Olympics ++ The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has confirmed that he wants London to host the 2040 Olympic Games, which would trigger more transport improvements. He told MyLondon: ‘We're working with colleagues to get a bid explored. 2032 and 2036 are a done deal. The attraction of a deal for 2040 for London is it would be the greenest Olympics ever – watch this space.’ It is the second time that the Mayor has revealed his ambition. He told ITV last year during a trip to the USA that the cost ‘wouldn’t be humongous’ because the capital was equipped to host the Olympics in 2012, when the Docklands Light Railway was extended.

Strikes ++ Southeastern is the latest operator to warn that strikes by drivers tomorrow and Friday will mean that no trains will run on its network. Southeastern’s operations and safety director Scott Brightwell said: ’If this strike action goes ahead, we’re sorry, but there’ll be no Southeastern train services at all.’ Other operators who do not expect to provide any service during the strikes are Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Govia Thameslink Railway, Heathrow Express, Island Line, West Midlands Trains, Northern and TransPennine Express. Mainland South Western Railway services are expected to keep running because SWR said its drivers are not taking part in the walkouts. However, SWR services through the Hook area will continue to be reduced because two of the four lines are still closed while Network Rail continues to repair a major landslip. 

Viaduct ++ The last of 292 concrete piles that will form the foundations for the longest railway bridge in Britain have been installed at the site of HS2’s Colne Valley Viaduct. Once complete, the 3.4km bridge will carry HS2 over a series of lakes and waterways near Hillingdon on the north-western outskirts of London. Deck assembly began last year, and HS2 said more than 500 metres of the structure is now complete. When finished, the viaduct will take the title of ‘longest railway bridge’ from the Tay Bridge on the east coast of Scotland, which is 3.26km long.