East Midlands Railway expands Secret Fare discounts
UK: East Midlands Railway has expanded the Secret Fare scheme operated in partnership with Seatfrog, which offers savings of up to 50% in exchange for being flexible with departure times.
ScotRail confirms Class 222 leasing deal to enable withdrawal of HSTs
UK: ScotRail has confirmed a deal to lease 22 five-car Bombardier Transportation Class 222 inter-city DMUs from Beacon to enable the replacement of its ageing High Speed Train fleet.
Ticket validators go live at NI Railways stations
UK: Platform validators are now live in the latest milestone in Translink NI Railways’ Future Ticketing System programme.
Public consultation on West London Orbital rail planned for this year
UK: Funding has been agreed for the development of preferred options for the West London Orbital scheme to introduce inner-suburban passenger services on under-utilised freight tracks in west London.
EDI Charter for Rail Working Group appoints new leaders
UK: Leadership changes have been announced at the EDI Charter for Rail Working Group, which was founded by the Railway Industry Association and Women in Rail.
ScotRail seeks financing options for replacement suburban trains
UK: ScotRail has begun the process of selecting a company to finance and own the electric and battery-electric multiple-units which it plans to order to replace much of its suburban fleet from the early 2030s.
Northern Trains commits to rectifying accessibility failings
UK: Following an investigation by the Office of Rail & Road, Northern Trains has committed to a £550 000 package of improvement measures and to ensuring that its staff receive disability awareness training.
Southeastern gets stuck in with new floor adhesive
UK: Southeastern is using Henkel’s Teroson MS 9320 SF adhesive to bond carpet and Treadmaster TM8 rubber flooring to plywood train floors, instead of the two-part epoxy it previously used.
Management course launch invokes spirit of British Rail graduate scheme
UK: The Chartered Institution of Railway Operators has launched a pilot management training programme designed to develop operational leaders with a whole-system understanding of the rail sector.
Stations funded as Welsh rail prospectus sets out long-term aspirations
UK: The UK government has confirmed funding for seven new stations in Wales, including five so-called ’Burns stations’ on the South Wales main line proposed following cancellation of a major M4 motorway scheme.
ScotRail to introduce £10 minimum fare for ticketless travel
UK: In an effort tackle fare evasion, ScotRail is to introduce a £10 minimum fare for people who purposely board a train without a valid ticket. This will in many cases be more than the standard fare, particularly for short journeys.