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Saturday, 23 June 2012

BBC News

• ScotRail outlines train drink ban Alcohol is being banned from Scottish trains in the evenings and mornings, following concerns about drink-fuelled anti-social behaviour.

The Herald

• Rail fare discount pledgeRAIL passengers have been promised fare discounts to help fill empty seats, a roll-out of wi-fi across the ScotRail network within seven years and stricter regulations on train punctuality.
• Rail bosses ban drinking alcohol on night trainsA BAN on drinking alcohol on late-night trains across Scotland will be introduced next month in an effort to stop anti-social behaviour.

Network Rail

• NEW TRAIN CREW CENTRE LIGHTS UP NEW STREET
• NETWORK RAIL PUBLISHES ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2011/12

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham rail ticket office closures "will mean passengers pay more"RAIL passengers will end up paying higher fares if planned ticket office closures are allowed to go ahead across Birmingham and the West Midlands, Labour have claimed.

Burnley Express

• Todmorden Curve link on track for start in 2014TRAIN bosses can see daylight now on the £6.8million project to restore a vital rail link to Manchester from Burnley.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Business leaders welcome rise in rail user numbersBusiness leaders in Peterborough have welcomed a rise in the number of people using the city’s railway station each year.

Plymouth Herald

• Station revamp will not change effect of neglectTHE £1.5million facelift of Plymouth railway station, although welcome, will not fundamentally change the effects of years of neglect and its inadequate rail link to Exeter and beyond.

Other Regional Press

• Calls to improve 'unwelcoming' train station A PIGEON infestation that has blighted Aldershot railway station for several years needs to be put under control before the safety of passengers is compromised, a railway lobbying group has warned.
• New campaign launched to get railway station for Golcar and MilnsbridgeCAMPAIGNERS will be lobbying for a new railway station in Huddersfield.
• Annual meeting of Cubbington Action Group against HS2 Cubbington Action Group against HS2 is holding its annual meeting on Tuesday June 26.
• HS2 community forums along planned route through WarwickshireA SECOND round of HS2 community forums are being held along its planned route through Warwickshire.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New freight link to revive NorthfleetThe Northfleet freight railway launched yesterday (June 21st) is to create jobs and help give the impression that the region is open for business, according to local MP Bob Neill.Opening the rail line, he described it as a "win-win" situation for the area, with commercial advantages underlined by the benefits it will deliver to the environment.He added that the project would help enhance the area's infrastructure and attract more jobs and business to the site by linking it to the Thames Gateway.The freight railway is expected to increase efficiency and take around 50,...

Global Rail News

• Olympic payments ˜money for nothing on a grand scale™, says First Great WesternFirst Great Western has slammed RMT’s demands for Olympics payments as “money for nothing on a grand scale” following the union’s decision to ballot its members for strike action. Yesterday, RMT announced it would be balloting First Great Western (FGW) members for both strike action and action short of a strike after rejecting proposals tabled [...]
• Rail preservation society to run special 50th anniversary serviceVolunteers at Haworth™s Keighley & Worth Valley Steam Railway (KWVR) are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their society™s first ever train with a special recreation of the service. The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society was formed in early 1962 to save the Worth Valley Branch following closure by British Railways (BR). On June [...]
• Pushing the BoundariesAlways expect the unexpected. It is good advice for any railway project, particularly one being undertaking at short notice, as Stobart Rail recently discovered on a project for Manchester Metrolink. Fortunately, the experienced management team was up to the task. In February, Stobart Rail was asked to tender for a package of work between Bury [...]
• TBF backs Station Staff of the YearThe Transport Benevolent Fund (TBF) is backing the Station Staff of the Year Award at this year™s RailStaff Awards. Tom O™Connor, managing director of the Rail Media Group, which is organising the RailStaff Awards, said: “For most passengers their first point of contact with the railway is through rail staff at stations. Often overlooked at [...]
• East Midlands Trains strike cancelledDrivers at East Midlands Trains have called off strike action following “constructive” talks over pensions. ASLEF representatives accepted proposals outlined yesterday and suspended strike action planned for June 23 and 25. David Horne, managing director for East Midlands Trains, said: œThis is a positive and welcome step by ASLEF and means we can run our [...]
• Tottenham Court Road station contract handed to Laing O™RourkeCrossrail has awarded the main construction contract for the Western Ticket Hall at Tottenham Court Road to Laing O’Rourke Construction Ltd. Andy Mitchell, Crossrail programme director, said: œCrossrail™s station at Tottenham Court Road will transform access to the West End while also acting as a catalyst for the major development and regeneration of the local [...]
• Network Connection for SwanageThanks to funding by Dorset County Council, trains will eventually be able to run off the main line at Wareham and down to Swanage on the preserved Isle of Purbeck line. Network Rail plans to install signalling costing £2.7m over the next two years. The Swanage Railway has been running steam and diesel trains between [...]
• Glasgow Subway to receive £2.5 million faceliftGlasgow Subway’s underground tunnels are to receive a £2.5 million facelift as Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) announces the latest projects to modernise the network. The partnership has confirmed that contracts worth £1.3 million and £1.2 million have been awarded to contractors to refurbish a section of the tunnel and Patrick station respectively. On Friday, [...]

Railnews

• Future of Scottish rail services set out The Scottish Government has revealed its plans for the next ScotRail franchise, which are being described as a '£5 billion overhaul'. After a lengthy public consultation, the government has decided to offer a ten year franchise starting in 2014, which will have a five-year break point. Sleeper services will be let separately under a contract lasting for up to 15 years. The RMT has remained critical, describing the plans as 'a mess'.

The Business Desk

• Centro weighing up whether to bid for control of rail services TRANSPORT authority Centro will decide next week whether to formally tell the Government it is keen to take over responsibility for local rail services on behalf of authorities across the wider West Midlands area.

Other News Sources

• Freight railway to deliver jobs and homes to Northfleet...and a nature reserve to Essex SIX hundred houses, 1,600 jobs, 50,000 lorries journeys spared and a nature reserve in Essex – they will be the results of a £13.5million freight railway which opened in Northfleet on Thursday (June 21).
• ScotRail to ban drinking and carrying alcohol on late-night trainsThe rail operator will ban alcohol after 9pm from July 20 and turn away drunken passengers.
• East Lancashire MPs back action on rail hub planEAST Lancashire MPs Jack Straw and Andrew Stephenson have joined forces across party lines at Westminster to back a call for the Government to step up action on the £530 million Northern Rail Hub plan.