A later pm edition today... after a day down to Tonbridge to see something of the project involving GBRf and Network Rail to keep the railways moving..(more in another edition!)
Rail Freight Group will have been encouraged by the remarks made at its recent year end lunch to develop a better freight railway for Britain, and keep lorries...and congestion..off the roads..
Groupe Eurotunnel makes an announcement regarding communication ..4G in the tunnel!
Stagecoach..majority partner in Inter City Railways..and soon to run the East Coast Mainline.. comes under fire for remarks made about the affordability of the pensioners' free bus pass... and share prices fall......
And Alstom sets a speed record....... in Poland....
Click on the links.....
Headlines
UK
Translink says bus and rail fares will rise in February.(BBC News)
Stagecoach shares down after bus profits warning.(BBC News)
Norwich-bound train derailment passengers reported 'rough ride'.(BBC News)
A better freight railway for a better Britain.(RFG)
Trains in Europe: From the Channel to the Balkans, it is getting better .(The Independent)
Groupe Eurotunnel
12 December 2014
World First: 4G in the Channel Tunnel To bring Ultra High Speed Mobile Communications to 21 million Passengers. Launch at a Live Undersea Concert
Eurotunnel is always looking to innovate and now, working with EE, O2, Vodafone UK and Bouygues Telecom, it is about to introduce 4G mobile services in the Channel Tunnel, from 12 December. This development will enable passengers to access content and services and will speed up data flows throughout the journey between the UK and France in both directions, 100 metres below the sea and over 100% of the network.
In a sparkling demonstration of what 4G can bring to the Tunnel, a live concert by French pop/rock group Archimède will be broadcast live from a Shuttle travelling at 140 km/h in the north running tunnel at 18:00 on Friday 12 December on French channels LCI and France3 Nord-Pasde-Calais and the BBC.
Bringing mobile coverage to the Channel Tunnel is a remarkable feat of technology: the equipment is installed 100m below sea level with Eurotunnel’s Shuttles running on a high speed rail network through the Tunnel. 4G will bring data download speeds up to 10 times faster than the existing 3G network. It will enable passengers, on both Le Shuttle and high speed passenger trains, to use their phone or tablet anywhere in the Tunnel to listen to music, watch videos, download and share data as easily as they can at home.
To keep ahead of the competition, Eurotunnel invests continuously to bring the latest technologies to its Le Shuttle transport system and to respond to the growing demand for communications from passengers.
Eurotunnel Chief Operating Officer, Michel Boudoussier stated; "This new service means we can offer our customers incredible connectivity and astonishing access to mobile services, bringing better information for passengers, allowing them to remain operational and make their journey a real opportunity to relax".
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PTEG - The Voice of Urban Transport
PRESS RELEASE
12/12/14
TRANSPORT COMMITTEES RESPOND TO STAGECOACH CHIEF’S ATTACK ON OLDER PERSONS BUS PASS
Cllr James Lewis, who chairs the group of six transport committees serving the six largest city regions outside London, said:
‘The comments by Stagecoach Chief Executive, Martin Griffiths, about the concessionary bus pass for older people being unaffordable, whilst complaining that he and his company are underpaid, are shocking and deplorable. That anyone who operates in an industry that is dependent on public subsidy, and is relied upon by the poorest in country, could think that six monthly profits that have risen to nearly £125 million are not enough, shows that this a company that is out of touch with the people who use its services and the taxpayer that subsidises them. The fact is that there are millions of older people on low incomes for whom the concessionary pass is a lifeline. Research by KPMG for the bus industry funded Greener Journeys, also showed that there are substantial economic benefits from the concessionary pass. The study found that for every pound spent on concessionary bus travel there are benefits of £2.87 as the pass helps tackle the health costs associated with people being stuck in their own homes, means more shopping on the high streets, saves on specialised transport, reduces congestion on the roads, and enables older people to contribute more to society as a whole. Martin Griffith’s comments also illustrate why we are seeking the powers we need to regulate bus services properly so that the needs of local communities can be put before those of big corporations like Stagecoach who have made a mint out of their local monopolies and have, it would appear, become too comfortable, and lost their grip of economic realities, as a result.’
ENDS
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HS2 signs construction pledge
HS2 becomes 100th organisation to sign Government’s health in construction pledge
HS2 will today (11th December) sign up to the Construction and civil engineering industries pledge and five other pledges from the Department of Health’s Public Responsibility Deal, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the health, safety and well being of its employees.
The six pledges cover a range of areas including:
- A health and well being strategy for staff and contractors as the project moves towards construction;
- Use of accredited occupational health providers;
- Implementing regular staff health checks ;
- Procedures to support staff with chronic conditions;
- A programme of activities relating to mental health and well being;
- Facilities for cyclists and runners;
HS2 Chief Executive, Simon Kirby said:
“Thoughtful and inclusive management of our employees’ health, safety and well being can bring real benefits including better staff engagement, improved productivity and reduced staff turnover.
“The pledges we are making today are for all members of our staff and our supply chain.
“Through signing the Responsibility Deal, we recognize the importance the workplace plays in maintaining the mental and physical well-being of our staff.”
Dame Carol Black, Chair of the Responsibility Deal health at work network, added:
“Over the past year, the Public Health Responsibility Deal has been engaging in a sector-specific way. Working with the construction industry, we have developed a construction pledge with 99 construction companies now signed up to it.
“We are delighted to have high-profile rail companies like Crossrail and now HS2 joining the Responsibility Deal and we feel sure that this will encourage other rail companies to do the same.”
735 partners have now joined the Responsibility Deal and HS2 is the 100th organisation to sign the Construction and Civil engineering pledge.
Minister visits station upgrades in Manchester
Major investment in rail in the north will deliver much needed improvements.
Transport Minister Baroness Kramer witnessed crucial works to upgrade stations in Manchester and inspected one of the UK’s largest rock salt mines today (11 December 2014).
The minister went to see the extensive refurbishment and remodelling of Manchester Victoria station, a project which is part of a wider £1 billion-plus Network Rail Programme to deliver electrification and the Northern Hub scheme to improve rail services across the north of England.
The work has been undertaken to redevelop the station to support increased passenger numbers.
Baroness Kramer said:
Good transport links are at the heart of the government’s plan to build a stronger economy. I am pleased to see that Network Rail and the on-site team have been able to deliver this scheme whilst maintaining an operational railway.Earlier in the day she opened Guide Bridge station in Greater Manchester, which has benefitted from £1.7 million of investment from the government and Network Rail.
The transformation of the station will see the listed heritage elements of the station maintained and restored as well as the rest of the station brought up to date to act as a fitting gateway for the city.
The recently completed works have seen a number of improvements, lifting it from a somewhat neglected state to a modern and appealing environment for rail passengers.
The work includes a brand new car park and the installation of CCTV cameras across the station. A new ticket office building installed with a ticket vending machine will make it quicker and easier for customers to purchase tickets. Improved lighting has also been introduced throughout the station.
Baroness Kramer commented:
The minister also visited a salt mine in Winsford, Cheshire, one of the largest sources of natural rock salt in the UK. It is used by the Highways Agency and local authorities to grit roads. The visit forms part of the government’s work to ensure the transport network is prepared for severe weather.Guide Bridge station is one of many stations that has been transformed by the National Stations Improvement Programme. I am pleased that thousands of rail passengers are benefiting from these changes at this station every day.
Advice for travelling in severe winter weather.
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International
Italy
FS Italiane launches airport high-speed rail services.(Global Rail News)
USA
Team Chosen For Second Phase Of High-Speed Rail (CBS Local)
www.progressiverailroading.com
- Federal spending package would preserve transit, cut TIGER dollars
- Wisconsin completes purchase of 70-mile UP line
- Amtrak's Coscia, SMART's Previsich ask Congress to boost passenger-rail investments
- AAR traffic report: Railroads got off to a good start in December
- PANYNJ OKs study for proposed PATH extension to Newark airport
- STB again tops PPS list of best workplaces among small federal agencies
- SEPTA appoints McCormick legislative affairs director; Florida commission seeks candidates for transportation secretary
- New chairmen installed for North Carolina ports authority, national soybean coalition
Other Railway Press
World Bank signs $1.1bn loan agreement for India's Eastern DFC project
The Indian Government and World Bank have signed a $1.1bn loan agreement for the second phase of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in the northern part of the country. Burnie Port to undergo rail and freight transport improvements
Tasmania's Port of Burnie is set to receive $12m worth of improvements on its rail and freight transport facilities in the next few weeks.
Russia suspends rail services to CIS countries
Russian Railways has suspended its train services to Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan for a period of one year starting from 14 December.
Alstom purchases 25% share in EKZ joint venture
French rail manufacturer Alstom has signed a contract with the national rail company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) to purchase an additional 25% share in the EKZ joint venture.
The Indian Government and World Bank have signed a $1.1bn loan agreement for the second phase of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in the northern part of the country. Burnie Port to undergo rail and freight transport improvements
Tasmania's Port of Burnie is set to receive $12m worth of improvements on its rail and freight transport facilities in the next few weeks.
Russia suspends rail services to CIS countries
Russian Railways has suspended its train services to Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan for a period of one year starting from 14 December.
Alstom purchases 25% share in EKZ joint venture
French rail manufacturer Alstom has signed a contract with the national rail company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) to purchase an additional 25% share in the EKZ joint venture.
Alstom Press Release.
Alstom sets a new high-speed record with its Pendolino in Poland
09/12/2013
Alstom sets a high-speed record in Poland reaching 293 km/h while conducting tests on its Pendolino train on the Gora Wlodowska - Psary line north-west of Krakow.
The record was reached as Alstom was conducting tests in the presence and in partnership with its customer, Polish operator PKP Intercity, to obtain circulation permission for the 20 Pendolino trains ordered by PKP Intercity in 2011. All the tests have been successful so far, which will enable PKP Intercity to start operation by the end of 2014.
The contract signed with PKP Intercity also includes 17 years of maintenance and the construction of a new maintenance depot, to be inaugurated in the first quarter of 2014. The trains will circulate between Warsaw, Gdansk, Gdynia, Krakow, Katowice and Wroclaw.
The previous Polish high-speed record of 250 km/h was set in 1994, also by a Pendolino train. The highest speed recorded to date for a Pendolino train was 283 km/h in Italy in 2007. This technological milestone is another demonstration of Alstom’s excellence in the high-speed and very high-speed market, in which the company is world leader with over 30 years of commercial service experience and has built one out of every three trains in operation in the world.Pendolino is the world's best-selling high speed train (500 trainsets sold).
Certified to operate in 13 countries1, it can smoothly cross seven borders when in operation. With a 25-year return of experience in commercial service and an R&D programme designed to further optimise its performance, this Alstom high-speed train is able to address the needs of all regions worldwide - including North America, Russia, CIS and Asia - willing to develop high-speed transport.
Pendolino is designed to run at up to 250 km/h on both high-speed and conventional lines. Its success rests on its modularity and flexibility. It can be fully customised from interior layout to the number of cars (4 to 11), voltage power supply, gauge and suspension. Pendolino can be operated under extreme climate conditions (up to 45° and -45°C).
It is also available with Tiltronix, Alstom's tilting technology, which enables the train to tilt by up to 8 degrees and still run at 250 km/h, allowing it to travel 30-35% faster than conventional trains with even greater comfort.
Pendolino is mainly produced at Alstom's Savigliano factory in Italy. The Savigliano factory is currently executing contracts for PKP (Poland) and SBB (Switzerland).
1 - Austria, China, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
The record was reached as Alstom was conducting tests in the presence and in partnership with its customer, Polish operator PKP Intercity, to obtain circulation permission for the 20 Pendolino trains ordered by PKP Intercity in 2011. All the tests have been successful so far, which will enable PKP Intercity to start operation by the end of 2014.
The contract signed with PKP Intercity also includes 17 years of maintenance and the construction of a new maintenance depot, to be inaugurated in the first quarter of 2014. The trains will circulate between Warsaw, Gdansk, Gdynia, Krakow, Katowice and Wroclaw.
The previous Polish high-speed record of 250 km/h was set in 1994, also by a Pendolino train. The highest speed recorded to date for a Pendolino train was 283 km/h in Italy in 2007. This technological milestone is another demonstration of Alstom’s excellence in the high-speed and very high-speed market, in which the company is world leader with over 30 years of commercial service experience and has built one out of every three trains in operation in the world.Pendolino is the world's best-selling high speed train (500 trainsets sold).
Certified to operate in 13 countries1, it can smoothly cross seven borders when in operation. With a 25-year return of experience in commercial service and an R&D programme designed to further optimise its performance, this Alstom high-speed train is able to address the needs of all regions worldwide - including North America, Russia, CIS and Asia - willing to develop high-speed transport.
Pendolino is designed to run at up to 250 km/h on both high-speed and conventional lines. Its success rests on its modularity and flexibility. It can be fully customised from interior layout to the number of cars (4 to 11), voltage power supply, gauge and suspension. Pendolino can be operated under extreme climate conditions (up to 45° and -45°C).
It is also available with Tiltronix, Alstom's tilting technology, which enables the train to tilt by up to 8 degrees and still run at 250 km/h, allowing it to travel 30-35% faster than conventional trains with even greater comfort.
Pendolino is mainly produced at Alstom's Savigliano factory in Italy. The Savigliano factory is currently executing contracts for PKP (Poland) and SBB (Switzerland).
1 - Austria, China, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
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