A project considered ambitious now celebrates its 20th anniversary...and is starting to see a profit...The Channel Tunnel....
This must be good news for the HS2 project.... but still contrary voices are being heard.
Alstom and GE are still flirting, but if no deal arises after the prolonged dance between the parties, then Siemens is waiting in the wings, and probably can-can! We await developments, especially after 7th May 2014 when Alstom make a statement.....
The UK Government opposition has ruffled feathers with its thinking on renationalizing the railways...now that will be some dance...!!
The UITP - Advancing Public Transport newsletter has comprehensive coverage of related railway news. Of interest is the EU's report stating that two thirds of EU funded urban transport projects are "underutilised" ... Now there's a thought...
Click on the links for the full stories.....
Headlines
UK & Europe
GE continues dancing to the French tune as it seeks to win Alstom (FT.com)
High speed rail plans may end up slowing the North East down.(The Journal)
Network Rail bonus scheme reduction proposed.(insidermedia)
Channel Tunnel is 20 years old: In numbers.(BBC News)
Twenty years later: How the Chunnel plans to stay on track (Globe and Mail)
Twentieth anniversary of the Channel Tunnel..Speech (GOV.UK)
Inside the Eurotunnel service tunnel on its 20th anniversary.(BBC News)
Work starts on Brighton station 'boulevard'.(BBC News)
Network Rail seeks contractors for £400m Waterloo upgrade. (theconstructionindex)
Battle looms over driverless Tube trains. (FT.com)
“Renationalisation would be bad for passengers, taxpayers and the country as a whole.”(Rail Delivery group)
Responding to a letter from 30 Labour prospective parliamentary candidates, claiming rail renationalisation would cut commuter fares, Martin Griffiths,
Chairman of the Rail Delivery Group, which speaks on behalf of Britain's railway, said:
"It is wrong to blame private train companies for above inflation increases in the average cost of commuter fares. The annual increase has nothing to do with who operates services and everything to do with government policy.
"Successive governments instructed operators to increase the average price of commuter fares in real terms every year from 2004 to last year. This has meant passengers, rather than taxpayers, have been paying a greater share of the cost of running the railway.
"Commuter fares were held down in line with inflation by the government this year. Train companies supported that decision and government, whatever party is in power, is free to decide what happens in future years.
"Holding up publicly-run East Coast as a model of how to run a better railway is a myth that is equally wrong. Over the last twenty years, Britain's railway has been transformed into the preeminent network in Europe.
"Renationalisation would be bad for passengers, taxpayers and the country as a whole."
Renationalising railways would improve service, claims campaigner.(Nottingham Post)
Train dangers spelled out to children.(The York Press)
www.parliament.uk
Commons Select Committee
Investment in the railway
Inquiry status: Written evidence called forFurther information:
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UK Heritage..
The May issue of EU-Express is out!
This monthly newsletter covers public transport news and updates from a European perspective. You will find below the contents of this third edition.News from our members
- France: Régiolis trains gradually entering into service
- Contactless payment moves a step closer to transforming services for customers on London Underground and rail
- SNCF reports revenue increase in Q1, but SNCF Voyages suffers
- London Tube modernisation set to improve customer service
- Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane net profit increasing
- Alstom to supply 29 Coradia Continental regional trains to VMS in Germany
- Budapest metro on the road to automation
- Deutsche Bahn transported 42 million more passengers in 2013
News from the European institutions
- Commission publishes a report on its achievements
- Commission appoints new Director 'Innovative & Sustainable Mobility'
- Commission publishes first EU Transport Scoreboard
- Two thirds of EU funded urban transport projects "underutilised"
- Ten-T project: Rail bottlenecks in Finland to be eliminated thanks to EU funding
- Ten-T project: Rail in Denmark to benefit from EU support
- French-Italian cross-border rail link study awarded EU funding
- State aid: Commission streamlines handling of state aid complaints
- Commission urges Slovenia towards more transparency in its financing for rail
- Railway safety: Commission refers Austria to the Court of Justice
- Commission VP Siim Kallas announces the release of €12 billion for projects in the transport sector
- EU project ADVANCE proposes a tool helping cities to assess the quality of their mobility plans
- Stakeholder seminar in the framework of the study on the modulation of infrastructure charges to give incentives to equip trains with ETCS
- 1st European Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans to be held in June in Poland
- European Mobility Week 2014: Registrations open
Other news
- Dutch government opts for European train safety system
- UK: Department for Transport unveils plans for £38bn rail investment
News from UITP
- UITP EU Projects Director Umberto Guida on the future of bus in Europe
- The world’s changing mobility habits and the example of Vienna
- UITP Secretary General Alain Flausch on public transport and sustainable cities
- The mobility pass in Strasbourg, interview with Roland Ries
- UITP & ETF sign landmark agreement to strengthen women's employment in urban public transport
- ETF and UITP unite to promote continuous training of professional bus drivers in urban public transport
- 2nd European Electromobility Stakeholder Forum
- Moving Together, the European Mobility Conference 2014
- CIVITAS Forum Conference 2014
- UITP World Congress & Exhibition 2015: Call for sessions and papers
Spain police detain nine in high-speed rail graft probe.(Expatica.com)
Konya orders trams for catenary-free operation - Railway Gazette
Pamplona Capital Management buys Beacon Rail for $450m - Railway Gazette
Africa
The Crazy Train Surfers Who Flirt With Death for Sport (wired)
Americas
Transportation Research Board
Rail Transit Track Inspection Practices
TRBs Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 107: TCRP Synthesis 107, Rail Transit Track Inspection Practices offers information across a range of older and newer U.S. rail transit agencies on track inspection practices and policies.
Since there are no actual rail track safety or maintenance standards promulgated for transit, this report is designed to help to provide rail transit agencies with information that might help it develop its own set of track safety and maintenane standards.
Issues addressed in the report include agency staffing, agency organization and characteristics, track inspection program criteria, training and certification, procurement, and track safety practices.
Project Number: J-07/Topic SD-04
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INDOT receives four proposals for Hoosier State passenger-rail service
Oklahoma selects Watco's Stillwater Central to negotiate purchase of state-owned line
Trailer gain bested domestic container growth in Q1, IANA says
Metra starts construction on Flossmoor Station renewal project
NCTD seeks TIGER VI grant for transit center, names Filippi chief of safety
Operation Lifesaver Canada honors Beaudry with Roger Cyr safety award
Rail supplier news from GE, First Union Rail, Koppers, Bombardier, FreightCar America and NRC (May 6)
Far East & Australasia
Japanese steam locomotive set for revival in Taiwan.(The Japan News)
Knife attack at south China station.(BBC News)
Here’s what our partners have to say about Asia Pacific Rail:
“Southeast Asia is a very important market for us. This conference attracts mainly the operators from this region, which are the people we would like to meet. Asia Pacific Rail is a very suitable platform for us to introduce ourselves to these operators and to discuss business opportunities.”
- Shinsuke Tachibana, Senior Marketing Manager, Railway Systems Division, Toshiba
“This is my 5th Asia Pacific Rail.One of the benefits I get is meeting people; I get to see the change in the rail industry by meeting people. I like the mix in the conference formats, which included more audience participation this time. I like the idea of a mix of experts (operators and solution providers) on the panel; it is really engaging.”
- Rudy Mazza, Asia Pacific Communications Director, Global Sales and Marketing, Alcatel-Lucent
> Download the sponsorship brochure to find out more on our 1-2-1 partnering programme.
Melbourne Rail Link
Melbourne Rail Link
DTPLI on YouTube
Melbourne Rail Link will enable the addition of more services, improve reliability and provide capacity for 30% more passengers in the peak hour.
By adding two new tracks in the inner core of Melbourne's rail system, the project will enable dedicated train lines, each using their own set of tracks - delivering more frequent and more reliable train services for all passengers.
Melbourne Rail Link will also deliver the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, connecting Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross Station.
Other Railway Press
What we're talking about this week:
- Government funds make UK train stations more accessible
- Urban expansion and interoperability in Canada
- The future of contactless payments for rail in London
- General Electric and Siemens in bidding war for Alstom's Energy sector
- Infographic: A brief history of British train travel
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