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

Thursday, 23 May 2019

Government

• HS2 reaches 9,000 jobsToday, HS2 Ltd has confirmed that work on Britain’s new high speed railway is supporting 9,000 jobs around the country.

BBC News

• HS2 boss: Business case for Northern extension is 'clear'The boss of HS2 has urged policymakers "not to lose sight" of the benefits the project will bring to the UK economy.
• Fire safety rules breached at London Bridge Tube stationThe fire brigade says London Bridge Tube station is in breach of eight fire safety regulations.
• TfL to track tube users via their wi-fi to ease overcrowdingA four-week pilot showed collecting wi-fi data could help passengers better plan routes, TfL said.

The Guardian

• British Steel's closure would have 'huge' knock-on effectsSwitching to European suppliers likely to massively increase cost for Network Rail

The Telegraph

• App that allows passengers to silently raise alarm over train groping becomes big hit in Japan [Subscription]A police app that scares off molesters has become a runaway hit in Japan, where women have long faced high levels of groping on packed rush-hour trains.

Times Online

• Sleeper trains delayed before arrival [Subscription]Delivery of the £150 million trains for the Caledonian Sleeper’s Highland routes has been further delayed. The five-week hold up will result in Serco missing its June 2 deadline to launch the fleet. The trains, with double beds and en suite facilities, will not run on the London to Aberdeen, Fort William, and Inverness route until July 7. The southbound service is scheduled to start the next day. Michael Matheson, Scotland’s transport secretary, blamed CAF, the Spanish-based manufacturer, for being unable to supply enough carriages in a “service-ready state”. It had been hoped the trains would be running by April last year. Serco, which was awarded the Caledonian Sleeper franchise by the Scottish government, said the delay was due to the complexity of the Highland route and to reduce the risk of teething problems. It said that passengers who had booked from June 2 would be refunded.

City AM

• TfL will use your Wi-Fi data to help you avoid Tube delaysTransport for London (TfL) will soon begin collecting depersonalised Wi-Fi connection data to improve passenger information on the Tube.
• TfL delays investment to 'future years' as debt climbs to £11bnTransport for London (TfL) delayed nearly half a billion pounds in capital spending during its latest financial year, while its debts climbed past £11bn.
• Tube chaos: Emergency services respond as fire alert hits Jubilee Line with severe delaysA fire alert at Bond Street Station this morning left commuters' journeys in tatters as the Jubilee Line was struck with severe delays and left part suspended.

Rail Technology Magazine

• West Midlands Rail Executive's Malcolm Holmes on the 30 year Rail Investment Strategy and working with Midlands ConnectMalcolm Holmes, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Rail Executive, joins us to discuss the 30-year Rail Investment Strategy, and how he and his team are working closely with Midlands Connect to deliver on uplifting capacity and bettering services for people across the region ahead of TCR...
• £800m worth of rail haulage contracts awarded by Network RailNetwork Rail has awarded contracts for rail haulage and the operations of its engineering trains and seasonal treatment services for Control Period 6, worth around £800m. Adopting Network Rail’s supply chain’s new “commercially creative approach,” the rail haulage...

Other News Sources

• LNER raises serious concerns over huge York station revampLNER runs York railway station – and the company is not happy with the plans to make major changes to the site.