Reshuffle ++  The Prime Minister is holding the first meeting of his new cabinet this morning, having replaced a number of ministers following his appointment by the King. One of them is new transport secretary Mark Harper, who is MP for Forest of Dean. He has replaced Anne-Marie Trevelyan who was only in her post for a few weeks, having been given the job by Liz Truss. Ms Trevelyan had supported Boris Johnson in the latest competition for Conservative leader. The train operators’ group Rail Partners has welcomed Mr Harper to his post. Chief executive Andy Bagnall said: ‘Congratulations to Mark Harper on his appointment. Rail Partners and its members look forward to working closely with him and his wider ministerial team.’ Meanwhile, the transport secretary in Boris Johnson’s government Grant Shapps also served briefly as home secretary under Ms Truss, and is now business secretary in Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet. Strikes ++ The RMT will be staging its next series of National Rail strikes on 5, 7 and 9 November in the continuing dispute over jobs, conditions and pay. Network Rail staff will walk out on all three days, and workers at most train operating companies will also strike on 5 November. In connection with separate disputes, RMT members on London Underground and Overground will strike on 10 November. A Network Rail strike had originally been planned for 3 November, but this has been postponed to the 9th so as not to disrupt the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Day. It is the second time this year that railway strikes have been postponed because of an event of national importance, because walkouts were also called off so that they would not coincide with the period of Royal Mourning in September.

Open access operator Lumo, which is owned by FirstGroup and runs between Edinburgh and London, said the number of people travelling by rail on the route has increased to 57 per cent of the rail-air market, compared with 35 per cent before the Covid pandemic. Lumo started running on 25 October 2021 and introduced its full timetable in April. The operator also said it is looking forward to welcoming its millionth passenger in November. First Class 387 electric unit to get ETCS Govia Thameslink Railway has sent a Class 387 Electrostar unit from London to Worksop, so that it can be fitted with in-cab signalling by Alstom. The work marks the begnning of the conversion of the fleet for operation on the southern section of the East Coast Main Line, which is to be converted to ETCS. It will also lay the foundations for a similar upgrade of the wider Electrostar fleets. The train will be tested at Litchurch Lane in Derby before it is moved to Network Rail’s RIDC Melton test track, where it will be able to run at the 387s’ maximum speed of 110mph (177km/h).

The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham was late for a news conference to protest about poor railway services – because his train was cancelled. Merseyside Mayor Steve Rotheram was also late for the same reason. Speaking to reporters at the conference on Saturday, Any Burnham called for the government to provide financial support for railways in the region. He said: ‘Appalling levels of service are also turning people away from the railways at a time when, to meet our economic and environmental ambitions, we urgently need to make sure public transport is always a viable – and even a preferable – alternative to cars. But it is not just operators who are responsible for the North’s failing rail system. Successive governments have failed to invest in vital infrastructure improvements that could make a significant difference to reliability.’ Bond Street station opens The new Elizabeth Line station at Bond Street opened this morning, after delays to construction had meant that it stayed closed when trains started running through the central section in May. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, outgoing transport commissioner Andy Byford and transport minister Katherine Fletcher were at the station to welcome some of the first passengers.

Train services between Carlisle, Newcastle, Appleby and Skipton may be disrupted for weeks after a cement train was derailed at Petteril Bridge Junction, where the Settle and Carlisle line leaves the route towards Hexham and Newcastle. The derailment was destructive. Several wagons left the track and came to rest on the embankment, and at least one landed in the River Petteril, according to Network Rail, which also said no-one was injured. Network Rail engineers and five RAIB inspectors have gone to the site since the incident, which happened soon after 20.00 on Wednesday. The infrastructure was seriously damaged, including the track, a bridge, signals and other lineside equipment. Network Rail has warned that the task of recovering the wagons and repairing the damage is expected to take ‘weeks rather than days’. Replacement buses are running between Carlisle and Haltwhistle, and Carlisle and Appleby, and Northern warned that the bus journeys will take longer. Trains on the nearby West Coast Main Line to Glasgow and Preston are not affected. Network Rail North West route director Phil James said: ‘On the rare occasions trains leave tracks like this it can cause extensive damage and unfortunately this incident is no exception. ‘I understand this will be extremely frustrating for passengers who rely on this crucial rail link from east to west linking Carlisle and Newcastle, as well as south to Skipton. We’re working hard to keep people on the move through rail replacement buses while we work as fast as we can to restore the railway for passengers and freight.’ The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has now started the complex task of gathering evidence. The RAIB said: ‘We are working in conjunction with other agencies to secure the vital evidence needed to help us understand what went wrong. Our inspectors are in the process of reviewing digital material from on-train data recorders, CCTV and infrastructure monitoring systems, as well as collecting physical evidence from the train and track involved. ‘In accordance with our normal processes we have started releasing parts of the train.  We will continue to release parts of the train and track in stages at the earliest opportunity.’

A Bill is being presented to Parliament today which sets out a law restricting the proportion of people who may walk out during transport strikes. The RMT has called for ‘the fiercest civil resistance possible’. The new law will apply even if the strike was validly called under previous laws which oblige unions to hold membership ballots, give notice of industrial action and restrict picketing. The Bill is receiving its First Reading just after the RMT had announced further strikes in early November. The Transport Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill will make a certain level of service mandatory. Individual members of staff who defy the new law by joining the strike will lose their protection from automatic unfair dismissal, while unions will be open to claims for damages. The level of service to be provided during a strike must be agreed between employers and unions and will apply for a period of three months. If the two sides cannot agree, the minimum service level will be decided by the Central Arbitration Committee, which is a tribunal of the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. The Bill is expected to become law next year. Prime Minister Liz Truss said: ‘Hardworking people and businesses should not be held to ransom by strike action which has repeatedly crippled our transport network this year.’  Transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: ‘Strikes have affected nearly all of us over this last year – whether that means losing out on a day’s pay at work, having to close your business, missing vital medical appointments or stopping our children from getting to school. ‘It is vital that public transport users have some continuity of service to keep Britain moving and growing – this legislation will give everyone the certainty they need to carry on with their daily lives.’  RMT general secretary Mick Lynch responded: ‘This cynical piece of legislation outlaws effective legal industrial action on our railways. ‘It is an autocratic move from an increasingly despotic Prime Minister trying to cling on. ‘All democrats whether inside or outside parliament must oppose this draconian attempt to clamp down on the fundamental human right to strike. ‘RMT and the entire trade union movement will not accept unjust anti-union laws and I call upon all workers in Britain to mount the fiercest civil resistance possible, in the proud traditions of the chartists and suffragettes.’

Transport secretary Ann-Marie Trevelyan has confirmed that legislation to create Great British Railways will be postponed at least until next year. She was answering questions from members of the Commons Transport Select Committee, and refused to be drawn on a revised timetable. The Committee was also told that it is possible for GBR to start playing a part in running the railway even before a Transport Act has been passed. For example, GBR could recommend a choice of operator for a contract, leaving the Department for Transport to carry out the legal formalities. Anne-Marie Trevelyan told the MPs on the Committee: ‘The challenges of the energy legislation we have got to bring in, and various others, have meant we have lost the opportunity to have [a major Transport Bill] in this session. What we are continuing to pitch for would be what I would call a “narrow” Bill, around legislation about such things as e-scooters.’ She was later asked by MP Chris Loder if it was still her intention to create GBR. She responded: ‘What I want to do is fully implement the modernisation, so that we have got something that’s genuinely fit for purpose. The passenger and the freight provider are at the heart of the service we want to be providing.’ Department for Transport permanent secretary Bernadette Kelly confirmed that without the full legislation, it would not be possible for GBR to take over by 2024. Andy Bagnall is chief executive of Rail Partners, which now represents operators. He said ‘It is disappointing the legislation to create Great British Railways will be delayed, but we look forward to working with the secretary of state, rail minister and Great British Railways Transition Team’s leadership to progress reform in its absence. ‘It is critical there is not a long hiatus and there are immediate steps that can be taken now, such as switching on revenue incentives in National Rail Contracts and feeding back to the market on passenger service contracts development, which can accelerate growth and underpin a reinvigorated public-private partnership.’

The RMT says it will be taking ‘co-ordinated strike action’ next month after talks with Network Rail broke down. The walkouts have been set for 3, 5 and 7 November, and are likely to cause major disruption because signallers will be involved. The union has claimed Network Rail ‘reneged’ on promises of an improved pay offer. It has also accused NR of seeking to ‘impose job cuts, more unsocial hours and detrimental changes to rosters’. Network Rail has denied the claims, saying that it made an improved offer by extending the guarantee of no compulsory redundancies by a further year to January 2025. It added that the union’s leadership ‘seem intent on more damaging strikes rather than giving their members a vote on our offer’. In separate disputes on London Underground and Overground, RMT members will also be striking on 3 November, while a ballot is underway asking RMT members nationwide if they support another six months of industrial action.  Bond Street Elizabeth Line set to open next week Transport for London said the final week of trial operation is underway at Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line, which had not opened with the rest of the central section in May because construction had been delayed. The station has gained two new entrances at Davies Street and Hanover Square. It will also provide interchanges with the Central and Jubilee Lines.

Members of the RMT are being asked to vote on whether to continue industrial action on the railways between now and April. The ballot closes on 15 November. The RMT has already staged several strikes of staff at Network Rail and most train operators in its dispute over pay and conditions. Network Rail is reported to be making a revised offer, but no details have been published yet.  New transport secretary to be questioned by MPs New transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is to face questions for the first time from the Commons Transport Select Committee at 09.30 tomorrow. Among the topics expected to be raised are the controversial proposal to require a minimum level of staff to stay on duty during strikes and the current policy on Northern Powerhouse Rail. She is also likely to be asked about plans to modernise the railways. First of new fleet runs on West Midlands Railway The first of a fleet of new Class 196 diesel units built by CAF carried passengers on West Midlands Railway from Shrewsbury to Birmingham New Street yesterday. The unit was named ‘Charles Darwin’ by the High Sheriff of Shropshire Selina Graham last week. WMR said its new fleet of 26 trains will have 25 per cent more capacity than the units it will replace. The trains include ‘intelligent’ air conditioning, plug and USB chargers at every seat and more luggage space. 

The first of two days of strikes by Unite members will disrupt services on East Midlands Railway today. EMR, which is owned by Abellio, has warned that it will be providing ‘a significantly reduced level of service’ today and tomorrow as a result of the walkouts. No EMR trains will run east of Nottingham, affecting services to east Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. All other trains will run no later than 18.30, while only one train an hour will run on the Midland Main Line to London from Nottingham and Sheffield, although daytime services between Corby and London will run normally. EMR managing director Will Rogers said the strikes will affect the company’s depots, which ‘reduces our ability to run our normal timetable’. The walkouts will involve more than 140  cleaners, technicians, shunters, engineers, inspectors, lathe operators, team leaders and supervisors. The union says a pay offer of four per cent is not acceptable. it had already staged one 48-hour strike on 6 and 7 October. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘Abellio is an extremely wealthy company making millions in profit. Clearly, it can easily afford to make our members a fair pay offer and it should do so without delay. It should not be passing the buck on its duty to pay our members properly.’ There is more trouble to come at EMR’s Etches Park depot in Derby, where 70 staff employed by Alstom will strike over pay on 27 and 29 October. They will start a work to rule and overtime ban on 19 October, again over a four per cent pay offer. Unite warned that unless the dispute is resolved more strikes will follow.

Passengers on ScotRail are being warned that some short-notice train cancellations are likely from today as 2000 RMT staff begin an indefinite overtime ban. The ban follows a 24-hour strike on Monday after pay talks had broken down on 4 October. The RMT members now refusing to work overtime until further notice include conductors, ticket examiners, station staff, supervisors, CCTV control room operators and depot staff, including cleaners. ScotRail said the RMT had rejected a five per cent basic pay increase, a six-year job guarantee, a £500 one-off payment for the use of technology such as mobile phones, and improved maternity leave conditions. ScotRail also offered a further payment of £390 and improved commission for staff who deal directly with passengers on trains and stations. ScotRail is urging the RMT to put the latest pay offer to its members in a ballot. The operator’s head of customer operations Phil Campbell said: ‘We are really disappointed with this additional industrial action. The ban on overtime does nothing for the railway’s recovery during this challenging time, and in addition to the impact on those travelling, it will further cost our staff with lost income. ‘We do rely on staff working overtime in various parts of the business as we actively recruit to fill vacancies, and unfortunately there will be some daily cancellations starting from 14 October and throughout the period of the RMT’s ban. ‘We will do everything we can to minimise the impact, however there will be some disruption. We are continuing to meet RMT representatives to resolve this dispute.’ RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘Our industrial action campaign on ScotRail will continue until we can find a just settlement to our dispute. We are open to meaningful talks with ScotRail at any time to discuss all the outstanding issues.’