The
decision


by
the
Department
for
Transport
to
‘pause’
further
electrification
of
the
Midland
Main
Line
through
Leicester
and
on
to
Derby,
Nottingham
and
Sheffield
has
been
followed
by
protests
from
the
rail
industry.

The
DfT
had
said
work
was
also
paused
on
the
final
stage
of
stabilising
the
cliffs
along
the
railway
at
Dawlish,
the
York
Area
Capacity
and
performance
project
and
a
congestion
relief
scheme
for
Peckham
Rye
station
in
south
London,
although
other
schemes
are
going
ahead,
including
the
restoration
of
three
stations
and
passenger
services
on
the
Bristol
to
Portishead
line.

The
suspension
of
work
on
the
Midland
Main
Line
has
attracted
criticism
from
the
Rail
Forum
and
the
Rail
Industry
Association,
who
have
written
to
rail
minister
Lord
Hendy
today,
offering
to
convene
a
cross-industry
group.

They
claim
that
keeping
electrification
under
review
could
cost
taxpayers
between
£50
million
and
£70
million,
and
also
risk
economic
benefits
of
nearly
£400
million
and
the
creation
of
nearly
5,000
jobs.

Chief
executive
of
the
Derby-based
Rail
Forum
Elaine
Clark
said:
‘We
are
extremely
disappointed
…
[the]
decision
will
have
a
direct
impact
on
supply
chain
businesses
now.
We
risk
losing
further
highly
skilled
individuals
and
jobs
from
the
sector,
which
will
ultimately
add
to
costs
for
future
electrification
projects.

‘Whilst
recent
announcements
and
confirmation
of
other
projects
have
been
welcomed
by
our
members,
stopping
Midland
Mainline
Electrification
has
caused
wide
concern
and
makes
no
sense.
It
is
a
shovel
ready
project
that
could
deliver
tangible
benefits
this
parliament
with
other
projects
unlikely
to
even
get
off
the
starting
blocks
in
that
timeframe.

‘Taking
into
account
likely
demobilisation
and
remobilisation
costs
we
believe
it’s
a
bad
decision
for
the
UK
taxpayer
and
a
bad
decision
for
users
of
the
MML
with
several
of
our
larger
cities
now
condemned
to
using
diesel
traction
for
the
foreseeable
future.
Furthermore
it
doesn’t
demonstrate
the
whole
system
thinking
that
is
core
to
Government’s
agenda
of
“bringing
track
and
train
together”
through
rail
reform.’

The
Railway
Industry
Association’s
chief
executive
Darren
Caplan
agreed
that
railway
suppliers
will
be
concerned.

He
continued:
‘This
decision
will
delay
the
benefits
of
the
project
and
undermine
regional
economic
growth
in
the
Midlands,
as
well
as
cost
taxpayers
money
and
threaten
thousands
of
jobs.

‘The
decision
threatens
to
continue
a
boom-and-bust
approach
to
rail
electrification
in
the
UK,
and
is
clearly
a
worry
for
the
many
businesses
which
have
delivered
the
previous
phases
of
the
scheme
on
time
and
on
budget.
And
it
demonstrates
a
lack
of
whole-system
thinking,
inhibiting
operational
performance
and
revenue
growth
as
well
as
providing
further
uncertainty
for
the
rolling
stock
supply
chain.

‘So
we
urge
Lord
Hendy
to
consider
to
ensure
this
is
only
a
short
“pause”
so
work
can
commence
promptly
within
the
next
year.
And
we
restate
our
offer
to
convene
a
cross-industry
group
to
develop
a
decarbonisation
strategy
and
resourcing
plan.
This
would
confirm
the
minimum
additional
electrification
to
deliver
Net
Zero
for
passengers
and
freight
by
2050.’

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