DfT drags Network Rail into Spending Review, threatening its ring-fence - report

The DfT is demanding cuts from Network Rail's ring-fenced budget as part of his autumn Spending Review, effectively re-opening the plan it agreed with the regulator.

The Sunday Times today reports that DfT director Jeremy Rolstone has "stunned" Network Rail chief executives with the challenge to its agreed 2014-2019 control period 5 programme of work. Campaigners had raised the alarm this week that ring-fencing the strategic road and rail budgets meant local transport would bear the brunt of cuts of up to 40%. 

The move could be open to legal challenge, the newspaper suggests in its article. Even without cuts to the budget, there were already fears that committed projects would have to be delayed or abandoned, given costs have been higher than the budget. Transport secretary has been under attack for putting on ice rail electrification projects in northern England and the Midlands.