RIA socks it to the man!

RIA supremo Darren Caplan has taken to Conservativehome in a push for more Treasury funding.

In the sponsored post Caplan argues:

An estimated shortfall of £500 million in Network Rail’s budget over the final 20 months of Control Period 5 is already translating into significant falls in renewals demand for contractors, primarily in the track, signalling and consultancy disciplines...

The problem we’re facing currently is particularly acute, because of high expenditure in the early years of the Control Period and partly because of increases in renewals unit rates. As a result, suppliers are reporting falls in demand of between 20 per cent and 45 per cent: this is already resulting in redundancies, short-time working, and reduced or frozen graduate and apprenticeship recruitment in the sector.

Furthermore, it is possible that some smaller or niche suppliers may not survive until Control Period 6 (which starts in April 2019) and some larger suppliers may choose to use resource in areas where there is a more stable workload – especially in the resurgent overseas railway market. This would reduce the supply chain available to Network Rail and potentially increase future costs....

So we hope the Treasury, and a supportive Chancellor, is willing and able find a way to address the current shortfall. Moving forward to a suitable funding mechanism needs to be found which avoids another repeat of the current situation again in five years’ time.

Indeed.

Although we might be in with more of a chance if NR hadn't already blown the CP5 budget...

Manifesto responses - Germolene or Iodine?

This from Howard Wade...

Interesting to compare and contrast trade associations responses to the recent spate of manifestos.

Here is Rail Delivery Group  Chief Executive, Paul Plummer, who may be in danger of sleepwalking over a cliff...

"Working together, by the end of the next parliament, we will be running 6,400 extra services a week and 5,500 new carriages. On top of this, train companies are making a range of changes to improve the experience of passengers from simpler ticket buying to better information. This is all part of a £50bn-plus upgrade plan to improve journeys and to make local economies stronger and fairer, now and for the future.”

Plummer was, of course, speaking on behalf of RDG's 'train company members' (ie the TOCs and FOCs, pointedly excluding Network Rail which is gagged during Purdah).

Compare this with recently appointed Railway Industry Association Chief Exec, Darren Caplan. He pulls no punches, as many of his members are fighting for survival as Plummer's "£50 bn plus" is consumed by both Treasury and boiling frogs:

"We hope that [insert party of choice] recognise and share our concerns about the need for continuity of year-on-year funding for the rail supply sector, which faces the ongoing challenge of planned projects being postponed due to funding limits and which could ultimately lead to passenger and freight services suffering as a result. 

"The current 'Control Period 5' (CP5) will see significant reductions in spending in 2018/19, which could lead to asset degradation, reductions in sectoral employment, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises in the supply chain going bankrupt, and a negative impact on productivity. This in turn could lead to capability gaps and increased costs when the delayed work is commenced, perhaps several years into the next Control Period, CP6."

No doubt about who is speaking for the real railway industry.

UPDATE: This from a Mr Steve Strong...

Reading the words of Mr Plummer I can't help but feel that it lacks key references to 'strong and stable' and 'for the many, not the few'?

Perhaps RDG could amend their statement to read:

"This is all part of a £50bn-plus upgrade plan to improve journeys and to make local economies stable and strong; for the many, not the few.”

You are welcome!

Shaken and stirred: Graham Coombs

Eye hears that Graham Coombs is departing RIA.

After two decades as Communications Director at the Railway Industry Association (the UK's supply chain trade association) Coombs has decided he's had enough of erecting stands at exhibitions!

Speaking exclusively to Eye, Coombs said:

“I can’t grumble at a job that has taken me everywhere from Blackpool to Beijing, but it is time for a change. 20 years of supporting suppliers is more than enough for anyone.

"Now isn't it your round old man?" 

Coombs, a former BR Board Press Officer, has accumulated an astonishing 36 years of rail PR experience since he joined the Southern Region Public Relations and Publicity Office in 1981.

Colleagues who wish to see Graham off in 'old railway' style can find him on or about the RIA stand at Railtex this week.

Supply Chain to fill Election gaps?

Guido suggesting that the Conservatives may be shy sufficient candidates for the General Election.

Ever keen to assist, Eye wonders whether our very own Supply Chain might help fill the void?

But who should we send?

It needs someone with experience, someone who has fought a by-election and has form for high octane politics...

Step forward Darren Caplan, CEO of the Railway Industry Association!

Darren, a former Central Office staffer, stood for the blues in the 2010 General Election against motorcycling fan Diane Abbott.

Alas the good voters of Hackney North and Stoke Newington placed him third, but from small acorns...

Shaken and stirred: Tonkin, Pitt and Rollin...

A quick round up of new appointments in today's glorious railway.

David Tonkin, fresh from being Acting General Manager of the Railway Industry Association, has now been appointed Chairman. David was previously CEO at Atkins. He replaces Gordon Wakeford (who remains Chair of the Rail Supply Group). In his new role David will continue to work alongside RIA CEO Darren Caplan. RIA press release, here.

Andy Pitt has become a NED at Porterbrook Leasing. Andy has had many a varied role in the railway industry, including MD of SWT and latterly Executive Chairman of Cross London Trains which is procuring and leasing new rolling stock for the operator of the Thameslink franchise. In addition Andy is also a Non Executive Director of Transport Systems Catapult. Porterbrook press release, here.

Eye understands that James Rollin has moved into the consultancy world. He was previously Head of PR and Marketing at Bombardier UK.

The Shaken and Stirred section of Eye is always interested in hearing about new appointments, at the usual address.

RIA ups its lobbying game

New Railway Industry Association CEO Darren Caplan is making his mark.

According to both Railnews and Railway Gazette International RIA issued a statement yesterday on the back of the Article 50 activation:

"Brexit presents the industry with both challenges and opportunities’, said Chief Executive Darren Caplan. "The Railway Industry Association will seek to be specifically included in any Brexit agreement negotiated, ensuring UK railways sit alongside automotive and aerospace as one of the Department for Exiting the EU’s top transport sectors.

"Additionally, we will work with the UK government to maintain trade in as frictionless a manner as possible, for example on standards and tariffs; and we will seek to ensure our industry continues to have access to an adequate supply of skilled labour from the UK and around the world, regardless of the outcome of these negotiations."

Although perhaps a shame that you can't yet find it on the news section of the RIA website...

ToT puts RDG tanks on RIA & ATOC lawns

This from the Gruan interview with Tim O'Toole in advance of the Bradshaw Lecture...

Q: The train operators appear to have a bumpy relationship with Network Rail at the best of times. How will the RDG improve that?

A: Once the RDG is formalised, it will force Network Rail and the train operators to make the whole structure of the industry coherent. We do not want separate bodies, all of whom seem to have a separate piece of the industry. We want them organised into a more unified structure under the RDG, so we don't have an uncoordinated industry representing itself to the government and the public.

Eye readers might find the following explanation of RDG and ATOC membership helpful.

And no room of course for the supply chain or indeed the Roscos at the top table of ToT's exclusive new club.

Scremerston - Eye salutes the Railway!

Eye does not know what it took to achieve the re-opening today of the East Coast Main Line north of Newcastle...

But bloody good effort!

Afore..

 During...

Wheels free..

The Railway (NR, Supply Chain and Operators) - Eye salutes you!

Railway thumbs down

Jeremy Candfield, of supplier organisation the Railway Industry Association, has also shoved his head above the parapet.

He writes on Tom's blog:

October 4, 2008 at 4:34 pm

"Deeply disappointed. The railway needs and respects your common sense, wisdom and obvious commitment. You have left a hard act to follow; we will miss you."

As the scaredy-cat industry wouldn't normally say boo to a goose the growing list of railway names mourning Tom's departure is beginning to sound like a vote of no confidence in Gordo's reshuffle.