Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Thursday, 20 January 2011

BBC News

• Prime Minister says rail companies must improve performance [blog]It's only a week since my last blog about delays on Southeastern train services but the issue has again been dominating discussion at Westminster.

Financial Times

• New rail franchisees could face greater risksMinisters are poised to shake up rail franchising policy by ending a system that compensates train operators when revenues fall short of expectations while allowing them to keep the right to take a share of unexpected profits

The Independent

• Yorkshire returns to the age of steam for commuter service Few journeys evoke the romance of steam travel quite like the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. Eight years after it closed in 1962, the route was made famous in the film The Railway Children.

The Telegraph

• Most overcrowded trains identified The 07.42, operated by First Great Western, carried on average 326 passengers more than the train’s capacity of 533. Described by the DfT as a “very popular service into Paddington”, it was one of 10 trains identified in a Freedom of Information reply,

Press Association

• Rail franchise shake-up announced Plans aimed at making train companies more responsive to the needs of passengers have been announced by the Government.

Mail Online

• Britain's largest wild pear tree to be axed after 250 years for high speed rail linkThe tree, which measures more than 12ft around the trunk, stands in the way of the proposed HS2 train line between London and Birmingham.

Birmingham Mail

• Train services between Birmingham and London could be reduced Dramatic changes to long distance rail services to Birmingham could be introduced when a new franchise begins next year, the Department for Transport has revealed.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Commuter trains plan for Keighley & Worth Valley Railway A study into the feasibility of running commuter trains on a heritage steam railway has been published.

London Evening Standard

• DLR strike banned in last-minute High Court challenge48-hour strike on the Docklands Light Railway tomorrow and Friday was dramatically halted this afternoon following a successful legal challenge

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink tram service could be extended into Cheshire The Metrolink system could be extended into Cheshire allowing commuters to travel to Manchester from Mobberley and Knutsford by tram.

Metro

• Train fares could soar in bid to end rail overcrowdingMoves to ease overcrowding on trains could lead to double-digit fare increases within the next year, campaigners have said.

The York Press

• York Rail Station security screen plan rejected A RAIL firm has seen its plans to increase security at York Station derailed by planners.

Bucks Free Press

• Council hopeful quits Lib Dems over High Speed 2THE Liberal Democrats' support of High Speed 2 has prompted one of the party's candidates for the May council elections to quit.

Other Regional Press

• Where customers matter not one jot [letter]I AGREE with Martin Body about the new Metropolitan line trains (Train service is going backwards, Letters, January 5). They are designed to cram more standing passengers in on the central section, with no thought for customers who travel in from the outer suburbs.
• Kent transport chiefs slam rail service Kent MPs have heaped further criticism on under-fire rail operators Southeastern and have pressed ministers to tighten up the rules on refunds and penalties. The call came in a debate at Westminster today initiated by the long-standing critic of the company Sir John Stanley, the Tonbridge and Malling MP.
• Lib Dems call for high-speed rail link to include Huddersfield HUDDERSFIELD should be included in the high-speed rail link, say councillors.
• Cubbington wild pear tree could stop HS2 rail plan THE LARGEST wild pear tree in Britain which is Cubbington could de-rail the controversial HS2 high-speed rail link.

Rail-News.com

• Finlandia deal for KilfrostFinnish railways has placed an order for rail de-icing fluid with an English company.
• More coal moved by rail The freezing temperatures of the last couple of months resulted in an increase of over 11% in the amount of coal moved by rail, compared to the same time last year, as demand soared.

Other News Sources

• Plans Submitted For Northampton Railway Station Development Network Rail has submitted plans to Northampton Borough Council for a major redevelopment of Northampton railway station.
• East Coast gain C2EEast Coast recently achieved Committed to Excellence (C2E) accreditation. East Coast runs passenger train services on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England and Scotland.
• Virgin Trains' Cheshire Stations are the BestVirgin Trains has scooped two top awards in the annual Cheshire Best Station awards. For the second year in a row, Virgin Trains has walked away with the Best Staffed Station and the Best Customer Care awards, with Crewe and Runcorn stations taking top honours.