LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Grant Shapps has today announced a new DfT Acceleration Unit to expedite delivery of transport infrastructure, including rail projects.
It will be run by Darren Shirley of the Campaign for Better Transport and formerly of Which?
Also announced in funding for the design phase of several infrastructure projects including several for North Wales.
One of them, which seems a complete surprise, is an upgrade of the ETCS signalling for the Cambrian, and faster journeys on several Welsh main lines.
Seemingly this is what would normally have been in NR's CP6 enhancement plans, now drip-fed by the DfT.
Meanwhile...
In his rambling interview on R4 this morning, Shapps more or less confirmed the concession business model will replace franchises.
The example he chose to illustrate the improvement was that bird strikes would not in the future result in a fight between NR and the TOCs as to who was responsible (citing the "pheasant" theory as the dividing line).
Presumably NR will get the whole job.
Private involvement in the operation of concessions was part of the story, so no full "nationalisation" is in prospect, merely a "single guiding mind".
In other news today, Crossrail has been put back to 2022 with another £450 million needed.
It will be run by Darren Shirley of the Campaign for Better Transport and formerly of Which?
Also announced in funding for the design phase of several infrastructure projects including several for North Wales.
One of them, which seems a complete surprise, is an upgrade of the ETCS signalling for the Cambrian, and faster journeys on several Welsh main lines.
Transport Secretary launches new Acceleration Unit to speed up transport infrastructure projects and build back better from COVID-19
New unit will boost the delivery times of major transport projects as new funding is announced.
www.gov.uk
Multi-million boost from UK government for Welsh railways to level up infrastructure and improve journeys for passengers
Passenger journeys in Wales set to improve thanks to new funding.
www.gov.uk
Also announced:This includes kickstarting design work on plans to upgrade Cardiff Central station and funding to develop plans for upgraded cutting-edge digital signalling on the 241-kilometre Cambrian line from Shrewsbury Sutton Bridge Junction to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli, and proposals to speed up journeys between Cardiff and Swansea, Chester and Llandudno Junction, and the Severn Tunnel and Cardiff.
- £1.1 million investment for Network Rail to develop short-term plans to relieve overcrowding at London Liverpool Street station
- funding to complete the £6.4 million scheme to build a new second footbridge serving all 4 platforms at St Albans City station, easing congestion and addressing safety issues at an increasingly busy station with work due to start early 2021 and be complete by January 2022
- £4 million to develop the design phase for gauge enhancement and track improvements for freight trains on Great Western, Midland Main Lines and at Darlington to allow longer intermodal freight trains to operate from Teesport to Yorkshire, with the Darlington scheme delivered by October 2020
- £9.74 million for signalling and infrastructure enhancements delivered on the Wessex route at Twickenham, Bracknell and Virginia Water as part of the Feltham and Wokingham Signalling Renewal Programme, which will help improve the reliability and flexibility of services starting from Easter 2021
Seemingly this is what would normally have been in NR's CP6 enhancement plans, now drip-fed by the DfT.
Meanwhile...
In his rambling interview on R4 this morning, Shapps more or less confirmed the concession business model will replace franchises.
The example he chose to illustrate the improvement was that bird strikes would not in the future result in a fight between NR and the TOCs as to who was responsible (citing the "pheasant" theory as the dividing line).
Presumably NR will get the whole job.
Private involvement in the operation of concessions was part of the story, so no full "nationalisation" is in prospect, merely a "single guiding mind".
In other news today, Crossrail has been put back to 2022 with another £450 million needed.
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