This week’s round-up of business news from the UK railway industry.
Boring of the 7 km HS2 tunnels from Old Oak Common to London Euston station was officially begun by the Skanska Costain Strabag JV on January 27, with the launch of the first of two Herrenknecht TBMs . ‘Taking the railway into central London is crucial to unlocking its full potential to deliver more jobs, more homes and a long-term boost to the whole British economy’, explained Rail Minister Lord Hendy. The government’s plans for the Euston area are to be taken forward by Euston Delivery Company which is to be established to lead delivery of an ‘affordable and integrated’ transport hub including the new HS2 station, the redevelopment of the existing main line terminus, upgrades to the London Underground station and commercial development across the site.
East Midlands Railway has opened an Assisted Travel Lounge at Sheffield station, providing a ’calm, welcoming and fully accessible space’ designed specifically for customers requiring assistance. It includes accessible seating with integrated charging points, space for wheelchair users, and planters and artificial greenery to create a calm and reassuring environment. Artwork inspired by the Sheffield Winter Gardens has been incorporated into the design and additional features include a help point totem and a water bowl for assistance dogs.
Contractor QTS Group has opened its 14th office, at Pride Park in Derby, following its appointment to Network Rail’s Eastern Region Examination Framework. ‘By leveraging our reactive and small scheme teams, we will be able to offer further efficiencies for Network Rail in the region due to the volume of work being carried out’, said Gary Burnett, Regional Director (England and Wales).
Porterbrook has appointed Bruno Muller as Chief Business Officer, leading a new Services Team incorporating strategy, sustainability, procurement, IT and PMO. CEO Mary Grant said he had been ‘an invaluable member of the team over the last eight years’, adding that she was ’delighted that he is taking on this enhanced role’.
Transport for London has awarded Plowman Craven a £171 708 contract to undertake surveys to support track design for the West London Orbital project to introduce London Overground passenger services from Hounslow to Hendon and West Hampstead using an existing underused freight line.
Northern has announced that Northumberland Park station on the Northumberland Line is to open on February 22, with Bedlington to follow ‘in the very near future’.
Caledonian Sleeper is to offer its passengers Ochil Fudge, with 220 000 pieces expected to be consumed by Caledonian Double, Club Ensuite and Accessible Double cabin passengers this year.
BWB Consulting has appointed Sajjad Akbar as Rail Director. He is a Chartered Engineer with more than 15 years of specialist rail engineering experience on projects including the HS2 Phase 2b hybrid bill, the Wessex Capacity Enhancement Project and the Ordsall Chord bridge. ‘His entrepreneurial spirit and deep understanding of complex infrastructure priorities make him the ideal leader to scale our rail capabilities and maximise the potential’, said Managing Director Dave Hollingsworth.
Corelink Rail Infrastructure commissioned The Hub to conduct commercial due diligence on the sale of its fleet comprising Alstom Class 730 EMUs and CAF Class 196 DMUs to Porterbrook. ‘Drawing on our global experience in rolling stock advisory, we remain uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional support for complex transactions, while continuing to grow and strengthen our team’, said Ben Wilson, Senior Strategic Advisor at The Hub.
The Global Centre of Rail Excellence has extended until March 10 its competition to find a partner to develop renewable energy sources and a data centre on its 700 ha site. ‘We have seen the significant interest there is from the commercial market in the GCRE site as a location for high quality renewable energy and data centre infrastructure’, said GCRE Ltd Chief Executive Simon Jones on January 28. ‘What’s clear, however, is that more time is needed for bidders to develop their proposals.’ The competition is being developed in parallel with GCRE’s separate search for private investment to fund the railway facilities.
Commenting on a Boston Consulting Group report which suggested that ministers should focus investment on energy and digital infrastructure rather than road and rail, Railway Industry Association CEO Darren Caplan said ‘no infrastructure exists in isolation, so it is shortsighted and unhelpful to suggest prioritising one form over another. Rail supports over £40bn in GVA and £14bn in Treasury revenues. A pound spent on rail generates over £2·50 in wider economic benefit, and for every one of the 640 000+ jobs in the rail industry a further four jobs are supported elsewhere in the UK economy. And that’s not even to mention the significant social value of rail investment. The rail network is also the spine onto which future housing, energy and telecoms investment can be built – so Ministers should consider this report in the round rather than in isolation, and consider the benefits of co-ordinating public investment rather than favouring other forms of infrastructure over transport.’
Southeastern’s Sevenoaks and Otford stations are hosting an on-site car club under a pilot scheme with Enterprise Car Club. ‘We are giving club members a seamless way to do the last few miles without owning a car’, said Southeastern’s Commercial Director Alicia Andrews. ‘This is part of our strategy to help passengers complete their first and last mile whether by walking, bike, bus or shared transport so more people can choose the train.’
Richard McGuckin, Deputy Chief Executive of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, ihas taken over as Chair of the Urban Transport Group of transport authorities. He succeeds Transport for Greater Manchester Managing Director Steve Warrener. Melanie Corcoran, Executive Director of Transport at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, has been appointed Vice-Chair, replacing Anne Shaw who was Executive Director at Transport for West Midlands until November when she left to become CEO of the National Transport Authority in Ireland.