Tag Archives: transport

Rachel Reeves To Spend Billions In Red Wall In Bid To See Off Reform Threat

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Billions of pounds of public money are to be spent on new transport projects across the Midlands and north of England as Labour tries to see off the threat of Reform UK.

Rachel Reeves is ripping up Treasury rules so the government can invest more in Red Wall areas where support for Nigel Farage’s party is on the rise.

The chancellor will unveil the £15.6 billion plans in a major speech on Wednesday ahead of next week’s government spending review.

She will announce “a step change in how government approaches and evaluates the case for investing in our regions” following a review of the Treasury’s Green Book, which assesses the costs and benefits of major public projects.

Reeves will say that has been done “to make sure that this government gives every region a fair hearing when it comes to investments”, amid concerns that too much taxpayers’ money is spent in the South East.

Among the projects set to be given the green light is the Metro extension linking Washington to Newcastle and Sunderland, and the renewal of South Yorkshire’s tram network.

A metro extension to Birmingham’s sports quarter is also set to be built, while the Metrolink tram network in Greater Manchester will get new stops in Bury, Oldham and Stockport town centre.

Ministers say the projects will create jobs, boost economic growth and improve commutes for locals.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander, said: “Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the north and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life.

“For too long, people in the north and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve.

“With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off.”

A Treasury source denied that the government announcement was being driven by Labour nervousness at the growing popularity of Reform.

The source told HuffPost UK: “It’s about showing we’re delivering. People want change and investment. We are delivering that.”

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Labour’s First Renationalised Train Service Gets Off To A Hilarious Start

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The first train to be brought back into public ownership under Labour was (metaphorically) derailed today, turning the major moment into a bit of damp squib.

South Western Railway (SWR) officially came under public ownership at around 2am on Sunday morning as part of the government’s promise to create “better services”.

The first service of the day – normally be the 2.27am train from Guildford to Waterloo – was cancelled.

So that meant the pressure was on the 5.36am service from Woking to London Waterloo to mark the historic occasion.

But any jubilation from the occasion quickly evaporated when the journey had to rely on a rail replacement bus service between two stops, Surbiton and Clapham Junction.

It turns out that bank holiday engineering works had overrun meaning the train was no longer able to go down the intended track.

But Keir Starmer seemed to overlook the embarrassment this morning, claiming on social media that his new public ownership scheme was “just the start”.

“After decades of Tory failure, our Plan for Change will put passengers first, as promised. That will mean better services, with simpler ticketing, on more comfortable trains,” the prime minister wrote on X.

The Department for Transport also promoted the “historic” occasion, claiming it “kicks off a reset of the railways to improve performance and boost economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.”

Despite this government spin, many people were quick to complain – including Liberal Democrat MP Monica Harding.

“This is hardly the fresh start my constituents in Esher and Walton were promised,” she wrote on X. “Let’s hope SWR under government control gets better than this!”

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First day of SWR’s renationalisation and all trains from stations in Hersham, Hampton Court, Thames Ditton, Esher, Hinchley Wood, Claygate and Walton on Thames to London Waterloo are replaced by buses – a rail replacement service!

This is hardly the fresh start my constituents… pic.twitter.com/W43Z7XiAwO

— Monica Harding MP (@monicabeharding) May 25, 2025

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First day of SWR’s renationalisation and all trains from stations in Hersham, Hampton Court, Thames Ditton, Esher, Hinchley Wood, Claygate and Walton on Thames to London Waterloo are replaced by buses – a rail replacement service!

This is hardly the fresh start my constituents… pic.twitter.com/W43Z7XiAwO

— Monica Harding MP (@monicabeharding) May 25, 2025

Others, of course, wasted no time in finding the hilarity of the situation.

Obviously can’t get enough of this story and very symbolic as the first privatised rail service in 1994 was also a bus replacement service*. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article…*To quote a poet: “After wondering to myself whether or not it should actually be called a train replacement service….”

— Jim Waterson (@jim.londoncentric.media) 2025-05-23T09:53:52.431Z

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South Western Railway starts as it means to carry on in public ownership as very first service is a replacement bus, (We didn’t’ even need to make this up) pic.twitter.com/xuPYAslPJn

— The Rotherham Bugle (@Rotherhambugle) May 25, 2025

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South Western Railway starts as it means to carry on in public ownership as very first service is a replacement bus, (We didn’t’ even need to make this up) pic.twitter.com/xuPYAslPJn

— The Rotherham Bugle (@Rotherhambugle) May 25, 2025