.
There won't be any Select Committee meetings either, so no investigation of rail issues.
The Williams and Okervee reviews will not be published or acted on till then, at least.
I can't see any major franchise decisions being taken either (eg a Northern direct award).
Derogations on PRM fleet compliance into 2020 is probably within the routine DfT remit.
I suppose policies on rail structure and the future of HS2 could well appear in party manifestos.
Then it all depends on who is elected on what mandate.
It also means First Trenitalia will take over the West Coast in election week, in a political vacuum.
The Tories and Labour have just a week to agree to roll over the HS2b (Lichfield-Crewe) Bill, currently part way through its parliamentary process, into the next session.
We live in interesting times...
 
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LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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Andrew*Debbie said:
This government's HS2 review is ???? delayed? Disappeared?
What happens after the 6th? Does Oakervee's review continue or is it on hold until after the election?
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I should think the reviews will continue and maybe report to the DfT, but DfT will not be able to publish them or take any decisions.
If the Tories are re-elected, maybe things will then just roll on.
But until there is a new ministerial team is in place it will just have to wait.

I doubt HS2 will figure strongly in the campaign, beyond a commitment to invest in rail and infrastructure as a whole.
All the major parties are in favour in principle, but the Green and Brexit parties want to cancel it and will probably try and make it a campaign issue.
Wider railway organisation is of course a hot potato, but without proposals on the table it's hard to have a debate.
 
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Andrew1395

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Lots more room on Caledonian sleepers, with all those freed up berths used by MPs and staff on Thursday nights available for the next six weeks.
 
LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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Cletus said:
Perhaps the 2020 fares increases will be put on hold too? :)
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I think the increase will go through on the usual railway industry timetable, based on the statutory formulae using RPI.
In some recent years the government has intervened to reduce the increase, often at the budget/autumn statement time.
But there will be no budget announcement this side of the election - and almost certainly one straight afterwards, whoever wins.
 
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Glenn1969

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Guess the fortunes of Rail depends who if anyone wins the election given that Nationalisation is supposed to be Labour policy
 
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yorkie

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Bald Rick said:
There will be no Governement decisions on anything until December 16th at the earliest, or more likely January.
Click to expand...
OK maybe we should put this thread on hold for now then :)
Glenn1969 said:
Guess the fortunes of Rail depends who if anyone wins the election given that Nationalisation is supposed to be Labour policy
Click to expand...
If anyone wishes to continue that line of discussion, feel free to create a thread in Speculative Ideas :)
 
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