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

Friday, 30 August 2019

BBC News

• People with sight loss 'avoiding rail journeys'Campaigners are calling on Network Rail to improve the layout of stations.
• South Western Railway strike: Workers begin four-day walkoutThe industrial action will see about half of South Western Railways services cancelled.

Department for Transport

• Two improvements to ensure passengers get a better deal on rail faresContactless payments and smart ticketing to improve customer experience. ‘Contactless’ Pay As You Go (PAYG) journeys are being introduced for journeys at Potters Bar, Radlett and Brookmans Park as part of the Department for Transport’s smart ticketing rollout – helping to create a truly passenger-focused railway.

The Guardian

• South Western Railway passengers face four days of strikesLondon Waterloo routes will be affected in dispute over role of train guards

The Scotsman

• Waverley meltdown reveals ScotRail’s lack of resilienceBorders Railway passengers were among those caught in the major disruption.
• Edinburgh rail tunnel to close during £1 million upgrade

Times Online

• Simpler LNER train fares will make a single half the price of a return [subscription]The price of single rail tickets will be halved on busy intercity routes under plans to simplify fares. As part of a trial London North Eastern Railway (LNER) will abolish the £1 price difference for return tickets on some routes and require passengers to buy two singles. It is designed to remove an anomaly whereby singles on some long-distance routes are overpriced in the expectation that most people will buy a return.

London Evening Standard

• Tube strike cancelled: RMT suspends September walkouts on Central and Victoria linesStrike action on the Central and Victoria lines next week has been suspended.

Northern Echo

• Rip-off one-way fares to be axed on the East Coast Main LineRip-off one way tickets on the East Coast Main Line are to be axed on long-distance services.

Wales Online

• The train conductor who sings for you when you've reached your destinationWe met the man behind announcements like 'Bom bom bom, next stop is sunny Barry'

Other Regional Press

• HS2 'must stay on track', say small business chiefsSMALL business chiefs in Greater Manchester have demanded that HS2 remains on track. New Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced an urgent review of the north-south rail link,
• HS2 review "welcome" but damage done already - Mexborough councillorA CAMPAIGNING councillor who has battled HS2 from the outset has welcomed a review of the high-speed rail link - but said too much damage had already been done.

New Civil Engineer

• HS2 contractors urged to check contracts in light of reviewHigh Speed 2 contractors and consultants are being urged by lawyers to protect themselves and check their contract terms in the wake of the government review into whether the controversial project should be continued.

Rail Advent

• Hull Trains confirm name for new trains! Hull Trains has officially named its new fleet of trains which will change travel between Hull and London. The five Hitachi trains will form Hull Trains’ Paragon fleet – a name chosen due to its stand-alone meaning and its significance in Hull.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Network Rail's, Anna-Jane Hunter on HS2, NPR, and supply chain opportunitiesAnna- Jane Hunter, is a ‘proud northerner’ and is passionate about continuing the investment and the success story of rail across the North.  She plays a key role in working with government and northern leaders to enable the network to carry on thriving. We caught up with...

Railway Gazette

• LNER to pilot UK rail ticketing reform UK: East Coast Main Line operator LNER is to pilot proposed reforms to Great Britain’s fares system from January 2 2020, with tickets going on sale from November 29.

Other News Sources

• Horwich Loco Works link road passes despite heritage concernsA NEW link road to serve a 1,700-home development will go ahead despite concerns about its impact on a historic train yard.
• Alliance launched to revitalise station buildingsHigh Street retailers and coffee shops could be offered the chance to set up in the region's railway stations. The idea of leasing disused station buildings to convenience stores, cafes or other businesses is being looked at by rail bosses.
• Booster blocks arrive by train at Vostochny spaceportA special train came to Ledyanaya station near the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying the blocks of Soyuz-2.1a, Soyuz-2.1b boosters and the payload fairing.