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Govia Thameslink franchise 'not provided value for money'
Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern passengers suffer the worst disruption in the UK, a report says.
Transport secretary 'should be accountable' for rail network delays
Department for Transport strongly criticised by NAO and unions for decisions that led to major disruption to passengersThe government’s management of the UK’s largest rail franchise has been severely criticised by auditors who found that policy decisions have had a negative impact upon millions of passengers.Travellers on the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise have suffered the worst disruption on the network since services began in September 2014, the National Audit Office (NAO) said.
Wednesday, 10 January 2018
BBC News
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- Diesel car sales to plunge again this year, study warnsAston University says diesel cars will account for 15% of the UK market by 2025, down from a 50% peak.
- Electric car registration in Wales rises by 35%The figures are called
- Diesel car industry dilemmas explainedAnswering your questions about diesel car emissions, resale values, tax, 'scares' and 'confusion'.
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- Rail strikes at Greater Anglia, Merseyrail, Northern, South WesternRMT union members stage 24-hour walkouts in a
- Virgin West Coast train firm stops selling Daily MailVirgin says the move comes after employee feedback, but a Daily Mail spokesman called it
- Govia Thameslink franchise 'not provided 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
- ‘Prince of Taxis’ plots Uber’s defeat in JapanHead of leading car-hire operator seeks to bring ride-hailing innovations to industry
The Guardian
- France cuts speed limit on roads after alarming rise in deathsReduction on two-lane highways from 90km/h to 80km/h follows 3,500 fatalities on roads in 2016The French government said on Tuesday it would lower the speed limit on two-lane highways to 80km/h (50mph) from 90km/h, hoping to reverse an alarming rise in road deaths.Several previous governments had toyed with the idea as a means of reducing highway deaths, which reached nearly 3,500 in 2016, but backed off in the face of widespread public opposition. Continue reading...
- Transport secretary 'should be accountable' for rail network delaysDepartment for Transport strongly criticised by NAO and unions for decisions that led to major disruption to passengersThe government’s management of the UK’s largest rail franchise has been severely criticised by auditors who found that policy decisions have had a negative impact upon millions of passengers.Travellers on the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise have suffered the worst disruption on the network since services began in September 2014, the National Audit Office (NAO) said.
- Brighton commuters to face 18 days of closures for engineering workProject beginning in October will provide a once-in-a-generation upgrade, beleaguered passengers are told Beleaguered commuters from Brighton who have suffered years of delays on Southern and Thameslink have been warned that the main line will close for two nine-day periods for engineering works.
The Scotsman
- Virgin Trains stops selling Daily Mail amid censorship rowVirgin Trains has stopped stocking The Daily Mail on its West Coast route, declaring the tabloid newspaper is not compatible with its “brands and beliefs”.
The Telegraph
Reuters News
- UK engaging with Peugeot's Vauxhall over job cuts at car plantLONDON (Reuters) - The government is in contact with Peugeot's British brand Vauxhall over job cuts at its north of England Ellesmere Port plant after the French automaker announced a further 250 roles will go, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said on Tuesday.
City AM
- Virgin Trains has stopped selling the Daily Mail on its servicesVirgin Trains passengers will no longer be able to buy the Daily Mail newspaper on board its West Coat services, in a move labelled "disgraceful" by the newspaper.
- British boating sector sails to sixth year of consecutive growth as fall in pound boosts exports and staycationsThe UK's boating sector has notched up its sixth consecutive year of growth as the pound's dip boosted exports and demand for UK boating getaways, according to research out today from British Marine.
- Southern rail franchise faces spending watchdog criticism for giving passengers the "worst service" on Britain's rail networkThe huge Southern rail franchise has been criticised by parliament’s spending watchdog as failing to deliver value for money, with passengers experiencing the worst service performance on the national rail network.
- Can Virgin stay on track after its recent rail controversies?Over the past few months, various parts of Virgin’s rail operation have faced controversy.
Mail Online
- Pilot couple fired after they fought and left the cockpit Jet Airways has fired a pilot couple who violently clashed during a flight from London to Mumbai on New Year's Day, briefly leaving the cockpit unattended.
- Chinese law at Hong Kong rail station prompts legal battleHong Kong's imposing new harbourfront rail terminus promises a high-speed link with China but for some the station represents an existential crisis for the city, with nothing less than its cherished freedoms under threat.
Birmingham Mail
- Daily Mail issues statement after Virgin Trains remove paper from sale The train operator said it made the decision in November
- This is why early morning alcohol at Birmingham Airport could soon be BANNED Passengers flying out from Birmingham Airport could soon be BANNED from consuming alcohol in the morning
Birmingham Post
- Tough trading conditions fail to put brakes on Jaguar Land Rover Luxury car manufacturer sees UK sales dip slightly but globally the company's prospects continue to rise
Daily Post (North Wales)
- Virgin Trains stops selling Daily Mail on North Wales to London services as 'not compatible' with brand The newspaper has described the decision as 'disgraceful'
London Evening Standard
- Jet Airways pilots sacked after 'mid-air fight in cockpit of passenger plane from London'Two pilots have been sacked for allegedly having a mid-air fight inside the cockpit of a plane flying from London.
- Train strike January 2018 latest: Commuters face fresh chaos as second RMT walk-out hits London's railwaysCommuters are facing fresh chaos on rail networks this morning with four operators battling another day of strike action.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle
- Labour to demand answers over bailout of £3bn East Coast Main Line franchiseLabour wants to know exactly how much taxpayers will lose after the Government let Virgin Trains end the franchise early
- Wi-fi and windows that don't open - here's what the new Metro trains could be likeNexus has set out new details about what it will ask manufacturers to incorporate into the new £362m fleet of trains
Wales Online
- Work on the Heads of the Valleys road set back after Storm Eleanor delays arrival of 120-tonne crane The specialist crane is needed to install the arches of a feature bridge
North Wales Live
- Early morning pints at Liverpool airport could soon be a thing of the past Home Office crackdown on lager louts could see 24hr drinking banned
Peterborough Telegraph
- Great Northern Rail franchise which runs Peterborough to London services is ‘not value for money’The Great Northern rail franchise, which runs trains between Peterborough and London is not delivering value for money, according to a new report.
Other Regional Press
- You might not be able to enjoy an early morning pint before your holidays any more Holidaymakers flying from Manchester Airport and Leeds Bradford Airport as well as others could be hit as Home Office assess airport licences
- Berwick’s rail links under discussion A public meeting on rail connectivity between Edinburgh and Newcastle will be used to promote Berwick’s rail links and position as a commuter town....
Buying Business Travel
- Zipcar expands Flex programme in LondonService available in eight boroughs
New Civil Engineer
- Work underway on £55M Yorkshire highways scheme [Subscription]Work has started on a £55M scheme to develop a major growth corridor in south Yorkshire.
- Eric Wright to build £25M Preston tram line [Subscription]A contractor has been appointed to build the “ambitious” first tram line in Preston since the 1930s.
- Carillion woes 'won’t derail HS2 civils deal' [Subscription]Carillion’s joint venture partners on High Speed 2’s (HS2) main civil works packages will ensure that the contract will be delivered should there be any change to Carillion’s role in the joint venture. Today Carillion will hold a crunch meeting with lenders to decide how it will operate in the future.
Rail Technology Magazine
- DLR station reopens after nearly a year of Elizabeth Line prepCustom House DLR station reopened this week following its closure in February last year. The station went through major upgrade work in the time it was shut, preparing for the introduction of Elizabeth Line services which are set to start from December this year. While Custom House has reopened...
- Thameslink test trains travel through new London Bridge platform for first timeGTR’s first test passenger trains have made the trip through the new platform 5 at London Bridge following the completion of nearly three years of work. The eight-carriage Class 700 RLU was the first passenger train to complete a journey over the new Bermondsey Dive-Under, as it came into...
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.
Railway Gazette
- Better franchise design could have reduced TSGN disruption, says NAOUK: Some of the extensive disruption experienced by passengers on the Thameslink, Southern &...
Aviation Industry
- Lufthansa Group to hire more than 8,000 staff in 2018Lufthansa said it will hire more than 8,000 new employees in 2018—the majority will be flight attendants for various group airlines, including Eurowings and Austrian Airlines. read more
- Chinese carriers took delivery of 424 aircraft in 2017Chinese carriers introduced 424 aircraft—407 passenger aircraft and 17 freighters—in 2017, expanding their total fleet to 3,261 aircraft (3,118 passenger aircraft and 143 freighters) at year-end. read more
- Boeing delivers 763 aircraft in 2017, looks to raise production ratesBoeing delivered 763 commercial aircraft in 2017, led by placements of 529 single-aisle 737s—including 74 re-engined MAX variants—and received 912 net orders, valued at nearly $135 billion at list prices. read more
Other News Sources
- Jo Johnson Moved From Universities Job In Reshuffle After Toby Young RowJo Johnson has been moved from his job as universities minister following a row over the appointment of Toby Young to the new universities regulator.
- Southern Rail 'not value for money' says public spending watchdog in damning report on handling of Thameslink franchiseAmyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said the Department of Transport should have "taken more care to consider passengers in its design of the franchise"
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