Coronavirus news – Page 15
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
Dutch rail freight industry body RailGood has called on the government and infrastructure managers to ensure round-the-clock operation of at least one rail corridor to and from all seaports, multimodal hubs and industrial complexes during the coronavirus crisis. It also called for a temporary suspension of charges ...
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Rail Business UKHull Trains suspends services ‘to protect long-term future of business’
UK: Open access operator Hull Trains announced on March 29 that was temporarily suspending services with effect from midnight, in a move which it said aimed to ‘safeguard the future of the business’ in the ‘unprecedented circumstances’ of the coronavirus pandemic. Arrangements have been made for tickets ...
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NewsInternational Transport Workers’ Federation calls for action to protect staff from Covid-19
Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases INTERNATIONAL: The International Transport Workers’ Federation of almost 700 trade unions representing nearly 20 million people in 150 countries has issued a list of five areas where it believes governments and employers must take action to protect employees during ...
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Metro Report InternationalMoscow Metro disinfects tunnels
RUSSIA: Moscow Metro has been using modified infrastructure inspection vehicles to spray all its tunnels with liquid disinfectant. The disinfecting programme aims to tackle the coronavirus. As well as all tunnels used by revenue services, the scope includes tunnels which are used for ...
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NewsRENFE ticket offices go cashless
SPAIN: National operator RENFE stopped accepting cash payments for tickets at booking offices with effect from March 27, citing hygiene reasons. The measure will last as long as the duration of coronavirus lockdown, now prolonged at least until mid-April. Credit and debit cards are now the only ...
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Rail Business UKUK rolling stock manufacturers suspend production
UK: Bombardier Transportation, CAF and Hitachi Rail have temporarily put the production of rolling stock at their UK plants on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. ‘In the current unprecedented circumstances, we want to protect our people from Covid-19, support the government’s efforts to delay ...
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NewsPolish operator tests titanium dioxide disinfectant
POLAND: Koleje Śląskie is testing the use of TitanSolid, a titanium dioxide based product used in hospitals and food production plants to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. The substance integrates with the surface it is applied to, creating an active coating that uses photocatalysis to destroy bacteria, fungi and ...
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Rail Business UKInfrarail rescheduled to take place alongside Railtex 2021
UK: The Infrarail 2020 railway infrastructure trade fair has been rescheduled because of the coronavirus outbreak. It will now be co-located with the Railtex 2021 exhibition of railway equipment and services, which is due to be held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on May 11-13 ...
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NewsSNCF deploys hospital TGV
FRANCE: SNCF has started transporting Covid-19 patients using a TGV Duplex trainset that has been has adapted as a mobile hospital unit. It is being used to evacuate recuperating patients from hot spot areas where the hospitals are saturated to regions which have spare capacity in their ...
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Metro Report InternationalEdinburgh tram extension site works on hold during pandemic
UK: Edinburgh Council has instructed contractors Morrison Utility Services and Sacyr Farrans Neopul to cease site works for the construction of the tramway extension from York Place to Newhaven. The contractors are to make the construction sites safe by the end of the week before shutting down. ...
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NewsBrightline suspends services
USA: Miami to West Palm Beach inter-city train operator Brightline temporarily suspended its services on March 25. The private-sector operator said the decision had been taken to help slow the spread of the coronavirus to a rate which healthcare systems can cope with, ‘and with the ...
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Rail Business UKCrossrail work suspended
UK: Crossrail Ltd announced on March 24 that work on the cross-London rail project would be suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. The organisation said it was working with its Tier 1 contractors to safely close down sites at the earliest opportunity. The announcement came amid widespread ...
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NewsUK train operators offered management contracts or nationalisation
UK: The Department for Transport has given the franchised passenger train operators it is responsible for the opportunity to move to temporary management contracts. On March 23 DfT said it would temporarily suspend existing franchise agreements and transfer all revenue and cost risk to the government for ...
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Rail Business UKTransport Select Committee to question Shapps on coronavirus implications
UK: The House of Commons Transport Select Committee is to question Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps about the impact of coronavirus on transport at 14.30 on March 25. As the situation changes daily, the Committee will be asking how the Department for Transport is responding ...
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Rail Business UKRail services to be reduced to match demand and provide resilience
UK: The government and rail sector have agreed a plan for the gradual reduction of train services to reflect lower passenger demand as people stop unnecessary travel and decrease non-essential social contact in line with advice to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Under plans to ...
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NewsWuhan rail service launched to meet demand as road transport disrupted
CHINA: In response to customer requests arising from the difficulties of using road transport during the coronavirus crisis, Nippon Express Co has launched a rail-based freight service from Shanghai to Wuhan in collaboration with Sinotrans. Nippon Express said the coronavirus outbreak had led to numerous restrictions being ...
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Metro Report InternationalLondon Underground, rail and bus services cut by coronavirus
UK: Major cuts to metro, rail and bus services were announced by Transport for London on March 18, with the operator explaining that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had asked it to focus on enabling ‘critical workers to make essential journeys’ during the Covid-19 pandemic. Up ...
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Rail Business UKRail industry forms Coronavirus Joint Forum
UK: Trade unions and industry leaders agreed on March 18 to set up a Rail Industry Coronavirus Joint Forum. This will engage at a senior level to support a collective industry response and help to ensure that the railway can continue to operate during the coronavirus crisis. ...
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NewsCoronavirus pushes switch from cash to card payment
NEW ZEALAND: Cash sales of tickets on the Metlink transport network in Greater Wellington will end on March 23, in a move which Metlink said was designed ‘to stay one step ahead of Covid-19 and give our passengers and staff more peace of mind’. On the rail ...
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NewsUIC publishes Covid-19 management guidance for railway stakeholders
INTERNATIONAL: Following the first meeting of its coronvirus task force, the International Union of Railways has published Management of Covid-19: Guidance for Railway Stakeholders. UIC has published Management of Covid-19: Guidance for Railway Stakeholders. The document which is freely available online is designed ...