Minister for Transport, and Ministers of State, at the Department for Transport

[whole diary]

[Trowres]

Leiden, a city of just 120,000 people, is planning to increase its 4,500 station bike parking spaces to 6,000

Umm....proportionately, that would give Melksham around 1000 bike spaces. On the other hand Lord Adonis probably expects Melksham residents to cycle to Chippenham.

For a conference on door-to-door transport it's disappointing to see so much of his speech bubbling on about HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)).

[willc]

It's called 'legacy politics' and since he's only looking like getting a year in office, he'll need to get on with it - as legacies go, an HSL is pretty big and shiny...

[Lee]

On 'legacy politics', it is interesting that Network Rail appear to be acting on the basis that Midland Main Line/GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) electrification will get the go-ahead later this year from ministers - see http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/news/story?id=6012

On the other hand, one could also see NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s invitation for expressions of interest in work on a major railway electrification programme as prudent planning on their part.

[inspector_blakey]

It's called 'legacy politics' and since he's only looking like getting a year in office, he'll need to get on with it - as legacies go, an HSL is pretty big and shiny...

I wouldn't completely rule out Adonis serving more than a year in office - he has already been courted by the Conservatives who are on the record as saying they would welcome him into their cabinet should they win the next general election. Not saying it would definitely happen, just that it's an intriguing possibility.

[Btline]

I wouldn't bank on a Tory victory jut yet (although it does seem most likely) - they've got to win over 100 seats and there's a possibility of a Lib-Lab coalition.

[willc]

But Adonis instantly ruled out any dalliance with the Tories - you're talking about a man who has been at the heart of the New Labour project since 1998, in the No 10 policy unit before becoming a minister. Before that he was a Lib Dem councillor in Oxford. He's made of very different stuff from Dave and his fellow Old Etonians.

[Lee]

It has often been said in recent years that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has been used as a stop-off point for politicians on their way down the ladder. Here is an interesting blog piece that offers a rather different view - http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/287942/the-rise-of-justine-greening.thtml

[Tim]

It has often been said in recent years that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has been used as a stop-off point for politicians on their way down the ladder. Here is an interesting blog piece that offers a rather different view - http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/287942/the-rise-of-justine-greening.thtml

Interesting.  If we have to have someone who is "passing through" I'd rather have one on her way up than her way down.

[eightf48544]

Isn't being tipped for the top when relatively Junior usually the kiss of death?

You have to be like Jim Hacker and be just visable keep your nose clean and not be tipped for the top.

[pbc2520]

It has often been said in recent years that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has been used as a stop-off point for politicians on their way down the ladder. Here is an interesting blog piece that offers a rather different view - http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/287942/the-rise-of-justine-greening.thtml

Interesting.  If we have to have someone who is "passing through" I'd rather have one on her way up than her way down.

Philip Hammond was on his way up when he was SoS for Transport.  Well, he was if you consider Defence as an upward move from Transport

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. 

I reckon Defence is higher than Transport, in terms of Cabinet status - and Philip Hammond only got an 'early' promotion because Liam Fox made an honest mistake and resigned from Defence.

So far, I've been impressed by Justine Greening - it's perhaps early days, but she's done well with a fairly contentious issue! 

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19472688

Miss Greening - a strong opponent of a new runway at Heathrow - has been replaced by former Conservative Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin after less than a year in the job and will take over the lower-profile role as International Development Secretary.

Unlike Miss Greening, Mr McLoughlin - who was a transport minister under Lady Thatcher and Sir John Major - is said to have "no baggage" over Heathrow expansion.

I have to ask ... what about any baggage to do with the current franchising system which was, after all, set up by Margaret and John?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Also from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19475248

Transport Secretary - Patrick McLoughlin

Patrick McLoughlin was the Tory chief whip while the party was in opposition and carried on after the 2010 general election as the government chief whip.

The former miner is the MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context) for Derbyshire Dales.

When the Conservatives were previously in power, he was a minister at the departments of transport, employment, trade and industry, and in the whips' office. In opposition, he became deputy chief whip in 1998.

Mr McLoughlin's mother was a factory worker and he worked as a farm labourer before following his father and grandfather into the pits.

His move to transport in the reshuffle has raised speculation the government is planning to alter its current stance opposing a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

[paul7575]

I have to ask ... what about any baggage to do with the current franchising system which was, after all, set up by Margaret and John?

I don't think Margaret Thatcher had anything to do with the details of the franchising system.  The dates don't fit, suggesting she was out of the game before privatisation ever got anywhere.

Paul

[TonyK]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19472688

Miss Greening - a strong opponent of a new runway at Heathrow - has been replaced by former Conservative Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin after less than a year in the job and will take over the lower-profile role as International Development Secretary.

Unlike Miss Greening, Mr McLoughlin - who was a transport minister under Lady Thatcher and Sir John Major - is said to have "no baggage" over Heathrow expansion.

I have to ask ... what about any baggage to do with the current franchising system which was, after all, set up by Margaret and John?

I'm sure Heathrow's baggage handlers will help him lose any baggage he may have.

Justine Greening and Theresa Villiers (alumna of Bristol Uni) have set in train a lot of changes to the railways in our area, most of which should hopefully be beneficial. I hope Mr McLoughlin doesn't try to undo any of that, but I doubt he will. Electrification has taken on its own life form, contracts are in place, and even if he wanted to, it would be too expensive to roll back.

To a large extent, Greening and Villiers were reacting tardily, in traditional government fashion, to obvious problems of aging infrastructure and rolling stock, worsened by the phenomenal growth in rail passenger traffic. Beeching faced a similar dilemma in the 1960s, and came up with what was presented as a fairly sensible strategy in 1963, but looked disastrous by 1975, when oil prices began to rise. Some of his decisions have now been undone, more will be. Campaigns are better informed these days, and it would be difficult to close any line that has passenger services running. It doesn't matter who is in charge, things need doing.