Alex Hynes appointed DfT Director General Rail Services
UK: The Department for Transport has appointed Alex Hynes as Director General Rail Services. He is due to join on a two-year secondment from his current position as Managing Director of Scotland’s Railway on April 15.
ScotRail trials Smart Kiosk ticket machine
TICKETING: ScotRail is trialling a Smart Kiosk ticket vending machine supplied by Cammax which is designed to provide passengers in Scotland with a wider range of ticket options and information.
FirstGroup’s open access performing ahead of expectations
UK: Trading in FirstGroup’s First Rail division has been slightly ahead of expectations due to strong performance at the open access businesses, the company said in a pre-close trading update.
Southeastern launches Social Mobility Action Plan
UK: Southeastern says it is the first UK rail operator to publish a Social Mobility Action Plan.
Rail regulator identifies how assistance for disabled passengers needs to improve
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has identified ways in which the provision of assistance for disabled passengers needs to be improved, following audits of how five operators are meeting regulatory requirements.
Third rail or batteries could replace Southern diesel trains
UK: Govia Thameslink Railway is unable to commit to decarbonisation of its operations unless Network Rail and the Department for Transport agree to fund and implement alternatives to diesel operation on the un-electrified Ashford – Hastings and Hurst Green – Uckfield lines, the operator says in its Decarbonisation Roadmap.
Lumo plans to extend open access services to Glasgow
UK: Open access train operator Lumo is has announced plans to extend some of its London – Edinburgh services to Glasgow.
Northern uses AI to trial British Sign Language announcements
UK: Train operator Northern is working with InfoTec and Signapse to test the use of AI to provide onboard announcements in British Sign Language.
Steve Murphy to leave MTR UK
UK: MTR UK Chief Executive Steve Murphy is to leave ‘to pursue other career goals’, Hong Kong-based transport group MTR Corp announced on February 23.
Procurement of new TransPennine Express trains to learn lessons from past
UK: TransPennine Express has confirmed more details of the trainsets which are to be ordered under the procurement process which was launched following the confirmation of the latest £3·9bn tranche of funding for the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme.
CrossCountry Managing Director leaves
UK: Managing Director Tom Joyner left CrossCountry with immediate effect on February 15.