Nicholas Lewis
Established Member
RIA have coordinated a number industry players to write to Shapps making the point that with GWR electrification complete and MML nearing completion the industry risk a loss of skills if a rolling programme isnt initiated which is required to ensure rail can decarbonise by 2040.
Shapps is anti diesel but hasnt made any positive vibes around electrification so its not clear whether he still in the Grayling camp that Hydrogen will be the long term answer. Given HS2 will need more funds than planned difficult to see this gaining much traction before the existing teams will end up being demobilised but sensible course of action is to push on with MML
As the Railway Industry Association’s (RIA) Electrification Cost Challenge Report shows, the stop-start nature of electrification is one of the key factors in cost increases. With a long-term rolling programme, that provides visibility and consistency to rail suppliers so they can build up and retain expertise, electrification could be delivered at up to half the cost of past projects. We believe delivery of electrification cannot wait until the next rail funding cycle ‘Control Period 7’, which starts in 2024, and that a ringfenced fund for an electrification programme should be provided immediately to allow work to continue
Shapps is anti diesel but hasnt made any positive vibes around electrification so its not clear whether he still in the Grayling camp that Hydrogen will be the long term answer. Given HS2 will need more funds than planned difficult to see this gaining much traction before the existing teams will end up being demobilised but sensible course of action is to push on with MML