OPRAF is dead. Welcome to ORPS!

This from the Department for Transport...

Written statement to Parliament

Outlines recommendations from the recent rail review.
 
The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP

As recommended by Richard Brown in his review into franchising and as part of June 2013’s national infrastructure plan Investing in Britain’s Future, my department undertook to review government rail functions in order to identify what actions were required to deliver those functions in the most effective and efficient way. The review has now submitted its recommendations to me. I have agreed its recommendations and implementation will begin shortly.

The review recognised that much has already been achieved since the department’s rail functions were brought together into a single rail group in January 2013. A clear, professional franchise programme is underway, implementing Richard Brown’s review of franchising, along with the government’s ambitious rail investment programme. Building on this progress, the review recommends further developing the department’s rail functions as a new rail executive.

Creation of the rail executive will support the drive to strengthen our focus on passengers; build an enhanced culture of commercial expertise and innovation; and ensure greater coordination of improvements to track and trains. A single team will manage the interdependencies between rolling stock, track, stations, freight and passenger services; and between existing services and HS2. It will also develop an effective framework agreement for Network Rail, for September 2014, when it will be classified as public sector. A new approach to recruitment, reward and career development for commercial rail skills will allow the rail executive to increase capability at all levels and bolster commercial experience in the management team. This will reduce the department’s dependency upon consultants and increase its ability to negotiate the best deal for passengers and the taxpayer.

The review recommended that there should be a clear focus on rail passenger services within the rail executive. This will be provided by a new Office of Rail Passenger Services, forming part of the rail executive, with responsibilities including delivery of the franchise programme and the management of existing franchises. It will be led by an externally recruited managing director and supported by non-executive board members.

The review has also recommended we consider a longer term option of a new, more arms-length body with responsibility for rail delivery functions. The creation of the rail executive provides a strong foundation for such future evolution and the government will consider moving to a more arms-length body in 2016.

ENDS

UPDATE: This from Virginia Waters...

Compare and contrast this from Robert Goodwill...

Minister Goodwill states that the Secy of State will be able to veto excessive salaries and bonuses.
— Transport Committee (@CommonsTrans) February 24, 2014

With this from today's statement by the Secretary of State...

"A new approach to recruitment, reward and career development for commercial rail skills will allow the rail executive to increase capability at all levels and bolster commercial experience in the management team." 
 
Good to see everyone is as joined up as ever.

Update: This from Steve Strong...

This is what the new structure will look like according to the Organisational Review of Department for Transport Rail Functions...

 So now you know.

Government signals end to micro-management!

This from the Sunday Torygraph...

Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, said he was “looking into” the mix of first class and standard class after the findings were presented to him. He agreed that there might be ways of “delivering a better passenger experience” by increasing the ratio of standard-class carriages. 

So what exactly are supposedly private sector train operating companies responsible for?

And which bits of Maria Eagle's renationalisation plans does this government now reject?

McLoughlin unveils new staff cuts shocker!

This from the Man by the Photocopier...

DAfT may be about to improve upon the McNulty report, which recommended that trains should be driver only by default, saving the costs of conductors.

In his statement about the much-improved, washes whiter-than-white franchise programme today, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has revealed that matters could go further, when he said:

“The future competitions will also place passengers in the driving seat”.

It might be cheaper to let passengers do everything, Minister, but is that perhaps a little too courageous?

Corridor connection leads to brief encounter

This from Gwynneth Dunchairing...

Who should the Secretary of State's team meet in the corridor outside the TSC this evening, but the SoS for International Development!

Justine Greening (for it was she) asked how it had gone?

An evidently busy McLoughlin appeared unable to chat, leaving a couple of nervous officials to explain the TSC's exhaustive interest in InterCity West Coast and franchising policy.

"Oh. Well I hope it went OK" she said, flushed bright red and ran off frowning intently at her BlackBerry.

No doubt a text from the PM? Ah, the benefits of promotion.

McLoughlin wins non-sequiter of the year award

Good to see that the DfT hasn't lost its skill at pretending a pig's ear is a triumph.

In today's press release from the Department on the future of the C2C, FGW, FCC and Southern franchises is the following gem from McLoughlin...

"As always our priority is to ensure these changes will not impact on services or our commitment to improving the railways. Our latest step towards delivering a high-speed rail network which will link many of our major cities by a new fleet of state-of-the-art trains is testament to how we are delivering on that commitment."

Presumably this is ministerial confirmation that the franchising debacle will now also not be resolved until the late 2020s?

UPDATE: This from Chionanthus Virginicus...
 
Aha -  we're going to have "state of the art" trains for HS2 are we?

So we must infer that DfT

• have the necessary technical clairvoyance
• have drawn up the specification of  the trains
• have resolved any inter-operability issues with the "conventional" railway

An Epiphany moment... could they have been blinded by a bright object which has stopped over a birthplace in the North East?

McLoughlin signals end to micro-management!

Yesterday the Secretary of State visited NR's Western Route to look at flood damage. 

Here Patrick is being interviewed by the Beeb at the site of the Westerleigh landslip between Swindon and Bristol, where a falling away of part of the track’s foundations is resulting in service alterations and delay.

 
And here the Route Managing Director, Patrick Hallgate, describes mitigation measures and plans to restore full service, as well as pointing out that this site is one of dozens his team are currently dealing with across the Route.

Note that the SoS has resisted the urge to dress up as a member of railway staff!

An encouraging sign for the future?

McLoughlin & Rutnam in front of TSC today

This from the Transport Select Committee...

ORAL EVIDENCE – WEST COAST MAIN LINE FRANCHISE 

The Transport Select Committee will call the Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, and the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, Philip Rutnam, to give oral evidence on the cancellation of the competition to run the West Coast Main Line franchise.  

Wednesday 31 October at 2.45 pm

Location:  Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Announcing the session Tranport Committee Chair Louise Ellman MP said:

“It is astonishing that the Government has had to cancel the West Coast Main Line franchise competition and delay other competitions. Just last month the Secretary of State told us that he was content with how the Department for Transport had handled the West Coast Main Line competition and that Virgin’s challenge to the outcome would be defended robustly. 

“I expect the Department’s review of what went wrong to be available by the end of this month and we will want to examine that very carefully. We will also want to know how much this episode has cost the taxpayer, what lessons will be learnt, and what will be the wider implications for franchising. In addition, I expect the Committee to look closely at the Government’s review of franchising when it is published at the end of this year."

ENDS

You can view the session live here.

McLoughlin to issue ICWC statement this afternoon

So. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is appearing before the House of Commons today to give an update on the InterCity West Coast franchising fiasco.

Interesting that this is taking place two days before he is due to attend the Transport Select Committee with Philip Rutnam, the DfT's Permanent Secretary.

Also interesting that this announcement was not scheduled in Commons' business until 13:00 today (in the slot reserved for 'Ministerial Statements' - probably some time after 16:30).

And finally it is worth noting that this statement is taking place after Sam Laidlaw was due to present the interim results of his Inquiry into the West Coast fiasco last Friday.

With various comings and goings expected at Marsham Street in advance of this afternoon's statement it could all get very interesting.

McLoughlin demands MML upgrade!

This from the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP...

This is clearly not a line in decline—it is a line with increasing investment, improving services and more passengers. 

Yet I understand the widespread desire for even further improvement. The campaigners want their line to be electrified, but electrification would not necessarily make the trains run any faster. That could be achieved with current rolling stock were it not for the layout of the line. 

The midland main line contains a high proportion of curves, junctions and stations which mean that very high speed is impracticable. Although the speeds on the line are good, they could be even better...

Quite so Minister, quite so.

Wise words from 1990, and we are still waiting.

Over to you, the sooner the better of course!

A big Eye welcome to Patrick McLoughlin

So. Farewell Justine Greening and the mostly missing Theresa Villiers.

And a big Eye welcome to Derbyshire Dales MP and former Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin, the new Secretary of State for Transport.

Biog below from the Conservative Party site...

Patrick McLoughlin

Member of Parliament for Derbyshire Dales

Patrick was born in 1957 in Staffordshire, where he was educated first at Cardinal Griffin Roman Catholic School and then at Staffordshire College of Agriculture.

He worked for five years in agriculture, before following his father and grandfather - both coal miners - and going to work underground at the Littleton Colliery in Cannock.

He became a member of the National Union of Mineworkers and then an industrial representative for the National Coal Board's Western Area Marketing Department.

He began to get involved with the voluntary arm of the Conservative Party from 1977, becoming a member of several National Committees and serving as Vice-Chairman of the National Young Conservatives from 1982-84.

Before becoming an MP in 1986, Patrick gained valuable political experience in the world of local government, sitting on Staffordshire County Council from 1981 to 1987 and Cannock Chase District Council between 1980 and 1987.

In June 2005, Patrick was appointed to the Privy Council.

POSITIONS HELD:

• MP for West Derbyshire, 1986 -
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Transport, 1989 - 1992
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Employment, 1992 - 1993
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry, 1993 - 1994
• Assistant Government Whip, 1995 – 1996
• Head Commissioner at the Treasury, 1996 - 1997
• Pairing Whip, June 1997 - 1998
• Deputy Opposition Chief Whip, 1998 - 2005
• Opposition Chief Whip, Dec 2005 - May 2010
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip, May 2010 - 2012
• Secretary of State for Transport 2012 -

PROUDEST POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT:

• Winning my Parliamentary by-election with a majority of 100

 INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF POLITICS:

• Walking
• Gardening

 FAMILY LIFE:

• Married with two children

 Now awaiting junior posts...