Grand Central follows Hull Trains in suspending open access services
UK: Open access operator Grand Central temporarily suspended all services from the end of April 3, as coronavirus restrictions continue to affect its passenger numbers.
Aventra EMU reaches Liverpool Street
UK: The first of the Class 720 Aventra EMUs which Bombardier Transportation is supplying for Greater Anglia’s commuter services has completed its first test run into London Liverpool Street station.
£40m support package for Wales & Borders services
UK: The Welsh Government’s Minister for Economy & Transport Ken Skates has announced a £40m package of support to ensure the continued operation of a skeleton Wales & Borders rail service during the coronavirus pandemic.
Grand Central commits to revised timetable, but Blackpool launch likely to be delayed
UK: Asked whether Grand Central was planning to follow the other East Coast Main Line open access operator Hull Trains in temporarily stopping operations because of the coronavirus pandemic, Grand Central Managing Director Richard McClean told Rail Business UK on March 30 ‘we remain committed to providing services for the ...
Southeastern given direct award management contract
UK: The Department for Transport has announced a direct award contract for incumbent Govia to continue operating the South Eastern franchise, which covers commuter and regional passenger services between London, Kent and East Sussex.
FirstGroup says new Great Western contract has ‘appropriate balance’ of risk and reward
UK: The Department for Transport has directly awarded incumbent FirstGroup a new three-year contract to continue to operate Great Western services from the expiry of the current direct award on April 1 2020 until March 31 2023, with a possible extension of up to one year at DfT’s discretion.
Hull 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 to be accepted ...
East Coast resignalling partners appointed
UK: Network Rail has selected Siemens Mobility and Atkins as its partners for the programme to roll out ETCS Level 2 train control and traffic management on the southern section of the East Coast Main Line.
Quartz keeps watch to help keep time
UK: Greater Anglia has begun using software which was developed by Amey Consulting for Network Rail to better understand the performance of trains at stations and individual platforms.
Welsh language announcements go live
UK: Transport for Wales has used technology from Amazon and Ivona to develop an information system called Geraint, enabling it to make Welsh-language information available at 171 of the 222 stations in Wales.
London 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.
