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

Tuesday, 09 August 2022

BBC News

• Network Rail opens consultation on new Waterside passenger lineNetwork Rail has opened a consultation on reintroducing a passenger service on a freight-only line. The nine-mile Waterside track in Hampshire closed to passenger trains in 1966 but the plan would see services run from Southampton to a new station in Hythe.
• Avanti West Coast suspends sales and cuts timetablesA train operator has slashed its timetables and suspended ticket sales due to "severe staff shortages". Avanti West Coast will run as few as four trains per hour from Sunday to halt the short-notice cancellations which recently disrupted its operation.

Financial Times

• UK's west coast mainline axes almost half rail servicesAvanti angers unions by blaming unofficial strike action for its cutting London trains to northern cities from 7 to 4 per hour

The Guardian

• Aslef says Avanti West Coast is lying after firm blames service cuts on strikesTrain drivers union speaks out as London to Manchester service scaled back to one an hour. The train drivers union Aslef has called Avanti West Coast 'lying cheapskates' after the rail operator slashed its intercity timetables, blaming unofficial strike action. Avanti, which runs services on the west coast mainline between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, has suspended ticket sales and said it would run as few as four trains an hour from Sunday to try to cut the growing number of short-notice cancellations experienced in recent weeks.

Times Online

• Train drivers slash Avanti West Coast services with unofficial work-to-rule [subscription]Avanti West Coast has slashed train journeys and suspended ticket sales because of “unofficial strike action” by its drivers. The operator, which connects London to Scotland and the north of England, said it would run as few as four trains an hour from Sunday in an effort to stop the short-notice cancellations that have plagued its operations in recent weeks. It usually operates up to seven an hour.

Network Rail

• Network Rail wants your views on plans to reintroduce passenger services on the railway between Southampton Central to Marchwood and Hythe, HampshireNetwork Rail is inviting communities along the Waterside area, on the edge of Southampton Water and the New Forest, to find out more about proposals to run passenger services on the freight-only railway for the first time since 1966.

Sheffield Star

• Government confirms plans for railway station at Doncaster Sheffield Airport but it hangs in the balanceA long-running campaign to see a railway station at Doncaster Sheffield Airport could finally become a reality after ministers confirmed the project is in the pipeline.

Yorkshire Post

• Government approves plans for new railway station at Doncaster Sheffield Airport - even though terminal might closeA long-running campaign to see a railway station at Doncaster Sheffield Airport could finally become a reality after ministers confirmed the project is in the pipeline.
• Why there needs to be a committment to a vision for better railways in Yorkshire - Ben StillCommitted rail investment into West Yorkshire is higher now than it has been for decades.

Chester Standard

• Train firm slashes number of services between Chester and London EustonA TRAIN operator is slashing the number of services between Chester and London Euston from next week. Avanti West Coast normally runs five train services from Chester to London Euston and vice versa each weekday.

Oxford Mail

• Latest application submitted as part of Oxford station plansAN APPLICATION has been submitted as part of plans to expand Oxford Railway Station. Submitted to Oxford City Council, the application concerns work to build an additional platform at the station.

South Wales Argus

• Major railway works to close Ebbw Vale to Newport lineNEW and longer platforms are among a series of extensive upgrades to be carried out at two railway stations on the Ebbw Vale Line later this year.

Other Regional Press

• Latest application submitted as part of Oxford station plansAN APPLICATION has been submitted as part of plans to expand Oxford Railway Station.
• Timber train to Kronospan made permanent after trials on Cambrian lineWELSH timber to be permanently carried on the main route through Powys after trials were deemed successful.
• Peterhead is venue for public meeting on Buchan Railway visionThe public are invited to learn more and have their say on the vision to connect the Buchan towns to Aberdeen by rail this week.
• Red wheel award shows that heritage railway is on the right trackThe world’s first preserved railway, The Talyllyn Railway, celebrated the award of a National Transport Trust "Red Wheel" when AM Mabon ap Gwynfor, the local Member of the Welsh Senedd, performed the unveiling.

New Civil Engineer

• How the pandemic could permanently change the way rail projects are plannedDuring the early stages of the pandemic Network Rail used the quieter period with fewer trains operating to accelerate some engineering work with the use of longer blockades and a new survey has looked into the public preferences for continued use of this approach.
• Network Rail launches regional trial of geofencing to improve trackworker safetyAs the Rail Accident Investigation Branch announced an investigation into a near miss with trackworkers at Paddington station last month, Network Rail’s latest board minutes reveal that its trackworker safety taskforce is trialling new technology in the Southern region to improve trackworker safety.

Railway Technology

• Grant Shapps calls for driverless tubesSecretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps is calling for the London Tube to become more like its European counterparts and welcome driverless trains, coming after the recent Department of Transport bail out of the TfL.

Other News Sources

• Help bring Great British Railways to BrumHelp bring Great British Railways to The leaders of the three largest political parties at the city council have written a joint letter to the people of Birmingham.