The creation of the new ‘guiding mind’ Great British Railways and the passing of an Act of Parliament is likely to be delayed until the spring, according to reports, as government and Parliament remain tangled in wider political and economic problems. Official sources have declined to give any firm update, and the new rail minister Kevin Foster was reluctant to commit himself when he was a guest at the Rail Forum annual conference in Derby on Tuesday, saying only: ‘There's a new government. We'll take stock, particularly around the legislative agenda. I think we see in the not-too-distant future myself and the secretary of state will perhaps set out a little bit more detail on where we see the vision. ‘But also we're now starting to see what's going to be the type of demand, particularly on the passenger side.’ He added that some lines have recovered well from the slump in usage caused by the Covid lockdowns, but others are ‘much, much lower than that’. He concluded: ‘It does need to inform some of our thinking about the future.’ Meanwhile, the Department for Transport has been making progress in reshaping the former franchising system, awarding new National Rail Contracts to a number of operators over the past year. These contracts, which involve much less commercial risk for operators but also much less choice about how they run their businesses, are part of the proposed model for Great British Railways. Other operators are still continuing to function under directly-awarded contracts which are the remains of the Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements introduced in 2020. One of these is Avanti West Coast, which has been given a six-month extension to its ERMA amid controversy over reductions to its services which were imposed almost two months ago, on the grounds that not enough staff were willing to work overtime or on rest days. Some of the trains withdrawn then have since been restored, and Avanti says more are set to return in December.

Train operators are calling for the volume of freight carried by rail to be trebled by 2050. The call has come from Rail Partners, which is a successor to the Rail Delivery Group and lobbies on behalf of the operators for the greatest possible amount of commercial freedom, now that franchises have been abolished. Rail Partners says it exists to ‘make the railway better by harnessing the expertise and creativity of private sector operators for the benefit of those who use the railway and those who pay for it, including taxpayers’, and is responding to the call for evidence from the Great British Railways Transition Team about targets for rail freight growth. Its director of policy John Thomas says: ‘As we look to the reform of our railway, we cannot afford to underplay or leave to chance the opportunity to grow this sector. We must be ambitious and capture the demand we know exists and in doing so support net zero ambitions and spread economic benefits throughout the country. ‘There has been a subtle but important policy shift towards the sector in recent years, compounded by Brexit, the pandemic and in light of the legislative commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. ‘The market itself is also responding as customers look for low carbon routes. This is most notable in the tone and content of the Plan for Rail, published in May 2021 which our members welcomed. In particular it commended freight operators for the resilience they demonstrated during the pandemic to ensure that key freight flows were maintained, and the significant agility that rail freight, as a largely private sector industry, has shown in responding to changing customer demands.’ He adds that a ‘relatively small’ amount of public support is needed: ‘We want to see a wider use of incentives to help make rail the mode of choice for potential customers. An example is the Mode Shift Revenue Support grant, which has been successful in attracting price sensitive container traffic to rail from road.’ 

Transport for the North says it is disappointed that Avanti West Coast has been given a six month extension to its National Rail contract, which has been on Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement terms since 2020, in the wake of controversial service cuts. The decision was announced by the Department for Transport on Friday and it has already been criticised by the RMT, which is to stage two strikes of Avanti train managers in a dispute over rosters. TfN chair Lord McLoughlin said: ‘Our Members are naturally disappointed, as it’s communities and businesses across the North that are being impacted by this sub-par level of service that is undermining economic growth and the well-being of many people who haven’t been able to rely on this service for far too long now. ‘Returning to having a good, reliable service on the West Coast Main Line is a pro-growth policy that will benefit the North of England’s economy, and as such it should be a priority as the current level of service is just not acceptable. ’There now needs to be a clear action plan with transparent targets and consequences for the company if they do not meet them – and TfN are ready and willing to help provide oversight if called upon. What matters above all else is getting back to putting passengers first.’ Avanti has said the changes were needed so that its services would become more reliable. Some of the trains withdrawn in August have now been restored, with more improvements planned for December’s timetable change.

Very few ScotRail trains are running today because members of the RMT in general grades are staging a 24-hour strike. The action has gone ahead after the union rejected a pay offer on Thursday. ScotRail is warning that limited services will run only between Edinburgh and Milngavie, and from Glasgow Central to Lanark and Larkhall. These trains will be run by contingency staff. Passengers are being asked to travel only if they must. The RMT has also advised ScotRail that its general grades members will take part in an overtime and rest day working ban as part of action short of a strike from 14 October, which will disrupt some services until the dispute is resolved. ScotRail’s head of customer operations Phil Campbell said: ‘We’re really disappointed that the dispute with the RMT has reached this outcome, given the strength of the improved pay offer ScotRail made. ‘This strike does nothing for the railway’s recovery at this fragile time. It will severely impact our customers and it will also cost our staff through lost wages.’ Speaking to the BBC, RMT senior organiser for Scotland and Northern Ireland Mick Hogg said: ‘We are seeking a pay increase that reflects the cost of living crisis. Inflation is running at 12.3 per cent and what we are seeking is a fair settlement that comes somewhere near. ‘We feel 8.2-8.3 per cent is a fair offer. If it is good enough for the Scottish government to give bin workers and teachers a 10 per cent pay increase then it is good enough for rail workers.’ Meanwhile, the RMT has also declared strikes of train managers on Avanti West Coast on 22 October and 6 November, in a dispute over the what the union described as the ‘imposition’ of rosters. Avanti, which has just been given a six-month contract extension, said the new rosters would prevent cancellations. But RMT general secretary Mick Lynch responded: ‘Avanti are one of the worst operators we have ever tried to negotiate with. ‘They have treated our members appallingly and this strike action is the culmination of months of neglect and a strong response to the arrogance bosses have shown. ‘Avanti should never have been given any extension to their contract for all the chaos they have caused passengers. ‘And their contempt of their staff is part and parcel of their disastrous approach.’

Passengers are being warned by Network Rail and train operators not to attempt to go by train tomorrow, which is the first of several strike days during early October. Tomorrow will see stoppages called by the RMT, ASLEF and TSSA, and the joint effect will come near to closing the network in England. Walkouts by Network Rail signallers will also mean serious disruption in Scotland and Wales. Network Rail has estimated that about 11 per cent of usual services will be able to run. Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street and London Euston will be among many stations which will be closed. Caledonian Sleeper services will also be affected, but trains are expected to run between the central belt and London. A second strike of ASLEF drivers has been called for Wednesday. Birmingham New Street and London Euston will both be closed, while Liverpool Lime Street will only be open for Chester services. Only very limited services will be running from  Manchester Piccadilly. A third strike, of 40,000 RMT staff, will be staged on the following Saturday, 8 October. Trains will run on main routes, but there will be fewer than usual. Last trains will depart between 15.00 and 17.00. A further RMT strike on ScotRail only has also been called for 10 October. Network Rail’s North West and Central region managing director Tim Shoveller said: ‘Despite our best efforts to compromise and find a breakthrough in talks, rail unions remain intent on continuing and coordinating their strike action. ‘This serves only to ensure our staff forgo even more of their pay unnecessarily, as well as causing even more disruption for our passengers and further damaging the railway’s recovery from the pandemic. ‘Passengers who want to travel this Saturday, and indeed next Wednesday and next Saturday, are asked only to do so if absolutely necessary. Those who must travel should expect disruption and make sure they check when their last train will depart.’ There have been talks between the government and union leaders since new transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan was appointed as the replacement for Grant Shapps in early September, but without apparent effect. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that it was ‘encouraging’ that Anne-Marie Trevelyan had met the union. He continued: ‘We welcome this more positive approach from the government to engage with us as a first step to finding a suitable settlement. However, as no new offer has been tabled, our members have no choice but to continue.’ There is likely to be some disruption in the early morning of the day after each strike, Sunday 2 October, Thursday 6 October and Sunday 9 October, as the network returns to normal.

Southeastern is abolishing First Class when its new timetable comes into force in December. The operator has revealed that compared to 2019, before the Covid pandemic, it is now carrying 56 per cent of its former weekday peak passenger totals, 77 per cent of weekday off-peak and 90 per cent of weekend traffic, confirming a trend which has already been reported elsewhere. GWR, for example, has just launched discounted weekend tickets which allow travel on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays, but not Sundays, so that demand is not put under more pressure on that day. Southeastern also said journeys on annual season tickets are now just 15 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, and that more passengers now commute only on some days each week. The new service pattern has been criticised by consumer watchdog London TravelWatch, which is unhappy about reductions in services from stations like Hayes through to London Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Waterloo East. It says that as a result more people will have to change at London Bridge, which is already a busy station. However, peak time services have been restored between Beckenham Junction and London Blackfriars, and there will be a new all-day service between Maidstone East and Charing Cross, via London Bridge. Southeastern said its new timetable reflects the way people now travel and includes changes that will improve punctuality. The simpler structure also means that ‘it has the flexibility to alter train services as demand changes’. Southeastern’s operations and safety director Scott Brightwell said: ‘The way we all travel has changed and many of our customers are now using our services differently and at varying times of the day. ‘This new and improved timetable delivers a more consistent all-day service and means we’re providing trains, and space, where it’s needed most. ‘Our customers tell us that reliability and punctuality are their highest priorities. So, we’ve simplified routes to remove bottlenecks which will see more trains running on time, fewer cancellations, and a more reliable service. ’The simpler structure of the timetable, with most trains leaving stations at broadly the same time each hour, means we can add more trains s demand changes. ‘As we continue to recover from the pandemic, our focus remains on providing the most convenient and reliable railway for everyone who uses it.’ Meanwhile London TravelWatch is calling for more staff to be on duty at London Bridge because of the increase in passengers changing trains, and it is also hoping that Southeastern will be prepared to reverse the changes in the spring if that proves to be necessary.

The last station to open on the Elizabeth Line should welcome passengers on 24 October, said Transport for London. Bond Street was held up by delays to the construction work, and although it has been available for emergency evacuations since the central section of the line was opened in May, final safety approvals are still outstanding but are expected soon. London Underground will operate the station, and it will be transferred from Crossrail to LUL shortly. The new station will provide access to the western end of Oxford Street as well as New Bond Street and nearby Marble Arch. It will have two ticket halls, lit by natural light. Both entrances feature columns which are intended to blur the line between interior and exterior spaces and help the station fit into its surroundings with the choice of materials: red sandstone at Davies Street, and pale Portland stone at Hanover Square. Its daily capacity will be 140,000 passengers, and it will also provide interchanges with the Central and Jubilee Lines. Outgoing transport commissioner Andy Byford said: ‘When we opened the brilliant central section of the Elizabeth line earlier this year, I promised that Bond Street station would open this autumn and I am extremely pleased that Londoners and visitors will be able to use this magnificent station from 24 October.  ‘Bond Street was of course the station site that Her Majesty the Queen visited during construction in 2016 to mark the renaming of the railway in her honour. It was also our honour that Her Majesty graced us with her presence earlier this year to mark the completion of the railway. ‘The station at Bond Street will be the jewel in the crown of the West End’s transport provision. It is truly spectacular and will provide a highly significant new link to one of the busiest shopping districts in the UK, enabling even further connectivity to jobs and leisure for people across London and the South East. I can’t wait to see people using this beautiful, spacious-step-free station. It will be yet another huge moment for transport in London and the bright future for city that lies ahead.’ Elizabeth Line trains from Shenfield, Heathrow and Reading are set to start running through the central section from 6 November.

The Labour Party would complete the renationalisation of the railways, shadow rail minister Tanmanjeet Dhesihas has confirmed. He was speaking at an RMT fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference, where he said: ‘We believe that under a Labour government we should be taking rail back into public ownership.’ The path away

The government has unveiled a Growth Plan which includes lower taxes, new ‘investment zones’ and investment in infrastructure. This features 86 schemes to improve roads, and 10 for railways. The rail schemes included in the Plan have previously been proposed, and in some cases work on them has already begun. They are

Avanti West Coast is restoring some of the trains which were withdrawn last month, but one group of business leaders and politicians is calling for its government contract to be withdrawn. Avanti said there would be further improvements in December. For now, AWC is adding back 70 services a week on