There is growing concern about the future of a major link for Northern Powerhouse Rail, after transport secretary Louise Haigh said funding for the £12 billion line between Manchester and Liverpool is in doubt, as the government continues its efforts to balance the books. Conservative transport secretary Mark Harper had said earlier this year that the new line would be funded by money released from the cancellation of HS2 to Crewe and Manchester. But yesterday Ms Haigh sounded a note of caution during the Labour Party conference. She told reporters: ‘The previous government went round promising money like there was no tomorrow, including all their commitments on Network North. They hadn’t made an agreement with the Treasury so that funding is not practically available at the moment. ‘However, we are really conscious of how important that line between Liverpool and Manchester is and the investment in Manchester Piccadilly. So what I am doing at the moment is taking a step back, looking at everything in the round, and then we will come forward with a proper long-term infrastructure strategy that serves the country as a whole and makes sure we deliver growth in the areas of the country that need it most, rather than just walking around pointing at marginal constituencies and announcing stations and lines. ‘There is not the money that was allocated to HS2 sitting in a pot somewhere. Any transport project that is put forward has to go through the stages of business cases and development and then through the negotiations with the Treasury. I am not making commitments on any individual projects at the moment, we are only nine weeks into government. We will make sure that when we develop the strategy, that is the strategy we deliver, rather than these constant u-turns and promises that just really undermine confidence, particularly in the north.’ Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham responded: ‘We will not accept the cutting of that. You can’t cut HS2 then cut this, just paring back everything. We won’t accept that. We believe the government of any colour needs to honour promises to the North of England and that’s what we will fight for.’

A new bi-mode freight locomotive is to be unveiled this week, which is forecast to reduce emissions by as much as 58 per cent and is being described as a ‘game changer’. The Class 99 machines are being built by Stadler and funded by Beacon Rail for GB Railfreight, which hopes to see the first locomotive arrive from Valencia in the spring of next year and to have the full fleet of 30 by the end of 2026. The deal also includes a 16-year service contract. The 99s are fitted with AWS and TPWS, and Stadler said ETCS would be installed ‘soon’. GBRf said its new machines will be the first heavy-haul freight locomotives capable of moving significant volumes on both electrified and non-electrified sections. Their maximum speed is 120km/h (75mph). The lack of strategic electrification on some freight routes, like the line to Felixstowe, has been seen as hampering the rail freight industry, which tends as a result to use diesels like Class 66s throughout, even if a large proportion of the journey is on electrified sections. GBRf chief executive John Smith said: ‘Rail freight has long been the cleanest, safest and most efficient way of transporting goods and the Class 99s are a game-changing moment for the industry. These locomotives offer our customers the chance to run faster, wholly sustainable, heavy-haul services across length and breadth of the country.’ Stadler Valencia CEO Iñigo Parra said the Class 99 is a ‘game changer’ which will ‘encourage modal shift from road to rail’. The new locomotive will be exhibited at InnoTrans in Berlin on Wednesday.

Next year’s Railway 200 festival has been launched with a day of events in Darlington, the town which was one terminus of the pioneering Stockton & Darlington Railway and which saw a steam-hauled train carry members of the public as passengers for the first time on 27 September 1825.Railway 200 will be a national event throughout the United Kingdom, and is being supported by the rail industry, the government, Transport Scotland, Transport for Wales, the Northern Ireland Executive, rail and business bodies, educational institutions, civic and community groups, and many other partners, including heritage railways, Visit Britain and the Museums Association. The festival will start officially at 12 noon on 1 January, when there will be a ‘Whistle-Off’ by vintage locomotives at various places, thanks to members of the Heritage Railway Association. Highlights include an exhibition train named ‘Inspiration’ which will tour Britain, pausing at stations and depots so that people can be welcomed aboard. The train is being developed in partnership with the National Railway Museum and at least 400,000 people, including school groups and families, are expected to visit. The itinerary is still being compiled and the organisers say it will be confirmed early next year. Meanwhile, Alstom will host ‘The Greatest Gathering’ at its Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, displaying the largest temporary assembly of trains and rail-related exhibits in a generation, while Railnews will mount a special online exhibition entitled ‘The Railway Image’, which will recall two centuries of design and communication by the industry to passengers, staff and the country at large, featuring many historic documents. A book of the same name is also in preparation. There will also be a national Railway 200 seat sale in early 2025, offering heavily discounted train travel for days out. At the launch event in Darlington yesterday Network Rail Eastern Region managing director Jake Kelly encouraged organisations and communities to be part of Railway 200. He said: ‘Railway 200’s ambitious programme not only embraces the railway’s historic roots, but also looks to future innovations and how the industry adapts to modern-day challenges to get people and goods to where they need to be. ‘Whether you are a frequent traveller, simply live by the railway, or are an engineer of the future, all are invited to take part in this huge programme of events, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of an invention born in the North East which has gone on to transform communities across the globe.’ Rail minister and former Network Rail chairman Peter Hendy was also there. Lord Hendy said: ‘Since the first passenger train entered service almost two hundred years ago, our railways have become integral to millions of lives, bringing communities closer together, opening up new opportunities for business and driving economic growth across the country. ‘Railway 200 presents an exciting opportunity to unite the wider public in recognition of our rail network and the brilliant people who keep it running. I hope this year-long series of events and celebration encourages the next generation to consider a career in rail.’

The environmental charity Greenpeace has published proposals for a new flat-fare rail card, possibly costing £49 a month, which would allow unlimited travel on most trains. The plan has been drawn up on behalf of Greenpeace by the high speed rail lobby group Greengauge21. Some limits are likely. The card might not be valid on intercity services and could require a ‘top-up’ fare in the London area. The report also suggests that it could be first be made available in the North and Midlands of England as well as perhaps Scotland and South West England, to help balance the difference in spending on transport between those regions and the South East. It might also be issued only to younger people, at least at first. The report, Fare Britannia, says such a reform would help to combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions from cars if their drivers started to use trains instead. It adds: ‘Transport itself is now the most stubbornly high emitting sector. Decarbonising cars and vans is essential.’ It concedes that electric vehicles will help, but also points out that many internal combustion cars are set to stay on the roads until the 2040s. The report makes the case for reform, saying: ‘Without a different approach to ticketing – cheaper, simpler and more integrated across modes – the current damaging unsustainable status quo will continue.’ Such a card is already available in some continental countries. The first ‘Climate Card’ was launched in Austria in October 2021, to encourage people to switch to more energy efficient forms of transport. Germany followed suit, and there are now broadly similar products in Hungary, France and Portugal. However, some countries have placed limits on the scheme, because of financial hurdles. In France, the Paris region elected to be excluded, because it was estimated that it would cost that region €18 billion a year. As in other countries, the French version cost €49, but it was only available in 2024 to about 700,000 people under the age of 27, and only during July and August. Even so, the report goes on to claim that ‘The economic benefits will be experienced most across the English regions (and devolved nations, assuming the Scottish and Welsh authorities elect to join the scheme). It will help people access jobs and allow businesses to expand their employee catchments. It will encourage domestic and inward tourism, especially to less visited parts of the country.’ Such a card could be issued within three years, co-ordinated by Great British Railways. In the report’s Foreword, Professor David Begg says: ‘Since 2010 fuel duty has been cut by 34 per cent in real terms costing the Treasury around £100 billion in lost revenue. This has made rail travel much less competitive compared to its main competitor, the car. ‘The pro car stance taken by the previous Government has come at a cost in terms of fewer trips by public transport, more traffic and congestion on the roads and increased CO2. The new Government needs to be fully aware of the consequences of continuing to reduce fuel duty in real terms which is why it is imperative that innovative measures should be considered.’ The Department for Transport said: ‘This government is committed to encouraging greener ways to travel and improving the state of public transport. That’s why we’re empowering local leaders to deliver better bus services, overhauling our railways to put passengers first and simplifying ticketing to deliver better value for money when taking the train.’

ASLEF members have voted to end their long-running pay dispute and to accept the offer which was made by the Department of Transport in August. ASLEF drivers at most train operators in England have been in dispute since 2022 over pay, and there has been a series of strikes.

Arriva has published a series of proposals which it says are designed to improve the railways in the shorter term. Its report ‘Accelerating the Government’s Ambition to Fix Britain’s Railways’ includes recommendations such as making more effective use of the existing network, rolling stock and other assets, making timetabling more flexible and responsive, and also allowing train operating companies to make decisions about timetables. The report urges more Pay-As-You-Go ticketing and the introduction of a Friday peak saver ticket. It also calls for improving the skills of staff, so as ‘to break down barriers to opportunity’' Arriva has already applied for an extension of its open access operator Grand Central’s track access rights to 2038 and is also proposing to acquire a new bi-mode fleet, but is set to lose its train operator contracts with the Department for Transport in the near future, as part of Labour’s renationalisation of the remaining former passenger franchises. Arriva’s Chiltern Railways contract could end when its core expiry date is reached on 1 April next year, while CrossCountry is also set to be transferred to public ownership in October 2027. Apart from Grand Central, Arriva also runs Transport for London’s Overground concession. This is not affected by the government’s railway reforms, because TfL concessions are controlled by the Mayor of London. Arriva UK Trains managing director David Brown said: ‘The last few years have been a challenging time for the British railway, but now is the time for optimistic, forward-looking change under a new Government. There is a real opportunity to marry long-term structural reform, which Labour has set out, with further short-term improvements for passengers and the taxpayer. Our proposals set out a series of crucial steps for the Government to help deliver on that promise, accelerate their ambition to fix Britain’s railways, deliver tangible change for passengers, and realise the railway’s potential as an engine of economic growth.’

The veteran Class 508 Merseyrail fleet was among the oldest on National Rail, having been built by British Rail 45 years ago, but its longevity came at a price. A report which will be considered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority at its meeting on Friday this week shows that keeping the fleet in service for longer than expected cost half a million pounds. Fifty replacement Stadler Class 777s have been coming into service since the start of 2023, but the last of the older trains were only withdrawn at the start of this year. The Authority’s Transport Committee heard in March this year that ’the roll out had not been perfect and had taken longer than hoped; however, improvements were now evident’. The latest report, to be considered by the LCRCA this week, says: ‘This delay attracts additional lease and maintenance costs and reduces the operational savings from the new fleet.’ The 508s were leased from Angel Trains, but the new fleet is publicly owned.

The veteran Merseyrail fleet was among the oldest on National Rail, having been built by British Rail about 45 years ago, but its longevity came at a price. A report which will be considered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority at its meeting on Friday this week shows that keeping the fleet in service for longer than expected cost half a million pounds. Fifty replacement Stadler Class 777s have been coming into service since the start of 2023, but the last of the older trains have only been withdrawn recently. The Authority’s Transport Committee heard in March this year that ’the roll out had not been perfect and had taken longer than hoped; however, improvements were now evident’. The latest report, to be considered by the LCRCA this week, says: ‘This delay attracts additional lease and maintenance costs and reduces the operational savings from the new fleet.’ The fleet had been leased from Angel Trains, but the new fleet is publicly owned.

The veteran Merseyrail fleet was among the oldest on National Rail, having been built by British Rail about 45 years ago, but its longevity came at a price. A report which will be considered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority at its meeting on Friday this week shows that keeping the fleet in service for longer than expected cost half a million pounds. Fifty replacement Stadler Class 777s have been coming into service since the start of 2023, but the last of the older trains have only been withdrawn recently. The Authority’s Transport Committee heard in March this year that ’the roll out had not been perfect and had taken longer than hoped; however, improvements were now evident’. The latest report, to be considered by the LCRCA this week, says: ‘This delay attracts additional lease and maintenance costs and reduces the operational savings from the new fleet.’ The fleet had been leased from Angel Trains, but the new fleet is publicly owned.

Two operators with National Rail Contracts reached their core expiry dates yesterday, but they seem set to remain in the private sector for now. Greater Anglia and also West Midlands Trains, which uses the brands London Northwestern and West Midlands Railway, could both theoretically have been terminated, but in practice the Government is waiting for the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill to become law. It received its Third Reading in the House of Commons on 3 September, and had its First Reading in the House of Lords the following day. The Second Reading in the upper house, which includes a full debate, is scheduled for 7 October. When law, this Bill will make operation of the former franchises public by default, and is intended to pave the way for the ‘directing mind’, Great British Railways, which was established in shadow form by transport secretary Louise Haigh, also on 3 September. Great British Railways will need separate and more complex legislation so that it can assume responsibility for the infrastructure and also take over other functions from the Department for Transport, which in future will only set broad railway policy. The Bill to create GBR is still at drafting stage, and has yet to be presented to Parliament. Both Greater Anglia and West Midlands Trains are owned by UK Transport Group, which is led by Dominic Booth and is the British management buyout from the Dutch operator Abellio. The next and final expiry date for both operators is 20 September 2026, unless either contract is extended or terminated early. Transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘For too long our broken railways have failed passengers day in day out with delays and cancellations. ‘That’s why I am laser focused on overhauling the railways and wasting no time in bringing train operating companies back under public ownership where they belong. ‘As soon as our public ownership Bill is on the statute book, we will be starting the process of public ownership by serving notice on these operators – putting an end to our wasteful and fragmented privatised railway and delivering for passengers.’ The next two operators facing termination are Arriva’s Chiltern Railways and Govia Thameslink Railway, which both reach their core expiry dates on 1 April 2025.