Railway policy news – Page 13
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Rail Business UKDisqualification of non-compliant franchise bids was lawful, High Court finds
UK: The Department for Transport’s disqualification of non-compliant bids for the East Midlands, South Eastern and West Coast Partnership franchises was lawful, Mr Justice Stuart-Smith said when handing down judgment in the High Court on June 17. In April 2019 the then Secretary of State for Transport, ...
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Rail Business UK
Face coverings now mandatory on trains in England
UK: It became mandatory for public transport passengers in England to cover their nose and mouth on June 15. Government advice remains to avoid public transport where possible, however mandating the use of face coverings is intended to help prevent infected people from spreading coronavirus as lockdown ...
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News
Co-operative group seeks to launch Lyon – Bordeaux open access service from 2022
FRANCE: Nascent open access operator Railcoop lodged a formal application with the Autorité de Régulation des Transports on June 9 to launch a Bordeaux – Lyon inter-city service using the conventional route via Périgueux and Montluçon. Photo: Christophe Masse A direct Lyon - Bordeaux service could be revived ...
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News
Coronavirus crisis offers lessons for rail freight policy
EUROPE: The European Rail Freight Association says lessons about the key success factors for rail freight can be learned from the significant improvement in performance which has occurred as a direct consequence of the drastic reduction in passenger traffic during the coronavirus pandemic. Shippers have long been ...
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News
Reliability focus and capital investment in NJ Transit strategic plan
USA: Reconstruction of Hoboken Terminal to improve flood resilience and a trial of battery-electric trains are among the rail projects identified in the NJT2030 10-year strategic plan unveiled by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin Corbett on June 8.
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News
Alliance targets doubling of freight market share
FRANCE: Plans to relaunch the rail freight business are now being finalised in preparation for formal presentation to the government by the end of this month. Drawn up by the Fret Ferroviaire Français du Futur alliance (4F), the proposals aim to double rail’s share of the freight ...
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News
European coalition to improve international rail travel
EUROPE: A willingness to co-operate to increase rail’s share of the international passenger market is a set out in political statement signed by a ‘coalition of the willing’ comprising all EU member states except Croatia, Estonia, Cyprus and Malta (the latter two having no railways) and including ...
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News
Associations emphasise importance of public transport in tackling climate change
EUROPE: The International Union of Railways, International Association of Public Transport and European railway suppliers’ association UNIFE have called for ‘a new sense of urgency’ in developing a more sustainable transport mix, arguing that decision makers need to look beyond the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath and not forget that ‘the rising danger’ of climate change ‘has not stopped during the crisis’.
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Rail Business UK
Focus on ‘five Cs’ to maximise potential of rail investment, says Transport for the North
UK: Transport for the North’s members have called for sustained investment in the region’s rail network and a commitment to ‘quick wins’ as well as high speed links in evidence submitted to the National Infrastructure Commission to support its development of an Integrated Rail Plan. ...
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News
Boost for rail travel and clean mobility in EU recovery plan
EUROPE: ‘A boost for rail travel and clean mobility in our cities and regions’ is included in the proposals for a major post-coronavirus recovery plan for the European Union set out by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on May 27. This includes changes to ...
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News
Joint call to facilitate cross-border rail freight
INTERNATIONAL: The World Customs Organization, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail and the Organisation for Co-operation Between Railways have jointly called for better co-ordination between customs administrations, transport authorities and the rail sector to facilitate the operation of cross-border supply chains and help mitigate ...
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News
Turkish government designates PSO services
TURKEY: The government has designated 61 routes or service groups as eligible for Public Service Obligation support, under an amendment to Clause 8 of the railway liberalisation legislation which came into force in May 2013. A presidential decree which took effect on April 8 amended the liberalisation ...
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Rail Business UK
Franchising faces an uncertain future as ‘the clock is ticking’ on emergency agreement
UK: The only certainty in the UK rail sector at the moment is that the future is uncertain, particularly as the government’s long-term message is still to avoid using public transport if at all possible, whilst encouraging people to return to work. The Department for Transport’s Emergency ...
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News
DB set for emergency funding package as losses mount
GERMANY: Emergency support to help Deutsche Bahn weather the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to come in the form of another equity injection, according to proposals being drawn up by the federal government ahead of a DB board meeting on May 15. Research ...
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Rail Business UK
Demand to be managed down as part of train service ramp-up strategy
UK: With the Department for Transport expecting passenger services to step up to a ‘Saturday service’ level from May 18, train operators have warned that social distancing measures mean that capacity across the network will continue to be very limited. Between 65% and 80% of normal weekday ...
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News
Australian industry group will prepare for Advanced Train Management System roll-out
AUSTRALIA: A cross-industry oversight group is being established to assist with the introduction of the Advanced Train Management System on the 1 435 mm gauge interstate freight rail network, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Development Michael McCormack announced on May 11.
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News
Golmud – Korla railway forges new link through western China
CHINA: Revenue services are expected to start running at the end of June on the Qinghai section of the 1 214 km Golmud – Korla railway, following the completion of construction work at the end of April.
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Rail Business UK
DfT preparing for future passenger franchise options
UK: Having temporarily suspended its franchise agreements with passenger train operators, the Department for Transport is currently considering its options for what may follow the Emergency Measures Agreements announced on March 23.
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News
Trains prioritised over planes in Air France rescue deal
FRANCE: Modal shift from plane to train has been made a condition of a state aid package which the government is offering to Air France-KLM. According to Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, a €7bn support package for the Air France business is to be made conditional on ...
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News
UIC shares ways to restore confidence in rail travel
COVID-19: The International Union of Railways has published a summary of potential steps that could be adopted to increase customer confidence in rail transport following the coronavirus pandemic.
