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

Tuesday, 11 February 2020

BBC News

• Transport for Wales: Fewer seats on new Rhymney line trains, figures suggestFigures suggest there may be fewer seats than now when new trains are introduced on some lines.
• HS2: Government to give high-speed rail line the go-aheadBoris Johnson will announce the entire line will be built but the northern phase will be reviewed.

ITV News

• 'Extensive damage' again to Conwy Valley railwayNetwork Rail says Storm Ciara, which bought 90mph winds, extreme rainfall, and flooding across Wales, has caused extensive damage on the Conwy Valley Line, north of Llanrwst.

Financial Times

• HS2 faces three-way split to win critics’ backingJohnson offers £5bn for buses and bikes among raft of infrastructure plans to stall Tory revolt

Times Online

• Building work to start in weeks after HS2 go-ahead [subscription]The construction of HS2 is expected to begin within weeks as Boris Johnson prepares to give it the green light.
• Why does Britain need HS2? [subscription]It has a budget of £100 billion, has already caused disruption and most people hate it. But would failure to build the first significant rail line north of London in a century come at a far higher price? Graeme Paton reports
• Warming seas pose risk to Channel tunnel [subscription]Swathes of the British coast along with the Channel tunnel will be hit by regular flooding without urgent action to limit global warming, according to the European Environment Agency.

Daily Record

• Landslip on Ayrshire railway line causing chaos for passengersDisruption is expected to last until the end of the day, ScotRail has confirmed.

Sky News

• HS2 set for green light despite spiralling costsBoris Johnson is heading for a rebellion by up to 60 Conservative MPs by giving the go-ahead for the controversial £100bn flagship rail project, HS2.

Birmingham Mail

• Boris Johnson to confirm that HS2 high speed line is going aheadLondon to Birmingham line is happening, but Government will attempt to cut costs

Birmingham Post

• Major rail industry event which attracts firms from across the globe to return to DerbyRolling Stock Networking event to be held in the city for second year running
• HS2 to be given PM's approval but phase 2 will be reviewedCabinet is expected to take steps to address spiralling costs of the project following review by its former chairman

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Shipley to Leeds railway line reopensNETWORK RAIL has reopened the line in Kirkstall this afternoon after the railway was severely impacted by floodwater over the weekend.

Liverpool Echo

• High speed rail scheme HS2 'to be approved' but the north could miss out againBoris Johnson is expected to approve the London to Birmingham plans but the north's involvement could be put into limbo

London Evening Standard

• Boris Johnson expected to give high-speed rail scheme HS2 the go-aheadBoris Johnson is expected to confirm HS2 will go ahead despite concerns over its budget and the environmental impact of construction.

Manchester Evening News

• Boris Johnson 'to give the go-ahead' to the entire HS2 line - but northern routes will be 'put under review'PM will approve Phase 1 between London and Birmingham, but says more analysis is needed on cost of northern routes

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Boris Johnson to announce HS2 plans will go-ahead - but North East link may be delayedA decision about the high speed rail line is expected later today

Bucks Free Press

• Prime Minister expected to give green light to HS2 tomorrowBoris Johnson is expected to confirm HS2 will go ahead on Tuesday, despite concerns over its budget and the environmental impact of construction.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Network Rail engineers keep the trains running despite Storm CiaraBosses at Greater Anglia were full of praise for Network Rail teams who kept trains running during, and after, Storm Ciara hit the region on Sunday.

North Wales Live

• Storm Ciara: First photo of Conwy Valley line left hanging in mid-air shows the repair job now facing railwayA section north of Llanrwst has had the ballast supporting the track washed away by floodwater

Other Regional Press

• Welsh Government supports new Herefordshire railway stationTHE Welsh Government transport minister says he supports plans to open a new railway station in Pontrilas.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Government action on poor West Midlands Trains Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps has today (Feb 9th) called for West Midlands Trains to invest an extra £20m on improving services for passengers after consistent poor services. The funding is set to help passengers across the West Midlands, who use West Midlands Railway and London...
• Transport for the South East welcomes new partners Network Rail, Highways England and Transport for London (TfL) have agreed to join the board for Transport for the South East, whilst working together with civic and business leaders representing more than 7.5m people and 300,000 businesses to form investment plans for the South East’s...
• £46m depot unveiled in Wigan Officially opened on Friday (Feb 7th) the new £46m state-of-the-art train depot in Wigan has been built by Network Rail alongside Arriva Rail North. The depot will provide a home for many of Northern’s new trains that will be cleaned and cared for, allowing the operator greater...

Railnews

• Franchise crisis deepens with ˜£20m shortfall™ at c2c The franchise crisis appears to be deepening, with reports that c2c is the latest operator to slip into the red. Trenitalia is said to have accrued debts of £20 million after forecasts of growth during last year proved to be too optimistic. The Italian operator is now in talks with the Department for Transport according to industry sources, which also claim that the DfT™s ˜Operator of Last Resort™ is on the alert. The DfT never comments about financial discussions with its contractors, but it has always maintained a firm stance and has declined to vary franchise terms in the past.

Other News Sources

• Anger over increase of Brighton Station toilet cost COMMUTERS are fuming over the cost of using toilets at a railway station.