Transport secretary Chris ‘failing’ Grayling was abroad ‘promoting the benefits of UK’s railways to world trade’ when damning report of Britain’s shambolic train network came out
- Chris Grayling in Berlin when damning report into state of railways published
- Transport Secretary fighting to keep job after Department of Transport blamed
- New timetable affecting almost half of train services cause chaos to journeys
- Mr Grayling previous said he was not at fault as he did ‘not run the railways’
Chris Grayling was left fighting for his job after a damning investigation into the timetable changes in May criticised the Department of Transport
Chris Grayling was last night fighting to save his political career after being accused of shirking responsibility for the rail timetable chaos.
The Transport Secretary faced a growing backlash and calls for him to quit after an official report yesterday exposed the extent of the failings behind the fiasco during an overhaul earlier this year.
A new timetable affecting almost half of train services was introduced on May 20, which was meant to add services and make the network more reliable.
But the result of ‘systemic’ failings throughout the industry saw hundreds of services cancelled every day as passengers endured months of disruption and delays.
Mr Grayling has previously told MPs he was not to blame for the chaos as he is ‘not a specialist in rail matters’ and does ‘not run the railways’.
But the report by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) pointed the finger at the Department for Transport – led by Mr Grayling – Network Rail, rail bosses and rail watchdogs.
One Labour MP last night dubbed the Transport Secretary ‘Failing Grayling’ and said it was a ‘miracle’ he had kept his job.
ORR chairman Stephen Glaister concluded in the report that passengers had been ‘let down by rail industry failures’.
It also criticised a lack of leadership and accountability, pointing out that ‘nobody took charge’ when things went wrong.
Yesterday, as the devastating report into the shambolic timetable overhaul was published, Mr Grayling was in Berlin to promote the benefits of UK rail at the world’s largest rail trade fair, InnoTrans.
The Transport Secretary, who has previously insisted, ‘I don’t run the railways’, saw a major review of Britain’s railways found ‘nobody took charge’ of timetable changes
Wes Streeting, a Labour MP who sits on the Treasury committee, said; ‘I think rail passengers will be absolutely astonished that ‘Failing Grayling’ finds the time to go around on foreign jollies telling people how great the UK rail system is at precisely the same time as a damning report highlights his failure to ask basic questions of rail industry bosses.
‘His continued survival as Transport Secretary is something of a modern miracle.
‘He should have been sacked for incompetence a long time ago.’
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After the report was published, Mr Grayling said he had been assured by rail industry officials that the biggest ever changes to UK timetables would not cause major problems.
He told Radio 4’s Today programme that in hindsight this had been a mistake, but argued he could not be held personally responsible for the chaos that ensued.
He said: ‘When you have the leaders of the industry sitting in your office saying, ‘We are ready for this’, it’s tough for any politician to over-rule the advice of the professionals.’
With passengers facing soaring fares, official figures revealed earlier this week that punctuality on the railways is at a 12-year low.
Mr Grayling told Radio 4’s Today programme it was a mistake to accept assurances from rail bosses that the biggest ever changes to UK timetables would not cause major problems
Mr Grayling pointed out that passengers numbers have soared since privatisation, with record growth never seen under British Rail, but he admitted that the railways are ‘no longer fit for today’s challenges’ and need major reform.
Yesterday he ordered Keith Williams, the deputy chairman of John Lewis, to conduct a ‘root and branch’ review of the railway industry, from fares to examining the relationship between operators and Network Rail.
Labour MP Lilian Greenwood, chairman of the cross-party transport committee, said: ‘The Secretary of State does not, and should not, be involved in the day-to-day running of trains. But he bears responsibility for the overall system.’
Last night a spokesman for Mr Grayling said he has been clear he accepts some responsibility for what went wrong.
Rail failings drive people back to cars
Public transport failings are making people more reliant on their cars, a report warned last night.
Motorists blame soaring fares and increasing delays on trains and cuts to local bus services for switching back to the roads.
The trend, which reverses five years of declining car dependency, reveals the scale of disillusionment with the state of public transport in Britain.
It comes after an official report into the recent rail timetable shambles found passengers were let down by rail bosses, ministers and regulators.
The findings are revealed on the RAC’s annual Report on Motoring, which gauges drivers’ chief concerns.
It discovered many now feel they have little choice but to use their cars more often, despite fears over the quality of roads and rising fuel prices.
A third say they are more reliant on their cars than a year ago, with nearly a quarter blaming deteriorating public transport. Six in ten would use their car less if public transport was better.
The poll also shows drivers are increasingly concerned about the state of roads, with 78 per cent saying they were ‘generally poor’. The cost of fuel is also a big issue, with 61 per cent saying their fuel bill has gone up in a year.
Official figures published by the Department for Transport yesterday revealed record levels of traffic, with cars, lorries and vans clocking up 327billion miles in the year to June.
RAC chief engineer David Bizley said: ‘While there is much talk about improving public transport, the reality is very different as buses and trains are not meeting public expectations.
‘People end up driving by default as they feel public transport is either too expensive, non-existent or just doesn’t go where or when they need it to.’
÷Workers at South Western Railway and Arriva Rail North look set to strike next month in the long-running dispute over the role of guards on trains.
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