The recent thread on Chris Randall's departure to Cyprus has excited further reader comment.
A Mr Wright writes from Southwark Bridge:
"You shouldn't worry about the future of Chris Randall's column. I have no doubt at all as to his successor's quality.
"However, I expect his column to become a little more pro free-market and a little less convinced that Railtrack could have survived... "
Who could this mystery man be?
Much excitement late this evening as a DafT press release hurtles into The Fact Compiler's inbox.
It is an early morning invitation to a "Photocall with Transport Minister Andrew Adonis to illustrate a major announcement regarding Crossrail"
The Fact Compiler will stay in bed. He doesn't want to be lynched when an increase in the Crossrail business levy is announced.
In the bad old days of British Rail the industry was rife with Spanish Practices.
For our younger readers these were "irregular or restrictive practices... not in accord with modern business practice" (Thanks Wikipedia).
Fortunately privitisation swept all this bad practice away and heralded a new dawn of partnership where the needs of the customer come first.
Therefore, The Fact Compiler was surprised to receive the following from a reader:
"Heard an excellent spanish practice from (Toc X) last week.
"Depot standbys can only be used to cover work at their home depot, so even if there is a cross cover agreement, the work has to be covered by the home depot.
"Result trains cancelled and passengers pissed off."
Thank goodness that sort of thing doesn't go on today. (Is this right? Ed)
The Fact Compiler had occasion to read Hello! magazine today and was delighted to see so many people who are famous, for being famous.
Good news, therefore, from the Department for Transport.
Today Lord Adonis announced that he had appointed "Millie Banerjee as Chair and Member of the British Transport Police (BTP) Authority".
The press release continued:
"Millie Banerjee CBE is experienced at Board level with a very strong track record in operations management, consumer service and Human Resources policy, mainly in the communications sector."
"She is presently a Board member of Ofcom, and recently Chair of Postwatch until it merged with Consumer Focus. She is also a Trustee of the Peabody Trust. Previously Millie has had numerous non-Executive Director positions on public bodies, including one in the Strategic Rail Authority and one with the Cabinet Office Strategy Board."
But the press release is too modest.
For in Notes to Editors we read:
Millie remains a Non-Executive Board member of Consumer Focus, for which she is paid £29k
As well as being a Non-Executive Board Member of Ofcom, for which she receives £53k
This on top of her role at the BTP Authority for which she now receives £32,100.00 per annum.
In total ministers have appointed her into roles that grant an income of over £114k a year!
Max Clifford has to be at the bottom of this somewhere.
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