Railnews.co.uk

• Coucher calls for Government action over level crossing risks
• TfL poised to challenge Tube Lines funding decision
• Manchester Metrolink to grow again
• New £15m entrance for Leeds station is approved, but some doubts remain
• Countdown is on to crucial £400m Tube Lines decision

Coucher calls for Government action over level crossing risks

Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher is urging the Government to take action over level crossing misuse. Mr Coucher wants driving tests to include compulsory questions about how to use crossings properly. There are more than 8,000 level crossings on the National Rail network, and 95% of the 3,000+ incidents annually are being blamed on the actions of vehicle drivers or pedestrians. full story

General Headlines:

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  New £15m entrance for Leeds station is approved, but some doubts remain

  Plans for a new £15 million entrance to Leeds station have been approved by the city’s Planning Committee, but one councillor has slammed the idea as a ‘white elephant’. Metro and Network Rail are developing a new southern entrance which will allow people to get in and out of the station from both sides of the river Aire around Granary Wharf.

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  Passenger Focus calls for ‘right time’ railway

  Passenger Focus is calling for the scrapping of the five or ten minutes margin which is allowed before a train is officially late. Five minutes is applied to commuter services and ten for intercity trains. However, ATOC has responded that it does not need Passenger Focus to remind it that punctuality is important.

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  Network Rail appoints new stations chief

  Network Rail has appointed a new executive to take charge of the 2500+ stations on the National Rail network in Britain, as part of what it is describing as its ‘ambitious plans to transform rail stations’.

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  Construction starts on Borders Railway

  Work on restoring the Borders Railway has officially started, with the launch of ancillary work at Galashiels. The project will bring passenger trains back to the northern part of the Waverley Route between Edinburgh, Galashiels and Tweedbank.

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  Network Rail told to take ‘urgent action’ by ORR over flaws in maintenance plan

  The Office of Rail Regulation has told Network Rail to take ‘urgent action’ to correct some problems with its new maintenance regime, and the RMT union has demanded an ‘immediate halt’ to 1500 job cuts.