Great Western Coffee Shop

I think that we should get to know them as well. Here is a list (link below.)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/rail/dftrailgroupseniorcontacts

It is interesting to note that the Director General , Mike Mitchell , used to work for FirstGroup (link below.)
http://www.alycidon.com/ALYCIDON%20RAIL/INFORMED%20SOURCES%20ARCHIVE/INF%20SRCS%202005/Informed%20sources%2004%202005%20p4.htm

Also , First Group's head of strategy for their re-franchising bid was recruited by the DfT to supervise the bid acceptance procedure while the process was still underway , while the former head of franchise design at the SRA (Strategic Rail Authority , now defunct) was recruited by First Group to direct their bid strategy......

On the DfT contacts page there are no email addresses given but it does add

NB email addresses: firstname.lastname@dft.gsi.gov.uk

Excellent idea to add in the DfT staff ... I should modify the board name, perhaps?

Sounds good to me.

We must not forget the ministerial team either (link below.)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/ministers/

Don't forget - it is Mike Mitchell who made the quote  - "If you are travelling a relatively short distance, I do not think that it is unacceptable to expect to stand in the peak." When asked what he thought a 'relatively short distance' was, he said perhaps half an hour.

FGW have a statement that says that passengers should not have to stand for more than 20 minutes on any of their trains. Passengers on the Reading line, whose regular journey to London is 25-30minutes and who regularly have to stand, will find this promise laughable. As for those who often have to stand from Didcot, and those who sometimes have to stand from Oxford, his comment has just made them very angry...

Susan
Ox Rail Action

Ruth Kelly has been appointed Transport Secretary , replacing Douglas Alexander (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6757793.stm

DfT biography.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/ministers/ruthkellysecofstatetrans

BBC profile.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6241685.stm

Guardian profile.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,,-2848,00.html

Archive Guardian profile.
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,9830,1375849,00.html

Wikipedia profile.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Kelly

MP profile.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/ruth_kelly/bolton_west

CJ Harrison's view.
http://firstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/06/all-change.html

Transport 2000 letter.
http://www.transport2000.org.uk/news/Ruth_Kelly_letter.pdf

Chris Grayling has been replaced as Shadow Transport Secretary by Theresa Villiers (link below.)
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=137375

I'm just waiting for Cameron to say the tories will renationalise the railways just to give us all a good laugh

I guess things have to move on .... and I wish both Ruth Kelly and Theresa Villiers all the very best in their new roles, but I really wonder if the frequency with with changes occur dulls the effectiveness of the direction of transport policy, and is wasteful of too many people having to "read in" to positions.  I recall training a guy who was a civilian on a specialist location with a military man placed at the head of site.  He described how, in 20 years, each newcomer had swung the pendulum to make his mark ... typically undoing any useful and innovative developmemts from the previous occupier of the seat and taking his organisation back as it was 2 or 3 commanding officers previous.

Is "five year per parliament" set for a reason - yes, to give the people in post a reasonable chance; but it gets very much reduced if you have 3 different people in 2 years.  That would be 7 or 8 over the lifetime of a government, and it's an order or magnitude more switching than really helps.

End of grouch;  no doubt I / we will set about letting the newcomers know some of the issues that arise in FGW territory and in my specific case on the TransWilts service.  I have had no previous dealings / contacts with either of them - so I have little to say at the momemt aboout how effective they will be.  I hope, very much, that the new head of the DfT will be able to act more appropriatley and forward looking that the people she follows.  And the new shadow has some big shoes to fill.

Ruth Kelly , Secretary of State for Transport , will be answering questions on transport issues in a live webchat on Thursday 20 September at 10:00 BST (link below.)
http://www.webchat.pm.gov.uk/index.asp?webchatID=52

The Government talks of cutting the carbon footprint and encouraging travellers to use public transport rather than private cars. But in some parts of the country key rail service have been withdrawn, leaving travellers with little option but to use private cars or impractically slower bus services. And the government does acknowledge the cost to the economy of extended journey times - in road building program evaluation, for example, a figure of 28 pence to 44 pence per minute is used to calculate the negative effect of a transport delay.

An example.

The corridor from Swindon to Salisbury includes 6 Strategically Significant Cities and Towns slated for major growth in the next 20 years. They are linked by a road intrastructure that is already creaking at the seams with major delays, and by a railway line maintained to a high standard, but with just 2 passenger trains each way a day after the majority of services were withdrawn last December.

Would Ms Kelly care to use this service as an example, and take the opportunity to announce the return of an appropriate service in the near future. I understand from talking personally with directors at First Great Western that they are more than willing to run the service, and I have also letters of support for the service from local transport authority - Wiltshire County Council.

[[I am pre-posting this question, to allow Ms Kelly as much time as possible to look into the example and come back with a good answer.  Please feel free to contact me - graham@wellho.net - for any further background information]]

* Swindon - Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Westbury - (Frome) - Warminster - Salisbury. All through trains withdrawn, December 2006.

* Traffic growth from 10% to 35% compound pre annum in prior 5 years depending on which measure you look at.   SLC specification based on Jacobs report with an assumed growth of less that 1%.

* 120,000 journeys per annum - last year. Estimate for this year on new minimal, marginal times service - 6,000.

* Journey time - Trowbridge to Swindon - 35 minutes by train or 95 minutes by what is described as the express bus. So cost to economy of delay to each through passenger = 30p x (95 - 35) = 18 pounds per journey.

* 12 key traffic flows on corridor, and those flows will grow.  They are journeys people need to make.

* Melksham - town of 24,000 - now has no trains at all from 07:17 to 19:08; local survey shows that a service would be used if provided / clock face / appropriate time of day.

Here is a transcript of the webchat (link below.)
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page13178.asp

It appears that my question didn't reach Ms Kelly as she failed to answer it  :P

Can be found in the links below.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/speeches/spchrssbukrailway

http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/speeches/spchhighwaysawards

One of them points out (in case you didnt know) that responsibility for the national road network was added to his remit in July 2007.

Ruth Kelly has called for more stations to join the Department's Secure Stations Scheme in 2008 (link below.)
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=336075&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False

Apparently , the 500th station to be accredited was Barnstaple on 27 June 2007.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/26/firstgroupbusiness.travelleisure

Words fail me how she can say that  ::)

She's an MP, what did you expext?

Whats she on about regarding dodgy data when her department lost loads of stuff from the DVLA

Need some more of this: http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41299000/jpg/_41299184_eggkelly203280_pa.jpg

Now, I'm the last person to stick up for FGW as you know, but surely this "ill-informed woman" should be asked to specify where exactly these extra carriages are supposed to come from?

First Great Western has been warned by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly in the House of Commons that it could be stripped of its franchise if services do not improve (links below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/03/rail_company_is_told_get_a_gri.html#more

http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.2092983.0.rail_firms_told_to_get_a_grip.php

http://thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141507&command=displayContent&sourceNode=257390&home=yes&more_nodeId1=257393&contentPK=20060080

http://thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231754&home=yes&more_nodeId1=231776&contentPK=20060869

yes because improvements can deffinatly happen in a week since she last sprawled the media with crap.

Headline on thisisdevon.co.uk says she's been highly critical again today.

More in tomorrow's western morning news, apparently.

Anyone picked up on anything?

Main topic, plus more articles can be found in the link below.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1948.msg14432#msg14432

I find it amusing that FGW seem to be turning things around, yet the government have only just started this harsh critisism campaign- they certainly kept quiet for the several months that the first new timetable was introduced and chaos ensued.

In this case, I feel it's the government themselves who need to "get a grip" -- on reality.

Get a grip?  Get out more likely.....on a boat in the ocean far, far away, never to return   :D

All over Bristol Evening post.............old news yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn have they got nothing better to continually wite about

More article links.
http://thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141507&command=displayContent&sourceNode=257390&home=yes&more_nodeId1=257393&contentPK=20063460

http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=20062723&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=251478

http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=20070611

http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20067228

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/display.var.2093565.0.transport_chiefs_threat_to_rail_company.php

>:( >:( >:( >:( ::) ::) ::)

what planet is person on? New Trains this, New Trains that. Some people don't seem to able to grasp the fact that First only lease their rolling stock ( well most of it). They talk like it's a case of someone popping down the local train sales hypermarket to pick up some new one's. If they were to order new trains today it would be three years until we see the first of them. As for Shoddy dirty trains what do'es he think they do? throw all that crap in (old newspapers/bottles.sandwich wrappers etc) in the morning! It's the punters that make them dirty mate! ::) ::) ::)

I might go and buy her a mirror

I might buy her one too.  But then she's got a reputation for flannelling while ignoring the facts. See  here  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_kelly) for the ways in which she's been in difficulty.

She is also said to be a member of  Opus Dei  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei) and I'm bound to say I'm suspicious of anyone who believes all that and goes for mortification as well.

Its not just FGW fiddling the figure then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a background link on Ruth Kelly.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=392.msg1161#msg1161

Please may I point out that 'Chris, Bristol' is certainly NOT 'chris from nailsea'.

By the way, from the BBC yesterday, just for information: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7277670.stm

 ;)

Further article link.
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20063460

and get here a comb while your at it! :D ;D :D

No, you'll find that look is the look that is only found by a camera.  ;D

Ok, we've had a moderation team discussion on the route that this thread is taking, and we feel that the issue of Ruth Kelly's hairstyle is probably best left for "Hello" magazine, Heat, Private Eye or the News of the World.

Lets try and keep the topic relevant to the matter in hand, please.

The Government would "lose no sleep" about taking away First Great Western's franchise, despite a possible loss of premium payments to the Treasury, MPs were told today (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/03/minister_not_afraid_to_axe_gre.html#more

Mr Harris told the House of Commons transport select committee that the payments would not be taken into account if FGW failed to improve its performance.

He said there were indications that FGW was improving its performance and that the company was aware of "this tremendous chorus of disapproval".

Graham Stringer MP said that if the franchise was terminated, the Government stood to lose a great deal of money. But Mr Harris said that the money would not be lost, because a new franchisee would be appointed.

Do they think any other company would be mad enough to bid for this franchise with these rediculous repayments?

Written statement to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly (link below.)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/tenders

Link containing a summary of responses to the relevant consultation.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/closed/powerstoletrailfranchises/responses

These people NEED to live in the real world.

For cry sake, they have a clause in the franchise that states that no blame should be given to DfT for franchise problems;

thus suggesting that they either predict the franchise to go balls up or that they are not railway professionals and instead accountants...

unlikely the franchise will go in my opinion.

the dft are well aware fgw would open a  can of worms by going public about all the stupid decisions the dft have made.
plus i cannot see any other company wanting to take on this mess let alone being able to do a better job of it.

For information - and to avoid some possible duplication of posts - there is a similar discussion at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2137.msg16070#msg16070 

Chris  :)

The Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, has launched the Station Travel Plan Initiative for England and Wales, at an ATOC-organised event at Derby Station (link below.)
http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/media/press_releases/july_2008/station_travel_plans

Station travel plans will be developed for 24 pilot schemes covering 31 stations across the country, including the following FGW-served locations :

Romsey
Bristol Parkway
Truro
Digby & Sowton

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has told the prime minister that she plans to step down from government (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7632778.stm

She will leave the cabinet at the next reshuffle. A Labour source says she wants to see more of her four children.

The timing of Ms Kelly's announcement came just hours after Gordon Brown's address in Manchester.

There had been speculation the 40-year-old mother-of-four could leave the government because of her objections to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

But she is said to be denying reports her decision had anything to do with the Bill.

A party source said :


Further related links.
http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/09/tom-on-ruth.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/09/procrastination.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/09/runes-misread.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/24/ruthkelly.geoffhoon

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4815337.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797084

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1060789/This-declaration-war-Ministers-accuse-Downing-Street-forcing-Kelly-quit-early.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/09/sword-of-damocles.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2008/sep/24/ruthkelly.transport

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/24/transport.ruthkelly

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/25/gordonbrown.ruthkelly

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/09/24/transport-secretary-ruth-kelly-s-resignation-could-revive-merseytram-100252-21891468/

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/westminster-watch/2008/09/24-ruth-kelly.html

Ruth Kelly has said that she will stand down as an MP at the next general election (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7649662.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7650013.stm

Geoff Hoon is the new Transport Secretary.

Note added by moderator - I Have split this topic off from the thread that's headlined with the departure of the previous incumbent - Ruth Kelly - which is at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3491.0 . Zoe - thanks for being first with the news here! - Graham

Or as Private Eye calls him "Buff Hoon"

Have Opus Dei something against rail travel I wonder.

Clearly Ms Kelly has problems with travelling by train, and possibly any sort of public transport, and the fact that the unwashed of society who do, have been asking too many difficult questions have finally got to the poor lass. Spending more time with the children is clearly a smoke screen as she has a bit of previous in this regard.

http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/01/25/the-dying-art-of-answering-questions-and-ruth-kellys-train-travel/

Although it is difficult to know where exactly she lives, getting to Bolton West for your constituents by public transport should put a smile on her face when she eventually does it.

Constituency - Ashfield, served by a railway line newly re-opened in 1995.

Hopefully this will mean that he understands and appreciates how helpful a decent railway service will be ... and will do everything to assist in such a decent service being provided in FGW territory, including the Bristol area, Portishead, and across Wiltshire  ;)

Good to see this one has an English Consituency so that his decisions actually effect the people who voted for him.  Is the other guy who represents a seat near Glasgow still under him looking after rail?  Tom someone?  The guy who Dom Jolly interviewed  ;D ;D

In one way I don't think it really matters who the Transport Secretary is, as whichever MP with no transport background they choose will only be following orders.

However, maybe the government will use a change of Minister as an opportunity to signal a change of direction.... they'll be thinking of a few popular measures to come up with before the next election, so I'm slightly hopeful that we might get some good news for the railways... although I'd be amazed if any new money that might be on offer reaches the westcountry.  :(

Further related links.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/02/ruthkelly.labour

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/3126655/Ruth-Kelly-to-step-down-as-MP-at-next-election.html

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/3724654.Ruth_Kelly_to_stand_down_as_Bolton_MP/

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/westminster-watch/2008/10/01-ruth-kelly-policy.html

http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/ministers/geoffhoonmp

No, Tom is no longer at the DfT: see http://www.tomharrismp.com/?PageId=b3a54196-096a-b954-8db8-3523bbd3b65e  ;)

Links related to the Tom Harris departure.
http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/oh-bugger.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/off-fence.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/railway-thumbs-down.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/true-grit.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/get.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/shameless.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/harris-speaks.html

There's a notable difference between how the news of Ruth Kelly's departure and that of Tom Harris was handled and received at TravelWatch SouthWest / among the delegates there on Saturday.  There was a far warmer feeling with Ruth Kelly who, after all, "fined" FGW in such a way that the money went back into services and looked like she may have been set to be rather more pro-transport user than her predecessors) that with Tom Harris for whom few, if any tear are being shed in he South West.

And indeed as I drove home on Saturday evening (the train I would have caught back from the same meeting a couple of years ago having been withdrawn by the DfT / FGW) the BBC was talking about Tom Harris being sacked which struck me as an unusually exteme wording.

Looking forward ... is there a new name yet in place of TH?  Perhaps the policies won't change very much, but I do look forward to a different hand at the tiller.

The new minister with responsibility for rail is Lord Andrew Adonis (links below.)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/ministers/andrewadonismp

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/rest-of-pack.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/loved-by-aphrodite.html

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/lords-to-slaughter.html

Andrew Adonis was born in 1963 - born to a Greek Cypriot father and English Mother who left the familiy when he was a toddler.  He live in a council children's home to 11, from where he progressed vi local education grant to school and on to Oxford University for BA, D Phil, and a fellowship. From 1992 to 1996 he worder for the financial times, then moved on to the Observer.

From 1987 to 1992 he was an Oxford City Concillor for the Lim Dems, and he was selected as the party's parliamentary candidate for the Westbury constituency in 1994, from which he resigned 18 months later. He has never (from what I can see) stood at an election as a parliamentary candidate. In the 1990s he was politically active in Islington North. In May 2005 he was created a life peer which enabled him to be appointed as a government minister.

I've visited that page.  Do you know what the letters "mp" on the end of the URL stand for?

I presume its a "general" thing, based on the fact that the other DfT ministers have "mp" at the end of their links, and are indeed MP's, unlike Andrew Adonis....

Indeed, Lee - I, too, suspect that it's just a convention that the DfT's website urls all assume their ministers will be MPs?

It all seems very political in motivation, though: see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7654337.stm

Further related link.
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5231

Excuse me, mate, but Portishead is one of the largest areas by population in the UK without any train service!  I'll be sending you an e-mail on the subject!!  ;) :D ;D

The new ministers ar Geoff Hoon and Lord Andrew Adonis ... and I have just split off the parts of this thread  that introduced them and made initial comment to:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3576.0

Comments on the outgoing ministers - Ruth Kelly and Tom Harris - and their legacy .... continue posting below!

Here are a couple of article links along those lines.
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5236

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/westminster-watch/2008/10/06-tom-harris.html

Lord Adonis will have responsibility for rail, but as he is a member of the House of Lords, junior transport minister Paul Clark will answer Commons questions on his behalf (link below.)
http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/westminster-watch/2008/10/07-lord-adonis.html

Geoff Hoon gives his first TV interview since becoming transport secretary (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7659551.stm

Lord Adonis has insisted it was his choice to be moved from his role as schools minister (link below.)
http://www.teletext.co.uk/news/national/da9f8782fb98bf3ce0c74848f9b9719a/Peer+requested+transport+move.aspx

The peer said it is "time to move on" and he wants to tackle "big strategic issues" in the transport brief.

Given today's announcementon SATS tests, can we assume that when he decided to move on from the Transport Ministry a major U turn and embarrassing announcement is about to be made?

Geoff Hoon answers some questions (link below.)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/geoff-hoon-you-ask-the-questions-966947.html

He also "takes a close and deep personal interest in the Midland Mainline", and supports its electrification, apparently (link below.)
http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/10/round-hoon-1.html

Former Transport Minister Tom Harris says that "I catch the train for the same reasons that millions of others do: because it suits me. There is absolutely no altruistic motive involved" and there is "no point in appealing to people's concern for the environment ^ far too few people will change their behaviour on that basis to make a significant difference", and has defended his decision to drive his car when he wants to (link below.)
http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Inside-Environment-MP-says-preaching.4607717.jp

And ... erm ... can anyone just remind me: on exactly what basis was he actually given the job ??

I don't want to be too provocative here, but a quick google search on Tom Harris MP suggests that his rather outspoken style has made him slightly less than universally popular.  I'll say no more.   ::)

Times interview with Andrew Adonis (link below.)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5058113.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797084

I'm only in my fourth year of taking any interest in rail services ... but, already, I can't help noticing the number of times the number of times that the person sitting on the political decision chair has changed.

Prime Ministers:
Tony Blair - Sedgefield (*)
Gordon Brown - Fife

Minister for Transport:
Alastair Darling - Edinburgh
Douglas Alexander - Glasgow
Ruth Kelly - Lancashire (*)
Geoff Hoon - Notts (*)

Rail Minister:
Derek Twigg - Merseyside (*)
Tom Harris - Glasgow
Lord Adonis - unelected

I have also highlighted all of those who were elected to represent people for who the DfT set the franchises up - in other words, those who can truely claim to be serving the people who elected them in their rail decisions. That's just four out of the nine.

I may have forgotten some ... additions / corrections welcomed

That's a very interesting point.

Good to see the west of England so well represented there, too.

The Transport Secretary sets out his stall in a speech delivered today - http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/speeches/transportmanifesto

Umm....proportionately, that would give Melksham around 1000 bike spaces. On the other hand Lord Adonis probably expects Melksham residents to cycle to Chippenham.

For a conference on door-to-door transport it's disappointing to see so much of his speech bubbling on about HS2.

It's called 'legacy politics' and since he's only looking like getting a year in office, he'll need to get on with it - as legacies go, an HSL is pretty big and shiny...

On 'legacy politics', it is interesting that Network Rail appear to be acting on the basis that Midland Main Line/GWML electrification will get the go-ahead later this year from ministers - see http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/news/story?id=6012

On the other hand, one could also see NR's invitation for expressions of interest in work on a major railway electrification programme as prudent planning on their part.

I wouldn't completely rule out Adonis serving more than a year in office - he has already been courted by the Conservatives who are on the record as saying they would welcome him into their cabinet should they win the next general election. Not saying it would definitely happen, just that it's an intriguing possibility.

I wouldn't bank on a Tory victory jut yet (although it does seem most likely) - they've got to win over 100 seats and there's a possibility of a Lib-Lab coalition.

But Adonis instantly ruled out any dalliance with the Tories - you're talking about a man who has been at the heart of the New Labour project since 1998, in the No 10 policy unit before becoming a minister. Before that he was a Lib Dem councillor in Oxford. He's made of very different stuff from Dave and his fellow Old Etonians.

It has often been said in recent years that the DfT has been used as a stop-off point for politicians on their way down the ladder. Here is an interesting blog piece that offers a rather different view - http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/287942/the-rise-of-justine-greening.thtml

Interesting.  If we have to have someone who is "passing through" I'd rather have one on her way up than her way down.

Isn't being tipped for the top when relatively Junior usually the kiss of death?

You have to be like Jim Hacker and be just visable keep your nose clean and not be tipped for the top.

Philip Hammond was on his way up when he was SoS for Transport.  Well, he was if you consider Defence as an upward move from Transport :)

Hmm.  ::)

I reckon Defence is higher than Transport, in terms of Cabinet status - and Philip Hammond only got an 'early' promotion because Liam Fox made an honest mistake and resigned from Defence.

So far, I've been impressed by Justine Greening - it's perhaps early days, but she's done well with a fairly contentious issue!  :o

From the BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19472688


I have to ask ... what about any baggage to do with the current franchising system which was, after all, set up by Margaret and John?

Also from the BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19475248

I don't think Margaret Thatcher had anything to do with the details of the franchising system.  The dates don't fit, suggesting she was out of the game before privatisation ever got anywhere.

Paul

I'm sure Heathrow's baggage handlers will help him lose any baggage he may have.

Justine Greening and Theresa Villiers (alumna of Bristol Uni) have set in train a lot of changes to the railways in our area, most of which should hopefully be beneficial. I hope Mr McLoughlin doesn't try to undo any of that, but I doubt he will. Electrification has taken on its own life form, contracts are in place, and even if he wanted to, it would be too expensive to roll back.

To a large extent, Greening and Villiers were reacting tardily, in traditional government fashion, to obvious problems of aging infrastructure and rolling stock, worsened by the phenomenal growth in rail passenger traffic. Beeching faced a similar dilemma in the 1960s, and came up with what was presented as a fairly sensible strategy in 1963, but looked disastrous by 1975, when oil prices began to rise. Some of his decisions have now been undone, more will be. Campaigns are better informed these days, and it would be difficult to close any line that has passenger services running. It doesn't matter who is in charge, things need doing.

 ;D

As well as McLoughlin, there is another face to watch here. Paul Deighton (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympic-sport/9525359/Paralympics-2012-Treasury-role-is-the-natural-home-for-Locog-chief-executive-Paul-Deighton.html), soon to be ennobled as Lord Deighton (of Stratford???) was chief executive of LOCOG. As such, he is one of the most popular people in public planning in Britain today. He is due to join the government as a Treasury minister, with a brief covering delivery of infrastructure projects as a way of boosting the economy.

He was formerly a banker with Goldman Sachs, but from what I have read, we shouldn't hold that against him. In an interview with The Times published 15 September, he says he puts his success as a banker (and his ^95 million personal wealth) down to being lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. Pointing to his time at LOCOG as his motivation for taking the infrastructure role, he says:

He will take the Conservative whip in the Lords, but says he isn't a natural Tory, nor any sort of political animal for that matter, and has voted otherwise in the past. He will report to the Chancellor, and will not take a salary.

Stephen Hammond leaving Department for Transport according to the news ... but can't find that on the news sites yet. Let's see who's next in that seat.

What's the point in having a reshuffle 10 months before the election? It just brings more instability to all government departments, not just Transport (although that one does seem to have had a particularly fast revolving door for many years).

There is a live feed on bbc website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28303750

Does Dave really decide to announce reshuffles to his cabinet at 11pm at night or is the live feed not really live?

Nothing on there about Stephen Hammond - maybe it was just rumour?

Or confusion with his Philip namesake?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10967386/William-Hague-quits-as-a-dozen-ministers-axed-in-cabinet-reshuffle.html


I have to say I personally feel we see changes at the DfT just a bit too often ...

"Mr (John) Hayes becomes a transport minister and continues in his role at the Cabinet office "

Doesn't say which one though....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10967655/Cabinet-reshuffle-after-the-sackings-the-ministerial-promotions-live.html

A new Government.

1. Who would you like to propose as ministers at the Department for Transport?

2. What SHOULD be the top of their agenda?

3. And what do you think WILL be the top of their agenda?

Our "Frequent Posters" have been discussing the election's outcome in general {here} (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15717) - that thread is not publicly available, but members who have made at least 10 posts are able to read and contribute.  I make this point because I know that a lot of members also read as guests from time to time.

I think the current SoS has proven to be very capable, so I'd like him to continue.

I would like Patrick McLoughlin to continue. He is the longest serving transport minister since Alistair Darling, and differs from Darling in that he seems to care and know about transport.

His priorities should be:
1) Finishing Crossrail
2) HS2
3) Planning for Crossrail 3
4) Airport capacity in the London area
5) Planning the next tranche of electrification projects
6) Tram-train trials in Sheffield, leading to
7) Evaluation of light rail and tram-train routes in cities and along disused rail corridors

His actual priorities will be
1) Finishing crossrail
2) HS2
3) Major road building schemes to add to those recently announced
4) Finding a way of avoiding making a decision about airport capacity before the next election
5) Cutting billions from the budget without it looking like billions have been cut from the budget
6) Sorting out the next crisis in the franchising and ROSCO systems
7) Making it all look good for the next election

He starts from a position of strength as regards railways. A lot of major projects will come to fruition during the life of this parliament - Crossrail, Thameslink's new kit and the cascade of rolling stock, electrification of the GWR and IEP, Temple Meads redevelopment, not forgetting Four Track, Now! to Filton Bank starting any minute now. That's just in our neck of the woods. Rail is in the ascendancy, and there is an opportunity to go with the momentum, investing to save as well as to improve. There is also an opportunity to do nothing more than is already under way, which would be a big mistake in the long term.

I see the newly re-elected erstwhile (probably still) transport portfolio holder and local to us MP Claire Perry has already managed to get herself into trouble:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11591752/General-Election-2015-Ukip-slur-Shame-on-Tory-MP-sexist-tweet.html


I don't often find myself agreeing with columnists in the Telegraph, but I have to say I agree here that if a male candidate had tweeted about a female candidate^s ^fat arse^ it probably would've resulted in considerably more brown stuff hitting the fan...

The priorities I would like to see (some pinched from Four Track, Now!) (in no particular order, except the first is number 1):

• Provide a good number of full-length INTERCITY trains for the Great Western capable of off-wire operation in normal service, the 7x 9-car bi-mode AT300 order First have proposed might do the job if they are approved but the 5-car component of that order isn't and IC125s are retained instead
• Find some way of protecting funding for bus services
• Finishing Crossrail
• Planning the next tranche of electrification projects
• Planning rolling stock cascades and additional capacity
• Tram-train trials in Sheffield, leading to plans for trams tram/trains in and around cities (including Swansea)
• Outlawing airport expansion
• Reducing new road bypass/widening schemes which undermine public transport, using some of the money saved to help cut the deficit and the rest for public transport and/or repairs to existing roads
• HS2 (maybe, but I don't agree with aspects of the current plans, namely the Leeds spur and the idea of 200mph+ London-Birmingham shuttles, the latter seems a terrible waste of electricity when motorways have a 70mph limit).
  

The Tories' actual priorities will (unfortunately in some cases) probably be:
1) Cutting billions from the budget (presumably leading to the loss of effective bus services in many areas)
2) Finishing crossrail
3) Major road building schemes
4) Approving additional airport capacity
5) HS2 (although this might come slightly higher up the list)

Boris Johnson, because the segregated superhighways now being built in London are the best thing any senior British politician has ever done for cycling, and they need to be rolled out nationwide. (But I don't expect it to happen.)

Since he is also still Mayor of Landon for another year(?) I think that rules him out as a minster for the time being.

I suppose the pertinent question to ask is who is there in the Conservative party who actually cares about railways? I think Claire Perry does but it would be too much to ask for her to be elevated to Secretary of State prominence.

Come back Michael Portillo, all is forgiven..

I have often expressed a view that the ministers are swapped around far too often - certainly in Transport major capital plans and reforms take a long time, and it would be sensible to give them a fair crack of the whip.  Patrick McLoughlin comes with an excellent reputation and I've had the privilege of meeting Claire Perry and she's very well briefed, very much "with it", on the side of rail [iI think] (but potentially clever enough to appear to be on the opposite side in other company.  Also prepared to take difficult stances / decisions which you / I / we / others may not agree with or anticipate.

Boris Minster, mayor of Landon ..is that a new tourist attraction as described by someone  cold calling on a phone from the Indian subcontinent ?? ::)

So the SoS is confimed as staying in post. I think that's a good move as he has been a safe pair of hands, and actually seems to enjoy the job, as opposed to his predecessor, Justine Greening who rarely, if ever smiled. I think Claire Perry may well be in line to be promoted to Minister of State in place of Baroness Kramer.

I agree, a good move. Was a time when the Transport Secretary's office was a revolving door which isn't good for continuity. There are challenges ahead though particularly Network Rail who have had a lot of bad press these past few months.

Amongst the cuts is likely to be CP6 I reckon.

Justine Greening was, however, reported to have been upset and livid when moved from transport to overseas development. Probably more to do with the apparent demotion than love of the job.

Claire Perry remains as parliamentary under secretary...thought she might be elevated to Minister with the sideways move of John Hayes. Andrew Jones is an additional under secretary, He comes to the department having chaired  the electrification task force in Northern Ireland.
It seems to be that we have the most pro rail team at the DfT since the Adonis years. The SoS makes no secret of his enthusiam for rail, Robert Goodwill owns several steam traction engines, the 'Sentinel' steam lorry and has helped return the pleasure steamer Coronia to Scarborough. Even though none of these actually run on rail, I think we can clearly see where his interests lie ! !As grahame has mentioned Claire seems to be well on top of rail matters. So all in all I think we can look forward to a very interesting five years. Let's hope they all stand firm in the face of threatened cuts.

I wonder how much closer we will be to the Dawlish avoiding line by the next election...

I think we will be nearer to avoiding the Dawlish line...

I expect they'll be avoiding the decision, not the place...

Paul

What I meant, really. Although I can't see Dawlish getting much ministerial notice now there are no votes to be won major problems.

We have an extra body at the DfT. Never come across him before.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport and Home Office

From https://www.gov.uk/government/people/lord-ahmad-of-wimbledon

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport and Home Office

The minister^s transport responsibilities are:

    aviation security
    transport agencies
    corporate and better regulation
    skills and supply chain
    London

The minister^s Home Office responsibilities are to be confirmed.

The new under secretary Andrew Jones worked in sales and marketing for Bettys and Taylors in Harrogate before becoming an MP. Can we expect luxury cream teas and cakes to be served at Knaresborough whilst hurtling through on the new EMUs that are replacing the nodding donkeys from Leeds to York ? ( Poppleton if travelling from Leeds!)

Chris Grayling appointed new Transport Secretary under Theresa May's reshuffle.

Chris Grayling is a former shadow transport minister, so comes with some knowledge of the brief.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/grayling_ancram.jpg)

Pictured extreme left here on a visit to Wiltshire, with Michael Ancram (now retired from The Commons; at the time MP for Devizes, which is now (redrawn) Claire Perry's seat. And with a couple of local people who were campaigners at the time.

But his time at the MOJ was a disaster nearly all his decisions were later reversed by Gove.
Personally I wouldn't have him anywhere near any Govt. Dept. ,or business for that matter, but lets hope I am mistaken.

What worries me more is that Theresa May wrote "F. Off" on her papers next to Boris's name and a civil servant misunderstood her meaning. 

I wouldn't know how to declare something a "disaster", but I'm afraid I don't have a great deal of respect for Mr Gove.   Could it perhaps be that he (Mr Gove) was looking to put his political mark on the ministry rather than because further change was actually desirable?

At least Mrs May has some railway "form"

(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/2018pad.jpg)

Seen here in February 2014 at the launch of the new 20:18 stopping service from London Paddington to Reading, which passes through her constituency.

It was more likely the other way around, Grayling was being ideological and trying to put his political mark on the department where as Gove was more pragmatic and realised that the Grayling changes either didn't or couldn't work. This was a completely different Gove than the one who was at Education where he certainly put his political mark on that department. I'll stop there as I could rant for ages about Gove at Education, all I will say is that my daughter has just completed her Year 6 SATS and I was not impressed with either the curriculum or the tests. 

Theresa May will not set the world on fire as an orator. She is less inclined to dress up announcements with flowery details, which is probably a good thing but makes her look dull. She does not have David Cameron's sharp wit, but is certainly very capable. That said, some of the appointments have raised eyebrows. I am sorry to see Patrick McLoughlin go from transport, as he seemed to be doing as good a job as possible given the resources.

Mr Grayling has not had a fair crack of the whip by which to show himself able or otherwise, having been appointed Lord Chancellor / Justice Secretary not only with a remit to slash costs, but also as the first non-lawyer in the post since the 17th century.

Despite things such as Crossrail and GWMR electrification being well under way, his in-tray will be full. The "pending" tray will be even fuller. He will not be able to dodge the runway capacity issue, which can has been kicked many times around the block. I think we may see how he is minded to go with the railways fairly soon as the issues that go with increased airport capacity raise themselves for resolution. Then there is HS2 - over £1 billion has so far been spent on planning, even before the hybrid bill is published. The path of least resistance is to go ahead as planned, and the new Prime Minister has always voted in favour of HS2 whenever it has arisen in Parliament. Time will tell.

When considering Heathrow expansion, bear in mind that Mrs May is MP for Maidenhead and that Boris is MP for Uxbridge - one would imagine that the majority of their constituents would rather that they voted against. Don't forget too that Manchester and Birmingham are mainly owned by local authorities (and Manchester also own Stansted).

Also, wasn't Mrs May a long-time rail commuter too? That should help matters.

 

John Hayes returns as Minister of State to the Department with Robert Goodwill moving on to become Immigration minister as the Home Office. Will he ask Jonesy at Crosville in WSM for the  return/loan of his old 1929 Sentinel steam lorry that used to run at Whitby, (as Elizabeth), to transport people in and out of the UK ??

"One" shouldn't be too sure that the constituents of Maidenhead and Uxbridge would be anti Heathrow expansion, bearing in mind how many of them rely on the airport for employment.........there are isolated areas of extreme resistance (in areas which would be directly affected, ie flattened by LHR expansion) but most people are pretty pragmatic about it - it's the only solution that works in any case to keep Heathrow's place in World aviation and it is vital to the economy and business. Someone needs to grow a pair and get on with it, as we should have with Crossrail decades ago.

From Railfuture Express:

Heathrow will still be there, will still be operating at close to maximum capacity, and will still be employing more people than work in the city of Newcastle. Mrs May has work to do, and I would suggest that this is as urgent as Brexit, if not more so.

Railfuture Express is incorrect & there will be a correction in the next issue. Hayes does replace Goodwill, not Perry (who was an Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (PUSS)

ME-owww! ::)

Not for the first time, there is an absence of Goodwill.

The new minister is Paul Maynard  MP for Blackpool  North and Cleveleys.  A a cording to the Dft website

Confirmed today at the ACoRP Member's seminar (South) which was held at the DfT, and was addressed by civil servant(s) with brief(s) including community rail.   

If its on the DfT website, is any confirmation really needed/nessesary?

Representing Blackpool N etc one presumes he likes trams, and values 319's over Pacers.

He was on the Transport Select Committee, 2010 - 2012 and was born in Crewe!

Oxford 1st though.

OTC

You'll note that Ellendune's message about the web site was after 7 p.m. (by which time I was in The Watermelon (http://watermeadowpubmelksham.co.uk) ... the confirmation to the large group I was part of had come some eight hours earlier, with a member of the DfT team telling us who the ministers are now, and giving us a little of their parliamentary, ministerial and shadow backgrounds.   At which point it was rather useful in filling in the picture.

I have just returned from Cleveleys, bringing with me my mother, the elder Mrs FT, N!. Heady times are afoot, with the extension of the tram system inland to Blackpool North. It is a good time to be a minister in charge of rail things, and also to be the MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys! If you are unfamiliar with the modern trams, here is one:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Flexity2_zps62ac7039.jpg)

and this is Cleveleys:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Cleveleystramstop.jpg)


and a link to a discussion forum (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=572141&page=35) on the whole thing. It contains a photo of my late, much lamented, dog:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Dog.jpg)

There's many a true word spoken in jest, apparently. ::)  From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36869726):

There's also this:

http://www.pwrs.org/

Good luck to them.

OTC

One of a number of late closures where the decision to is much lamented and was probably the wrong decision - at least for 21st Century.    Add Oxford - Cambridge, Taunton - Minehead, Wareham - Swanage,  Paignton - Kingswear and Barnstaple Junction - Ilfracombe in our area.

I took a first trip ever on the tram outside of Blackpool itself to head all the way to Fleetwood earlier in the year.  Although Fleetwood didn't exactly blow my mind, it provided a very pleasant place to have some lunch and it was clear how important the tram is to the town with all services pretty well patronised.  Whether the new minister will be able to influence any decision on the reinstatement of the heavy rail line from Fleetwood via Thornton to Poulton is very much a different matter though - indeed perhaps that could be converted to a tram route?  It is a rail route that travels through pretty much built up areas throughout so would, in my mind, be an excellent candidate to do something with other than provide a short distance of heritage railway.

I'm sure the tram extention to Blackpool North will be very well received and provide a boost to passenger numbers, which rose by over 20% last year, so it won't be long before frequencies need to be increased.  It was also nice to see two of the heritage trams running up and down between North Pier and Cabin, although having seen several services operated by them I hardly saw any passengers on board!

The new modern trams accept bus passes. The vintage trams attract a premium fare. One would think it ought to be the other way round!

I certainly couldn't complain about the value - I got a 24 hour pass for a fiver which allowed me a return bus trip to Lytham as well as my jaunt to Fleetwood.

Dual voltage and mixed LR/HR running - but imagine through working onto Metrolink (GM tram network) - Altrincham to Fleetwood!

OTC

Bristol to Portishead ...  ::)

Yatton to Clevedon..... ::) ::)

Hmmm.  :-X

Even allowing for local bias, chuffed, I rather think we'd be pushing our luck in claiming that Yatton to Clevedon was viable then, or could be now.  ;)

We've drifted onto closures that were earlier ( may have been earlier wrong decisions though! ) - all of the selection I listed  were in the timetable I was looking at circa 1968 vintage.  By that point, Yatton to Clevedon was a bus and there was no timetable for Portishead.   There were services from Exeter to Plymouth via Tavistock, Gloucester to Stratford-upon-Avon, Bourne End to High Wycombe and Maiden Newton to Bridport, and London (Waterloo) to Weymouth Quay.