This week’s round-up of business news from the UK railway industry.
Translink has announced a three-year strategic partnership with The NOW Group to encourage more people with invisible disabilities to use public transport and raise awareness of the JAM Card which helps people show they need extra time. This will include training for Translink employees and the development of a job academy which will incorporate work placements specifically designed to help participants develop skills and experience.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy has said that he expects recent changes to rail fares made by LNER to be adopted by other inter-city operators too in the medium term. The LNER fare reforms have seen flexible Off Peak return tickets removed in favour of quota-controlled single-leg products that are restricted to a specific train or time window. ‘LNER’s changes to long-distance fares, which have been introduced progressively, have resulted in considerably greater passenger satisfaction with the way in which the fares are arranged now compared with before. I am expecting to see similar arrangements on the West Coast Main Line and on Great Western in due course’, he told a debate on rail revenue in the House of Lords on July 17.
Quattro Group has sold its AB2K subsidiary to a management buyout in a sector-led separation. ‘As our core focus on rail plant has increasingly diverged from AB2K’s construction plant operations, we recognised that it was the right time to part ways’, said Quattro Group Managing Director John Murphy. ‘We’re confident this move unlocks greater value for both businesses: allowing Quattro to continue making tracks in rail, while AB2K digs deeper into what it does best.’
Creative agency Bandstand has developed a multichannel marketing campaign to inspire travel across the c2c network. ’This campaign is about more than just travel — it’s about showing how easy and joyful it is to get out and explore’, said c2c Managing Director Rob Mullen. Cory Eisentraut, Executive Creative Director at Bandstand, said ‘it was a joy to build a campaign that made c2c’s convenience story feel fresh, authentic and completely ownable’.
ORR has awarded Rebel Infrastructure Assets & Operations UK a £140 000+VAT contract to produce a report benchmarking Network Rail’s operations, support, maintenance and renewals expenditure against ’suitably selected’ international rail infrastructure managers. This aims to help the ORR understand whether and to what extent there is a gap between the cost and efficiency of Network Rail’s operations, support, maintenance and renewals expenditure and that of comparators, and the reasons for any differences so the regulator can identify potential efficiency or activity opportunities.
Infrastructure services business M Group has completed the acquisition of digital technology company Telent following the necessary regulatory approvals.
ORR is to commission a review of how leading European rail infrastructure managers such as DB Netz, SNCF Réseau, Trafikverket, Infrabel and ÖBB develop and implement long-term strategies for on-track machines and railway plant, including procurement, deployment, life-cycle planning and efficiency optimisation. The review would identify best practices, strategic frameworks and operational models that the ORR can consider when assessing the adequacy and value-for-money of Network Rail’s machine and plant strategy.
Southeastern is working with educational not-for-profit company Primary Engineer to bring an interactive and fun way to introduce primary school children to the world of engineering.
Network Rail is undertaking market engagement regarding the future provision of non-destructive testing training. This aims to inform the development of a potential procurement strategy and ensure that any future contracting approach is aligned with market capabilities, best practices and innovation in training delivery.
Greater Anglia is to undertake a £1·5m in upgrade of Harwich International station, including replacing the footbridge, staircases and entrance building roof. The work will take place across four weekends throughout September in parallel with Network Rail Anglia’s pre-planned engineering work on the Manningtree to Harwich Town line.
Hull Trains passengers can now donate Delay Repay funds to charity; the charity partner for 2025 is Hull-based PAUL For Brain Recovery which supports people affected by acquired brain injury.
