Theale Station Redevelopment

[whole diary]

[CyclingSid]

Does that mean another two years with the "sewer" in the road/path on the road bridge?

[stuving]

There was a letter, from Paul Maynard at the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) to the local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament), Alok Sharma, which the Theale village people have scanned and put on their website. This makes it clear that it was a DfT decision based on the Hendy review's proposals for savings to offset the cost overruns of electrification.

It was also reported by Newbury Today thus:

In a letter to the MP for Reading West, Alok Sharma, rail minister Paul Maynard said that a number of projects were to be deferred following a review.

This, he said, would enable high priority schemes to be delivered as planned. 

“Unfortunately, Theale was one of the 26 stations chosen to be deferred because the project was not as advanced as many of the other projects,” Mr Maynard said.

“I know this will be disappointing, but I am afraid Theale is not in a unique position.”

Mr Maynard did say he was committed to delivering the scheme as soon as possible after April 2019. The project is likely to consist of a new bridge and three lifts and believed to now cost between £3m and £4m.

[Thatcham Crossing]

Presumably this doesn't affect the platform extensions which have been mentioned for Theale (and Thatcham) in order to accommodate semi-fast Class 800's and 8-coach 387's?

[ellendune]

It also says that ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) are reviewing electrification clearances and will issue new guidance shortly.  That could be very significant in keeping costs down, not just in Theale.  Some have suggested that increased clearances were a large part of the cost overrun on electrification.

[Noggin]

It also says that ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) are reviewing electrification clearances and will issue new guidance shortly.  That could be very significant in keeping costs down, not just in Theale.  Some have suggested that increased clearances were a large part of the cost overrun on electrification.

I think the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) overruns were more a question of quite what a poor state the infrastructure was in and how it cost NR^» (Network Rail - home page) much more to build new structures and plant the ironmongery than it thought.

Having said that, I suspect that it plays a large part in Bristol TM^‡(resolve)'s electrification being deferred and the general suspension of electrification. http://www.railengineer.uk/2017/02/24/egip-electrification-clearance-woes/ makes an interesting read if you are interested.

[TonyK]

There was a letter, from Paul Maynard at the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) to the local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament), Alok Sharma, which the

In a letter to the MP for Reading West, Alok Sharma, rail minister Paul Maynard said that a number of projects were to be deferred following a review.

This, he said, would enable high priority schemes to be delivered as planned. 

“Unfortunately, Theale was one of the 26 stations chosen to be deferred because the project was not as advanced as many of the other projects,” Mr Maynard said.

“I know this will be disappointing, but I am afraid Theale is not in a unique position.”

Theale is not in a unique position. Mr Maynard has disappointed many people.