Sources suggesting that Virgin and DfT have reached agreement on the ICWC franchise.
Believed to be an extension for 13 months.
No information on contractual details.
Expect an announcement shortly...
UPDATE: This from @Captain_Deltic, via twitter...
Taking a punt, look for Virgin to get a 2 year extension with DfT's bonkers idea of bidding for an interim 2 year ICWC franchise binned.
Interesting! Anymore for anymore?
This from the DfT...
Full speed ahead as Government appoints new Director General to oversee HS2
The Government’s commitment to delivering a new national high speed rail network has been underlined by the appointment of a new Director General to oversee the crucial project.
David Prout, currently a Director General at the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG), will join the Department for Transport (DfT) in the New Year in a newly-created post taking charge of the delivery of HS2.
HS2 is a national high speed rail network linking London, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, the East Midlands, with each other and cities beyond it, to drive regional growth, improve connectivity and create extra space and capacity on our railways and roads.
In his current role, David Prout has been at DCLG since 2009, with responsibility for localism, and additional responsibility as deputy for Sir Bob Kerslake given the latter’s role as Head of the Civil Service.
Philip Rutnam, DfT Permanent Secretary, said:
“HS2 is a hugely important programme for the future of the UK. I am very pleased that David Prout will be taking charge at such an exciting time. He will be leading a team which is already hard at work delivering this project, as well as liaising closely with HS2 Ltd, as we work together to introduce the legislation into Parliament on time next year that will make HS2 a reality.”
David Prout said:
“Making HS2 a reality is absolutely crucial to our country’s future prosperity and I am very pleased to have been asked to take leadership of this much-needed programme at this time. I look forward to helping to take the project through Parliament and continuing to demonstrate the very real need for more capacity for people and freight on our railways, which will help make Britain a more prosperous and less congested country.”
Notes to Editors
1. Prior to his current role at DCLG, David was Executive Director for Planning and Borough Development at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Before that he was Director of Local Government Policy in the Department for Communities and Local Government.
2. David has held a range of high profile civil service positions including Principal Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister in the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Cabinet Office and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
3. From 1995 to 1998 David was environment attaché at the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels. Prior to that he held a variety of posts in the Department of the Environment. He also worked in the planning department of Westminster City Council from 1990 to 1993 and for the Victorian Society from 1991 to 1993.
-ENDS-
This from the Mother of Parliaments...
Lord West of Spithead (Labour)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that although metal theft is a heinous crime and has caused damage to war memorials and danger to hospitals and railway lines, shooting those involved might be a little over the top?
Earl Attlee (Whip, House of Lords; Conservative)
My Lords, in the case of a war memorial, I am sure that the noble Lord and I would have some doubt over whether that would be over the top. Police officers have a range of options. It is important to note that British Transport Police armed officers have not only a firearm but a Taser and other weapons, such as pepper sprays, so they do not need to resort to the firearm immediately.
Errr... up to a point Lord Copper!
This from the Transport Select Committee...
RESCHEDULED ORAL EVIDENCE – RAIL 2020: WEST COAST MAINLINE FRANCHISE
The oral evidence session with Transport Committee scheduled for Tues 04 December with Sam Laidlaw and Ed Smith has been cancelled.
Commenting on this decision, Louise Ellman, Transport Committee Chair said,
“I am very disappointed that the Government has delayed publication of Sam Laidlaw’s final report into the collapse of the West Coast Main Line franchise competition. It was expected that the report would be released last week and, as a result, we arranged to hear oral evidence from Mr Laidlaw and his colleague Ed Smith on 4 December.
“Not only has the report not appeared, but the DfT has not had the courtesy to contact us directly about the delay nor explain when this document will be made public. It is regrettable that the DfT should have added to the confusion caused by the abandonment of the West Coast Main Line competition with this episode.
“We have reluctantly decided to postpone the evidence session on the Laidlaw report until Tuesday 18 December at 10am, by which time the Laidlaw report should be in the public domain.”
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Witnesses:
10.00 am
Department for Transport
• Sam Laidlaw, Non-Executive Director
• Ed Smith, Non-Executive Director
The DfT delaying something and failing to communicate - now who would have guessed it?
A bit of Friday night easy viewing via Raildate:
Lovely.
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.
This Australian safety video has gone viral...
Not sure why Boris Johnson features at the end though!
This from Macquarie
Macquarie Acquires Rolling Stock Business From Lloyds, Launches New Rail Business
Macquarie Group has launched a new rail business, Macquarie European Rail, and agreed to acquire a European rolling stock leasing business from Lloyds Banking Group.
It has acquired from Lloyds a fleet of rolling stock leased to the franchisee of the Stansted Express airport rail service, and also a rail freight portfolio of locomotives and wagons under operating lease to two operators in the United Kingdom.
The deal also involves the acquisition of a continental European rail freight and passenger portfolio of locomotives, passenger trains and wagons on operating lease to operators in Europe.
For those interested in such things this involves CB Rail (the continental rolling stock lessor), the Stansted Express Electrostar (cl379) fleet and some UK freight assets (including some 66s, the Class 70s and wagons).
What is unclear at the moment is whether this deal includes the Cross Country and West Coast Voyager fleets?
This from the Graun...
Engineering group Invensys shocked the City on Wednesday night when it sold its rail business to German rival Siemens for £1.74bn, in the latest foreign takeover of a British technology firm.
If you can't beat them, buy them!
This, surprisingly, from the 'Tash of Dickie Davis...
Trust you saw the influence of Freud in this recent email from Dods!
Highlighted for ease of reading…
Exciting news from the latest minutes of the Rail Delivery Group!
‘The working group continues to discuss how to help inform DfT’s response to the consultation on the role of the ORR.’.
Oh dear.
It looks like Grand Central is about to fail the Daily Mail test!
The Arriva owned company is offering a 'Festive Timetable' covering the period between 22nd December and 1st January.
But of 'Christmas' and the 'New Year' not a word.
No doubt this one will run and run!
Open Access? Bah humbug!
This from Sky News...
The former head of Network Rail, Sir John Armitt, is to become the new chairman of National Express, the bus and rail operator.
The smooth and urbane Armitt should compliment the more forthright style of NatEx's Chief Exec.
Come to think of it perhaps National Express should consider a rebrand to something more up-market?
Armitt & Finch has a nice ring to it!
UPDATE: This from the Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...
You may want to on-pass the following to National Express.
My spell checker always wanted to correct 'Armitt' to 'Armpit'.
Fortunately it never got into a press release...
This from the Daily Telegraph...
Kate Mingay, one of the three civil servants suspended over the West Coast rail bid fiasco, has filed legal proceedings against the Department for Transport over the way she has been treated.
With the preliminary hearing due to take place in the High Court on Thursday Eye wonders if this will have an impact on the publication date of the Laidlaw Inquiry's findings, due out at the end of this month?
The involvement of m'learned friends may also mean that Sam Laidlaw's appearance at the Transport Select Committee next Tuesday will be rather less than illuminating.
Good to see that nanny is alive and well at St Pancras...
Interesting.
Sources suggesting that Richard Brown was appointed directly by Patrick McLoughlin rather than being selected by Marsham Street mandarins.
Clearly, in Derbyshire at least, blood is thicker than water.
Indeed there is a growing view that Brown may even be prepared to rock the boat with his report.
We shall see.
Meanwhile those interested in making constructive contributions to the review may do so via: Brown.Review@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Alternatively, you can post correspondence to:
The Brown Review
Hercules House
Hercules Road
Lambeth
London
SE1 7DU
Eye readers will be reassured to see that the SE1 address means contributions are unlikely to be opened by purveyors of the failed franchising orthodoxy.
UPDATE: This from The Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water...
Mr Brown at Hercules House?
This used to be the home of the late lamented Central Office of Information – the body that once delivered government advice with less of nudge and more of a supportive hand on the shoulder, whilst the other was firmly clamped on the nads.
Meanwhile I greatly enjoyed Gwyn Topham's story in today’s Grauniad, which accurately reflects what the RDG 'privately told the man shaping the future of franchising'.
Does Eye have any idea qui bono?
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