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

Friday, 28 June 2019

BBC News

• Trains to London: Severn Tunnel electrification problemsThe £2.8bn full electrification of the main south Wales to London railway line is in the balance as engineers have an "issue" electrifying the Severn Tunnel.
• Dumfries to Stranraer rail route return among transport optionsReopening the line between Dumfries and Stranraer is among draft proposals for south west Scotland.

ITV News

• Government to investigate Corby rail landslipThe government has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding a landslip near Corby which left hundreds of passengers stranded on a train.

The Guardian

• Passenger satisfaction on British trains on the rise, survey findsTransport watchdog’s biannual survey shows satisfaction up to 83% – up four percentage points from autumn

The Herald

• John Finnie: Railways should be run as public serviceAfter delay after delay, excuse after excuse, we learn that the Highlands are not going to get new Caledonian Sleeper trains until September.

Times Online

• Serco stockpiles ‘gunpowder’ as it plots takeovers of troubled rivals [Subscription]The boss of Serco is on the lookout for takeovers after the outsourcing group’s failed attempt to strike a deal with Babcock this year.
• Caledonian Sleeper nightmare [Subscription]A £150 million investment in the Caledonian Sleeper was supposed to herald a new standard for luxury rail travel between Scotland and London. The 75 new carriages were hailed as being akin to a hotel on wheels but the service now seems to be veering closer to Fawlty Towers than five-star splendour.
• Happiness has at last arrived for Southern Rail customers [Subscription]It has long been known as the worst train company in Britain, with commuters even writing a musical to portray the miseries of using the service.

London Evening Standard

• TfL Tube drivers given ear defenders to block 'screeching' noises from new tracksTube drivers are set to be given ear defenders after threatening industrial action over
• TfL alters 'confusing' junk food ad rules after its own advert featuring Wimbledon falls foul over strawberries and creamTransport chiefs have changed their

Morning Star

• Clive Lewis expelled from RMT parliamentary group for 'defamatory' attack on Eddie DempseyCLIVE LEWIS has been expelled from the RMT’s parliamentary group after having made a “false and defamatory attack” on a railway worker.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Caledonian Sleeper boss under fire over Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William delayThe boss of the Caledonian Sleeper was yesterday accused of prioritising luxury trains to the Central Belt “at the expense” of those to Aberdeen and Inverness.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Virgin Trains tops passenger satisfaction ranking before it loses franchiseThe firm is due to stop operating trains in March 2020 due to a row with the Department for Transport over pensions.

Other Regional Press

• West London could get a £281 million overground line from Hounslow to West HampsteadWest London could be getting a brand new rail line running from Hounslow all the way to West Hampstead or Hendon. The proposed West London Orbital (WLO) would also link the likes of Isleworth, Acton, and Old Oak Common.
• Could this be the end of the line for train tickets?The rise in the use of Smart Cards and mobile tickets is helping to cut the number of paper tickets on Greater Anglia lines, and cutting queue times.
• Google Maps can now tell you how crowded Edinburgh buses and trains areGoogle Maps is now able to tell commuters in Edinburgh how crowded their bus or train will be thanks to a new feature Google is introducing "transit crowdedness predictions" to its Maps app with the aim of helping commuters avoid packed trains and buses during rush hour.
• 'Small town' for 5,000 HS2 workers could be built in LeicestershireThousands of HS2 workers could end up living in a ‘small town’ created in Leicestershire while the railway line is constructed, it has been suggested.
• What happened when we asked minister if Midland Mainline could be electrified through LeicestershireThe Government has downplayed the chances of the Midland Mainline being fully electrified.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Rise in passenger satisfaction due to new trains, says surveyNational satisfaction with Britain’s railways rose to 83% in spring, according to the National Rail Passenger Survey. Happiness with punctuality and reliability was 77%; an increase of five per cent compared to last spring. Anthony Smith, chief executive of passenger watchdog Transport...
• Andrew Haines, CE of Network Rail, outlines the company's future visionThe chief executive of Network Rail, Andrew Haines, outlines his vision for the railway's infrastructure manager and gives an overview of its reorganisation.

The Business Desk

• First trains in new £500m fleet set to take to the tracksThe first nine trains in a £500m new fleet for local rail services will start carrying customers from Monday.

Other News Sources

• Bidders invited for new railway tunnel to HeathrowNetwork Rail is to host a meeting for construction firms interested in a £900 million contract to build a new railway tunnel to Heathrow Airport.
• ScotRail passenger satisfaction rises after £475m boostThe company has received an 85% approval rate in the National Rail Passenger Survey.