The DfT’s description of its new approach to delivering rail enhancements as a pipeline gives the impression of a smooth process from project development through to delivery. But pipelines can sometimes get blocked, as the fatbergs discovered in London’s sewerage system illustrate. Blockages must also be a fear for railway projects, particularly because of the funding arrangements for the pipeline. The DfT’s Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) for Network Rail in Control Period 6 (2019/20-2023/24) includes some enhancement funding, notably for projects deferred from CP5, freight and accessibility improvements. But there will be no discrete budget held by the rail industry or DfT for other enhancements. Instead, the Department will apply to the Treasury whenever it... continue
Transport for the North’s draft strategic transport plan, on which consultation closes next week (17 Apr), is a highly significant development for the whole of the North of England. So, for the last two years, the various environmental transport organisations in the north, with the... continue
I strongly agree with the calls from London boroughs for Transport for London’s PTAL methodology to be refined (ibid). There seems to be an over-reliance on PTAL in London and too much importance given to this outdated scoring methodology. All a PTAL measure is currently showing is the... continue
As chair of the PTALs (public transport accessibility levels) development group in the 1990s and early noughties, I must defend the method against calls to “consign it to the dustbin” (Letters, LTT 13 Apr). Before PTALs, all we had to decide whether an area had good public transport or... continue
Your excellent article on “a rail revolution in the North East” raised one or two interesting points (LTT 16 Mar). With the Government having funded the original Tyne and Wear Metro construction in the 1980s together with the more recent major modernisation programme to renew the... continue
Rhodri Clark makes a number of good points on transport issues outside of large metropolis (‘Can towns share the benefits of the new mobility revolution?’?LTT 30 Mar) but the reality is a decaying public transport system coupled with crumbling roads and frequent delays caused by... continue
Rhodri Clark’s excellent article on innovative transport outside cities (ibid), set me thinking on many issues but I will focus on his last five paragraphs, which dealt with transport in tourist areas. I was initially horrified to read that people take the train to Oxenholme or Windermere and... continue
Despite the link to emissions in the DfT’s latest announcement on charging trucks, the Government has not made any decision on whether to modify the existing time-based lorry charging system into a distance-based scheme (‘HGV levy linked to emissions not distance’ LTT30 Mar).... continue
The heading to John Helm’s letter of 16 March, “Myth-busting on the railways”, is misplaced. Myths can only be busted by reference to facts. He gives us none. Taking his headings in turn: 1. Foreign railways: John claims that routes in the US are profitable but provides no data.... continue
The overall and major problem with the London Assembly... continue
I first met Bob Daviesat about the same time he speaks of 30 years ago (Letters LTT 30 Mar), when we were the only ones who arrived at a meeting about cycling on bikes. So he and I have suffered in equal measure about the lack of progress on sustainability. Constantly we have been told about... continue
The DfT’s cartographers may be ace at roads and railways but ask them to plot the UK’s airports and they’re flummoxed. This map from the DfT’s stakeholder briefing document for the West Coast rail partnership franchise shows Glasgow and Edinburgh airport in completely wrong locations. Things are no better south of... continue
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John Dales
Never judge a street by its photo
My last two pieces were reflections on different aspects of the process of creating better streets. This time, I want to turn my...