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| Decision to shelve rail projects due to failures in Network Rail modernisation plan provokes furious reaction | Decision to shelve rail projects due to failures in Network Rail modernisation plan provokes furious reaction |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Government’s decision to shelve key rail projects because of multiple failures in Network Rail’s £38bn modernisation plan has sparked a furious reaction. | |
| The Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, said that plans to electrify the trans-Pennine line between Manchester and Leeds, and the Midland Mainline north of Bedford, will be “paused” to allow Network Rail to get “back on track” and to safeguard improvements on the Great Western line. | The Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, said that plans to electrify the trans-Pennine line between Manchester and Leeds, and the Midland Mainline north of Bedford, will be “paused” to allow Network Rail to get “back on track” and to safeguard improvements on the Great Western line. |
| Mr McLoughlin said: “Network Rail’s performance has not been good enough.” He told the Commons that the organisation’s directors will not get a bonus this year. He has sacked the organisation's chair, Richard Parry-Jones, and replaced him with Peter Hendy - a controversial figure who recently lambasted the performance of train operators. | Mr McLoughlin said: “Network Rail’s performance has not been good enough.” He told the Commons that the organisation’s directors will not get a bonus this year. He has sacked the organisation's chair, Richard Parry-Jones, and replaced him with Peter Hendy - a controversial figure who recently lambasted the performance of train operators. |
| Electrification delivers faster journeys and higher capacity, as well as increasing reliability. The trans-Pennine project was an important part of the “Northern Powerhouse” concept. In other European countries, for a main line between key cities only 45 miles apart to rely on diesel trains would be unthinkable. | Electrification delivers faster journeys and higher capacity, as well as increasing reliability. The trans-Pennine project was an important part of the “Northern Powerhouse” concept. In other European countries, for a main line between key cities only 45 miles apart to rely on diesel trains would be unthinkable. |
| Patrick McLoughlin has said Network Rail’s performance has not been good enough (PA) | |
| A new “electric spine,” in the shape of an enhanced Midland main line, was announced in 2012. It was intended to cut journey times between Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and London by 13 minutes, with completion in 2020. Embarrassingly for the Transport Secretary, the line serves his constituency, the Derbyshire Dales. Mr McLoughlin said: “Better services can be delivered on that line before electrification.” | A new “electric spine,” in the shape of an enhanced Midland main line, was announced in 2012. It was intended to cut journey times between Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and London by 13 minutes, with completion in 2020. Embarrassingly for the Transport Secretary, the line serves his constituency, the Derbyshire Dales. Mr McLoughlin said: “Better services can be delivered on that line before electrification.” |
| Costs for electrifying the line from London Paddington west to Swindon, Bristol and South Wales have trebled, according to the chair of the Transport Select Committee, Louise Ellman. | Costs for electrifying the line from London Paddington west to Swindon, Bristol and South Wales have trebled, according to the chair of the Transport Select Committee, Louise Ellman. |
| Earlier this month the Office of Rail and Road said that 77 per cent of Network Rail’s overhead line renewals and 63 per cent of signalling renewals were behind schedule, and that it had overspent by £230m in six months. | Earlier this month the Office of Rail and Road said that 77 per cent of Network Rail’s overhead line renewals and 63 per cent of signalling renewals were behind schedule, and that it had overspent by £230m in six months. |
| Network Rail’s chief executive, Mark Carne, told the BBC: “It’s time to level with the public and say some of these projects are going to take longer and cost more than we originally thought. | Network Rail’s chief executive, Mark Carne, told the BBC: “It’s time to level with the public and say some of these projects are going to take longer and cost more than we originally thought. |
| “It was a very ambitious plan. People went into it with the right frame of mind, but over the last year the experience has shown than actually, a lot of those targets just aren’t achievable. Rather than to continue to beat ourselves up for not be able to achieve some, frankly, relatively arbitrary target, I think we should level with people and reset expectations around what we can deliver.” | “It was a very ambitious plan. People went into it with the right frame of mind, but over the last year the experience has shown than actually, a lot of those targets just aren’t achievable. Rather than to continue to beat ourselves up for not be able to achieve some, frankly, relatively arbitrary target, I think we should level with people and reset expectations around what we can deliver.” |
| Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, Michael Dugher, said: “Since 2010, passengers have had to endure a catalogue of failures on our railways. Ministers may try to shift all the blame to Network Rail, but this has happened on the government’s watch and the responsibility for this mess lies squarely with the government. | Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, Michael Dugher, said: “Since 2010, passengers have had to endure a catalogue of failures on our railways. Ministers may try to shift all the blame to Network Rail, but this has happened on the government’s watch and the responsibility for this mess lies squarely with the government. |
| “Labour has warned time and time again that there needs to be fundamental change in how our railways are run. But the Transport Secretary has dithered and delayed.” | “Labour has warned time and time again that there needs to be fundamental change in how our railways are run. But the Transport Secretary has dithered and delayed.” |
| Sir Peter Hendy, pictured, has taken over the chairmanship from Richard Parry-Jones (PA) | |
| The General Secretary of the RMT union, Mick Cash, said: “Essential upgrade works are being bled away in private rail company profits. To argue that delays to electrification in the North and on the Midland main line is consistent with George Osborne's ‘Northern Powerhouse’ rhetoric is ridiculous. | The General Secretary of the RMT union, Mick Cash, said: “Essential upgrade works are being bled away in private rail company profits. To argue that delays to electrification in the North and on the Midland main line is consistent with George Osborne's ‘Northern Powerhouse’ rhetoric is ridiculous. |
| “Britain's railways will be jammed in the slow lane all the time they are nothing more than a money making racket for the private sector. " | “Britain's railways will be jammed in the slow lane all the time they are nothing more than a money making racket for the private sector. " |
| The Transport Secretary’s announcement coincided with the latest National National Passenger Survey, which showed a drop in the proportion of satisfied passengers to 75 per cent from 77 per cent a year earlier. This corresponds to an extra 32m dissatisfied passengers in the course of a year. | The Transport Secretary’s announcement coincided with the latest National National Passenger Survey, which showed a drop in the proportion of satisfied passengers to 75 per cent from 77 per cent a year earlier. This corresponds to an extra 32m dissatisfied passengers in the course of a year. |
| The Campaign for Better Transport called it “A bad day for rail in the UK.” James MacColl, Head of Campaigns for the pressure group, said: “On the same day we see overall rail passenger satisfaction plummeting, the government announces delays to many vital infrastructure projects that would ultimately improve the passenger experience. | The Campaign for Better Transport called it “A bad day for rail in the UK.” James MacColl, Head of Campaigns for the pressure group, said: “On the same day we see overall rail passenger satisfaction plummeting, the government announces delays to many vital infrastructure projects that would ultimately improve the passenger experience. |
| "Across the country millions of people rely on trains to get to work and it is time train operators and the government get a grip of the situation and start to give passengers what they want: an affordable and reliable rail service.” | "Across the country millions of people rely on trains to get to work and it is time train operators and the government get a grip of the situation and start to give passengers what they want: an affordable and reliable rail service.” |