New Government Being Formed - Transport Implications

[Western 52]

The last thing anyone needs in the long run is spending more money on roads

Absolutely. No mention in her speech of rail investment, or of the climate change priorities.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Who is Lisp Truss ?

Our Prime Minister, according to many that have heard her voice. It grates a little.

 

[PGAT]

Absolutely. No mention in her speech of rail investment, or of the climate change priorities.

Just trying to say something that sounds good to get more support.

 

[LowLevel]

I do very much like Mr Shapps a lot unlike many of you, but it is good as confirmed that he’s on his way out.

I just hope Lisp Truss has the common sense to choose someone who will actively take an interest in improving our railways, and hopefully signs off refurbishments and new stock when they’re badly needed.

You would do, he gave you some work As someone making railway announcements all day every day I'd love to know just which ones he actually binned on the back of his self promoting rambling, because I've received precisely no updated instructions.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

You would do, he gave you some work

So did Northern and Ive nothing nice to say about them.

I think GBR and HS2 will largely be unaffected.

 

[yorksrob]

The question for me is, will they get the trains running.

It's all well and good having these big aspirational projects for the future, but it's pointless if the bread and butter network is allowed to grind to a halt.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The question for me is, will they get the trains running.

It's all well and good having these big aspirational projects for the future, but it's pointless if the bread and butter network is allowed to grind to a halt.

They’ll need to alter the way in which rosters and rotas are determined then, and rely less on the goodwill of drivers to work overtime.

 

[yorksrob]

They’ll need to alter the way in which rosters and rotas are determined then, and rely less on the goodwill of drivers to work overtime.

Indeed. Will they pay for enough drivers.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Andrew Stephenson, who was HS2/NPR/TRU minister while Phase 2a was going through parliament and the IRP was published, is out of government.
He was Tory party chair for the last 3 months, but presumably still an HS2 supporter.

 

[Scotrail12]

Au revoir Shapps, hopefully we get someone who has a clue of what to do because it's been carnage.

Heard Thérèse Coffey is to be health minister, really not sure on that one!

 

[SamYeager]

I'm not sure why some seem to think that intervening in the current rail disputes is a priority for this government. Especially since Mike Lynch has made it clear that his primary purpose is to oust the government rather than necessarily improve matters for his members. Now that WFH blunts the impact of strikes I really don't think there's nearly as much pressure to resolve it. If anything , the tories might think there's some (electoral) advantage in it dragging on.

 

[WatcherZero]

Au revoir Shapps, hopefully we get someone who has a clue of what to do because it's been carnage.

Heard Thérèse Coffey is to be health minister, really not sure on that one!

Considering shes going full right wing cabinet and they’ve previously talked of breaking the unions expect even more carnage.

 

[Urobach]

I'm not sure why some seem to think that intervening in the current rail disputes is a priority for this government. Especially since Mike Lynch has made it clear that his primary purpose is to oust the government rather than necessarily improve matters for his members. Now that WFH blunts the impact of strikes I really don't think there's nearly as much pressure to resolve it. If anything , the tories might think there's some (electoral) advantage in it dragging on.

I'd imagine that the general public, whether they blame, either, neither or both sides are pretty fed up with it and Shapps' great idea to do nothing but pour oil on flames hasn't helped.

Thus we can hope maybe some cooler sensible heads and strategies can prevail and get this sorted

 

[brad465]

The last thing anyone needs in the long run is spending more money on roads

Unless it's to fix potholes.

That rather depends if you think electric vehicles are a solution for de-carbonising. If the railway continues with the sort of limp efforts it has made so far at extortionate cost, then the attraction of new roads with low/no carbon vehicles is obvious.

There's a place for them, but public transport of all forms and cycle/walking provisions would be much better.

 

[Bald Rick]

Has the new PM been seen on a train, or on a cycle?

not since she has been PM, but I’ve certainly seen her on a train. Indeed I put her on one many years ago.

 

[Mikey C]

Shapps was removed because he was a Sunak supporter, it's nothing to with differences over transport policy

 

[brad465]

Has the new PM been seen on a train, or on a cycle?

Cycle yes:


(Truss on a bicycle with union jack umbrella and Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background)

And if it counts, motorcycle too:


(Truss on a motorbike)

 

[Busaholic]

And if it counts, motorcycle too:

View attachment 120403
(Truss on a motorbike)

The chances of mistaking her for Marianne Faithfull are zero - wonder if she thought Mick Jagger was a Tory member (wouldn't surprise me) and seeing it might sway his vote, rather than making him puke.

 

[Philip]

I suspect that there could be a rebranding of the projects so that later parts of HS2 become part of NPR (or whatever it is called this week) though any major downgrading would be very worrying.

I would rather see all aspects of HS2 downgraded (or even scrapped completely) if it meant the money could be invested in improving the existing railway.

I think four-tracking both Piccadilly-Bolton (including Castlefield corridor) and the Stour Valley line Wolves-New Street, to give a couple of examples, would be a better use of money than any aspects of HS2.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Wendy Morton made chief whip so this is going to be a DfT reset

 

[trebor79]

not since she has been PM, but I’ve certainly seen her on a train. Indeed I put her on one many years ago.

I seem to recall she was one of the political voices behind the "Norwich in 90" campaign. But I suspect it was just a convenient "good publicity" thing rather than a genuine support for rail.

 

[camflyer]

I would rather see all aspects of HS2 downgraded (or even scrapped completely) if it meant the money could be invested in improving the existing railway.

I think four-tracking both Piccadilly-Bolton (including Castlefield corridor) and the Stour Valley line Wolves-New Street, to give a couple of examples, would be a better use of money than any aspects of HS2.

HS2 isn't going to get scrapped totally unless you want to spend billions in compensation for cancelled contracts and remediating construction work already started.

 

[Bald Rick]

I think four-tracking both Piccadilly-Bolton (including Castlefield corridor) and the Stour Valley line Wolves-New Street, to give a couple of examples, would be a better use of money than any aspects of HS2.

without getting too detailed, why do you think that?

I seem to recall she was one of the political voices behind the "Norwich in 90" campaign. But I suspect it was just a convenient "good publicity" thing rather than a genuine support for rail.

Not sure she was, but I could be wrong.

Priti Patel was, as was Chloe Smith (And various others).

LT was certainly leadign the charge about improvements to the fen line; I well remember a letter ‘instructing’ Network Rail that she would accept longer trains as an interim measure in the next timetable change (this was at least a decade ago) and then doubling the service the following year when Ely North was sorted. I think that letter was filed appropriately.

 

[450.emu]

I wonder if Great British Railways will keep its grandiose name or what other changes will happen?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I wonder if Great British Railways will keep its grandiose name or what other changes will happen?

Well Kemi Badenoch has replaced Anne-Marie Trevelyan as International Trade Secretary so AMT was being tipped for Transport so I suspect she will want a reset to make her mark.

 

[Watershed]

I think that letter was filed appropriately.

File 13, no doubt?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Anne-Marie Trevelyan has been appointed Secretary of State for Transport

 

[Morgsie]

AMT Officially Transport Secretary

 

[Failed Unit]

I do very much like Mr Shapps a lot unlike many of you, but it is good as confirmed that he’s on his way out.

I just hope Lisp Truss has the common sense to choose someone who will actively take an interest in improving our railways, and hopefully signs off refurbishments and new stock when they’re badly needed.

It is difficult to see anything he achieved that is positive. He gave GTR a hard time before he became transport minister. it was as if he didn’t use rail (in particular on a Saturday).

The punch up with the unions he has encouraged hopefully will be sorted.

His legacy of rail will be the beginning of the decline.

 

[LYuen]

I'm not clear what Castlefield has to do with HS2. It operates into a separate station at Picc and doesn't go near Castlefield. 2B West's main purpose is to relieve the local lines south of Manchester to allow for improved local services, e.g. a Merseyrail style service at Levenshulme/Heaton Chapel and on to Hazel Grove, a possible later new Longsight station and reinstatment of services via Denton.

Onward connections. Having a high speed rail in Manchester means more people would travel to Manchester and catch a high speed train to London. A main high speed rail station will naturally be the connection hub of other trains. The problem with the Castlefield bottleneck is that it has already reached its capacity and commuter trains are already compromised to give way to fast trains for Manchester from the west and the north. There are so many suburb national rail stations that are being underserved around Manchester, not to mention that other centrally located stations such as Deansgate and Salford cannot be fully utilised because there is no passing loop and the line is at its maximum capacity. Also the current Manchester - Leeds services usually stop at Manchester Victoria and will not run through Piccadilly. Allow them to connect with HS2 is just wasting the capacity in both Piccadilly and Victoria stations.

A north-south through station Manchester is ideal. Not only will it allow a single service pattern for London-Manchester, London-Scotland and Manchester-Scotland passengers, but it also create an alternative path across Manchester. For example, the new station can focus on express and intercity trains, while Castlefield and Victoria will allow more metro style services.