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Mayors and council leaders call for specific budget for the north
Campaign seeks to secure more money and devolution on infrastructure matters. A group of city mayors and council leaders representing more than 15 million people in the north of England are launching a campaign for the region to have its own specific budget, as a way of spreading economic growth further around the country.
Shapps risks looking a fool on rail bid [subscription]
Chris Grayling was always going to be a hard act to follow. But how nice to see Grant Shapps giving it a go. The new transport secretary had the choice of handing the west coast rail contract to a deep-pocketed consortium of Hong Kong, Chinese and Spanish train operators — or to a combo 70 per cent-owned by the loss-making First Group. No prizes for guessing which one he picked.
Grant Shapps questions whether Heathrow third runway plan ‘stacks up’
Transport secretary Grant Shapps has cast doubt over the Heathrow third runway after he questioned whether the £14bn plan “stacks up”. Shapps, who replaced Chris Grayling when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister last month, said that while parliament had voted in favour of the third runway, there were “questions about whether the whole plan stacks up”.
Thursday, 15 August 2019
BBC News
- Direct rail connection from Llandudno to London plannedPlans for direct trains between north Wales and London have been announced. First Trenitalia, the new operator of the West Coast mainline, also plans to introduce a new fleet of trains between Holyhead and Wrexham which it says will reduce CO2 emissions by 61%.
- Midlands Metro's £137m extension delayed by HS2A £137m extension to West Midlands Metro has been delayed by HS2. The Eastside Metro line would reach to the Digbeth area of Birmingham, passing underneath Curzon Street Station - a yet-to-be-built hub for the proposed high speed rail network.
- Are UK train fares the highest in Europe?The claim: The UK has the most expensive train fares in Europe. Reality Check verdict: The claim is based on very narrow research. The UK has some of the most expensive tickets in Europe if bought on the day of travel but some of the cheapest tickets if bought far enough in advance.
- FirstGroup replaces Virgin to run West Coast routeFirstGroup and Trenitalia will take over the running of the London-to-Glasgow route in December.
- Rail fares set to rise again by up to 2.8%From January, commuters could pay on average more than £100 extra a year for rail travel.
The Guardian
- Fare rises will drive passengers from railway, unions warnTUC says cost of train travel has increased by twice as much as wages over past decade
- Mayors and council leaders call for specific budget for the northCampaign seeks to secure more money and devolution on infrastructure matters. A group of city mayors and council leaders representing more than 15 million people in the north of England are launching a campaign for the region to have its own specific budget, as a way of spreading economic growth further around the country.
The Independent
- Trains on UK railways now almost entirely state-owned by foreign countriesExtensive state-ownership exists among UK rail operators, it just doesn't involve the British state
Times Online
- Shapps risks looking a fool on rail bid [subscription]Chris Grayling was always going to be a hard act to follow. But how nice to see Grant Shapps giving it a go. The new transport secretary had the choice of handing the west coast rail contract to a deep-pocketed consortium of Hong Kong, Chinese and Spanish train operators — or to a combo 70 per cent-owned by the loss-making First Group. No prizes for guessing which one he picked.
- First Trenitalia’s contract to run west coast line heading to courtThe government’s decision to award the contract to run the west coast main line and HS2 railways to First Group could end up in the courts.
- Rail industry shocked as loss-making Firstgroup wins west coast contract [subscription]The operation of the west coast main line and HS2 has been handed over to Firstgroup in partnership with Italy’s state railway.
City AM
- DEBATE: In the midst of commuter outrage over fare hikes, is rail nationalisation the answer? OpinionCat Hobbs, director of We Own It, says YES. Another year, another eye-watering rail fare hike, with the annual cost of getting to work likely to rise by over £100 for many commuters. And it’s no wonder passengers are angry. We’re being ripped off for the luxury of travelling on packed, delayed trains – if they even turn up at all.
The National
- Leven does not need a £70 million railway linkSO, £70 million to reopen an obsolete rail link to Leven? 750,000 passenger by 2037? Come on, let’s get real here.
Edinburgh Evening News
- Building a short stretch of track would give Edinburgh a third main rail hub – John McLellanThe proposed ‘Almond Chord’ rail line would link the moribund Edinburgh Gateway station with the main Edinburgh-Glasgow line beyond Winchburgh, writes John McLellan.
Other Regional Press
- St Pancras station trespasser jailed over 13 hour St George's flag stunt that cost railways more than £1mThe man who brought St Pancras station to a standstill in March by climbing onto the roof of a tunnel wrapped in a St George's flag has been jailed for a year.
Train Operators
- Virgin Trains franchise decision - Richard BransonI received the news this morning of the Department for Transport’s decision that the West Coast Mainline franchise will pass to First Trenitalia. I am devastated for the teams – members of our Virgin family – who have worked tirelessly to become the top-rated franchise by customers in the UK today.
Rail Technology Magazine
- Wherry Lines signalling modernisation work announcedNetwork Rail has announced planned engineering work to be undertaken in Norfolk, as part of a modernisation programme on the Wherry Lines between Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Other News Sources
- Final bill for Crossrail still up in the air, scheme's boss admitsMark Wild says 'some elements of risk' mean full cost still not known The final bill for completing the central section of Crossrail is still up in the air, the scheme's boss has admitted.
- Rail fare increase: ScotRail commuters face price rises of over £100 in new yearScotRail commuters are facing steep rises in the cost of their annual railway season tickets after it was confirmed that prices will go up by 2.8 per cent in the new year.
- Stagecoach to continue legal action against Department for Transport as FirstGroup replaces Perth firm on lucrative rail routePerth-based Stagecoach will continue its legal action against the Department for Transport after the lucrative West Coast rail franchise was awarded to a Scottish transport rival on Wednesday.
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