Williams Review
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Rail Business UKScottish Government to take over ScotRail in March 2022
UK: The ScotRail franchise is to be taken over by the Scottish Government on the expiry of the current contract with Abellio in March 2022, Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has confirmed. Services are to be operated by an arm’s length Operator of Last Resort, wholly ...
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Rail Business UK
Six post-pandemic challenges for rail in northern England
UK: Opportunities for Transport for the North to take an active role in shaping the post-pandemic development of the rail sector were discussed at the latest Rail North Committee meeting, along with potential changes to fares and ticketing.
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Rail Business UK
‘Resilience not cuts’ says Heaton-Harris as Treasury seeks cost recovery
UK: Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris struck a defiant tone when addressing the Transport Select Committee on November 18, insisting that the government was seeking ‘resilience, not cuts’ from the railway during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Rail Business UK
National Rail Contracts to succeed ERMAs as cost cutting envisaged
UK: The future direction of passenger contracts is becoming clearer, as insiders confirm that successful negotiations between owning groups and the Department for Transport would see franchised operators move from Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements to new National Rail Contracts. NRCs are expected to continue until post-Covid ...
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Rail Business UK
RIA calls for a national rolling stock summit and clarity on the future
UK: The Railway Industry Association has published its submission to the government’s spending review, in which it calls for: immediate publication of the Williams Review and the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, to give certainty to the industry on structure and infrastructure plans; a rolling ...
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Rail Business UK
UK government announces the end of rail franchising
UK:·The government has announced the end of rail franchising, with Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps saying ‘the model of privatisation adopted 25 years ago has seen significant rises in passenger numbers, but this pandemic has proven that it is no longer working’.
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Rail Business UK
Renationalisation mooted as government exerts greater control over TOCs
UK: The Department for Transport is looking to ‘reset’ its approach to railway operations and funding with the introduction of 18-month Emergency Remedial Measures Agreements in September to replace the current Emergency Measures Agreements, according to senior rail sector insiders.
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Rail Business UK
DfT preparing for future passenger franchise options
UK: Having temporarily suspended its franchise agreements with passenger train operators, the Department for Transport is currently considering its options for what may follow the Emergency Measures Agreements announced on March 23.
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Rail Business UK
Franchise decisions imminent, as Shapps targets concession model
UK: Decisions about the future of the Southeastern and Great Western franchises are set to be announced imminently, according to Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps.
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Rail Business UK
No immediate changes to follow Northern nationalisation
UK: The Northern franchise which is currently held by Arriva will be nationalised on March 1, Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps confirmed in a widely-anticipated announcement on January 29. This follows severe performance problems. Last year the Secretary of State requested proposals for the ...
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Rail Business UK
Williams Review to lead to legislation as franchising ‘not the way forward’
UK: Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris confirmed on January 21 that the forthcoming Williams Review into the future structure of the UK rail sector would lead to a white paper outlining reforms to the rail industry structure. Addressing a Westminster Hall debate in the House of Commons ...
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Rail Business UK
Govia Thameslink Railway to pilot fares reform for part-time workers
UK: A scheme to pilot proposed reforms to the national fare structure was launched by LNER on January 2, and on the same date Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps announced another pilot at Govia Thameslink Railway as well as the introduction of a fund ...
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Rail Business UK
Rail industry responds to general election result
UK: Responding to the Conservative victory in the general election held on December 12, Railway Industry Association Chief Executive Darren Caplan called on ‘all parliamentarians to work with the supply sector to deliver a long-term 30-year strategy for rail, which extends well beyond five-year electoral cycles’. ...
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Rail Business UK
Business Travel Association sets out investment priorities
UK: The Business Travel Association has published a pre-election wish-list of its long-term infrastructure investment priorities. For the rail sector, this includes delivering High Speed 2 ‘as currently planned with no reductions in rail links or service provision’, Northern Powerhouse Rail ‘to improve connectivity across the ...
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Rail Business UK
Railway Industry Association responds to general election vote
UK: ‘We hope there will not be significant hiatus in rail work or the development of supportive policy for any longer than necessary’, said Railway Industry Association CEO Darren Caplan after the House of Commons voted on October 29 for a general election to be held on ...
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Rail Business UK
Rail industry responds to Queen’s Speech
UK: Industry bodies have responded to the announcement in the Queen’s Speech at the state opening of parliament on October 14 that ‘proposals on railway reform will be brought forward’. Details of the government’s plans were not given, pending the completion of the review of the ...
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Rail Business UK
Rail Delivery Group CEO to stay on
UK: Paul Plummer is to stay on as Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group rather than go ahead with plans to retire which he had announced in May. On September 3 RDG said that despite attracting a ‘strong’ field of candidates to succeed Plummer, ...
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Rail Business UK
South Eastern franchise competition cancelled pending Rail Review
UK: The Department for Transport terminated the competition for the next South Eastern franchise on August 7, saying it had ‘significant concerns’ that continuing with the process ‘would lead to additional costs incurred to the taxpayer, with no certainty that this would deliver envisaged benefits for passengers ...
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Rail Business UK
Nine recommendations for rail in northern England
Nine recommendations are set out in a review of the Rail North Partnership between the Department for Transport and Transport for the North which manages the Northern and TransPennine Express passenger franchises. UK: Nine recommendations are set out in a review of the Rail North Partnership ...
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Rail Business UK
Industry comments on Williams Rail Review
UK: Organisations from across the rail sector have responded to Keith Williams’ speech in Bradford on July 16 during which he provided an update on the strategic review of the rail sector which he is undertaking for the government. Rail Delivery Group ‘Businesses, communities and passengers across the ...
