Plan for new East Coast trains could be shelved

MINISTERS have looked into the cost of dumping plans for new East Coast trains and keeping the decades-old current fleet running beyond 2019.

The news comes after The Journal last month revealed that no contracts have yet been signed to build a £7.5bn fleet of new “Super Express” trains to run on the East Coast Main Line promised by the Government. Hopes have been raised that these trains could be assembled at a new factory in Gateshead, bringing hundreds of new jobs with it.

But contracts to seal the deal are not expected to be signed until next year, with new trains scheduled to run on the East Coast Main Line – linking the region with London and Scotland – from 2013.

And now Junior Transport Minister Chris Mole has revealed that an estimate of the costs of the alternative of running the existing intercity trains – which are up to 30 years old – has been prepared.

The admission was revealed in a written Parliamentary answer and comes amid speculation that the Department for Transport faces savage cuts as Labour and the Tories look to slash the country’s massive debts.

Mr Mole said: “In order to provide a comparison with the costs of the new Super Express Trains, which will operate on the East Coast Main Line from 2014, the Department for Transport (DfT) has prepared an estimate of the costs of the alternative of continuing to operate the existing intercity rolling stock beyond that time.

“This includes the period leading up to as well as the period beyond 2019.”

He insisted release of this information would affect the DfT’s commercial position in negotiations with the preferred bidder to build the new fleet, Agility Trains.

“We therefore remain convinced of the value for money of replacing the old rolling stock with the new Super Express Train, especially in the context of an extensive electrification programme,” said the minister.

Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker, who secured the answer, said the new trains were badly designed and unnecessarily expensive.

“Given that and the relatively good condition of the East Coast Main Line rolling stock, a better solution would be to refurbish the existing rolling stock, especially given the deficit, and in due course look for a replacement, which can be bought off the shelf rather than designed by DFT officials at a ludicrously high price,” said Mr Baker.

Industry expert Roger Ford, who writes for Modern Railways, predicted existing trains would be “life-extended” rather replaced with a new fleet in the current economic climate.

“It is just fantasy end-of-Government stuff,” said Mr Ford.

We remain convinced of the value for money of replacing the old rolling stock with the new Super Express Train


Source: journallive.co.uk