There has been a widespread welcome for the announcement of a 540km High Speed rail network by the transport secretary Andrew Adonis, but there have been renewed calls for the major Scottish cities to be included in the High Speed plans as soon as possible. ATOC is warning that the plans must make financial sense, and calling for private sector involvement. full story
General Headlines:
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The transport secretary Lord Adonis has published plans for a 540km High Speed network, linking London with the West and East Midlands, Manchester and Leeds, with High Speed trains continuing 'from the outset to Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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The Government is preparing to publish its White Paper on further High Speed lines today. It's expected that a route between London and Birmingham will be at the heart of the proposals, but other major cities are waiting to see what the plans will mean for them.
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Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher is urging the Government to take action over level crossing misuse. Mr Coucher wants driving tests to include compulsory questions about how to use crossings properly. There are more than 8,000 level crossings on the National Rail network, and 95% of the 3,000+ incidents annually are being blamed on the actions of vehicle drivers or pedestrians.
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Plans for a new £15 million entrance to Leeds station have been approved by the city’s Planning Committee, but one councillor has slammed the idea as a ‘white elephant’. Metro and Network Rail are developing a new southern entrance which will allow people to get in and out of the station from both sides of the river Aire around Granary Wharf.
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Passenger Focus is calling for the scrapping of the five or ten minutes margin which is allowed before a train is officially late. Five minutes is applied to commuter services and ten for intercity trains. However, ATOC has responded that it does not need Passenger Focus to remind it that punctuality is important.
