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

Friday, 21 November 2014

BBC News

• Rail electrification row settledA deal is struck to electrify railway lines in the south Wales valleys after a row between the UK and Welsh governments over who should pay.
• Crucial Network Rail data criticisedThe company running Britain's track, signals and train stations may be using flaky figures to plan its maintenance work, says a regulator.

Financial Times

• Network Rail draws damning criticismRegulator faults infrastructure owner for failure to deliver train services and investment projects on time

The Herald

• Probe into boy's electric shock on railway lineREGULATORS are investigating whether a possible safety breach contributed to a 13-year-old boy suffering a severe electric shock at an Ayrshire railway line.

The Independent

• Network Rail slammed after dismal record on punctualityIn the wake of a dire set of performance figures, Network Rail’s chief executive, Mark Carne, has been warned by the industry’s top regulator that his organisation is failing passengers.

The Scotsman

• Network Rail told: improve rail track standardsENFORCEMENT action over the “declining standards” of Scotland’s rail tracks has been taken against Network Rail by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), it announced today.

The Telegraph

• Too many trains late this summer, says rail regulatorTrain services have got worse, with 45,000 more trains late than expected this summer
• Eurostar train breaks down in France with power failureEurostar passengers say the train broke down at Lille after suffering a broken cable leaving them in darkness, unable to open doors

Mail Online

• More than one in ten trains run late: Report finds passengers faced thousands of extra delays between April and October because of Network Rail's poor performance Poor performance by Network Rail is leading to thousands of extra cancellations and delays for millions of passengers as more than one in ten trains run late, rail watchdogs ruled today.

London Evening Standard

• London Underground network marks busiest day ever with more than 4.5 million passengers More than 4.5 million people travelled on the London Underground last Friday – marking it as the busiest day in the network's 151-year history.

Wales Online

• 'Too many people face too many delays': Rail regulators slam Network Rail over train cancellationsThe office of rail regulation said that there nearly 50,000 more delayed trains in England and Wales over six months than it had expected
• South Wales rail electrification scheme finally gets the go-ahead with a £230 funding packageDavid Cameron confirms go-ahead for Valley Lines electrification after long-running dispute

Other News Sources

• Network Rail performance criticised by regulatorNetwork Rail has spent £40 million more than its own budget assumptions for the year to date, and forecasts an overspend of £112 million for 2014-15, according to the Office of Rail Regulation