Network Rail – Government owned, over spent and underperforming, according to the ORR. What next? Network Rail is over spending its budget and under-performing on maintenance and renewals, but does not give the ORR enough data to enable them to be properly held to account. (ORR’s quarterly Rail monitor for the period April to September…
Government announces Eurostar sell-off So Osborne is selling more of the family silver in seeking to raise £300m from the sale of a 40% stake in Eurostar. This is our only rail link to the continent and the rest of Europe. It is unregulated and can charge what it likes, drastically cut its services, let…
The Government plans to increase the speed limit for HGVs on non-motorway roads from 40mph to 50mph. They say that this is because the current limit ‘is broken by about three quarters of HGV drivers’. They also say that the ‘current limit give rise to the untenable position where motorists’ expectation of relatively quick journeys…
What is a UK company when it comes to jobs, intellectual property and paying UK taxes? The minister says that 97% of Crossrail contracts are based in the UK. Consultant Martin Blaiklock suggests the figure is 27%. This is something to explore when we are next allowed to put down Written questions in the Lords…
These rail improvements (see DfT press release below) are really good news for Cornwall. They are the result of Cornwall CC, the LEP with Network Rail and FGW and others sending a consistent and well-argued message to ministers and parliamentarians. A lot of hard work went into this, including an exhibition in London of the…
