All change at the DfT

Posted on Friday 15 July 2016 by Gareth Prior

Following the resignation of David Cameron as Prime Minister and his subsequent replacement by Teresa May there have been changes to the cabinet which has included major changes at the Department for Transport. Out has gone Patrick McLoughlin – who must surely have been one of the longest serving Secretary of State’s for Transport in history – and he has been replaced by Chris Grayling. Mr Grayling was previously Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons. Despite the change at the top the likelihood of there being any major changes to government policy on trams and light rail seem to be fairly remote.

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4 Responses to All change at the DfT

  1. Nigel Pennick says:
    Saturday 16 July 2016 at 09:44

    The cutting-off of EU funds for urban transport caused by Brexit may well jeopardize future projects if the new government is forced to make further cuts in public services.

    • Bob Field says:
      Saturday 16 July 2016 at 18:02

      You pessimists seem to forget where E.U. funds come from in the first place. They can only come from the regular mandatory contributions from member states, which in our case appears to be £350 million per week. As we will not be paying this if Brexit succeeds, Our government, not Brussels, will be able to decide how to spend this money, which most believe is more than we currently get back in E.U. grants.

      • Nigel Pennick says:
        Monday 18 July 2016 at 09:12

        Yes you are right it is British taxpayers’ money, and will no longer be paid to the EU after Brexit, but the track record of Whitehall in funding of urban transport systems is poor, and in the light of this (the cancellation of Leeds trolleybuses is just the latest) unlikely that the EU money spent here on transport will be used for transport projects by UK governments of any political hue.

  2. Clifford Stead says:
    Monday 18 July 2016 at 20:27

    It`s worth mentioning that the cancellation of the Leeds NGT scheme is rather unique in that the money is still there for Leeds to use but not on trolleybuses!

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