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

Friday, 18 July 2014

BBC News

• Failings over runaway rail vehicleAn accident where a rail worker was badly hurt by a runaway maintenance vehicle is blamed on operator failure and brake design flaws.
• Labour plan to part nationalise railLabour will soon unveil a promise to change the law to allow for the part re-nationalisation of the rail network, the BBC has learned.
• Radlett rail depot: Fight cost council £1.4mA council has spent £1.4m in a seven-year fight against a rail freight terminal proposal for green-belt land in Hertfordshire, it has been revealed.
• Cardiff train station plans unveiled by Network RailPlans for the biggest transformation of Cardiff train station since it was built in the 1850s have been unveiled.

The Guardian

• Labour may allow not-for-profit firms to bid for rail franchisesUnions and Labour leadership find common ground over the future of railways ahead of party's national policy forumUnions and the Labour leadership are examining proposals that will require legislation giving state and not-for-profit firms the right to bid for rail franchises as they become vacant.The proposals, part of a wider deal on the future of railways, would see rival bids adjudged on the basis of a level playing field, the party said, and will be put to Labour's national policy forum at the weekend. The plans are likely to be seen as sufficiently radical to beat off any call for total r...

The Herald

• Labour would let public firms run railways LABOUR is poised to announce that, if it comes back into power, it would seek to change the law to enable the partial renationalisation of Britain's railways.
• Lessons from rail accident Safety recommendations have been made by investigators after a rail worker was badly hurt by a runaway maintenance vehicle.

The Independent

• Rail services: Labour pledges 'level playing field' in the bidding process for franchises Public and not-for-profit companies would be allowed to run train services as well as private firms if Labour wins power at next year's general election.

The Telegraph

• Renationalising railways is 'fast track to chaos'Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, warns that re-nationalising the railways will increase government debt and lead to a worse service for passengers

The Mirror

• Ed Miliband will create new rail authority to keep down ticket prices and cut taxpayer costs Proposals for the biggest change to the industry in two decades will be unveiled at a meeting this weekend of Labour's National Policy Forum in Milton Keynes

Network Rail

• Her Majesty The Queen opens redeveloped Reading stationReading’s redeveloped railway station was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen today.
• Network Rail plans exciting new vision for Cardiff CentralNetwork Rail is planning the biggest transformation of Cardiff Central station since it was first built in the 1850s.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby rail firm RVEL set to create 33 more jobs A RAIL engineering business is accelerating ahead with a new paint shop expected to create more than 30 jobs. Rail Vehicle Engineering Limited (RVEL) is investing nearly £500,000, a large chunk of which is being spent on a giant booth used to paint locomotives and carriages.

London Evening Standard

• Railways could be partly re-nationalised under radical plans from Labour Ed Miliband is planning to partly re-nationalise the railways as part of a radical overhaul of the transport network if Labour wins next year's election.

Other Regional Press

• Get behind campaign for better rail service in mid CheshireRESIDENTS have been urged to get behind a campaign launched by the Guardian and the Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership to get a half-hourly service connecting our towns and villages to Manchester and Chester.

Global Rail News

• Deutsche Bahn to fund additional services between England and WalesArriva is to run additional services between England and Wales financed by German rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB).
• HS2 appoints programme and strategy directorHS2 has named EC Harris’ Alistair Kirk as its new programme and strategy director.
• Bombardier commissions new Palermo tramsPalermo’s first new Flexity tram entered service this week, completing an inaugural ride from he Roccella depot to Scaffa Square.

Railnews

• Royal opening for modernised Reading Her Majesty the Queen has declared the newly modernised station at Reading open today. The work is part of an £895 million scheme which is also providing a new flyover and remodelled track layouts. These will allow the station to handle up to 30 million passengers a year, which is forecast by 2030. The station is also now to be the western terminal for Crossrail services, after the extension from Maidenhead which was announced earlier this year.

Other News Sources

• Eurostar posts 6% rise in business travel bookingsOverall passenger numbers rise by 2% for first half of 2014