The Prime Minister has refused to say whether the HS2 branch between Birmingham, Crewe and Manchester is to be built, after numerous reports suggested that he is poised to scrap Phases 2A and 2B. Mr Sunak remained tight lipped about the fate of the scheme as the Conservative Party conference got under way in Manchester yesterday (Sunday). Rishi Sunak is under increasing pressure in the north of England, after his former levelling-up minister Dehenna Davison was joined by former Conservative chairman Jake Berry in calling for him to ‘crack on’ with the scheme. Mr Berry added that the Manchester leg ‘really matters’ to people in the region. Business secretary Kemi Badenoch has also admitted that international investors are concerned, but Mr Sunak said the UK was not a ‘laughing stock’, as the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has alleged. Mr Khan attended a meeting of Transport for the North last week, when the chair of TfN, former transport secretary Lord McLoughlin, said: ‘Northern leaders spoke with one voice today. We need HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail built in full if we are to realise the full potential of the North and to level up our national economy. Let us not delay.’ The chair of the National Infrastructure Commission Sir John Armitt also told the BBC last week that cancellation would be a ‘tragedy’. He continued: ‘In Birmingham we have already seen the consequences with major investment, 20,000 new jobs predicted and 2,000 new homes predicted. But what we have to do is get a grip on the costs. ‘You look at whether you have done some gold-plating. Railway engineers always want to do the absolute ideal and you have to challenge that and ask whether that is absolutely essential – can we silver-plate this rather than gold-plate it? You might slow it down a bit, that gives you some savings on the alignment.’ Mr Sunak is said to be facing more opposition from other senior Conservatives, including three former Prime Ministers – Boris Johnson, Theresa May and David Cameron – as well as former chancellor George Osborne and West Midlands mayor Andy Street. Meanwhile, levelling up secretary Michael Gove is reported to have promised conference delegates in Manchester that Mr Sunak would say more about HS2 in ‘due course’.

The rail unions have called for an emergency summit so that stakeholders can discuss the implications of axeing HS2 north of Birmingham, but the Prime Minister is continuing to avoid answering direct questions about the fate of Phases 2A and 2B between Birmingham and Manchester, saying only that his government is making sure that ‘we get value for money’. Speculation is continuing that Rishi Sunak is poised to reveal that the sections to Crewe and Manchester will be axed. This has been accompanied by warnings from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt that tax cuts are unlikely this year. In response to criticism of the effects of scrapping HS2 beyond Birmingham, the Prime Minister told the BBC that Leeds is being ‘treated like London’. He continued: ‘London has always got this multi-year settlement so they can plan how to invest in their area. That's now happening to cities across the North.’ The Conservative Party conference starts in Manchester on Sunday. Rail Delivery Group warns of more strike disruption The Rail Delivery Group is warning that strikes by ASLEF drivers tomorrow and on Wednesday of next week will restrict train services in England, which at best will run only between 07.30 and 18.30. It added that some operators will have no services at all. An overtime ban by ASLEF is also affecting services between today and 6 October, and it is likely that evening services on some lines will be affected on the days before each strike. Morning services may also be disrupted on 1 and 5 October because many trains will be out of position. The RDG added: ‘We want to resolve this dispute and are acutely aware of the damaging impact it's having on our passengers.’ ASLEF said: ‘Train drivers haven't had a pay increase since 2019. We are seeking a fair pay deal for our members who have been experiencing real terms pay cuts whilst private operators and rolling stock companies have continued to pay out dividends to their shareholders, extracting profits from the railways.’ London Underground also faces strikes on 4 and 6 October, in the continuing dispute between the RMT and Transport for London over job security. TfL has warned of ‘severe disruption’ on both strike days, and said problems could continue into the following mornings. Ebbw Vale upgrade reaches final stage Buses will replace trains on the Ebbw Vale line in south Wales tomorrow and on Sunday, as work on a £70 million upgrade enters its final stage. Track will be laid at Newbridge station and Cross Keys over the weekend. The line will also be closed from 15 November to 3 December, to allow the project to be completed. Transport for Wales trains will start running from Ebbw Vale Town to Newport in December, in addition to the existing services to Cardiff Central.

Reports that the Prime Minister is preparing to scrap HS2 Phases 2A and 2B from Birmingham to Crewe and Manchester are igniting more opposition. It has been said that Rishi Sunak wants to save money by cutting HS2 back to a section between west London and Birmingham, but it has been reported that he has opposition even at Cabinet level, where some miinisters say the full line between London and Manchester should still go ahead, in spite of rising costs. The Mayors of the city regions in the north have condemned any further shortening of HS2’s route. Transport for the North has added its voice to the protests and support for HS2 in the region has been confirmed, with TfN saying that both HS2 and NPR need to go ahead, and that any further delay will increase the costs still further. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was the guest at a TfN meeting in Leeds, where he backed the call for HS2 to continue, saying: ‘The success of the North is crucial to London’s success.’ The chair of TfN, former transport secretary Lord McLoughlin, added: ‘Northern leaders spoke with one voice today. We need HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail built in full if we are to realise the full potential of the North and to level up our national economy. Let us not delay.’

The railway industry is launching a celebration which will mark 200 years of passenger railways in Britain in 2025. On 27 September 1825 the world’s first passenger train, hauled by George Stephenson’s Locomotion No.1, carried over 400 people along the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The landmark event drew crowds of up to 40,000 people, although in the early years of the S&D steam locomotives then hauled goods trains, and infrequent passenger trains were pulled by horses. Five years later the Liverpool & Manchester Railway opened, as the first railway to be designed exclusively for steam power and also intended to carry passengers from the outset. Now, with two years to go until the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington, the rail industry has confirmed it will mark the anniversary and the far-reaching effects of railways and train travel, with a year-long programme called Railway 200. A logo for the celebrations has been unveiled along with a website. The logo symbolises the idea that rail is a continuous line connecting the country, which the organisers said was ‘the fabric woven throughout our history, linking lives, communities and cultures, whilst leading the way towards the future’. Developed by a cross industry partnership, with a focus on inspiring the next generation, Railway 200 will be a national programme starting in January 2025. A wide variety of activities, initiatives and partnerships is being considered, including commemorative items, so that Railway 200 can celebrate rail’s remarkable past, recognise its importance today, and look forward to its future. Plans are also underway for an exhibition train which will travel around the rail network and take Railway 200 to people all over Britain. Developed in partnership with the National Railway Museum and rolling stock leasing company Porterbrook, this train will consist of different exhibitions and interactive elements for young people and their families. Organisations around the country are already planning their own events. Railway 200 invites the rail industry, its partners and custodians of our railway heritage, art and artefacts to consider how they can play their part. Peter Hendy chairs Network Rail and also Railway 200. Lord Hendy said: ‘The world changed forever in 1825 and the 200th anniversary of this first passenger train journey is an historic opportunity to reset the public’s relationship with rail. It is our chance to present the railway as a forward thinking, digital industry and as an attractive career option for young people and for people from many different backgrounds. ‘For Railway 200 to reach its full potential, we must harness the knowledge and efforts of the whole industry, so I hope you will join us in creating a programme of celebrations which will recognise this great British achievement, the first public passenger train in the world, while inspiring a new generation to take our innovative railway far into the future.’ Railway Industry Association chief executive Darren Caplan said: ‘It is hard to overstate the benefits that the railway has brought, and continues to bring, not just to the UK, but also globally, since 1825. Rail networks don’t just keep people connected, they also play a crucial role in spurring economic growth, creating jobs, boosting sustainability, and bringing together local communities.’ Rail Delivery Group chief executive Jacqueline Starr added: ‘The world’s first passenger train changed transport forever, and the anniversary of that journey is a chance for the rail industry to celebrate our history and look to the future. Railway 200 is a chance to show the world that the innovative spirit of 1825 is still very much alive today, with a programme of activities that draws upon the creativity and talent that exists across the railway.’ Meanwhile Railnews launches a new business website tomorrow, and this will play a part in helping to celebrate 200 years of railways.

Senior ministers are reported to be protesting at the prospect of HS2 north of Birmingham being axed by the Prime Minister. The announcement of the cost-cutting measure is said to be likely just days before the Conservative Party conference begins in Manchester on Sunday. The Independent alleges that transport secretary Mark Harper is ‘very unhappy’ about the plan, along with levelling up secretary Michael Gove. If so, they will be agreeing with former chancellor George Osborne and ex-Deputy Prime Minister Lord Heseltine, who have already said cutting Phases 2a and 2b would be a ‘gross act of vandalism’ which would amount to ‘economic self-harm’. Increase in leisure travel prompts longer Sunday trains LNER is strengthening its Sunday services from December, in response to a 30 per cent increase in the number of passengers travelling at the weekend. Three more trains will run, two between Leeds and London and one to and from Doncaster. Eight existing Sunday trains serving Leeds, Harrogate or Lincoln will be formed of nine or 10-car Azuma sets instead of five. Disruption warning on Great Eastern line Weekend train services in Essex and central London will be disrupted from next month until early December, as work continues on the construction of Beaulieu Park station in Chelmsford. Replacement buses will run between Chelmsford and Witham, Shenfield or Shenfield on either Saturdays or Sundays between 8 October and 10 December. There will be a two-day engineering possession with no services running on 28 and 29 October between Shenfield and Witham. In addition, the Elizabeth Line will be closed on Sunday 8 October east of Paddington, on the Shenfield and Abbey Wood routes. More details from Greater Anglia.

Business leaders and many politicians have been rallying to the defence of HS2, as reports continue to allege that the Prime Minister is poised to cancel Phases 2a and 2b, north of Birmingham to Crewe and Manchester. It is said that a decision could be announced before the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, which starts on Sunday. The chair of the National Infrastructure Commission Sir John Armitt told the BBC that cancellation would be a ‘tragedy’. He continued: ‘In Birmingham we have already seen the consequences with major investment, 20,000 new jobs predicted and 2,000 new homes predicted. But what we have to do is get a grip on the costs. ‘You look at whether you have done some gold-plating. Railway engineers always want to do the absolute ideal and you have to challenge that and ask whether that is absolutely essential – can we silver-plate this rather than gold-plate it? You might slow it down a bit, that gives you some savings on the alignment. ‘You have to really have costs as your focus, day in day out where you are constantly challenging and saying how can we make sure we keep costs down and keep within our budget. We owe that to the whole project. There are massive benefits to come from this. The benefits from Birmingham to Manchester are £55 billion, and you are increasing the benefits across the whole of the north west because in fact it will connect in to the improvements that government has announced between Manchester and Leeds, so you have a whole connected railway. ‘You control the costs, you don’t run at the first whiff of gunfire. You buckle down and you address those cost issues and you address them on a daily basis across the whole project. ‘The existing West Coast is the most densely used and heavily used railway in Europe. By freeing up some capacity you’ll get more benefits for freight, which we want to do. We want to get lorries off the roads and we want to increase rail freight. ‘There are massive benefits to the economy by continuing this. If we don’t continue what are we saying to the rest of the world? What are we saying to all those investors who we want to bring into the UK. Here is a country that sets itself ambitions and then runs away when it starts to see some challenges. We have to meet the challenges.’ However defence secretary Grant Shapps, who was transport secretary in Boris Johnson’s government, said that Covid, inflation and the war in Ukraine had badly affected public finances. He maintained that a reponsible government should ask: ‘Does this still stack up for what the country requires, in terms of where it’s spending its resources, and at what time?‘ It is reported that Rishi Sunak is set to consider the decision in a meeting with chancellor Jeremy Hunt this week, before the Conservative conference begins. Mr Shapps also told Sky News: ‘If you don’t stop and reflect after things have changed, that is a foolish approach.’ The HS2 project was launched by the last Labour government. On 14 December 2009, before a major report was published, transport secretary Lord (Andrew) Adonis had said: ‘The potential for high speed rail to regenerate and reinvigorate is now a reality for people in Kent, but the size of Britain's high speed network lags behind that of many of our European neighbours and doesn't connect any of our major cities.’

The Rail Delivery Group is warning that train services in England are set to be seriously disrupted from the end of this month, when the drivers’ union ASLEF stages industrial action in the continuing dispute over pay. Two 24-hour strikes have been called for 30 September and 4 October, and the union will also ban overtime on 29 September and from 2 to 6 October. The walkouts will affect nearly all English operators, and also disrupt cross-border train services in Wales and Scotland. Domestic services in those countries are expected to run as usual. The RDG said it was ’likely that evening services on some lines will be affected on the days before each strike. Morning services on those lines may also be disrupted on 1 and 5 October because much of the rolling stock will not be in the right depots’. ASLEF has rejected an offer which would have given drivers an 8 per cent rise over two years. The RDG added: ‘We want to resolve this dispute and are acutely aware of the damaging impact it's having on our passengers, our people and the long-term sustainability of the industry itself. We apologise to our customers for the unnecessary disruption to their journeys caused by the ASLEF leadership. ‘The offer to ASLEF, which would take average driver salaries from £60,000 to £65,000 for a four-day week, remains on the table, and we are always open to constructive dialogue. However, at a time when industry is losing £10 million a day post-Covid, its leadership must recognise the need to make changes to how the industry is run, to both fund any rise and crucially, so we can give our passengers more reliable train services, particularly on Sundays.’

The RMT has announced further 24-hour strikes on London Underground on 4 and 6 October, as its dispute continues with Transport for London over job security and conditions. The union fears that 600 staff at stations are facing the loss of their jobs and is also critical of what it describes as ‘detrimental working conditions’. It also alleges that the staff who are left will have more work to do, sometimes alone, which increases the risk of fatigue and jeopardises safety. The effect of the walkouts is not yet clear, but the whole system could be disrupted. The union’s general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘Station staff have had enough of having their livelihoods threatened by job losses and attacks on their terms and conditions. ‘Station staff have a vital role to play assisting vulnerable passengers access the network safely and ensuring that the tube is a safe environment for passengers. ‘These job cuts and attacks on conditions are going to lead to more unstaffed stations, temporary closures and rising passenger anger. ‘TfL has had its budgets slashed but the savings made by these station staff cuts will be negligible and will lead to shortages that are unacceptable. We call on Mayor Sadiq Khan to meet us urgently to discuss this matter.’ Transport for London has yet to comment. Meanwhile, the Campaign for Better Transport has launched a campaign today to save London’s one day Travelcards, which are set to be withdrawn next year in a bid to increase Transport for London revenue. The CBT said the loss of the Travelcards would increase the costs of travelling around the capital by an average of 16 per cent. The CBT’s Norman Baker added: ‘At a time when we should be doing all we can to encourage people to use green public transport to access London’s shops and attractions, this move is going in entirely the wrong direction. Public transport works best when you can use one ticket for your whole journey, so we need more, not less, integrated ticketing.’

The Public Inquiry into the troubled history of the project to restore trams to Edinburgh has concluded that the seriously delayed and much-reduced result, at a cost which was much greater than expected, was due to a ‘litany of avoidable failures’. The original scheme had featured three tram lines, but when trams eventually started running in 2014, five years late, they served a 14km route which was only part of Line 1. The tram fleet was much larger than necessary because it had been ordered with the full network in mind and attempts were made to lease the surplus vehicles to other tram operators, including Transport for London, but without success. The first line from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre via Haymarket was extended from the temporary city centre terminus to Newhaven in June, but a large proportion of the network remains on the drawing board. The inquiry has been chaired by Lord Hardie and was set up nine years ago. The process has cost more than £13 million, and involved the examination of more than three million documents. The inquiry report runs to 961 pages. The main conclusion is that Edinburgh City Council must take some of the responsibility, along with its development company TIE (originally Transport Initiatives Edinburgh), which the report says failed to collaborate effectively with the council and the tramway contractors, who became increasingly impatient. The final report was accompanied by a video message from Lord Hardie, in which he says: ‘TIE's failures were the principal cause of the failure to deliver the project on time and within budget,’ but adds that the council ‘must also share principal responsibility with TIE for the delays in design’. He also says the Scottish Government ‘recognised their mistake in withdrawing the oversight of Transport Scotland officials designed to protect the public purse’. Lord Hardie has made 24 recommendations, including considering whether new laws are needed to provide civil and criminal action against people or companies who knowingly submit reports including false statements to councillors. Other recommendations include that Scottish Ministers should undertake a review of public inquiries to determine the most cost-effective method of avoiding delay, in the interests of protecting the public purse and maximising the benefits from public expenditure on major projects, that Scottish Ministers should contemplate establishing a joint working group consisting of officials in Transport Scotland and representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, and that the procurement strategy for any future light rail project should make adequate provision for the uncertainties concerning the location of utilities and redundant equipment. He continued: ‘What is clear from the inquiry’s work is that there was a litany of avoidable failures on the parts of several parties whose role it was to ensure that public funding was spent effectively and to the benefit of Scotland’s taxpayers, and that the Edinburgh Trams Project was delivered efficiently. ‘Poor management and abdication of responsibility on a large scale have had a significant and lasting impact on the lives and livelihoods of Edinburgh residents, and the reputation of the city.’ Scottish Conservative MSP for the Lothians Miles Briggs said: ‘Lord Hardie is highly critical of councillors and the arms-length bodies responsible for the project, but he also singles out Scottish government for criticism. He is clear that ministers failed to protect the public purse and acted in the SNP's political interests, rather than the public interest.’ Cabinet secretary for transport Mairi McAllan said the Scottish Government would take time to consider the report, but he added: ‘The inquiry took too long, was too costly and in some instances the evidence heard does not support the conclusion drawn.’ When the 4.7km extension to Leith and Newhaven carried its first passengers in June, councillors said it had opened on time and within budget.

► Incumbent operators win right to stay ► DfT avoids any more renationalisations ► Avanti warned improvements must continue Updated 11.42 The Department for Transport has awarded National Rail Contracts for Arriva West Coast and CrossCountry. Both will start on 15 October, when the present agreements expire. The decisions have avoided the need to renationalise any more former franchises, following the surrender of TransPennine Express. Avanti West Coast, which is owned by FirstGroup and Trenitalia, has been battling with performance problems and had been given two six-month terms to allow time to recover. Its new contract will run for at least three years, until 18 October 2026, and possibly up to nine, although the transport secretary will be able to end the contract at any time during the six-year extension period by giving three months’ notice. The DfT said that by March this year ‘Avanti had already made significant progress towards its recovery, with 40 per cent more services being run and cancellations within Avanti’s control falling to 4.2 per cent. Those arrangements were further extended to ensure these improvements would continue and passengers would feel confident in using the services again.’ It continued: ‘Since then, Avanti West Coast’s services have seen further improvements. Cancellations have consistently been below 3 per cent since March, and as low as 1.1 per cent in July 2023, down from 13 per cent in January 2023. Over 90 per cent of trains now arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, improved from 75 per cent in December 2022. Over 100 additional drivers have been trained and brought on since April 2022.’ West Coast Partnership, which comprises Avanti West Coast and the future operator of HS2, will earn a fixed management fee of £5.1 million a year, with the opportunity to earn a variable fee of up to £15.8 million a year if punctuality and other targets are met. As with other National Rail Contracts, the owners of AWC will continue to take no revenue risk, meaning that AWC will pay all revenue to the DfT and will not suffer if earnings fall. FirstGroup chief executive officer Graham Sutherland said: ‘The new National Rail Contract agreed today will allow our team to use its expertise on further improvements. These include programmes to refurbish the existing fleet and to introduce new, more environmentally friendly trains, which will encourage more passengers to return.’ Transport Focus director David Sidebottom said: ‘After previous poor performance, leading to missed meetings, appointments and leisure events, passengers will be relieved that Avanti are now delivering a more frequent and reliable service. ‘In Transport Focus’ latest Rail User Survey, passenger satisfaction with Avanti West Coast has improved, now at 87 per cent, the highest level seen for more than a year. Satisfaction with punctuality and level of crowding on board is also recovering, although still lower than previous levels. ‘Avanti must continue to focus on improving reliability.’ Labour shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘Passengers who rely on this abysmal service will be appalled that, despite being almost rock bottom of the league table for delays, Avanti is being awarded a lucrative new contract. That’s on top of millions of pounds in performance bonuses. ‘The only reliable thing about Britain’s railways under the Tories is the waste of taxpayers’ money, which the government has put into the pockets of shareholders. Rather than rewarding failing operators by renewing their contracts, Labour would end this scandal by bringing them back into public ownership as they expire and put passengers first.’ Meanwhile, Arriva has won a new contract for CrossCountry with a core term of four years and a maximum possible term of eight years. The contract includes the replacement of High Speed Trains with ‘more modern rolling stock’, refurbishment of existing fleets and direct daily services between Cardiff and Yorkshire, north east England and Edinburgh from December 2024. Arriva Group’s UK Trains division David Brown said: ‘This is great news for Arriva Group, our colleagues at CrossCountry and for customers of the railways. I’m proud of our long-standing reputation in the UK rail industry and our track record of successfully managing and delivering train services across the country. The government’s confidence in Arriva will ensure we can deliver connectivity and more comfortable services.’ The CrossCountry award has come as the future of Arriva, which is owned by Deutsche Bahn, is in the melting pot. Infrastructure fund I Squared is a lead contender, although reported interest shown by FirstGroup may now have receded.