This is true, hence why I mentioned the word "started;" rather than completed. It is surely the Government that stumps up the cash that should take the credit.
So, in your opinion, David Cameron's government take the credit for everything Lord Adonis did just because the Coalition's spending review didn't cancel the likes of North West electrification, Thames Valley electrification, Thameslink etc.?
It's not just a case of work starts when the cash is found. Many infrastructure projects get delayed due to local objections to the original scheme and then alternative schemes are looked at. Take the plan for the A556 between the M56 and M6. Originally a solution was proposed in 1998 in the form of the A556(M) which didn't work out. The problem faced wasn't so much the cost but where do you build what will be the main road between Birmingham and Manchester - no-one locally wanted it on their back yard. Eventually a final revised plan emerged in early 2010 (just before a general election), exactly 5 years later (just before a general election) George Osborne announced the scheme had been funded. Both Labour and the Conservatives have been guilty over making promises relating to that scheme just before an election to try and incentivise voters.
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I think Mr Osborne realises that infrastructure spending on roads and railways is good for the economy. Considering how much traffic jams and disruption on the railways is stated to cost the economy, I would say that capital spending on infrastructure improvements on the railways are one area that won't be cut.
When visiting his constituency Osborne takes a Pendolino to either Wilmslow or Macclesfield and then a taxi. He never uses any local rail or bus services.
In the past he actually indirectly backed local rail services cuts in Cheshire by pushing for regular Manchester to London via Wilmslow trains and not realising that there's only a limited number of services you can run on rail lines.
Now he's going about how great the HS2 station at Manchester Airport will be. I don't think he's realised that the regular Manchester to London via Wilmslow trains he pushed for will finish up being cut back as a result of HS2 or that there's a lack of plans to connect local services to the HS2 services at Manchester Airport. :roll:
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Which makes the generous specification for the new Northern franchise all the more problematic.
Other franchises will have to generate more premiums to pay for it.
The Northern/TPE ITTs were due out in the year before an election, while the Conservatives had seats in the North which they won through very small majorities like Weaver Vale.
With the Northern ITT in particular the choice was:
1. Impress the Northerners and then we have a chance of keeping those seats
2. Issue a more limited specification which would annoy Northerners and would mean Labour could promise very little extra and win those seats.
FGW will offload their 143s in the next few years to become a Pacer free franchise. I think in 2019 they'll be little difference between the age of the Northern fleet and FGW local/regional fleet, both will still likely have 150s but then both should have some fairly new trains.
I personally think the areas which need to be concerned about low cost D-Trains or ePacers are the East Midlands and Wales. Both use single car 153s on some services and either D-Trains or ePacers could provide a low cost capacity boost. While in Wales it's likely an interim solution is needed between the 2019 deadline and Valley Lines electrification.
