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

Thursday, 21 May 2015

BBC News

• Rail disaster centenary markedServices across Scotland over the next three days will mark the 100th anniversary of the Quintinshill disaster in which more than 200 people died.
• Train drivers vote for strike actionTrain drivers at Southern Railway vote to go on strike in a row over pay, it is announced.
• Disruption after goods train derailsTrains travelling between Glasgow and Lanarkshire face disruption after a goods train derailed between Whifflet and Motherwell.
• VIDEO: Germany's railways grind to a haltMillions of commuters in Germany have had their travel plans disrupted as train drivers across the country stage their ninth strike in just 11 months.
• German rail strike causes delaysMillions of rail passengers are hit by delays in Germany after Deutsche Bahn's drivers go on strike again.

Financial Times

• Philadelphia crash shows up signal strainsNew system faces morass of regulatory, technical and financial delays

The Guardian

• Rail strike: Virgin Trains scraps west coast services on Monday and TuesdayBank holiday rail disruption looms after operator axes west coast trains and reduces east coast timetable amid threat of industrial actionVirgin Trains has cancelled its west coast train services next Monday and Tuesday and plans only a very limited east coast timetable, although talks continue between Network Rail and unions over the planned bank holiday strike.Other operators have drawn up contingency plans for vastly reduced services should the industrial action go ahead, after Network Rail urged passengers to be prepared for massive disruption next week. Related: How will the rail strike ...

The Herald

• Rail strike threatens to cancel THE

The Scotsman

• ScotRail strike: Only handful of services will runA NATIONAL rail strike will have a severe impact on travellers in Scotland, with ScotRail bosses warning that if the action goes ahead next week it will only run a “handful of services”.

The Telegraph

• Fined for standing in first class? I'm taking my train company to courtOne train picked the wrong customer to hit with a £109 fine. Consumer campaigner James Daley explains why he's taking First Great Western to court
• Rail strike threatens major train and road chaos on bank holidayMost of train network to stall if planned industrial action goes ahead, causing disruption for families on half term, holidaymakers and football fans

City AM

• UK rail strike: Talks go to the wire as Network Rail chief Mark Carne writes open letter warning passengers to plan for the worstTalks between rail chiefs and union bosses are going to the wire over potential strike action taking place this bank holiday.

Mail Online

• Network Rail strike over Bank Holiday weekend sees passengers warned for chaos Full details of amended timetables and what services will run are expected to be made available by Saturday, with ‘overviews and summaries’ available from tomorrow.
• George Osborne to sell government assets like Eurostar and Student Loans The Chancellor said the government would raise more than £23billion this year – a new record – by privatising stakes in Eurostar, Lloyds and the student loan book.

London Evening Standard

• Haywards Heath delays: Commuters into Victoria and London Bridge face yet another day of train misery Commuters heading into London from the south face yet another morning of misery thanks to a signal failure in Haywards Heath.
• First glimpse of TfL's new-look rail network map This is a first look at a new TfL-produced map of the capital's rail network.
• Southern railway train drivers vote to go on strike over pay Drivers at the rail company responsible for Britain's "worst train service" have voted to stage strike action over pay.
• Rail strike: Virgin West Coast trains cancelled on bank holiday Monday due to planned walk-out West Coast mainline operator Virgin Trains has cancelled all of its services on the coming bank holiday Monday as Network Rail staff prepare to strike over pay, leaving thousands of passengers facing travel chaos.
• Violent thug jailed after unprovoked Tube attack on member of staff A violent thug who struck a member of London Underground staff round the head with a weapon in an unprovoked attack has been jailed.
• Train strike: Tube services also due to be hit by Network Rail walkout, TfL says Some London Underground services are set to be affected by next week's planned rail strike, Transport for London has warned.

Wales Online

• Thieves were busted stealing £20k of railway cable - and one had a cannabis factory in his back garden, court toldThree men have been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court for an organised attempt to steal railway signalling cable

Yorkshire Post

• Your train’s cancelled - even though strike isn’t definiteTRAIN companies have started cancelling services over the Bank Holiday because of a planned strike by thousands of Network Rail (NR) workers in a row over pay, even though peace talks are continuing.

Other Regional Press

• Trains cancelled over strike threatWest Coast main line operator Virgin Trains has cancelled all services on Monday and Tuesday because of the threat of a strike by Network Rail workers.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Virgin Trains East Coast outlines plans to capture airlines' market shareVirgin Trains East Coast is aiming to capture market share from domestic airlines through a series of initiatives. A more flexible reservation system is to be introduced allowing bookings to be made closer to departure to better suit travellers who make last-minute travel arrangements. Customers booking online or via the company’s app will be able to collect two Nectar points for every pound spent, while passengers can also earn Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles. The plans come as the rail operator approaches the 100th day of business since taking over the inter-city east coast franch...

Rail Magazine

• Women in rail nominated for freight industry awardsNorthern Rail, Transport for London and HS2 Ltd employees shortlisted
• NR and rail unions continue talks to avert strike action First national rail strike in 20 years set to go ahead on May 25-26

Railnews

• Train companies publish national strike plans Train operators have started to warn passengers that their services will be very restricted at best on Monday and Tuesday next week, as the prospect of a Network Rail strike comes closer. Talks in the pay dispute between the RMT, TSSA and Network Rail are understood to be continuing at the conciliation service Acas, but there has been no sign of any breakthrough. If the strike goes ahead, on many lines there will be no service at all on Monday or Tuesday.

Other News Sources

• Signalling problems and a broken rail at Haywards Heath cause delays for commuters Rush-hour passengers on a trouble-hit commuter rail route between London and Sussex have faced more travel misery with delays and cancellations due to a signalling problem.
• No Southern or Gatwick Express trains at all on Tuesday if strike action goes ahead THERE will be no trains on Tuesday if strike action goes ahead.
• Southern Rail drivers vote to go on strike - just hours after commuters faced more train misery Southern Rail train drivers have voted to go on strike