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| Plans for Transport for London to take over capital's rail lines ditched Plans for Transport for London to take over capital's rail lines ditched | |
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| Plans for the capital’s rail lines to be run by Transport for London have been scuttled, as the government instead said it would make the Southeastern franchise a testbed for controversial reforms that will lead to private train companies taking joint control of the tracks. | Plans for the capital’s rail lines to be run by Transport for London have been scuttled, as the government instead said it would make the Southeastern franchise a testbed for controversial reforms that will lead to private train companies taking joint control of the tracks. |
| The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, has blocked a deal announced in January by his predecessor, Patrick McLoughlin, and the then London mayor, Boris Johnson, for TfL to take charge of train services within Greater London as the franchises were renewed. | The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, has blocked a deal announced in January by his predecessor, Patrick McLoughlin, and the then London mayor, Boris Johnson, for TfL to take charge of train services within Greater London as the franchises were renewed. |
| Grayling said TfL would be “invited to be involved in developing” a new Southeastern franchise, which is likely instead to hand greater control over the rail infrastructure to private firms after 2018. | Grayling said TfL would be “invited to be involved in developing” a new Southeastern franchise, which is likely instead to hand greater control over the rail infrastructure to private firms after 2018. |
| The move was met with dismay by the mayor for London, Sadiq Khan, as well as local Conservative MPs. Bob Neill, the MP for Bromley, said it was “a complete cop-out and failure and certainly [makes] no sense at all as far as rail users in my constituency or I am concerned”. | The move was met with dismay by the mayor for London, Sadiq Khan, as well as local Conservative MPs. Bob Neill, the MP for Bromley, said it was “a complete cop-out and failure and certainly [makes] no sense at all as far as rail users in my constituency or I am concerned”. |
| Sources in the Department for Transport said Grayling had not been convinced by the business case presented by Khan. The transport secretary is thought to have scant regard for the Labour mayor’s closer relations with rail unions Grayling has condemned in the Southern dispute. | Sources in the Department for Transport said Grayling had not been convinced by the business case presented by Khan. The transport secretary is thought to have scant regard for the Labour mayor’s closer relations with rail unions Grayling has condemned in the Southern dispute. |
| Khan said he would keep pushing for devolution, although the mayor’s office conceded that the decision meant TfL was unlikely to take control of other rail services at the end of the decade as planned. “The only proven way of improving services for passengers is giving control of suburban rail lines to TfL,” Khan said. “There is cross-party support for this from MPs, assembly members, councils inside and out of London, and businesses and their representatives.” | Khan said he would keep pushing for devolution, although the mayor’s office conceded that the decision meant TfL was unlikely to take control of other rail services at the end of the decade as planned. “The only proven way of improving services for passengers is giving control of suburban rail lines to TfL,” Khan said. “There is cross-party support for this from MPs, assembly members, councils inside and out of London, and businesses and their representatives.” |
| The news emerged as Grayling outlined potentially far-reaching reforms, including plans for a fully privatised railway line with track and trains operated by the same company. A new body, East West Rail, will be created in early 2017 to build and develop a rail line linking Oxford and Cambridge, and will be expected to eventually run the trains too. | The news emerged as Grayling outlined potentially far-reaching reforms, including plans for a fully privatised railway line with track and trains operated by the same company. A new body, East West Rail, will be created in early 2017 to build and develop a rail line linking Oxford and Cambridge, and will be expected to eventually run the trains too. |
| While Grayling denied he was intent on privatising Network Rail, unions denounced his plans as “piecemeal privatisation”. The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “This is the Tory government dragging the railways back to the failed and lethal Railtrack model of the private sector running infrastructure.” | While Grayling denied he was intent on privatising Network Rail, unions denounced his plans as “piecemeal privatisation”. The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “This is the Tory government dragging the railways back to the failed and lethal Railtrack model of the private sector running infrastructure.” |
| The transport secretary told the House of Commons that he would build on two major reports into the rail industry, the 2011 McNulty report and the 2015 Shaw report, that advocated cost-cutting, devolution and bringing in private finance. He added: “But there is much more to do.” | The transport secretary told the House of Commons that he would build on two major reports into the rail industry, the 2011 McNulty report and the 2015 Shaw report, that advocated cost-cutting, devolution and bringing in private finance. He added: “But there is much more to do.” |
| Future rail franchises will have to create integrated operating teams between train operating companies and Network Rail. Grayling said: “I believe it will mean they run better on a day-to-day basis … Our railway is much better run by one joined-up team of people.” | Future rail franchises will have to create integrated operating teams between train operating companies and Network Rail. Grayling said: “I believe it will mean they run better on a day-to-day basis … Our railway is much better run by one joined-up team of people.” |
| Labour’s shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said they were the “wrong plans” for the railways. He said: “Inviting private train companies to take responsibility for safety, critical repairs and maintenance is an irresponsible move. We don’t want to see a return to the bad old days of Railtrack, where under-investment and a poor safety record led to passengers being put at risk. | Labour’s shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said they were the “wrong plans” for the railways. He said: “Inviting private train companies to take responsibility for safety, critical repairs and maintenance is an irresponsible move. We don’t want to see a return to the bad old days of Railtrack, where under-investment and a poor safety record led to passengers being put at risk. |
| “Private companies are only likely to have concern for our infrastructure for their period of commercial interest, but our railways require long-term investment and strategic thinking.” | “Private companies are only likely to have concern for our infrastructure for their period of commercial interest, but our railways require long-term investment and strategic thinking.” |
| Meanwhile, Grayling said he would meet the RMT union over the Southern dispute, but only if it suspended its industrial action. | Meanwhile, Grayling said he would meet the RMT union over the Southern dispute, but only if it suspended its industrial action. |
| Cash said his union had been seeking talks with Grayling since he was appointed to his role in June. But Grayling signalled he was unlikely to get involved in talks, saying it would not be “proper for me to insert myself into a negotiation between a private company and a trade union over a strike I think is politically motivated”. | Cash said his union had been seeking talks with Grayling since he was appointed to his role in June. But Grayling signalled he was unlikely to get involved in talks, saying it would not be “proper for me to insert myself into a negotiation between a private company and a trade union over a strike I think is politically motivated”. |
| Southern is changing the role of conductors and bringing in more driver-only operated trains, which unions argue threatens safety as well as jobs. | Southern is changing the role of conductors and bringing in more driver-only operated trains, which unions argue threatens safety as well as jobs. |
| Commuters on the troubled network suffered further disruption on Tuesday as an overtime ban by Aslef’s drivers took effect, compounding a fresh three-day strike by conductors in the RMT. | Commuters on the troubled network suffered further disruption on Tuesday as an overtime ban by Aslef’s drivers took effect, compounding a fresh three-day strike by conductors in the RMT. |
| Southern, which does not have enough drivers to operate its timetable, has told customers it expects services to be severely disrupted until further notice. The company is seeking an injunction to halt Aslef’s industrial action, and a hearing is due at the high court in London on Wednesday. | Southern, which does not have enough drivers to operate its timetable, has told customers it expects services to be severely disrupted until further notice. The company is seeking an injunction to halt Aslef’s industrial action, and a hearing is due at the high court in London on Wednesday. |
| Further strikes by the RMT and Aslef are planned in the run-up to Christmas and over the new year. | Further strikes by the RMT and Aslef are planned in the run-up to Christmas and over the new year. |