Intercity trains upgrade postponed

Plans to replace the ageing fleet of intercity trains have been postponed, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis announced today.

He said the multi-billion pound, 30-year intercity express procurement programme had run into difficulties.

Lord Adonis said he thought it was not appropriate to enter into the contract in the immediate run-up to a general selection and he had ordered an independent assessment of the value for money of the intercity programme.

All being well, there were plans to proceed with the project in the next Parliament "subject to satisfactory resolution of all the contractual issues".