UK rail industry news – Page 17
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Rail Business UK
Bristol’s Portway Park & Ride station opens
UK: Passenger services at Portway Park & Ride station near Avonmouth on the Bristol to Severn Beach line began August 1, following a formal inauguration by Transport Secretary Mark Harper, Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees and Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority Dan Norris ...
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Rail Business UK
DB Cargo UK withdraws Class 90 electric locos
UK: DB Cargo UK has taken what it calls ‘the bold decision’ to withdraw its entire fleet of Class 90 electric locomotives, citing ‘the cost of running and maintaining this fleet given the extraordinary economic pressures facing our sector’. The operator currently has 24 of the ...
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Rail Business UK
Thanet Parkway station opens to improve rail options without increasing journey times
UK: Southeastern’s Thanet Parkway station between Ramsgate and Minster in east Kent opened to passengers on July 31. Development was led by Kent County Council with the aim of improving transport connectivity and supporting the local economy, and the station is expected to be used by ...
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Rail Business UK
HVO fuel switch starts Chiltern Railways decarbonisation drive
UK: Chiltern Railways has switched to using hydrotreated vegetable oil in its fleet of Class 68 diesel locomotives, as part of a long-term strategy to decarbonise London’s last remaining all-diesel suburban network.
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Rail Business UK
UK railway news round-up
This week’s round-up of business news from the UK railway industry.
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Rail Business UK
‘Worst case scenario’ put forward as ticket office closure consultation extended
UK: In what appears to be a rushed decision, the consultation period for passengers to give views on the proposed closure of ticket offices has been extended to September 1.
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Rail Business UK
Tunnel drilling rig increases output and safety
UK: AmcoGiffen has developed a drill rig to assist Transport for Wales and principal contractor Amey Infrastructure Wales with the installation of two high voltage 60 mm² cable routes in the crown of the Caerphilly tunnel. The rig can be operated remotely from a trailer to ...
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Rail Business UK
Viewpoint: Passenger experience must be protected if ticket offices close
If the proposed closure of station ticket offices in England is not purely about cost-cutting, then carefully considered customer-centric interventions will be needed to make it work, argues David Watts, Managing Director of human-centred design agency Mima.
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Rail Business UK
Decisions are needed to avoid threat to UK rolling stock factories
UK: There is a risk of losing industrial capabilities and skilled workers unless the government takes decisions needed to enable the replacement or upgrading of the oldest rolling stock, according to a report from the Railway Industry Association. RIA says current orders are set to end ...
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Rail Business UK
London Day Travelcards could be scrapped to tackle funding shortfall
UK: The Mayor of London has directed Transport for London to give notice that it will withdraw from the Travelcard Agreement. This would mean that Day Travelcards valid across most public transport in London would cease to be valid on TfL-sponsored services from January 2024, effectively ...
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Rail Business UK
Arcadis to lead Leicester station refurbishment
UK: Plans are being developed for a major restoration of Leicester’s Grade II listed station along with improvements to the public realm and commercial offerings. The project is being undertaken by Network Rail, Leicester City Council and East Midlands Railway. Arcadis has been appointed as lead ...
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Rail Business UK
Skills academy to provide route to rail careers
UK: Young people in Fife are being offered the opportunity to join a Rail Skills Academy launched as part of the Levenmouth Rail Link project. The nine-week full-time course delivered by QTS Training will equip the 12 participants with entry-level competencies, skills and experience to help them ...
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Rail Business UK
More than 100 000 responses to ticket office closure consultation
UK: Transport Focus and London TravelWatch have so far received more than 100 000 responses to the public consultation on proposals to close the majority of ticket offices in England. The consultation closes at 23.59 on July 26. ‘There’s still time to respond to the consultation ...
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Rail Business UK
UK railway news round-up
This week’s round-up of business news from the UK railway industry.
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Rail Business UK
Government confirms Integrated Rail Plan to be updated
UK: The government has formally responded to recommendations made by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee in its 2022 report into the £96bn Integrated Rail Plan for the North & Midlands, which had been announced in 2021. In its response published on July 13, the ...
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Rail Business UK
‘Fully staffed’ TransPennine Express ‘needs to become simpler’
Recently appointed interim Managing Director of state-owned TransPennine Express, Chris Jackson tells Rail Business UK about his plans to revive the fortunes of the struggling operator.
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Rail Business UK
Disabled passengers need more reliable assistance, regulator says
UK: More reliable and consistent assistance needs to be provided for disabled passengers, the Office of Rail & Road said when it published its 2023 annual rail consumer report. ORR found that when passengers receive assistance there is high satisfaction, up from 86% to 90% year-on-year, ...
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Rail Business UK
Call for government to fund Ely Area Capacity Enhancements
UK: National, regional and local business and transport leaders have written to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor calling for funding to be agreed for the £466m Ely Area Capacity Enhancements programme. This would address sections of single track, restricted speeds, level crossings ...
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Rail Business UK
Avanti West Coast launches real-time interactive train map
UK: Technology company Signalbox has developed a customised interactive live map for Avanti West Coast’s website which enables passengers to track their train in real-time. This builds on Signalbox’s technology which tracks and maps National Rail trains. Users can follow the service on which they are ...
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Rail Business UK
LNER Azuma reaches London Liverpool Street station
UK: A trial LNER train has run from Finsbury Park to London Liverpool Street as part of a project to assess the feasibility of diverting services during planned disruption or significant engineering works on the operator’s route into King’s Cross. Hitachi Azuma bi-mode trainset 800 201 ...