Ministers not responsible for ICWC fiasco - Official

Good news for the government in the Transport Select Committee's report into the InterCity West Coast fiasco!

We now know that the following is self evidently not the case:

“More than 45 million pounds of public money has been wasted, the department and the United Kingdom have suffered huge reputational damage and the railway industry is left in a state of uncertainty and therefore Ministers in post at the time of this fiasco should consider their position.”

Indeed!

Furthermore the following actions are not required:

“Ministers at the time must take responsibility for their mistakes and misjudgements.”

Quite so.

And how do we know that Hammond, Greening and Villiers should shoulder none of the blame? 

Because the following coalition members of the TSC voted against the above paragraphs being included in the final report:

• Steve Baker (Con)
• Karen Lumley (Con)
• Karl McCartney (Con)
• Adrian Sanders (LibDem)
• Iain Stewart (Con)

Just fancy that! 

UPDATE: This from Diamond Bob...

I thought Eye readers might be interested in these wise words from iDave when reflecting on another leader whose organisation went seriously awry:

"People want to see real accountability for what has happened. When people have broken the rules, they should face the consequences and this needs a change of culture absolutely."

Yes, Prime Minister. Absolutely.

We've had the circuses, time for the bread!

An interesting week, if the chattering classes are to be believed.

First (ahem) there is tomorrow's announcement on the size of the January fares increase (expected to be RPI plus Ouch).

Having had circuses over the last two weeks surely it is now time for the people to have bread as well? 

So let's see whether Greening has prevailed upon Gideon to throw passengers some stale crumbs by limiting the percentage increase over RPI? Eye doesn't advise holding your breath.

Also on the Horizon is the name of the InterCity West Coast franchise winner, with an announcement expected tomorrow or Wednesday.

Happily it looks as if managing irate passengers and shouty men with beards will fall to Cruella; as Cameron, Clegg and Greening are all taking a well earned post Olympic break.

Perhaps the postal service misplaced their invitation to the sun drenched delights of Necker Island? 

Villiers lets slip size of CP5 Budget - Shocker!

Greening to meet the railway she runs?

Eye's man with the soothing bedside manner has been in contact.

Apparently Cruella will be spending more time than expected under doctor's orders, following her recent bicycle contretemps.

Eye of course joins the rest of the railway in wishing Theresa a speedy recovery.

However, every cloud and all that.

With the department one minister down it will fall to the Captain of Netball to sell the government's exciting new franchising policy to a frankly sceptical industry.

No doubt there is growing panic in Marsham Street that Ms Greening might actually start meeting people who run real trains?

Penning's pratfalls whilst Cruella derailed.

Eye understands that the Minister for Transport is currently hors de combat.

It would appear that Theresa has broken her collar bone - ouch!

Eye wishes her a speedy recovery.

Whilst on the subject of riding into trouble, welcome to Penning's Pratfalls...

This from BikeBiz.com...

In a transport questions session in the House of Commons on Thursday 12th January, Dr Julian Huppert, the LibDem MP for Cambridge, asked the roads minister Mike Penning about infrastructure for cyclists. The minister - who is also the minister responsible for road safety - boobed, saying cyclists shouldn't be on the parts of "national road infrastructure" he was responsible for.

Best stick with the oversize trucks Mike?

UPDATE: This from a waggish Percy Kilometer...

Is the weight of responsibility for franchising policy perhaps weighing too heavily on Ms Villiers' shoulders?

Villiers vignettes - From Derbygate to Gardengate

Much gnashing of teeth in the East Midlands!

Local rail lobby group the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum is one speaker short of a full agenda for its annual conference this Thursday.

According to the Derby Evening Telegraph:

But the DfT has now said that Ms Villiers will not be attending the event because of a planning issue in her Chipping Barnet constituency.

A spokesman for Mrs Villiers' constituency office said: "The Hemington Avenue planning case is very controversial locally and Theresa has been contacted by a large number of constituents on this issue. Having campaigned against so called 'garden grabbing' for many years, Theresa feels it's vitally important that she is present at the appeal hearing to support her constituents."

Eye is sure that this statement was issued in error and having spoken with Sid Spiv, DfT's Director of Leaks, has secured the following updated version:

"The Newton Aycliffe planning case is very controversial locally and Cruella has been contacted by a large number of constituents about this issue. Having campaigned against so called 'train grabbing' for many years, Cruella feels it is vitally important that she is present at the appeal hearing to support the Japanese Ambassador."

Yet another case of the Minister walking away from her brief?

Villiers vignettes - Raising the white flag

Good news from Cruella!

Judging by yesterday's written answer it looks as if Marsham Street has experienced a damascene conversion:

Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from which companies the London and South Eastern Railway and its predecessor franchisees have leased rolling stock; how many and what types of rolling stock have been leased; and what the costs of such leasing has been in each year since 1994.

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State Transport; Chipping Barnet)
Information on the numbers and different types of rolling stock leased by train companies, and from whom, is in the public domain. For example, the Rail Guide 2011 produced by Ian Allan Publishing.

Leasing costs are commercially sensitive. Inquiries on this subject should be directed to the rolling stock owners and train operators.

Eye congratulates officials for finally conceding that they know nothing about rolling stock.

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

While delighted by this endorsement by DfT of our annual reference book, could I emphasise that Modern Railways will not accept responsibility for any errors in references to rolling stock made by Transport Ministers in Parliamentary Statements and written answers.

Cruella travels down memory lane

Saviour of the Jammy Dodger, Theresa Villiers, has been reliving past glories!


"And as thanks they gave me one this big!"

Chiltern goes from strength to strength!

More exciting news from DB owned Chiltern Railways.

According to the DfT...

The Department has today begun consulting Chiltern Railway Company Limited, and relevant rail industry bodies, on a proposal to impose a Penalty of £500,000 on the company for a series of contraventions of the terms of their franchise agreement.

Chiltern accept that they have breached the terms of their franchise in relation to the late delivery of two station improvement schemes, and to two breaches of requirements in relation to timetable changes. These specific breaches have since been remedied.

A copy of the Department’s letter to Chiltern advising them of the Penalty and setting out the details of their contraventions has been published today on the Department’s website.

Villiers' franchise reform proposals, based on the 'success' of the Chiltern model, keep getting more and more credible.

UPDATE: This from Chiltern...

In reaction to the DfT’s intention to impose a penalty notice on Chiltern Railways.

We accept that, in 2009, there were four technical breaches of the franchise agreement; none of which had significant consequence for our passengers or incurred cost to the taxpayer. The most serious breaches were a 16-week delay in commissioning new lifts at a single station, and a four-week delay in installing a new shelter on a platform that already had one.

Since that time, we have successfully delivered £7.25m of investment in station improvements and car park expansions, started work on the largest privately funded passenger infrastructure project since before world war two and continued to meet all the requirements of our franchise on punctuality and service quality. Next month, we will be introducing brand new commuter trains at a cost of £1.2m per carriage.

The Chiltern Railways franchise has always been focused on delivering what our passengers tell us they want. It would be a cause for enormous regret if £0.5m were diverted from investment in improvement for passengers as a result of low impact franchise breaches.

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Strange.

DfT have been spurned into action over a 16 week delay in commissioning lifts at a single station but remain silent about a 16 month absence of WiFi from the entire Arriva Cross Country network.

I suppose this is a start.

Perchance DfT is not dead but sleepeth?

UPDATE: This from Jumbo...

WSMR appears to be a gift that just keeps on giving to Chiltern's German owners.

Judging by the DfT snotogram WSMR is at the heart of this fine.

Hilariously, it would appear that the DfT only found out about Chiltern's sharp timetabling practice from a WSMR press release!

Let's just add that to WSMR's tab shall we - a cool £14m and counting!

UPDATE: This from 31154...

I notice there is a "Wifi on Trains Conference" in London on 8-9 June,

According to the blurb:

"Among the companies presenting at Train Communications Systems 2011 will be...

• Russian Railways
• Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (Italian high-speed train operator)
• WestBahn (Austrian Train Company)
• Amtrak
• Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
• BWCS
• Department for Transport, UK
• National Express
• China Railways
• Bay Area Rapid Transit
• SJ Trains
• VR Trains
• NS Trains
• Thalys International
• Globalfone (USA)
• Icomera
• 21Net
• Nomad
• GBS (USA)

How strange, no mention of DB/Arriva/Cross Country!

No doubt the DafT presentation will reveal how successfully they've enforced their franchise commitments though?

Villiers vignettes - Operational Transport Use

Proof positive, were it needed, that Civil Serpents have no understanding of the operational railway.

The soon to be abolished British Railways Board (Residuary) is rushing to flog off the family silver before the quango is consigned to oblivion.

One of the biggest pieces of land that remains in its portfolio is the former Derby Railway Technical Centre site which extends over 11 acres and which BRB(R) has put on the market for £16m.

But what's this?

Although most of the site is used for offices about a third is rail connected and is in operational transport use.

As well as a number of rolling stock engineering businesses dependent on the rail connected site the RTC is also home to Network Rail's Infrastructure Monitoring Fleet, which is so critical to the railways assurance regime that if the monitoring trains failed to run the network would be shut down.

So concerned about the sale is local lobby group the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum that is has issued the following statement:

"We are concerned that the sale of the RTC Business Park contains no protection for the rail-connected facilities at this important site.

"Were these facilities to be lost it would have an enormous impact on the skills base offered, particularly in the field of specialist rolling stock engineering."

Of course in the Age of Austerity nothing must stand in the way of balancing the books - not even clearly issued Ministerial Directions and Guidance.

This from the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger only last week:

Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Plaid Cymru)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the land in the ownership of BRB (Residuary) Ltd when that body is abolished.

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative)
BRB (Residuary) Ltd will continue its agreed programme to dispose of land that has been determined to have no further operational transport use on terms that deliver the best value for money to the taxpayer.

Any land still held by BRB (Residuary) Ltd when it is abolished will transfer to the direct ownership of the Secretary of State for Transport.

So if the RTC is viewed as having 'no further operational transport use' then what rail connected site does?

Eye is confident that Waterloo International, also a part of BRB(R)'s property portfolio, will make a truly splendid hotel!

Villiers vignettes - fares increase explained

These sagely words from the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger spoken in the House on the 28th October:

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative)
I am well aware of the concerns of users of the Southeastern franchise who have been asked to pay RPI plus three over the past few years. That was linked to investment in rolling stock, and the rest of the country will move on to RPI plus three to even out the perceived inequality from the year after next.

So now you know - the fares increase is to "even out perceived inequality".

Presumably Cruella is also determined to use these inflation busting fares increases to remove a further inequality by ensuring that the rest of the nation also benefits from "investment in rolling stock"?

Don't hold your breath.

With contributions such as this Eye now understands why the 'War On Toner' announcement was left to Theresa May...

Villiers vignettes... On fare rises

This from the Daily Telegraph...

The raft of rises were condemned by Theresa Villiers, the Tories' transport spokesman.

"At a time when personal budgets are tight and passengers are crying out for value for money, the Government have sanctioned a fare increase 3 per cent over inflation," she said.

"It is now clear that the Government is trying to price people off the railways as a feeble attempt to deal with overcrowding which has resulted from their complete failure to deliver the new capacity on the railways that they have been promising for almost a decade."

Just fancy that!

Wolmar woe at #CPC10

Oh dear!

Wolmar hasn't been having a good Tory party conference.

The star of stage, screen and amazon book-store was invited to sit as honoured guest on the panel at ATOC's fringe event last night.

The TOC lobby group had even been kind enough to provide a train ticket to get the great man to Brum.

Imagine Wolmar's chagrin when the gripper on his Virgin train pointed out it was valid London Midland only!

Eye is unsure whether this was an example of ATOC penny pinching or second thoughts in the Bernard Street bunker - perhaps they hoped the great man would miss the event by travelling on an oh-so-slow train

Meanwhile Wolmar's continues to woo the new members of the ConDem ministerial transport team.

Although judging by this tweet, sent from Bombardier's fringe event, not that succesfully!

Saw Ms Villiers at Con conf. She is v cross at me for being so hard on Norman re Cycling England's demise. I said it was 6 years work wasted.

What a picture that would have made - Wolmar being savaged by the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger!

DfT pleads for responses to Future of Franchising

The Reforming Rail Franchising consultation document was originally published on the 22nd July 2010.

Eye understands that ministers have been "disappointed" by the number of responses to this consultation to date.

So the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger today launched this YouTube video to try and drum up some more responses.



As future franchising policy will effect the entire industry it is perhaps not a bad idea to think about responding.

The consultation document can be found here and the closing date is the 18th October.

Remember vote early - vote often!

UPDATE: This from Sinoda...

Despite the change of background logo, Ms Villiers appears to be speaking from Eurostar's famous broom cupboard from where Richard Brown made his very memorable broadcasts.

And what to make of the final salvo from Mr Voiceover: "If you are unable to access this video, please contact the 'digital engagement team' at the Department for Transport, so we can arrange an alternative format".

Surely you wouldn't know who to contact unless you had watched the video?

UPDATE: This from Herb Aceous...

The video clip lasts 2 minutes and 45 seconds but the clap board at the end refers to a running time of 3 minutes 40 seconds.

What sundry delights were edited out I wonder?

Villiers vignettes... there may be troubles ahead...

Has the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger turned against Rail Barbie?

This from a House of Commons debate on the 15th September 2010:

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative): That franchise experienced significant disruption between October 2009 and January of this year. That was largely caused by industrial action, and Thameslink services were the worst affected. However, there were also problems on the Great Northern line, which serves Enfield.

It was particularly regrettable that action by drivers meant that no trains ran on Remembrance Sunday last year on the suburban Great Northern line services.

I am relieved that the problems that led to that disruption have gone away for the moment, and that First Capital Connect's overall public performance measure has recovered to reach the levels prevailing prior to that episode.

Eye thinks we should be told.

Villiers vignettes... on the benefits of privatisation

Telegrammed by Our Man at 222 Marylebone Road
That Bourbon moment...

Theresa Villiers: on 22 July. "The hon. Gentleman's views on the railways are well known, although I am afraid that I do not share them. It would have been impossible for there to have been the significant growth in passenger numbers that we have seen since privatisation without the benefits that private sector innovation and enterprise have brought. Reversing things and renationalising the *railways* would be a retrograde step."

Oh bliss, John Major lives!! Talk dirty to us, Theresa

But why did you miss out 'entrepreneurial flair'.

And where was the obligatory side swipe at 'deeply inefficient British Rail'?

The key to good retro lies in the detail. So, sadly, only 7 out of 10.

But thanks for trying.

UPDATE: This from Leo Pink...

Surely the bulk of the growth came after the Strategic Rail Authority was subsumed into DfT and the state took control of timetabling, rolling stock policy, franchise service specification.

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

Isn't "rolling stock policy" an oxymoron?

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

So how does Theresa explain the growth on state owned London Underground over the same period which was equal to, if not greater than, that experienced on the privatised BR network?

Villiers vignettes...

Oh dear.

Following recent cock-ups with public pronouncements (Eye passim) has the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger lost the confidence of her departmental colleagues?

Although Theresa has responsibility for both Rail and Aviation the announcement today on reforming the framework for regulating airports was unveiled by no less a figure than Petrol-head himself!

Proposals designed to improve Britain's major airports were unveiled by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond today...

After careful consideration, the Government has decided not to give a new remit to Passenger Focus to represent air passengers as had previously been proposed. The Government believes that it is important to have strong passenger representation but that this is not the time to be make additional structural changes which will add to the regulatory burden on industry. It will therefore be exploring options for strengthening existing passenger representation arrangements.

Surely not the sort of nuts and bolts announcement that is usually made by a Secretary of State?

No matter.

Perhaps Theresa can now find time to answer some of those invitations that she is famous for ignoring?

Villiers vignettes... apology accepted

Regular readers may recollect that Eye took the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger to task on Monday 12th July for misleading the House about rolling stock orders.

Clearly someone has been reading Eye, for lo and behold Cruella had to deliver this Ministerial Correction yesterday (19th July):

• Email me when Theresa Villiers speaks
• Most recent apperances
• Numerology
• Full profile ...

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative)

I regret to inform the House that there was an inaccuracy in the answer I gave to parliamentary question 4042 on 7 July 2010, Hansard, column 265W, about what new rolling stock orders have been placed for each rail franchise since 2007.

The table was incomplete and omitted the order, placed in April 2009 by National Express East Anglia, for 120 new EMU vehicles.

The full table is reproduced below.

Franchise	Order date	Type	Vehicles
Southern	May-07	EMU	48
London Midland	Aug-07	EMU	148
London Midland	Dec-07	DMU	69
Chiltern Railway	Jan-08	DMU	8
Southern	Mar-08	EMU	44
Virgin West Coast	Sep-08	EMU	106
National Express East Anglia	Apr-09	EMU	120

Just fancy that!

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic, the HLOS Vehicle Finder General...

There you are Theresa, doesn't that feel better?

Now what about the 8th June table you published?

Yes, the Table with the double counting I mentioned to Philip Hammond's SpAd at the time?

And has the civil servant responsible now been transferred to work on TramTrains?

Villiers makes lasting contribution to Crossrail

More good news from Marsham Street.

Civil Servants have finally found a use for Jammy Dodgers saviour Theresa Villiers.

And once Theresa is firmly embedded in the Crossrail project she will no longer have to worry about opening those tedious Red Boxes.

Villiers vignettes....

An occasional series celebrating the relationship of the Minister of State for Transport with her Department...

This answer given by Theresa Villiers on Wednesday the 7th July, (with a bowler tip to Flat Cap and Whippet):

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new rolling stock orders have been placed for each rail franchise since 2007. [4042]

Mrs Villiers: Rolling stock orders for franchised operators since 2007 are as shown in the following table.

Franchise	Order date	Type	Vehicles
Southern	May 2007	EMU	48
London Midland	August 2007	EMU	148
London Midland	December 2007	DMU	69
Chiltern Railway	January 2008	DMU	8
Southern	March 2008	EMU	44
Virgin West Coast	September 2008	EMU	106

And where are the Greater Anglia 379s that were ordered on 2nd April 2009?

This isn't the first time that the Minister has misled the House.

A previous statement on HLOS rolling stock given by Villiers contained double counting!

When prompted by Captain Deltic a Special Advisor (SpAd) said she would raise it with the officials concerned.

Good to see that the Coalition promise to reduce the power of SpAds over Civil Servants has already been delivered on!

UPDATE: This from the Major...

Sadiq Khan is obviously enjoying his time in opposition.

As Shadow Secretary of State he gets to ask questions of the new Government in the full knowledge that the answers given will be crafted by the same lacklustre officials who previously made him appear a laughing stock at the Despatch Box.

Evidently the Department's officials have learned nothing from Foster's excoriating review of their communications skills.

UPDATE: This from The Hatter...

According to Theresa's answer new rolling stock has been ordered for the Virgin West Coast franchise.

Sadly this also is not strictly true.

The new Pendolini were procured by Virgin Rail Projects (prop. Beardie, but an entirely seperate company to Virgin Trains) for the West Coast franchise.

These much needed, overcrowding busting, trains are due to be delivered from July 2011.

Sadly, owing to Officials on the line and the wrong type of Civil Servant, they will not actually carry any passengers on the West Coast Main Line until 1st April 2012 when the new franchisee - not necessarily Virgin Trains (prop Beardie) - is due to takeover.

Happily this tax payer funded rolling stock will sit comfortably in sidings for many months, without turning a wheel in revenue earning service, because Sir Humphrey says so.

Welcome to Fred Karno’s railway.