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

Tuesday, 11 October 2016

BBC News

• Taking a week off work to talk to strangers on trainsA business consultant from Birmingham has taken a week off work so he can talk to strangers on trains.
• First three-day Southern Rail Strike beginsThree days of planned strikes on Southern trains are going ahead despite the RMT union advising its members to sign the rail company's new contracts.

ITV News

• Rail line between Barmouth and Tywyn reopens after viaduct fireNetwork Rail says the line between Barmouth and Tywyn in North Wales has reopened after a fire on Barmouth Viaduct last week.

Financial Times

• Southern Rail strike to go ahead despite union dealSevere disruption expected as conductors prepare to strike for three days from Tuesday

The Guardian

• Three-day Southern rail strike beginsCompany says it will run around 60% of its normal timetable but warns there will be no trains at all on some routes

The Telegraph

• Strike-hit Southern Railway passengers face�overrunning engineering works

London Evening Standard

• Ask Jo Malone: Don't be in too much of a rush to climb aboard the Crossrail gravy trainSmall business agony aunt Jo Malone discusses how the arrival of Crossrail will impact London retailers.
• Southern Rail strikes: Tens of thousands of commuters set for travel misery as three-day walkout beginsTens of thousands of London commuters were today facing travel misery as three days of strike action on Southern Rail services began.

Morning Star

• SNP Urged To ‘Fess Up To’ Rail PlansTRAIN drivers called on the Scottish government yesterday to come clean about plans to improve underperforming operator ScotRail.

Northern Echo

• Aysgarth Falls to help soothe Virgin Trains' passengers A NORTH Yorkshire beauty spot is to feature in a new “mindfulness channel” which is designed to help rail passengers feel relaxed and positive on their journeys.

Blackpool Gazette

• Blackpool tram sets sail once againAnother of Blackpool’s famous illuminated trams is back in service after a £46,000 restoration.

Daventry Express

• ScotRail row: Ministers accused of 'sitting on' overhaul of failing serviceMINISTERS were yesterday accused of "sitting on" an overhaul of Scotland's failing trains.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Your chance to quiz Abellio Greater Anglia and Network Rail bosses in live Q&AGot a burning question about train services between Ipswich and London or Norwich and Stowmarket?

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Alstom starts construction of new rail technology centre in the North West of EnglandAlstom today celebrates the start of construction work on its new technology centre and training academy in Widnes at a ground-breaking ceremony attended by UK Rail Minister Paul Maynard. The technology centre and training academy, for which Alstom invested €25 million, will open in May 2017. It could create up to 600 jobs for local people in the long term and, once open, offer a cumulative 15,000 days of training each year. Paul Maynard, Rail Minister, said: “It is fantastic to see rail companies like Alstom grow their presence in the UK by opening new and modern sites. I am especi...

Rail Technology Magazine

• GTR considering legal action to halt Southern strikeGovia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is considering a legal challenge to stop another Southern conductors’ strike tomorrow. RMT, which is leading the strikes in protest at plans to extend driver-only operated (DOO) services, said it had received a formal legal challenge from GTR...
• WYCA: Lack of Northern Route is 'missed opportunity' Transport leaders in the north of England have said Network Rail missed an opportunity to support rail devolution by not introducing a new route for the region. Network Rail announced last week that it will create a managing director to oversee its northern portfolio. However, it argued that...
• 'Turning point' as north east convenes rail franchise oversight boardA “turning point” in rail devolution has been reached, local government leaders said as they convened a board to oversee promised improvements to rail services in the north. The North East Rail Management Board had its first meeting on 5 October, where members discussed the timetable...
• Scottish electrification suffers delays as NR withdraws planning applicationElectrification of the Edinburgh-Glasgow line will be subject to delays after Network Rail withdrew an application for planning permission to build a temporary road. Network Rail applied to West Lothian Council for planning permission to build a 360m diversion to the A71 near Parkhead Primary...
• Connected Mobility - Broadband Railway Communication Infrastructures As systems become ever more sophisticated and passenger comfort and entertainment become key drivers in increasing the attractiveness of rail travel, the worlds of communication and railway need to be brought closer together.

Railnews

• RMT faces legal challenge from Southern in DOO dispute The RMT is facing a legal challenge from Govia Thameslink Railway over the continuing DOO dispute on Southern. The union had called for further talks at ACAS over extensions of driver-only operation just 24 hours before its members were due to stage a three-day conductors' strike, which is set to be the first of several this autumn. Southern is proposing that its trains will have a driver and an on-board supervisor. Unlike conductors, the OBS will not control the doors nor dispatch the train at stations. The union insists that safety will be affected.
• Welsh viaduct reopens after fire The line between Barmouth and Tywyn has reopened following a fire on Barmouth viaduct last week. The cause is not yet clear, and an investigation is underway. Network Rail engineers had been working to reopen the line after the fire damaged one of the viaduct spans on 4 October.

Transportxtra

• DfT seeks to protect transport industry from being hit by any Brexit business exodusThe DfT is seeking to support the industry following the vote to leave the European Union with a new role to bolster international trade in the sector.

Other News Sources

• Potter Logistics Ely rail freight terminal growth on trackWork to increase track capacity at Potter Logistics rail freight terminal in Ely, Cambridgeshire has completed. Building on over 25 successful years of rail freight distribution at Ely, 5.7 km of new track, spread across 13 sidings, is being introduced on 10 acres of the site for train storage.
• Southern Rail facing three-day strike by union members despite legal challenge Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will strike from Tuesday (October 11), causing chaos for commuters