Rail upgrades confirmed by government
Investment in rail and road schemes announced in last month's spending review has been confirmed by the Department for Transport, but one transport campaigning group has criticised the proportion to be spent on new roads.
The Black Country Innovation Manufacturing Organisation in Dudley has been placed in Administration. BCIMO included the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, and the site had been well known for testing a Very Light Rail system, which is planned for Coventry.
Work to modernise the Liverpool to Wrexham line is going ahead. Upgrades on the line at Padeswood have been confirmed as the first major step to run more trains.
Several open access proposals being considered by the Office of Rail and Road have been rejected. They include three from Virgin Trains as well as one each from Alstom and FirstGroup.
Network Rail and British Transport Police have launched a campaign to tackle the rising number of sometimes fatal incidents on the railway, many of them at level crossings. Two new safety films have been produced which are intended to give their audiences ‘a powerful emotional impact’ by showing the real consequences of hazardous behaviour.
The contract to run the Royal Train will not be renewed when it comes to an end in March 2027, as part of wider efforts to reduce costs at the Royal Household which are being encouraged by the King. The special journeys made on the set of up to nine coaches will be replaced by two helicopters, although the royal family will continue to travel by service trains.
The Department for Transport appears to have hardened its stance over more open access, partly on the grounds that these services could siphon off unacceptable amounts of revenue from operators controlled by Great British Railways.