Breaking News
London mayor Sadiq Khan says
Sadiq Khan today said it was "vital" the government devolves more commuter routes to Transport for London (TfL) to tackle the "terrible services inflicted on London rail passengers".
Virgin will pay £165m for walking away from East Coast trains franchise
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling hits back as he denies 'bail out' of Virgin East Coast
Thursday, 11 January 2018
BBC News
- Rail strikes at Greater Anglia, Merseyrail, Northern, South WesternRMT union members stage 24-hour walkouts in a
- Govia Thameslink franchise 'not providing value for money'Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern passengers suffer the worst disruption in the UK, a report says.
Financial Times
- UK watchdog attacks handling of strike-hit rail franchiseGovernment contract design ‘partly to blame’ for network’s poor performance
The Guardian
- Chris Grayling criticised for blaming rail delays on 'militant unions'Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, has been accused of passing the buck over severe rail disruption on Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern trains, for which he blamed staff shortages caused by “militant unions”.
Times Online
- Transport police takeover is politics before good sense [Subscription]The House of Lords will today debate, at the behest of Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, the proposed takeover of the British Transport Police role in Scotland by Police Scotland. In response, the UK government should make clear that it will defend the public interest for the whole of Britain rather than accede to an unreasonable political demand.
City AM
- London Overground's Gospel Oak to Barking line is reopening after months of delays to its £172m upgradeThe London Overground Gospel Oak to Barking line is set to fully reopen on Monday 15 January, after extra closures meant the timeline to upgrade work was delayed by months.
- London mayor Sadiq Khan says Sadiq Khan today said it was "vital" the government devolves more commuter routes to Transport for London (TfL) to tackle the "terrible services inflicted on London rail passengers".
The Mirror
- East Coast rail route bail out has a strange twist for taxpayersTaxPayers Alliance chief was key adviser to the troubled East Coast rail franchise
Network Rail
- London Overground’s Gospel Oak to Barking line to re-open as electrification of the line nears completionLondon Overground’s Gospel Oak to Barking line reopens on Monday 15 January following the installation of new overhead electric lines by Network Rail, that will enable new longer electric trains to run from spring 2018.
Birmingham Mail
- George Osborne's 'Northern Powerhouse' won't really begin until next week Plans for a major new rail network linking the cities of the North and a road tunnel beneath the Pennines will be published on Tuesday
Bradford Telegraph & Argus
- Rail workers on strike accuse Government of putting profits before safety TRAIN strikes are contributing to heavier than normal traffic on the roads.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle
- Virgin will pay £165m for walking away from East Coast trains franchiseTransport Secretary Chris Grayling hits back as he denies 'bail out' of Virgin East Coast
Wolverhampton Express and Star
- Contingency plan in place for CarillionThe Government has contingency plans in case of the collapse of construction giant Carillion in place.
Yorkshire Post
- The Yorkshire Post says: Pacer trains should be shunted to revamped National Railway Museum JUST LIKE the Northern equivalent of Crossrail, there does not appear to be a firm timetable – yet – for the proposed transformation of York’s iconic National Railway Museum.
Peterborough Telegraph
- Charity which supports severely bullied children from Peterborough given year’s free travel with train operatorA charity which supports eight severely bullied children from Peterborough has been given a year’s free travel with a train operator.
Other Regional Press
- Commuters hit back at ScotRail over poor service Angry commuters have hit out at ScotRail over the growing number of cancellations and incidents of ‘station-hopping’.
- MP DEMANDS ACTION ON ‘TERRIBLE OVERCROWDING’ AT TRAIN STATIONSMP Harriet Harman will meet rail bosses later this month to “demand action” on “terrible overcrowding” at Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye overground stations, writes Alex Daniel…
- Network Rail asked to reconnect HelstonA vision to reconnect Helston to the rail network is gaining steam after the town council agreed its backing to the principle.
- Railway Works changes hands in £20 million dealThe former British Railway Locomotive Engineering works which was once the heart of Eastleigh, has been sold in a £20 million deal.
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
- John Hayes resigns as Minister for Transport The Rt Hon John Hayes has left his post as Minister for Transport during Prime Minister Theresa May’s Cabinet Reshuffle. Mr Hayes has been a member of parliament for 20 years and has been a Government minister since 2010. He was Minister of State at the Department for Transport from 15 July 2016 to 9 January 2018. Mr Hayes is replaced at Transport by Jo Johnson.
Rail Technology Magazine
- GTR providing 'worst performance on the network'Govia Thameslink Railway has been panned by the National Audit Office (NAO) after a review found it offered the “worst performance on the network” and had not delivered value for money. The struggling franchise, which represents Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern services, as...
- SWR and NR answer to passenger watchdog over poor performanceSouth Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail (NR) bosses were brought in front of the national passenger watchdog this week, following poor performance and disruption across the network. Transport Focus called the meeting to allow both organisations a chance to account for the problems and...
- Overground between Gospel Oak and Barking to reopen after 'once in a generation upgrade'London Overground services are set to return between Gospel Oak and Barking next week following the installation of new overhead electric lines. Opening on Monday 15 January, the work will allow new electric trains to be introduced on the line, in what Network Rail is calling a “once in a...
Railnews
- Thameslink Programme ˜not yet value for money™ A new report says the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise has not yet delivered value for money, partly because the Department for Transport did not take enough care to consider passengers when designing the franchise. However, the franchise has a realistic chance of succeeding in the longer term, according to the National Audit Office.
Other News Sources
- Why leasing back old trains to buy new isn’t such a strange ideaReports emerged last week that Transport for London (TfL) plans to sell some of the older vehicles in its fleet and lease them back to help raise £875 million to finance a new fleet for the Piccadilly line. A Liberal Democrat politician described the plans as “quite mad”.
- South Western Railway criticised for 'refusing to properly staff' Egham railway station South Western Railway (SWR) responded to the allegations by saying the company is "actively" looking for a part-time ticket office clerk
- Eurostar appoints new CEOCurrent Yodel CEO Mike Cooper has been appointed the new CEO of Eurostar.
- Is Virgin Trains right to stop selling Daily Mail?Daily Mail columnist Andrew Pierce and Dawn Foster from the Guardian discuss Virgin Trains’ decision to stop selling the Mail.
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