New Government Being Formed - Transport Implications

[ABB125]

The newly built fast lines could take up to 8 trains per hour for Stafford and beyond with the correct signalling, which is 3 more than the pre-pandemic timetable. These can use the high-numbered platforms at Wolverhampton, with the locals and Shrewsbury services using the low-numbered ones.

For the existing slow lines - 3tph for Shrewsbury, 2tph to Walsall via Wolverhampton. So in total up to 13 trains per hour however that compares with now.

But how do those services fit at New Street?

 

[Philip]

But how do those services fit at New Street?

Well the first phase of HS2 will probably be finished, so intercity services from London to Birmingham will terminate at the new Curzon Street, freeing up space at New Street. The new fast line to tunnel Wolverhampton I'm on about could also have a link from Curzon Street, so some northbound intercity services could start from there.

 

[Trainbike46]

Well the first phase of HS2 will probably be finished, so intercity services from London to Birmingham will terminate at the new Curzon Street, freeing up space at New Street. The new fast line to tunnel Wolverhampton I'm on about could also have a link from Curzon Street, so some northbound intercity services could start from there.

So your alternative plan for HS2 relies on changes made by building HS2? Am I missing something?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There's a new appointment at the DfT - Kevin Foster as Minister of State.
This is a similar post to Trudy Harrison, and replaces Wendy Morton who was rail minister.
Trudy's responsibilities are not specifically rail-related, so I presume Kevin will take on that role.
He's MP for Torbay and appears to have had no transport interests so far, having been an immigration minister recently.

 

[Philip]

So your alternative plan for HS2 relies on changes made by building HS2? Am I missing something?

I don't think it should have gone ahead at all but I realise it will cause more problems now by cancelling the southern section. However construction work hasn't started on the northern bit and won't for a while, so I think the ideal would be to finish the line from London into the new Birmingham Station, build the new tracks to Wolverhampton and then cancel the building of HS2b north of Birmingham.

 

[Typhoon]

There's a new appointment at the DfT - Kevin Foster as Minister of State.
...
He's MP for Torbay and appears to have had no transport interests so far, having been an immigration minister recently.

Not quite true, on his website (https://www.kevinjfoster.com/campaigns) there are two campaigns to save bus services. The most recent:

I have been backing residents of Shiphay who have been campaigning for the restoration of their bus link to The Willows.

The link was lost when Stagecoach decided to terminate the 32 service at Torbay Hospital, with the only option for a bus journey involving lengthy trip via The Strand. After a meeting in early January the company promised to go away and look at the points raised.

I am pleased to say I have now been informed a revised service will start on Monday 26th March, which will restore the link. More details to follow soon.

I am not sure how current this is as 26th March 2022 was a Saturday (and the 32 no longer exists).

There is also a petition to Parliament to save the route 65 bus (which was successful as it operates three days a week).

That does show some interest, in particular the needs of public transport for more elderly residents. Whether that is reflected nationally may be a different matter.

(Incidentally, why don't prominent people such as MPs actually remove outdated posts or at least put the year on them, his most recent campaign is a petition about cuts to the fire service in Devon. His website boasts that over 9,000 have signed the petition - the petition website reckoned it had reached 30, 495 two years ago!)

 

[Bald Rick]

Well the first phase of HS2 will probably be finished, so intercity services from London to Birmingham will terminate at the new Curzon Street, freeing up space at New Street

only 1 of the ‘intercity’ services is removed from New St post HS2, and that path is already spoken for. So there is no space at New St for your extra trains north.

 

[SynthD]

I don't think it should have gone ahead at all but I realise it will cause more problems now by cancelling the southern section. However construction work hasn't started on the northern bit and won't for a while, so I think the ideal would be to finish the line from London into the new Birmingham Station, build the new tracks to Wolverhampton and then cancel the building of HS2b north of Birmingham.

If HS2 had been cancelled at the right time, would your plan still fit?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Also i see a Lucy Frazer QC MP has been appointed to Transport as a Minister of State again no detail on what her brief is but her previous posting was Financial Secretary to the Treasury so make of that what you will.

https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--135

 

[Bald Rick]

Also relevant, (and apologies if this has already been mentioned), but Tom Scholar, the Permanent Secretary at the Treasury has been sacked. This is the top civil servant in that department. Maybe a change of direction, although there’s an awful lot of people in there cut from the same cloth.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Also relevant, (and apologies if this has already been mentioned), but Tom Scholar, the Permanent Secretary at the Treasury has been sacked. This is the top civil servant in that department. Maybe a change of direction, although there’s an awful lot of people in there cut from the same cloth.

Indeed he was the one who kept tabs on the money so despite Tories lambasting the existence of a magic money tree for the last decade looks like they want someone in there who will shake every penny off the tree so despite the bill for energy policy i don't believe we will see any impact on capital projects in the rail industry in the short term.

 

[AlterEgo]

Also i see a Lucy Frazer QC MP has been appointed to Transport as a Minister of State again no detail on what her brief is but her previous posting was Financial Secretary to the Treasury so make of that what you will.

https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--135

I hate to be a pedant but given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I would feel remiss if I failed to point out she is now a KC not a QC.

 

[Ediswan]

I hate to be a pedant but given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I would feel remiss if I failed to point out she is now a KC not a QC.

I took a look. Some pages on www.gov.uk have been changed, but not others. I suspect somebody is working overtime making the changes manually. If KCs still use pre-printed stationery, the printers will be busy.

 

[Bald Rick]

i don't believe we will see any impact on capital projects in the rail industry in the short term.

That’s very, very optimistic. Expect the axe to come out.

 

[yorksrob]

That’s very, very optimistic. Expect the axe to come out.

For me, the key thing is getting the day-to-day, bread and butter service running. Re-modelling Croydon (as an example) can perhaps wait a little longer.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

For me, the key thing is getting the day-to-day, bread and butter service running. Re-modelling Croydon (as an example) can perhaps wait a little longer.

CARS was a mad hatters scheme showing how far some parts of the industry had got a bit too carried away that somehow usage of the railways would keep growing despite the warning signals being there before covid struck.

 

[yorksrob]

CARS was a mad hatters scheme showing how far some parts of the industry had got a bit too carried away that somehow usage of the railways would keep growing despite the warning signals being there before covid struck.

Possibly justified before covid, but now oughtn't be a priority.

One of those to keep in the filing cabinet for when there's a real pick-up in the future.

 

[AlterEgo]

I took a look. Some pages on www.gov.uk have been changed, but not others. I suspect somebody is working overtime making the changes manually. If KCs still use pre-printed stationery, the printers will be busy.

Press releases like the one originally linked to are correct as it reflects the title held at the time. But there are no QCs any more, of course.

 

[ABB125]

CARS was a mad hatters scheme showing how far some parts of the industry had got a bit too carried away that somehow usage of the railways would keep growing despite the warning signals being there before covid struck.

I wouldn't say it was a mad hatter's scheme. It simply would (start to) bring the UK in line with the spaghetti junctions found in many cities in Europe...

Though it would be fair to say it could be postponed a bit in the current climate!

 

[MikeWM]

Also i see a Lucy Frazer QC MP has been appointed to Transport as a Minister of State again no detail on what her brief is but her previous posting was Financial Secretary to the Treasury so make of that what you will.

https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--135

I only just noticed this - she's my MP. Could have implications for the Ely upgrade, which was speculated to be in trouble (eg. here at https://railforums.co.uk/threads/ely-upgrade-under-threat.233815/) - previously she has been in favour of it, maybe this makes it more likely to go ahead. Guess we'll see.

 

[Russel]

I know it's early days, but has the newly formed government made any comments in regards to the rail strikes?

 

[uglymonkey]

I wonder if they are going to continue with "Leveling up" ? Portishead & Northumberland? Okehampton has already carried twice the number of people that they thought it would in forecasting

 

[Snow1964]

I know it's early days, but has the newly formed government made any comments in regards to the rail strikes?

Nothing yet, but most weren’t appointed to posts until late Wednesday (cabinet) or Thursday (other roles). Parliament is normally non-sitting on Fridays and members go back to constituencies for Weekend.

The death of the Queen has rather changed things with various proceedings and ceremonies, and Parliament requires MPs to swear allegiance to new King etc before they can continue.

I suspect no real Government business (as in getting upto speed on what is going on, and DfT policies) is going to happen until at least day after Queens funeral.

Now into 2022 Conference season, the TUC one has been deferred until 18-20 Oct (was this week), Lib Dem was 17-20 Sept (canx, rearrangement tba), Labour 25-28 Sept (Liverpool), Green 30Sep-2 Oct (Harrogate), Conservatives 2-5 Oct (Birmingham).

So with Conservative party leader change, Queens death, conference season, unlikely to be anything significant for another 4 weeks