Breaking News
'If you experience a heart attack, violence, or even just want a bacon sandwich on First Great Western then things are going to get a lot worse', MP warns
Swansea West MP Geraint Davies blasts South Wales to London fail franchise over fare hikes and staff cuts. MPs are supporting a union campaign over staffing levels and industrial relations at a leading rail company. A Commons Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled saying that First Great Western appears to be taking a “backward approach” to passenger services.
Parliamentary hopeful vows to continue fight against Heathrow expansion
Ruth Cadbury, Labour candidate for Brentford and Isleworth, also called for runway alternation to be bound in law
Greenwood proposes rail "guiding mind"
Labour proposals for new over-arching rail industry body become clearer. A new ‘guiding mind’ for the rail industry has once again been mooted by Labour, with the party’s more detailed proposals for the railways starting to become clearer in the run-up to May’s General Election.
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
BBC News
- New railway bridge in Brinkworth labelled a 'monstrosity'People living in a Wiltshire village have described a new railway bridge as a "monstrosity".
ITV News
- Praise for Llandudno Station revampThe multi-million pounds refurbishment of Llandudno railway station is earning praise.
Financial Times
- Government spend on railways fallsPassengers shoulder greatest burden of the £12.7bn needed to keep the country’s trains on track
- London rail services ranked worstOperators scored poorly in overall customer satisfaction
The Guardian
- East Coast gives lie to privatisation dogma [Letter Michael Roberts, DG - Rail Delivery Group]Professor Evans’s review of Britain’s railways omits several crucial facts (King for a day: My people will be passengers, not customers, 14 February). The railway is now carrying more people and goods than it has for decades and, as the rail regulator’s latest figures show, since 2010-11 government funding has decreased by 16.4%. East Coast is not alone in making net payments to government, nor is it the highest payer. Latest official figures show that for 2013-14 the largest payment was made by private operator South West Trains, which paid £312m compared with East Coast’s £207m.
The Independent
- Northern commuters may ride decades-old Tube trainsManchester commuters have been warned they may have to travel in decades-old London Underground trains after a company announced it could use them to replace creaking Pacer trains.
Birmingham Post
- Jacobs Engineering set to follow HS2 to BirminghamThe Post understands the US-owned company is opening an office in the business district to be near the HS2 headquarters
London Evening Standard
- No Victoria line services to run between Walthamstow Central and Seven Sisters for three weeks Thousands of commuters will face more than three weeks of travel misery this summer when a large section of the Victoria line is completely closed for upgrade works.
Morning Star
- Crossrail whistleblower reinstated after sackingBUILDING safety campaigners celebrated a fast-track victory yesterday when a sacked Crossrail whistleblower got his job back 30 minutes after a London solidarity demonstration.
- Furore over extension to rail franchiseMINISTERS faced a growing backlash yesterday over their decision to hand rail privateer First Great Western (FGW) a no-contest extension to its western England and Wales franchise.
Wales Online
- 'If you experience a heart attack, violence, or even just want a bacon sandwich on First Great Western then things are going to get a lot worse', MP warnsSwansea West MP Geraint Davies blasts South Wales to London fail franchise over fare hikes and staff cuts. MPs are supporting a union campaign over staffing levels and industrial relations at a leading rail company. A Commons Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled saying that First Great Western appears to be taking a “backward approach” to passenger services.
Yorkshire Post
- Andrew Vine: Here comes the MCV - and other train Tannoy gobbledegookTHE train had just pulled out of Sheffield when the voice came over the loudspeakers. “The retail manager will be making his way through the train with the MCV,” it declared. There was a slight pause for effect, and then the voice added: “That’s the mobile catering vehicle.”
Carlisle News & Star
- Travel disruption to trains between Carlisle and Newcastle Overrunning engineering work is causing disruption to train services between Carlisle and Newcastle
Peterborough Telegraph
- Survey says most rail passengers ‘satisfied’ with Peterborough servicesTrain travellers on Peterborough routes are among the ‘most satisfied’ with their service, according to a new Which? survey.
Sunderland Echo
- Grand Central named Britain’s best train operatorOUR direct link to London has been named the country’s best train operator.
Other Regional Press
- MSP Aileen Campbell has public transport surgeryTHE people of Lanark and surrounding area will be able to have a direct say on controversial new rail services next week.
- First Great Western to have franchise renewed without competition againTrain company critics say 'union-bashing' has curried favour with the Government
- ‘Serious concern’ over figures which reveal Cambridge rail passengers are among the least satisfied New figures which revealed less than half of travellers are satisfied with the region's rail services have been branded a "serious concern".
- Merseyside set for new fleet of trains within five years if Merseytravel back improvement plansCurrent fleet of trains are now 37 years old but replacements could cost as much as £400m
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
- Crossrail upgrade gets underway at Harold WoodA major programme of renovations has begun at Harold Wood station, ahead of Crossrail services beginning to stop there in 2017. The project will involve lengthening the platforms to make sure the new 200m trains will be properly accommodated, three new lifts to allow for step-free access to all platforms, and a new footbridge. The improvements are set for completion by the summer of 2016. Councillor Robert Benham, the cabinet member for environment at Havering Council, said: “We are really pleased that work is starting on the Crossrail project and have been working with Crossrail to ...
Rail Magazine
- Greenwood proposes rail "guiding mind"Labour proposals for new over-arching rail industry body become clearer. A new ‘guiding mind’ for the rail industry has once again been mooted by Labour, with the party’s more detailed proposals for the railways starting to become clearer in the run-up to May’s General Election.
Railnews
- Demand for rail continues to grow, but some TOCs lose money The Office of Rail Regulation has reported that the number of National Rail journeys has risen by 16.6 per cent over the past four years. The movement of freight cargoes has risen even more, by 18.1 per cent. However, the ORR's latest financial report also reveals that several passenger operators are in the red. The Government has contributed £3.8 billion to the industry over the past year. Although subsidies are still being paid to some franchised train operators, most of this total was direct grants to Network Rail.
- Many passengers delayed, claims report A new rail passenger survey from the consumer charity Which? claims that 'rail operators aren™t doing enough to let delayed passengers know their rights on compensation'. Which? said it had gathered responses from more than 7,300 train users. Three in 10 said they had suffered a delay when they last travelled, while three quarters of those held up for more than an hour said they were not told that this meant they qualified for a full refund.
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