Policy - Page 14

To some, Royal Mail’s decision to move its postal deliveries from rail to road, and in turn decommission its remaining fleet of trains (which currently stands at a fleet of six Class 325 electrics), was a long time coming.

Mike Putnam succeeds Lord Hendy as Network Rail Chair

More detail and reaction on what to expect from the government’s rail reform has emerged. The King set out planned reform to the railways in the state opening of parliament yesterday (July 17) with many of Labour’s manifesto pledges for rail reform included.

“Hendy will now have to demonstrate every facet of those political skills that enabled him to shift seamlessly from Livingstone to Johnson”

The King has just delivered his speech at the State Opening of Parliament, setting out the coming year’s parliamentary agenda included laws to deliver the new Labour government’s railway policies.

The additonal trains for the Elizabeth line, to be ordered to stave off closure of Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works, are to cost £2.45m per vehicle, according to a newly-released letter.

The Department for Transport now has a full complement of ministers as Sir Keir Starmer puts his new government in place.

Current Network Rail Chairman, Lord Peter Hendy has been appointed as a minister of state for transport in the most recent government appointments made by 10 Downing Street.

Travellers using the central tunnelled section of London’s Elizabeth Line now have 4G and 5G mobile phone coverage on the trains as well as in the stations.

The rail industry has reacted to Labour’s landslide general election victory with many keen to see the plan the party laid out in its manifesto change enacted quickly.