DfT - Page 2

Comment

Comment: the railway needs stability in Whitehall and a clear strategy

Our regular columnist Christian Wolmar reflects on an eventful year that saw three DfT cabinet ministers and advises what the latest one should do this year.

Christian Wolmar 10 Jan

The HS2 site at London Euston in September 2023, shortly before the previous government decided it not want to pay for HS2’s station. Work at the site had been paused six months earlier. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget gave the go-ahead for Euston as London’s HS2 terminus. HS2.

News

DfT looking at ways to protect space for additional HS2 Euston platforms - leaders admit still no agreed phase one cost

Comments come after Lord Hendy said HS2's Euston station would have six platforms

HS2 23 Dec

News

Budget 2024: Chancellor confirms HS2 trains will run to Euston

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has approved the extension of HS2 into Euston station as part of her budget announcement.

HS2 30 Oct

News

Euston Station to trial earlier boarding as part of five-part plan

Network Rail and train operating companies, Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway, are implementing a trial of earlier train boarding at London Euston station to combat the notorious "Euston rush" and enhance the overall passenger experience.

Budget 28 Oct

News

Land sales freeze on HS2 Phase 2 confirmed as Government evaluates alternative

Transport Minister, Lord Hendy has indicated that land purchased between Lichfield, Staffordshire and High Legh in Cheshire on the now scrapped Phase 2a route will be ringfenced until the Government has considered alternative options.

HS2 24 Oct

This view shows work to build the viaduct across the Colne Valley and Grand Union Canal (near Denham on the north-west edge of London) in late March. HS2

News

Government announces review into HS2 costs

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has announced a major review into the spiralling costs of the HS2. The move comes after years of failed delivery and escalating expenses.

HS2 21 Oct

News

Government quells HS2 Phase 2a rumours

Downing Street has dampened down suggestions the northern leg of the HS2 rail project could be revived.

HS2 Ltd 17 Oct

Comment

A better way to assess the true value of transport policies

CHANGE is the watchword of the new government. At the recent Labour conference in Liverpool, the words “change begins” were ubiquitous on posters everywhere, although what that entailed was mostly left unexplained.

Christian Wolmar 16 Oct

News

£1 billion London Gateway investment announced but more needed for Rail

Global logistics giant DP World has unveiled a significant £1 billion investment to expand London Gateway, solidifying its position as the UK's largest container port.

Freight 14 Oct

Laura Shoaf, West Midlands Combined Authority

News

New Chair Appointed to Oversee UK Rail Reforms

The UK government has today announced the appointment of Laura Shoaf as Chair of Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR).

GBR 3 Oct

News

RSSB backs calls for lowering age for train drivers

A new study by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has recommended lowering the minimum age requirement for train drivers from 20 to 18.

Rail Safety and Standards Board 30 Sept

News

CPT welcomes exemptions for rail replacement coaches

The CPT, which represents bus and coach companies, is welcoming a Department for Transport announcement of exemptions to Accessible Information Regulations (AIR) for coaches used on rail replacement services.

rail 16 Sept

LOUISE HAIGH, Secretary of State for Transport, arrives at 10 Downing Street as cabinet meet. ALAMY

News

Transport Secretary launches rail reform era

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has unveiled the first steps to setting up the new body responsible for the country’s rail network - Great British Railways (GBR).

DfT 3 Sept

GB Railfreight 66307 passes Milepost 100, between Gainsborough and Beckingham, with a Felixstowe-Doncaster Hexthorpe container train on March 30.

News

Track access charges waived for new rail freight traffic

In a move designed to encourage further modal shift to rail freight, Network Rail and the Department for Transport have waived track access charges for new freight flows the next six months in a bid to bring new business onto the nation’s tracks.

Rail freight 28 Aug

News

DfT considers changes to investment rules

The way in which rail schemes are financially assessed could change.

Policy 22 Aug

03/06/23 photo of members of the Aslef union on a picket line near to Leeds train station. ALAMY

News

ASLEF to vote on new deal for train drivers

ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, has secured a pay offer that it will recommend its members accept.

Strikes 15 Aug

News

TfL to push forward with DLR extension after consultation

Transport for London (TfL) has announced plans to move forward with a Docklands Light Railway extension from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, via Beckton Riverside, following overwhelming public support for the project.

Docklands Light Railway 5 Aug

Northern and TPE train sitting at Manchester Railway Station

News

Challenging year for nationalised DOHL operators

DfT OLR Holdings Limited (DOHL) the company which runs the nationalised train operators on behalf of the Department for Transport has released its annual report, showing it was a challenging year for performance as well as showing slow progress in cutting the subsidies paid for each of the four operators that it currently runs.

DfT 30 Jul

The new DfT team (from left): Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood; Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood; Transport Secretary Louise Haigh; Rail Minister Lord Hendy; and Aviation, Maritime and Security Minister Mike Kane. DfT.

News

Labour’s new team at DfT packed with railway experience

Labour’s new team at the Department for Transport is a mixture of the familiar and the unknown.

DfT 23 Jul

DB cargo operated Royal Mail class 325 postal trains passing the countryside at Brock on the west coast mainline in Lancashire. ALAMY

News

Royal Mail’s switch to road a body blow for rail freight sector

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.

Freight 22 Jul

DfT - Page 2

Comment: the railway needs stability in Whitehall and a clear strategy

DfT looking at ways to protect space for additional HS2 Euston platforms - leaders admit still no agreed phase one cost

Budget 2024: Chancellor confirms HS2 trains will run to Euston

Euston Station to trial earlier boarding as part of five-part plan

Land sales freeze on HS2 Phase 2 confirmed as Government evaluates alternative

Government announces review into HS2 costs

Government quells HS2 Phase 2a rumours

A better way to assess the true value of transport policies

£1 billion London Gateway investment announced but more needed for Rail

New Chair Appointed to Oversee UK Rail Reforms

RSSB backs calls for lowering age for train drivers

CPT welcomes exemptions for rail replacement coaches

Transport Secretary launches rail reform era

Track access charges waived for new rail freight traffic

DfT considers changes to investment rules

ASLEF to vote on new deal for train drivers

TfL to push forward with DLR extension after consultation

Challenging year for nationalised DOHL operators

Labour’s new team at DfT packed with railway experience

Royal Mail’s switch to road a body blow for rail freight sector

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

HS2 faces £100bn cost and delay until late-2030s, government told

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

DfT - Page 2

Comment: the railway needs stability in Whitehall and a clear strategy

DfT looking at ways to protect space for additional HS2 Euston platforms - leaders admit still no agreed phase one cost

Budget 2024: Chancellor confirms HS2 trains will run to Euston

Euston Station to trial earlier boarding as part of five-part plan

Land sales freeze on HS2 Phase 2 confirmed as Government evaluates alternative

Government announces review into HS2 costs

Government quells HS2 Phase 2a rumours

A better way to assess the true value of transport policies

£1 billion London Gateway investment announced but more needed for Rail

New Chair Appointed to Oversee UK Rail Reforms

RSSB backs calls for lowering age for train drivers

CPT welcomes exemptions for rail replacement coaches

Transport Secretary launches rail reform era

Track access charges waived for new rail freight traffic

DfT considers changes to investment rules

ASLEF to vote on new deal for train drivers

TfL to push forward with DLR extension after consultation

Challenging year for nationalised DOHL operators

Labour’s new team at DfT packed with railway experience

Royal Mail’s switch to road a body blow for rail freight sector

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

HS2 faces £100bn cost and delay until late-2030s, government told

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

GB Railfreight planning to repurpose at least 12 more Class 66s for heavy trainloads

DB Cargo UK discussing transferring drivers to rival as it deals with Network Rail contract loss

FirstGroup confirms Class 222s for Euston-Stirling Lumo route

Chiltern Railways on verge of agreeing deal to take ex-TransPennine Express Mk 5s

Why the Class 67s have been running on borrowed time for nearly the whole of their lives

Network Rail begins process to replace rail infrastructure monitoring trains