Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has stunned her colleagues, the DFT and everyone in the railway by announcing her shock resignation just hours after a story broke regarding a Magistrates’ discharge almost 10 years ago.

Her decision to go quickly rather than try and ride out the storm has thrown the rail industry into yet another period of uncertainty, right at the moment that it looked like a clear plan for the way forward was emerging.

Nigel and Richard discuss the challenges facing the industry in the immediate aftermath of the news and what may lie ahead for pace of the promised reforms.

UPDATE: Almost as soon as we had recorded the show, it was announced that Heidi Alexander, previously Minister for Courts and Social Justice, has been appointed as Secretary of State for Transport. She has also previously been Deputy Mayor of London for Transport from 2018 and departed her role in 2022 to prepare for a return to Parliament which she did at the 2024 General Election. She is the MP for Swindon South.

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Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

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Episode description

Shock as Transport Secretary Louise Haigh resigns. More chaos for the railway?

Episode description