The journey continues...for HS2....Will that also be true for travel in the south west(of UK)?
A first freight journey for GB Railfreight through the Channel Tunnel....
Job creation opportunities with London to Norwich possible upgrade...
Bombardier and CSR Puzhen jointly to develop monorail vehicles.....
And the latest news from "Total Rail", SmartRail World and Eurotransport's Winter Operations supplement...plus some very fair fare offers from Iarnrod Eireann..
Click on the links....
Headlines
UK
South West transport ‘top priority’, Treasury's Danny Alexander says.(Western Morning News)
GB Railfreight operates first Channel Tunnel train - Railway Gazette
Rail fans can get above their station with a tour of Central.(herald scotland)
Talking on the Borders Railway line.(Midlothian Advertiser)
Borders to Edinburgh railway: Roadworks hit by fresh delay.(BBC News)
Trapped Borders Railway worker cut free.(BBC News)
Redhill commuters demand London Bridge disruption discount. (BBC News)
London to Norwich line: Upgrade could boost job creation.(BBC News)
Electrical and Electronic Engineering graduate programme - Network Rail
Parliament.uk
Transport Committee publish Government Response to Security on the Railway.
Special Report: Security on the railway: Government Response to the Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2014-15
- Committee's report: Security on the railway
- Inquiry: Security on the railway
- The Transport Committee
The Reports will be available on The Stationery Office (TSO) Ltd’s and the Committee’s website shortly after the publication hour has passed: Transport Committee Publications.
GOV.UK
The HS2 journey
Claire Perry speaks about the 'HS2 journey' made so far at the National Rail Conference in Birmingham
Good afternoon everyone.
And thanks for that introduction and welcome.
The Secretary of State is very sorry he couldn’t be here today (5 November 2014). Though I’m delighted to take his place. I would like to talk about 3 things today.
First, to review where we are on our HS2 journey.
Second to talk about the real, and possibly unexpected benefits HS2 is delivering in terms of engagement across transport.
And third to gently challenge, you the experts, along with the rest of the industry, to move from thinking of the passenger railway as an engineering puzzle to be solved.
To thinking of it as a service that facilitates the movement of people.
The HS2 journey
Well, we’ve come a long way since the Conservatives first proposed a new high speed rail network for Britain. Plans developed in opposition were taken forward in government. The case for the new HS2 line has been made, around capacity, regeneration, connectivity.And the debate has moved on from whether to build HS2. To how we should build it. There’s real pace and progress to HS2 now. As we move from planning to procurement And as the Bill completes its journey through Parliament. And that’s important.
Because breaking ground on HS2 is really just around the corner. Subject to royal assent, construction starts in 3 years’ time. We’ve gained valuable experience building world class infrastructure in recent years.
Britain does Big Engineering again
After High Speed 1, and Terminal 5 at Heathrow, we staged one of the best Olympic Games in history. And we’re building Crossrail and Thameslink together.We’re fortunate to have many major companies helping us deliver these schemes. But we also understand that for smaller companies. Suppliers, technology providers, designers, engineers. Gearing up for HS2 presents a challenge and a risk.
They have to be confident that their efforts will be worthwhile. That this project won’t go the same way as countless others over the past few decades. Well our message to the industry today is this: Plan ahead with confidence. Be ambitious. Because HS2 will be built – both Phases. On time and on budget.
This isn’t just another transport scheme. It’s part of the promise we made to the country. The promise we made to get our economy motoring again. And to get people working again with the security and dignity of a pay packet. And the promise we made to put transport at the heart of our growth strategy. It’s not just transport ministers saying this. It’s the Prime Minister and the Chancellor.
And vitally, we’ve secured overwhelming cross-party support for the Bill in Parliament. So when you look at where we were four and a half years ago, we’ve made considerable progress.
Not so long ago, a British government would have raided the rail budget in times of austerity. But we did the opposite. Because transport, and indeed infrastructure investment is a vital component of economic growth. It’s mandatory, not optional, if you believe Britain’s best days are ahead.
We’re changing the way Britain thinks about infrastructure and transport. And of all the schemes we’re taking forward, HS2 is the biggest. Nothing else will provide Britain with the space it needs to prosper. Nothing else will offer the same transformational impact on cities like Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds.
And nothing else will provide such opportunities for the railway industry. The question is, how to exploit those opportunities to the full.
Which brings me to my second point- engagement.
I, like others, have been surprised and delighted to see what is happening on the ground in the cities HS2 will reach, and the broader impact on the rail supply chain. As the project develops, the momentum is spreading from central government to the regions.
That is why we are supporting the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership with £2.5 million. To develop a locally-led HS2 Growth Strategy. The experience of Birmingham and Solihull preparing for HS2 may be used as a model for other cities during Phase 2. We are also urging different regions and groups to collaborate.
One such collaboration is Midlands Connect, a strong partnership between Midlands LEPs, Network Rail, the Highways Agency, local authorities, and business. We’ll also see greater partnerships in the north – to create the Northern Powerhouse that the Chancellor has spoken about in recent months.
In Manchester, a directly elected Mayor will gain powers over transport. And 5 Northern cities have come together to propose the One North transport plan. We’ve consulted with suppliers early, so they’re ready for what’s to come. This was something the HS2 Growth Taskforce encouraged us to do.
Just as it asked us to make opportunities accessible for businesses of all sizes. We’ve listened and responded to what you told us. Your feedback has been instrumental in the development of our procurement strategy. For example in the key areas of skills and apprenticeships.
We’ve now committed to at least 2,000 apprentices through HS2. More than double the number created by the Olympics and Crossrail together. And skills is now one of our strategic priorities for procurement.
That was re-affirmed recently when we announced that the new National College for High Speed Rail will be based in Birmingham, with a further site in Doncaster. Giving specialist vocational training to the next generation of engineers working on HS2 and beyond. So the dialogue we’ve developed over the past year has been crucial.
More than 589 separate businesses attended our London supply chain conference. And 518 were there in Manchester. So the response has been fantastic. And we will continue to engage with the industry.
But I also want to engage with a group who sometimes feel as if they have come last in railway thinking in recent years…..passengers.
Passengers
HS2 is the first new north-south railway in this country since Queen Victoria was on the throne. And that gives us a clean slate. To think about how we put the passenger at the very centre of everything we do.Rolling stock; station facilities; marketing; ticketing; web strategy; social media; links to other transport. With HS2, we are starting afresh. And that will reflect on the rest of the railway. Where the industry is not delivering for passengers today.
It’s a wake up call. Passengers aren’t numbers or market share. They’re people, with very human concerns about the service they’re getting. We need to earn back their trust. And I must say stories all over the media about station ticket machines that give passengers a different price to that at the ticket counter is not the way to do it.
That sent out a terrible message. And it reflected on the whole railway. Detracting from the really exciting message that this is genuinely the start of a renaissance for rail.
We’re not just building HS2. We’re spending £38 billion on the existing network over the next 5 years. That money will help deal with the overcrowding that has come about from booming demand. But that is not enough
We should be an industry that delivers exceptional customer service. An industry focused on every passenger as an individual. But we hear every day that passengers are unhappy. We need to do better.
So I’ll make this commitment.
Whatever you do to make passengers happy. That’s practical and affordable and can happen now. We’ll support it.
Just because the rail industry hasn’t done it before doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. Just because it’s not specified in a franchise agreement also doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. As long as it results in better journeys, better value, or better service, we’ll consider it.
But we want YOU to do what it takes to make your passengers happy. Tell us about it afterwards. Or tell us first if you need help and support. And share it with other operators too. My team are great at many things
But we are not running Britain’s railway – you are. Having said that, I know the importance of the Department “signalling” what it wants to see.
So signal 1 says: You are moving people, not rolling stock
And signal 2 says: we need shorter-term solutions to overcrowding across the country, especially on non-electrified track – perhaps it is time to look at buying or building some clean, complaint DMUs
Because passengers are fed up waiting for change. The real goal is getting people to feel as if they have a stake in their railway. And that they see the benefits now. In railway speak, CP6 is just around the corner
In human terms, it’s an age – a child born today will be in their second year of Primary school before we get there. We want people to feel proud of our rail industry again. And let me take a moment to commend something that is happening UK-wide and is having that effect.
Community rail.
Up and down the country, grassroots organisations are doing fantastic work linking local railways with the communities they serve. From station refurbishments, to secure travel schemes, artworks, gardens and initiatives to support local tourism. The range of projects is remarkable.And there’s a strong link here with HS2. HS2 is stimulating debate at local levels about a whole host of issues.
How to improve connectivity with other transport networks.
How it can help communities.
There’s real excitement about the possibilities. So let’s use that enthusiasm to raise standards on the wider network.
HS3
As HS2 develops, this momentum will grow. And let me tell you - we’re not just looking beyond Phase One, from London to Birmingham. We’re looking beyond Phase Two.That’s why the Prime Minister has given the green light to develop HS3. The east-west high speed link connecting the north’s great cities. Proposed by Sir David Higgins. This would be the biggest ever investment by a British government in the north of England. So HS2 is just the start.
Conclusion
We’re ambitious about what we can achieve with HS2. So the industry should be ambitious too. We’re about to embark on a hugely exciting venture. A new railway that won’t just be fast, wonderful to travel on, and stunningly designed.But will also be an engine for growth. A catalyst for change - in our cities, our communities, our economy, and ultimately our country.
But let’s also use it as a catalyst for change on the classic railway. A new start for passengers, too. A chance to make all of us proud of our great British railways
Thank you.
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International
Bombardier Press Release..
Bombardier and CSR Puzhen Announce Joint Venture for Monorail and Automated People Mover Projects
New deal to bring advanced BOMBARDIER INNOVIA Monorail and INNOVIA Automated People Mover (APM) technologies to China for urban and airport transportation
Pierre Attendu, President, Systems division at Bombardier Transportation said: “This agreement demonstrates the firm commitment of both parties to develop a long-term industrial partnership that addresses China’s urgent need for urban and airport transportation.”
Jianwei Zhang, President of Bombardier China said: “We are proud to continue to take an active role in the future of China’s rail industry with CSR Puzhen. Together, we will offer cost-effective, medium-capacity INNOVIA transit solutions that can help China’s cities to meet their public transportation needs efficiently and sustainably.”
Bombardier is a global leader in the turnkey transit system segment. Bombardier’s proven INNOVIA APM technology is in operation at 25 locations across the globe, including an urban system in Guangzhou, China as well as at the world’s three busiest airports; Atlanta in the USA, Beijing in China and London Heathrow in the United Kingdom. The new generation INNOVIA Monorail 300 system is the most advanced and desirable monorail system on the market and is currently being delivered in São Paulo, Brazil and for the new King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Africa
TRANSNET SIX MONTHS RESULTS
BBQ AWARD FOR TFR CEO GAMA
TRANSPORT UNIONS RENAMED AFTER MERGER
MOLEFE DEFENDS TRANSNET LOCO PURCHASES
GRINDROD BUILDING LOCOS FOR AFRICA
ETHIOPIA’S RAILWAY IS 98 YEARS OLD
MOMBASA-NAIROBI STD GAUGE HALTED
More details....here
Argentina
China
The 530-kilometer rail link -part of the 1,776-kilometer Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed railway, and started in January 2010 - connecting Urumqi and Hami, will open on 16th November 2014, according to China Railway Corporation.
France
Germany
USA
Compressed natural gas-powered hostlers at intermodal facilities help fuel CN's sustainability drive
Other Railway Press
Why has high-speed rail become one of China's most powerful assets?
Record breaking train strike in Germany, as drivers declare they want a pay rise
"New" Alstom achieves record order intake, and predicts a prosperous future
Video: The new tube for London
Record breaking train strike in Germany, as drivers declare they want a pay rise
"New" Alstom achieves record order intake, and predicts a prosperous future
Video: The new tube for London
SmartRail World
Today SmartRail World is again reporting live from the 5th Annual CBTC World Congress and SmartMetro showcase in Central London. This morning’s focus was on how to adapt to changing technology and create intelligent networks. In an increasingly urbanised world the IT and digital revolution gives metro systems an opportunity to improve service and evolve business models.The huge quantities of data now generated offer huge potential but navigating it can be a chalenge. And existing business models need to be adapted to fully explout these opportunies. What really is an intelligent network? There are lots of buzz words like ‘big data’ are often used when analysing this area, but let’s here from some experts in this area…
“For us CBTC is a superhighway between the train and trackside systems” - Tan Yih Long, Project Director, Resignalling, LTA (Singapore)
“Without the driver. We are sometimes asked is the train safe? It is. But we monitor the train constantly with CCTV to alleviate these concerns… We also redeploy the driver to be on the train as a roving officer. This offers more customer service and makes it more Commuter centric. “- Tan Yih Long, Project Director, Resignalling, LTA (Singapore)
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Increasing safety and capacity for US railroads
Dear colleague,
Now in its 5th year, the PTC World Congress is the definitive and only dedicated event for all professionals involved in meeting the mandate for PTC and safe and reliable rail operation. Attended by 300 rail safety and operation experts annually, the congress aims to help railroads and commuters not only install PTC, but do so cost effectively to improve services long term.
This leading event is now open for business and in the ‘deadline year’ there’s never been greater interest in working with us. So contact us today to find out your options!
NEW for 2015: With the need for rail to meet and capitalise on this growing demand, 2015 also sees the introduction of the Rail Capacity Summit. Co-located alongside the PTC World Congress, the summit will address how demand is managed, challenges overcome, demanding cargoes delivered, clients satisfied within a developing sustainable, interoperable rail networks. All of course maintained on a safe and growing network.
“I learn more in a networking coffee break at PTC World Congress than I do at any other industry event” - Steve Hooper, ex-Director of Operations, Panama Canal Railway“The centerpiece of discussions on Positive Train Control in the US” - Steve Zwart, Customer Director, Alstom
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UK's Colas Rail to deploy HaCon's train planning system
UK rail freight operator Colas Rail will deploy Germany-based HaCon's train planning system (TPS), in a bid to integrate with Network Rail's TPS Enterprise solution.
Network Rail acquires 105 leased rail freight sites UK rail freight operator Colas Rail will deploy Germany-based HaCon's train planning system (TPS), in a bid to integrate with Network Rail's TPS Enterprise solution.
UK's Network Rail has acquired more than 105 leasehold sites from three of the country's biggest freight operating companies.
Chinese-led consortium wins Mexico high-speed rail project contract
Mexico's Transport and Communications Ministry has awarded a contract to Chinese-led consortium for the construction of a multi-billion dollar high-speed passenger rail link between Mexico City and the central city of Queretaro.
Cubic NextWave transit platform integrated with oti's Wave NFC device
Cubic Transportation Systems and On Track Innovations (oti) have partnered for the integration of oti's Wave near-field communication (NFC) device into the former's NextWave mobile mass transit platform.
Enjoy the ultimate luxury shopping experience by taking the train to Kildare Village for a great day out with family or friends surrounded by over 60 of the world’s biggest brands offering up to 60% off all year round.
It only takes 35mins from Heuston station and then hop on the complimentary shuttle bus which will meet you at Kildare station and drop you at the door of Kildare Village.
For a family day out don’t forget that the complimentary shuttle bus also provides a service to the National Stud and return to Kildare Village.
For a family day out don’t forget that the complimentary shuttle bus also provides a service to the National Stud and return to Kildare Village.
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Get 10% off online now!
Input discount code NLD2757 when booking your rail journey online before 3pm Thursday 6th November 2014 and get 10% off. eurotransport |
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