Government sets new rail freight target
A new target for increasing rail freight has been published by the Government. The aim is to see the volume of freight carried by train to be increased by at least 40 per cent by 2040, and at least 75 per cent within the following ten years. It said the new targets were intended to give the industry confidence to invest.
Stratford International in east London could be set to justify its title at last, 17 years after the station was opened. Channel Tunnel trains have never called there, even during the 2012 Olympics. However, Virgin has now opened the door to the possibility of calling at Stratford, after the Office of Rail and Road granted preliminary approval for a new framework track access agreement through the Channel Tunnel.
A number of GWR stopping trains between Penzance, Plymouth and Exeter have been suspended from today, as the operator continues to struggle with the problems it has been experiencing with 26 ex-Transport for Wales Class 175 units. The Alstom-built 175s, which entered service more than two decades ago on the North Wales main line, were intended to replace GWR's short-formed ‘Castle’ class HSTs, which were becoming increasingly unreliable.
The MP for Corby Lee Barron says his constituents are being 'stranded and left out of pocket' by cancelled services on East Midlands Railway, which he says should be renationalised as soon as possible. The operator has been struggling with problems on its new Class 810 Aurora fleet, and the RMT has called industrial action in protest, saying that on-board safety systems are prone to failures.
Ashford Borough Council and Kent County Council have stepped up their campaign to secure international trains at Ashford by launching a survey, and almost 14,000 people have already responded. Eurostars have not called at Ebbsfleet or Ashford since 2020, but the councils say direct trains to mainland Europe are a 'top priority'.
The first train in public service controlled by ETCS has run on the East Coast Main Line between Welwyn Garden City and Moorgate. Network Rail has revealed that the 08.05 Great Northern service on 31 August used in-cab signalling throughout.
At 06.40 this morning a rather special train left Bewdley in Worcestershire, destination Kidderminster. This was special because it was carrying 'normal' National Rail passengers, who can change at Kidderminster and travel on to Birmingham on West Midlands Railway. It was one of two morning departures, with two return workings in the evening, and they form part of an eight-week experiment to see if there is demand for such a service.