Railway
schemes
speculation

The
chancellor
Rachel
Reeves
is
expected
to
set
out
a
range
of
infrastructure
schemes
which
are
to
be
scaled
back
or
scrapped,
in
a
bid
to
close
a
£20
billion
funding
gap
in
the
public
finances.
Some
road
and
hospital
schemes
are
said
to
under
scrutiny,
along
with
the
£500
million
Restoring
Your
Railway
fund,
which
could
also
be
reduced
in
scope
or
suspended.
The
Fund
has
already
paid
for
the
restoration
of
passenger
services
to
Okehampton,
while
current
schemes
in
progress
are
the
Northumberland
Line
between
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
and
Ashington,
which
is
due
to
open
this
summer,
and
the
Mid
Cornwall
Metro,
for
which
detailed
engineering
designs
are
currently
being
carried
out
before
upgrading
work
is
due
to
start
later
this
year.
Meanwhile,
the Passenger
Railway
Services
(Public
Ownership)
Bill
which
paves
the
way
for
the
nationalisation
of
most
passenger
operators
is
due
to
be
debated
by
MPs
as
it
receives
its
Second
Reading
today.

Eurostar
services
restored

Eurostar
services
from
London
to
Paris
have
returned
to
normal
today,
after
a
weekend
of
disruption
caused
by
three
arson
attacks
on
the
French
high
speed
rail
network
early
on
Friday,
a
few
hours
before
the
Olympics
opening
ceremony
in
Paris.
SNCF
has
been
working
to
repair
damaged
signalling
data
cables.
Three
high
speed
lines
had
to
be
closed,
including
LGV
Nord
between
Paris
and
Lille,
which
carries
trains
from
London,
Brussels
and
Amsterdam.
Investigations
into
the
reason
for
the
attacks
and
the
identity
of
the
arsonists
are
continuing.

Scottish
strike
ballot

Unite
the
union
is
launching
a
strike
ballot
on
Wednesday
involving
more
than
300
of
its
members
at
ScotRail,
as
a
pay
dispute
continues.
The
union
says
ScotRail
staff
have
been
offered
a
backdated
two
per
cent
rise
from
April
this
year,
and
a
further
one
per
cent
in
January
2025.
The
staff
who
will
have
the
chance
to
vote
include
train
cleaners,
engineers,
booking
office
staff
and
conductors.