tbtc
Veteran Member
...Phillip Hammond is off to Defence to replace Liam Fox.
Has anyone heard of Ms Greening before? Positive news?
Has anyone heard of Ms Greening before? Positive news?
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Justine Greening, new Transport Secretary...
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amcluesent
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She's a former accountant...
tbtc
Veteran Member
Any chance of merging the various threads Mojo?
Good to hear she's competent - I hope that she lasts longer than most of the other Transport Secretaries we've had since the Millennium!
Good to hear she's competent - I hope that she lasts longer than most of the other Transport Secretaries we've had since the Millennium!
Yep - Sorry for the multiple threads, seems we're all watching BBC news then!
Even so, it'll be interesting to see how she compares to Hammond - Does anyone on here know what she's like as a MP? Fairly interested and will invest, or fairly tight around the money?
All Line Rover
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Let's just hope she's still a firm supporter of HS2. We don't want everything to be messed up again! :roll:
the sniper
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I doubt anyone will miss Phillip Hammond. Apart from HS2, which his party has been behind, has he done anything positive for rail, except for his recent dreaming up of rolling stock contracts to keep Derby Works going.
I guess no one knows yet whether this Greening women has an irrational hatred of level crossings in her constituency...?
EDIT:
She won't be able to do anything to that. She'll toe the party line.
I guess no one knows yet whether this Greening women has an irrational hatred of level crossings in her constituency...?
EDIT:
She won't be able to do anything to that. She'll toe the party line.
All Line Rover
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It would be nice if she actually likes the railway. And no, I don't believe Philip Hammond did many positive things for the railway.
WatcherZero
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Previously 5th in charge at the Treasury, to get top job at Transport is either a vote of no confidence in the junior transport ministers (Cruella de ville I could understand no confidence of) or a sop to a faction in the Conservative party.
Closest shes come to Transport before was in 2009 she was a junior shadow in the Communities and Local Government team with responsibility for transport in the South East for about 6 months. Seems to be a pure accountant by trade.
I liked Phillip Hammond, he wasnt Adonis but he was close. He was passionate about the subject, engaged with enthusiasts and the transport media and managed to push through increased transport spending when every other department bar the NHS (Frozen in real terms, declining with inflation) and International Development have been having 20% or more cuts.
Closest shes come to Transport before was in 2009 she was a junior shadow in the Communities and Local Government team with responsibility for transport in the South East for about 6 months. Seems to be a pure accountant by trade.
I liked Phillip Hammond, he wasnt Adonis but he was close. He was passionate about the subject, engaged with enthusiasts and the transport media and managed to push through increased transport spending when every other department bar the NHS (Frozen in real terms, declining with inflation) and International Development have been having 20% or more cuts.
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theblackwatch
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I mist admit when I heard it mentioned on the news, my initial reaction was 'who?'!
andyfrommk
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Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
I think that she was the Economic Secretary to the Treasury....Note that I had made this posting before any other such posting.
SS4
Established Member
She is largely toothless since she'll have to toe the party line on important issues such as HS2, fare increases and, dare I say it, Bombadier
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Will this news cause one of our forum members to change his avatar?
Schnellzug
Established Member
What happened to the old.. oh, he's now off to pose with tanks, is he.
Why do they always have to swap everybody around every time of them resigns? They couldn't possibly stay in the job long enough to learn anything about it. I really do think this whole idea of the Cabinet needs looking at again, if you ask me. Why not, at least, make it a qualification for the job to have some experience in that particular field?
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Well, few people are, but most of the Cabinet's hardly a beauty parade ....
Why do they always have to swap everybody around every time of them resigns? They couldn't possibly stay in the job long enough to learn anything about it. I really do think this whole idea of the Cabinet needs looking at again, if you ask me. Why not, at least, make it a qualification for the job to have some experience in that particular field?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
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Well, few people are, but most of the Cabinet's hardly a beauty parade ....
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
At least she's from the "up and coming" faction rather than the "out to grass" one.
Coming from the Treasury (like Hammond) she should know how to get Osborne on side.
As a Rotherham girl, she should know something about transport outside London.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justine_Greening
Hammond was a heavyweight in Cabinet, like Darling and Adonis, and had good grasp of detail. He probably defended the rail patch better than came across (electrification etc).
I imagine Justine's initial problem will be getting through the glue of DfT senior staff and getting to grips with the detail.
Her first pronouncement (Greater Anglia franchise award?) will be interesting.
Coming from the Treasury (like Hammond) she should know how to get Osborne on side.
As a Rotherham girl, she should know something about transport outside London.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justine_Greening
Hammond was a heavyweight in Cabinet, like Darling and Adonis, and had good grasp of detail. He probably defended the rail patch better than came across (electrification etc).
I imagine Justine's initial problem will be getting through the glue of DfT senior staff and getting to grips with the detail.
Her first pronouncement (Greater Anglia franchise award?) will be interesting.
tbtc
Veteran Member
I wasn't criticising, I just realise how easy it is to have multiple threads on the same topic (Pacer replacement, HS2 etc)
As a non-Tory, I've got to admit that Hammond did better than I expected - I wouldn't have been surprised if the various improvements Labour had promised had been cancelled due to being "unfunded" (as has happened to various other Labour spending commitments in the rest of the economy).
Better than expected - look at the cuts that other Tories have made - rail got a better deal than expected IMHO
That probably means she'll understand the mess of the railway industry a lot better than most enthusiasts :-/
Likewise!
Sometimes in politics thats no bad thing, at least I couldn't think of any negative "baggage" - could have been worse
No problem tbtc - Just as i posted, i went back to the same menu and noticed about 3/4 of use had posted at the same time
Either way though, it certainly could be interesting to see what comes up ahead...Interesting times!
tbtc
Veteran Member
No problem tbtc - Just as i posted, i went back to the same menu and noticed about 3/4 of use had posted at the same time
Either way though, it certainly could be interesting to see what comes up ahead...Interesting times!
Could be very interesting.
One of the few things I would criticise Hammond for (other than the dismissal of a southern link into Heathrow...) is the stalling of decisions on a number of franchise renewals.
I've said before on here that the first franchise to be "let" will tell us a lot about the Coalition's priorities (e.g. if its another Northern/ ATW "zero growth" franchise then I will have low expectations for other franchises, if its a generous franchise with long term strategic planning for further electrifications/ additional stock then I'll feel a lot better about the future).
The ball is in her court now, of course - rather than extending each franchise for another year or two (and putting off big decisions) I hope that we get a clear indication of what is ahead when the next franchise (Greater Anglia?) is let.
anthony263
Established Member
I had a feeling when they annouced Hammond was one of the favourites to replace liam fox he would be going.
I do think he did do some good for rail, they could easily have scrapped electrification etc, but he helped push it through.
I do think he did do some good for rail, they could easily have scrapped electrification etc, but he helped push it through.
RAIL were reporting that East Coast plan to start replacing the 91s; I wonder if this will generate any discussion in the Transport Department. The name of the replacement unit was given but I only took a quick look at the magazine. If I remember correctly though, it was ordered from Bombardier.
Ivo
Established Member
Hammond always seemed fairly enthusiastic about the role to me. Thinking back to that IEP debate on St David's Day, he said something about always learning in such situations and referred to something someone said about Abercynon (end of the first journey possibly?), and showed quite an interest in it. And he (almost) always brought a touch of humour to the Commons.
If anything, I think those that will miss him will be in the minority. As for Justine Greening, I had heard of her, but that's about as far as it goes. I'm not exactly flowing with confidence as with Hammond or Adonis before him...
If anything, I think those that will miss him will be in the minority. As for Justine Greening, I had heard of her, but that's about as far as it goes. I'm not exactly flowing with confidence as with Hammond or Adonis before him...
tbtc
Veteran Member
I don;t think I'd heard of Adonis beforehand, and he was A Good Thing, so fingers crossed...
As she has previously been at the Treasury presumably she will have some understanding on how to get them to approve projects!
I don't think the PM would have put someone in as the new transport secretary if they were against HS2 since the PM is in favour himself.
I don't think the PM would have put someone in as the new transport secretary if they were against HS2 since the PM is in favour himself.
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Schnellzug
Established Member
A new 200 km/h version of the TRAXX, I believe.
(Albeit built in Germany, not Derby.)
HSTEd
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Wait what?
They are 20 years old..... are they planning to cascade them somewhere?
Seems a bit wasteful.
I'm not sure on the exact details. I'm going to town tommorow and plan to buy a copy of RAIL then. I will update the thread accordingly.
Very, very wasteful. If IC125s can live to almost 60 as they apparantly can, and electrics live longer than diesels, IC225s should still be with us in 2045, maybe even 2055. The earliest they would be life-expired would be 2020, and with replacments of Pacers and most Intercity 125s by then I don't think that would be a good time to replace IC225s.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
doubtful - she is a conservative after all
All Line - NO transport secretray LIKES railways. That is why they get the job, they then cant have any ideas of thier own! I mean next you will be saying that the chancellor should understand finance and economics rather than be the best mate of the PM! :roll:
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