A non-executive director of DfT Operator has been dismissed only days after he warned a Parliamentary group that the trains being ordered for HS2 will reduce the number of seats on the London to Manchester route. Chris Gibb, who has been at the DfT’s subsidiary company since 2020, was speaking on 13 April, when he told the All-Party Parliamentary Rail Group that the answer to this capacity problem would be a second fleet.

Transport for London is warning that Underground services will start to be reduced from mid-morning, as RMT drivers prepare to walk out for 24 hours from midday. A second 24-hour stoppage is planned from midday on Thursday, and more have been called in May and June. The dispute is about proposals to offer a four-day working week to Underground drivers, who would work longer over the four days but have three days off a week.