General Election 2010 and its implications for the railways (combined topic)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

At-a-glance: Lib Dem general election 2010 manifesto
...
Cancel plans for a third runway at Heathrow and other airport expansion in south-east England. Tighter regulation on vehicle exhausts. End "hidden" charges in airline pricing
^140m bus scrappage scheme to help firms replace polluting vehicles. Reopen regional rail lines, paid for by cutting roads budget [England only]
Cut rail fares, force train operators to ensure regulated fares fall behind inflation by 1% per year. Make Network Rail refund a third of ticket price if replacement buses used
...

The full Liberal Democrat election manifesto is available at http://network.libdems.org.uk/manifesto2010/libdem_manifesto_2010.pdf

[Chris from Nailsea]

Video item, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Newsnight takes the Tory manifesto on the train

The Tories launched their election manifesto on Tuesday with the emphasis on "big society" rather than big government.

Newsnight's Michael Crick took the manifesto to Keighley to see how voters reacted to some of the key pledges.

Broadcast on Tuesday 13 April 2010.

[Btline]

I disagree with no airport expansion. The South East desperately needs more capacity!

The rail policies are vague and not solid enough - i.e. typical Liberal Democrat.

[willc]

The rail policies are vague and not solid enough - i.e. typical Liberal Democrat.

How soon they forget. Think it's only fair to point out that back at the top of the thread, you will find a post from the inspector linking to the following http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8603009.stm which is full of specifics from the Lib Dem railway policy launch all of nine days ago. The manifestos aren't stuffed with every single dot and cross of policy. For example, I'd be interested to see the detail of how the Tories propose to go about beginning work 'immediately' to create an HSL to Birmingham, given that the recommended route - or any conceivable alternative - runs for mile upon mile through Tory-held constituencies where opposition will be at its most bitter. Dave's little blue hymn book rather skirts around that one.

Might the mods perhaps consider hiving off the stuff about US flights into 'other ways...' not sure it will be a hot election topic.

[inspector_blakey]

Might the mods perhaps consider hiving off the stuff about US flights into 'other ways...' not sure it will be a hot election topic.

Done - have excised the OT posts (slightly embarrassing that a moderator and an admin were both culpable there  ) and spliced them onto the original discussion of the BRS^▸ (Business Rates Supplement)-EWR air connection here.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Guardian:

Crossrail 'could be scrapped', admits Tory spokeswoman

Shadow minister Justine Greening says Conservatives support Crossrail in principle but cannot guarantee the future of the cross-London rail link.

Labour today accused the Conservatives of breaking a manifesto pledge only two days after launching their election proposals after a shadow minister admitted that a key rail project could be scrapped under a Tory government on the grounds of cost.

The Labour party seized on the comments made by Justine Greening, the shadow London minister, who told London's LBC radio that she "cannot guarantee" that the building of the ^16bn Crossrail scheme ^ an east-to-west rail link across the capital ^ would continue under the Conservatives.

Her comments appear to contradict a commitment outlined in the Conservative manifesto, published earlier this week, which says: "We support Crossrail and the electrification of the Great Western line to south Wales."

Greening told LBC earlier today that she was unable to give "a line-by-line budget on projects across government, including Crossrail. Everything's up for review but we think it's important," she said.

Pressed on whether this meant that a Tory government would allow the Crossrail development to continue, Greening replied: "I can't give a guarantee that it will continue."

Asked if this meant it could be scrapped altogether, Greening said: "It's possible, but at the end of the day we've always said that we think it's an important project and actually the reason this is important is we want to be responsible, so we can't pretend that we can write an entire budget outside of government. We've said we'll do one within 50 days of getting into government if we get elected and we will then provide some clarity and certainty."

Greening's comments are likely to alarm Boris Johnson, the Tory mayor of London, who has repeatedly hailed Crossrail as a scheme which will create thousands of jobs and boost the capital's economy.

Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, accused the Conservatives of "weasel words".

"The Tories' supposed commitment to Crossrail lasted just two days. Now Justine Greening has exposed the weasel words in the Tory manifesto for what they are," he said.

"This sends an alarming message to business in and around the capital, to Londoners, and also calls into question the extent of their commitment to all other infrastructure projects, including high-speed rail."

Johnson stood shoulder to shoulder with Adonis and Gordon Brown last year to mark the formal start of the construction the major railway project.

At the time, he said: "The years of hesitation, irresolution and vacillation are over, the shovels have tasted earth and the construction of a railway that is crucial to the economic prosperity of this great city has begun.

"This amazing project will create and support thousands of jobs, relieve congestion and provide a high-speed link between east and west of London. When the first of Crossrail's chariots glide smoothly along its lines in 2017 it will change the face of transport in London and the south east forever."

Kulveer Ranger, Johnson's transport adviser, said today: "The mayor's passion and support for Crossrail is unquenched and his view is it is not a want but a must for the capital. Every inch of London will benefit from the jobs, increase in capacity and easing of congestion that Crossrail will bring."

The Conservative party, which has been keen to call attention to Johnson's administration during the election campaign, insisted its position on Crossrail was "very clear".

A spokeswoman said Crossrail would be part of a Tory government's spending review alongside everything apart from health and international development, whose funding has been ring-fenced.

"Our position is consistent and claims to the contrary are disingenuous," she said.

The party issued a quote David Cameron made last November, in which he said: "I back Crossrail. I want Crossrail to go ahead. Obviously everything has to pass the value-for-money test and all the rest, but we want it to go ahead."

[Btline]

No surprises there. As for "we support GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) electrification", that is certainly NOT what the shadow transport secretary indicated after the plans were revealed. The Tories are a mess.

And they'll also bugger up* the High Speed Line, by re-routing it and starting it too early.

_{*Of course, there is still the debate as to whether the line is needed. But if it is built, it must follow the direct route planned by Labour! Not some long windy Tory favoured route, avoiding marginal constituencies & Tory donors and visiting Heathrow.}

[devon_metro]

The Tories are a mess.

Name me a party that isn't 

Anyway time to switch on ITV1, see where my vote will be going perhaps.

[Phil]

Anyway time to switch on ITV1, see where my vote will be going perhaps.

I'd really like to think nobody with a modicum of political intelligence would be placing their precious vote, which potentially makes a real difference to who represents YOU at a local level, entirely on which party leader happens to be the most "impressive" in an artificially staged event in front of a selected TV audience! Remember, you didn't vote for the party leader (and in some cases, neither did anyone else...). We're not - yet - voting for a President.

Just in case these things are important to you however, David Cameron was the biggest smiler by far ^ smiling 3 times as much as Gordon Brown (34 smiles) and Nick Clegg (31 smiles). Cameron smiled 97 times in total.

[devon_metro]

Anyway time to switch on ITV1, see where my vote will be going perhaps.

I'd really like to think nobody with a modicum of political intelligence would be placing their precious vote, which potentially makes a real difference to who represents YOU at a local level, entirely on which party leader happens to be the most "impressive" in an artificially staged event in front of a selected TV audience! Remember, you didn't vote for the party leader (and in some cases, neither did anyone else...). We're not - yet - voting for a President.

No indeed, however as Torbay is a marginal seat between Conservative and Lib Dem, then it does have some influence in my party choice. For example if the local candidate is an excellent politician but the actual leader of the party is less so, then purely voting on my local candidate would not be sensible, as far as i'm concerned.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page): Where They Stand: Guide to party election policies - Transport

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

At-a-glance: BNP^▸ (Barnstaple) general election manifesto
...
Reverse privatisation of railways, invest in 200mph magnetic levitation inter-city rail network
...

The full BNP election manifesto is available at http://www.bnp.org.uk/pdf_files/BNP-Manifesto-2010-online.pdf

[JayMac]

At-a-glance: BNP^▸ (Barnstaple) general election manifesto
...
Reverse privatisation of railways, invest in 200mph magnetic levitation inter-city rail network
...

Built by foreign labour?

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

David Cameron urged to include Sheffield in rail plan

A student has called on David Cameron to include Sheffield under plans for a high-speed rail network.
The government announced plans in March to build a ^17bn route between London and Birmingham with a future extension to north England and Scotland.
After being questioned by Patrick Gannon, David Cameron said he would look at a station stop in Sheffield.
Labour said it was committed to putting a stop in Sheffield. A Liberal Democrat spokesman was unavailable for comment.
Addressing Mr Cameron, first-time voter Mr Gannon said: "The Liberal Democrat and Labour plans both propose a high-speed rail route with a station that will stop at Sheffield fitting it into the whole network. But as far as I'm aware, the Conservatives do not plan to put a station at Sheffield. Why is it viewed that England's fourth largest city should be by-passed by this magnificent scheme?"
Mr Cameron said under Labour's plans, there was no guarantee that the new rail line would extend further than Birmingham. "They've talked about taking it to Scotland, Sheffield and everywhere else - the only people that have actually got a proper plan for a high-speed rail [network] that goes London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds are the Conservatives. We've actually set out how we'd do it, how we'd pay for it and when it would happen."
The exchange came during a question and answer session with viewers of BBC Look North.
The Conservative leader told Mr Gannon that he would look at a stop in Sheffield, adding: "Once you've got the plan, once you've got the route set out you can look at how many stations you have."
A Labour statement said: "Labour have absolutely committed, both in the statement made to the House of Commons and in our election manifesto to build a high-speed line to both West and South Yorkshire."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

David Cameron high-speed rail link U-turn criticised

David Cameron has been accused of "making up policy on the run" after agreeing to consider including Sheffield in a high-speed rail network.
Conservative proposals for a high-speed route currently exclude the city.
But during an exchange with viewers of BBC Look North Mr Cameron said he would look at putting a stop in Sheffield.
Labour said the U-turn raised more questions than answers. The Tories said their vision for a wider high-speed rail network could include many cities.
The government announced plans in March to build a ^17bn route between London and Birmingham with a future extension to north England and Scotland.
While launching the Liberal Democrats' manifesto for Yorkshire earlier this month, leader Nick Clegg outlined plans for high-speed rail links to the Channel Tunnel from Leeds, Sheffield and York.
Mr Cameron made his comments after being addressed by first-time voter Patrick Gannon. He told Mr Gannon that he would look at a stop in Sheffield, adding: "Once you've got the plan, once you've got the route set out you can look at how many stations you have."
Andrew Adonis, Labour's transport secretary, said: "Labour have absolutely committed to build a high-speed line to both West and South Yorkshire, both in the statement made in the House of Commons on high speed rail and in our election manifesto. David Cameron is making up Tory policy on a major infrastructure project on the run. This u-turn on high speed rail raises more questions than it answers. Are they planning to add Sheffield as a further spur from Leeds or are they now adopting our route from Birmingham which they have previously attacked?"
A Conservative spokesman said the party had "led the debate on high-speed rail". He added: "None of the other parties were talking about it until we announced our plans and Labour's commitment currently only extends to Birmingham. David Cameron stated during the interview that our route, which is fully-costed and timetabled, will go from London to Leeds, stopping at Birmingham and Manchester. We have also set out our vision for a wider high speed rail network which could include many other cities and, of course, we would listen to many views in planning that vision."
A Liberal Democrats spokesman said the party was "fully committed to high-speed rail for the full length of the country". He added: "We're broadly supportive of the proposed route which goes through Sheffield, but there should be a full public consultation on the exact route and proper mitigation should be considered."