True - they seem quite shameless!!! -I wonder what (if any) pressure FGW▸ have put on NR» over the Swindon issue, especially over the revenue they are likely to miss out on, and to what extent NR compensate TOCs▸ in these circumstances?
They are between a rock and a hard place. I don't think you really understand how much postponing the works is likely to cost. The contractor will need compensating for:
- hired plant that cannot be used elsewhere at such short notice;
- personnel who cannot be deployed elsewhere at such short notice;
- the costs of replanning the work to another time;
- the costs of delaying the other work that depended on this work being completed on time (further plant and personnel costs as well).
In addition they would have to consider that:
- specialist plant is not standing idle waiting for hire, it is allocated well in advance and may not be available at another time;
- there is a shortage of key skilled personnel - especially signalling resources. Not using those resources will delay further stages of this project and potentially also other projects. The skills may not be available at the new time so the delay may be much further than just a few days.
The result would more than likely be further delays to the already delayed
GW▸ modernisation programme and a further increase in the already escalated cost.
If the extra business was going to be a few ^10's millions is might just be worth it. I suspect the increased costs of the GW improvements programme would far outweigh any increased track access charges.