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

Tuesday, 11 June 2019

Times Online

• Virgin Trains fights for survival with cheap fares and no standing [Subscription]Virgin Trains is launching a bid for survival today with plans for a budget rail service where standing in carriages is not allowed.

City AM

• Virgin launches bid to stay in UK railways with plans for open-access serviceVirgin Trains will attempt to stay in Britain’s railways by applying for an open access service on the West Coast mainline to get around the government’s controversial snub of its franchise bid two months ago.

The Mirror

• Eurostar increases Amsterdam services from UK and celebrates in unusual wayEurostar has increased its services to Amsterdam with a third new direct route from London which kicked off today. The high-speed rail service announced earlier this year that it was adding an extra route due to popular demand, with fares starting from £35 each way.

Network Rail

• Station upgrades are important to our efforts to put passengers at the heart of what we do.Such improvements can range from more room for passengers in the station and on platforms to improved railway infrastructure around the station for better journeys.

Birmingham Mail

• Virgin Trains plans rival service through Midlands after losing West Coast franchiseVirgin Trains is bidding to launch a rival rail service between London and Liverpool via the Midlands after it loses its franchise. Fares would be "at least 10% cheaper" than those offered by competitors and passengers would be guaranteed a seat, according to the firm.

Derby Telegraph

• Sir Patrick McLoughlin says the next Prime Minister 'must commit to HS2'Ex-chief whip Sir Patrick McLoughlin says the country's next Prime Minister must back HS2. The former transport secretary said the high-speed railway is of "vital importance" to the UK economy. He made the comments today on a visit to Derby's key rail suppliers including Bombardier.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Amended HS2 route will see more houses demolished - but the M1 won't have to be movedResidents of Trowell village have been left "devastated" after being told revised plans for the HS2 route through Nottinghamshire could lead to their homes being demolished.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• MP Fabricant slams HS2 plan for pylons at BlithfieldHS2 will erect huge pylons to carry power lines across a Staffordshire beauty spot in a move that has been slammed by a Tory MP.

Other Regional Press

• Letter: Watford needs more green spaceAnthony Bramley-Harker’s letter entitled new Life for Rail Line (Letters, May 31) is a heart-warming plea for town planning sanity. West Watford is one of the most heavily built-up parts of the town and more green space is much-needed. The old Croxley rail branch has the potential to become a fantastic ‘linear park’.
• It is time to give more money and power to the northToday ExaminerLive joins forces with rival publishers across the north to call for Britain’s main political parties to commit to a revolution in the way government treats our communities.

New Civil Engineer

• Network Rail seeks contractor for Hope Valley lineNetwork Rail has launched its search for a contractor to carry out major improvement works on the Hope Valley line which will form the “early building blocks” for a wider £1bn of rail improvements across the north.
• Ex-HS2 technical director 'sets record straight' on speedFormer High Speed 2 (HS2) technical director Andrew McNaughton has “set the record straight” on the speed of the line, after growing pressure to reduce the speed in a bid to cut costs on the project.

Rail Technology Magazine

• A train journey on the Midland Main Line 15 years from now.Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at the East Midlands Chamber, talks in detail about what travelling through the region will look like in 2034. A mere 15 years from now, a description of a rail journey from London to Sheffield could include an explanation of how part of the...
• No excuse for derailing station ITMarie Clutterbuck, CMO at Tectrade, discusses the rail sector’s IT vulnerabilities, particularly at stations, and outlines the benefits of zero-day recovery IT architecture. Are you truly a commuter until you’ve reached a mainline station at 6pm on a muggy summer Friday evening and...
• The skills bottleneck: Dealing with growing apprenticeship demandRichard Turner, head of apprenticeships at Network Rail, details the reasons for growing apprenticeship demand in the rail sector over the coming years. The Network Rail Engineering Technician apprenticeship program develops the technicians, team leaders, supervisors, managers, and engineers of...
• Malcolm Holmes on new stations for the black countryMalcolm Holmes, executive director of the West Midlands Rail Executive, described the new stations set to be built for the Black Country region of the Midlands. The last time the residents of Darlaston or Willenhall could board a train on their doorstep was more than 50 years ago. Since 1965...

Other News Sources

• Virgin wants there to be two fast Liverpool to London trains per hour - with everyone guaranteed a seatHere's why the new services would be 'unique' to the UK rail industry
• Crossrail's £240k-a-year commercial director sets up new businessPaul Grammer, listed as employee in 2019 report and accounts, went in April Crossrail has confirmed that its commercial director Paul Grammer has left the firm – despite being listed in TfL’s draft annual report as a current employee.