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

Saturday, 20 June 2020

The Guardian

• UK rail bosses rejected call to dress staff like face-mask volunteersRequest came after Grant Shapps’ ‘army of journey makers’ in purple tabards failed to materialiseCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageUK transport ministers asked train companies to dress staff in the purple tabards meant for “journey makersâ€�, after the promised “armyâ€� of volunteers to remind travellers to wear a face covering failed to materialise this week.The last-minute request to keep up appearances, relayed to train operators by the Rail Delivery Group, was largely rejected by bosses, it has emerged. Continue reading...

Bristol Live

• MetroWest project will be extended to GloucesterIt will mean more frequent trains from Bristol to Gloucester and Yate

London Evening Standard

• DLR safety questioned after banker killed as she fell into path of approaching trainA banker fell onto a DLR track and was killed by a driverless train as horrified members of the public tried and failed to raise the alarm in time, an inquest heard.

Other Regional Press

• Campaigners to march along HS2 route to oppose new train line Stop HS2 campaigners will carry out a long march from Birmingham to London to oppose the building of the new railway.

Railnews

• RMT launches industrial action ballot at Heathrow Express The RMT has launched a ballot for industrial action in protest at changes to working patterns at Heathrow Express which could involve redundancies. The union has claimed that 123 posts could be lost. Heathrow Express said it is ˜disappointed™, and has promised no compulsory redundancies.
• Covid-19 transport funding total reaches £7bn The Department for Transport has drawn £7 billion from the government™s contingency fund, partly to support train operating companies through the Covid-19 crisis.

Other News Sources

• Rail firm takes to Darwen's skies to repair tunnelWHEN rail bosses needed to repair a 175-year-old hillside tunnel they turned to the sky to help them do the work.