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

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

BBC News

• 'Artwork on wheels' promotes railwayA massive
• MPs raise rail chaos with governmentThe transport secretary is to be challenged over the delays and overcrowding at London Bridge station.

Department for Transport

• £6m rail innovation competition open for bidsRail Minister Claire Perry launched an industry-wide competition to spur innovation among train operators to meet the challenges of growing demand for rail travel and drive up standards.

The Independent

• Fast-track sackings? Network Rail under Coalition scrutinyExclusive: Move comes after its chief executive made a high-profile speech last month which was at times scathing of his own organisation. Richard Parry-Jones’ position as chairman of Network Rail is believed to be under government scrutiny following a disastrous Christmas for the state-backed operator of Britain’s most important track and stations.

The Scotsman

• ScotRail chief to keep job after Abellio takeoverSCOTRAIL chief Steve Montgomery will keep his job when Abellio take over the franchise in two weeks time, the Dutch firm announced today.

Mail Online

• 'Coachloads of little old ladies' will bear brunt of passport checks at Eurotunnel P&O Ferries has slammed new measures to tighten national security, set to be introduced in April, which will require Eurotunnel and ferry companies to check the passports of those leaving the UK.

London Evening Standard

• London Bridge travel chaos: Government and rail bosses warned that on-going situation could spiral into 'major disaster' Commuters face dire consequences at London Bridge if more is not done to quell the rush hour chaos plaguing the station, the government was warned today.

Manchester Evening News

• Remembering one of Rochdale's worst railway disasters 100 years on Four died when express train was  ‘smashed to splinters’ in blizzard conditions at Smithy Bridge station on March 18, 1915

Bucks Free Press

• Station closes for resurfacing work A railway station in Bucks is to close for the next three months to allow work to take place.
• Direct rail link to Watford moves step closer after plans approved Plans to run direct train services into Watford from Amersham and Chesham took a step closer to becoming a reality after a £200million rail project was signed off by the government today.

Other Regional Press

• New Scotrail team unveiledIt follows industry speculation that a new managing director was being lined up for the ten-year contract from April 1.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• £6m rail innovation competition open for bidsRail Minister Claire Perry on 17 March 2015 launched an industry-wide competition to spur innovation among train operators to meet the challenges of growing demand for rail travel and drive up standards.
• TfL is Europe’s fastest-growing company for contactless paymentTransport for London (TfL) has been named as the fastest-growing contactless payment merchant in Europe for the last six months, and the fastest-growing in the UK by Mastercard and American Express.

Construction Enquirer

• Kier bags £130m brace of King’s Cross jobsArgent development has named Kier preferred bidder for two contracts worth £130m at the King’s Cross Goods Yard development in London.
• HS2 starts consultant race for £450m work dealsHS2 has started the search for a main engineering delivery partner for phase one of the high-speed link from London to Birmingham.
• French win Northern Line extension TBM dealLondon Underground has placed its order for two tunnel boring machines to be used on the Northern Line extension with French engineering firm NFM Technologies.

Rail Magazine

• Portishead station site agreedPreferred site for new Portishead station selected by ORR.
• Network Rail's Easter engineering plansLondon Bridge, Great Eastern Main Line, Reading and Watford set for major improvements.
• D-train conversions progressing20 vehicles on-site at Long Marston.
• Rail freight contributes £1.6 billion to economy says reportBenefits of rail freight to Britain are growing, says RDG.
• TV advert launched to promote family rail travelCampaign designed to encourage families to travel by train this spring.
• Rail industry innovation competition seeks submissions£6 million available to bidders that are successful.

Railnews

• Railfreight 'contributes £1.6bn to British economy' A new report says that railfreight is now contributing some £1.6 billion to the British economy every year. The figure is an estimate of the benefits, which include reduced road congestion and favourable environmental factors. Two years ago these benefits were valued at £1.5 billion, but the sector has continued to grow since then. The report comes from the Rail Delivery Group, which says the five major railfreight operators between them move goods worth more than £30 billion each year.

Other News Sources

• London Bridge is falling down A PACKED commuter train arrived on time on only 25% of its journeys for a whole year.