An increase in the number of passengers travelling without tickets is expected to cost London Midland more than £400,000 if proposals to close some ticket offices and reduce the hours at others go ahead. The figure comes from leaked documents which have been revealed by the RMT union, and follows a controversy last month when DfT emails seen by Railnews suggested that the decision to close some offices had already been made.

The Aslef pensions dispute which is disrupting East Midlands Trains again this week is showing signs of worsening, because the RMT is now also balloting its EMT members for industrial action. The operator's managing director David Horne has described the development as 'extremely unhelpful'.

Merseytravel has launched a programme to replace the ageing fleet of Merseyrail electric multiple units, and says it will start the tendering process later this summer. The fleet running on local lines in and around Liverpool was built more than 30 years ago, and is coming to the end of its life.

More strikes seem set to go ahead on East Midlands Trains, after talks to resolve a pensions dispute broke down. The walkouts involve more than 400 Aslef drivers. Services were reduced or replaced by buses on Tuesday and Thursday last week, when drivers staged 24-hour strikes in protest at company proposals which Aslef claims will 'weaken' their pension arrangements.

A strike by East Midlands Trains drivers is taking place today, while talks aimed at settling the dispute -- over pensions -- are also due to begin. EMT has said it expects to run more trains than during previous walkouts, but extensive disruption is still likely.

Disruption has been affecting East Midlands Trains as Aslef drivers stage another strike in protest at proposals to change their pension plans. Drivers walked out yesterday after two 24-hour stoppages last week, and further walkouts are planned tomorrow as well as on 15 and 17 May, although talks are set to take place.

Pete Waterman has launched a swingeing attack on the Government's approach to training and the effect of its policies on youth unemployment. He told the audience at a Railnews-sponsored presentation at Infrarail that Britain has fallen badly hehind foreign competitors because youth unemployment is rising here through official timidity.

A new 'deep alliance' between Network Rail and South West Trains has started work, putting into effect one of the main recommendations in the McNulty 'value for money' report. A single senior joint management team led by SWT managing director Tim Shoveller now has responsibility for both trains and track on the 'Wessex' routes operating from London Waterloo. The formation of this alliance marks a significant move back towards 'vertical integration' of industry management, although both Network Rail and South West Trains will continue to maintain their own identities.

An incident on the Bakerloo Line of London Underground has been followed by a war of words between Transport for London and the RMT. A train struck an obstruction near Waterloo and Embankment stations early on 26 April, which was also the last day of a 72-hour strike by Tube Lines maintenance staff.

MPs are urging the Government to reveal its reasons for choosing Siemens as the builder of the £1.4 million Thameslink fleet in preference to Derby-based Bombardier. The Government has, however, agreed to publish more details about its plans for future rolling stock orders.

The RMT union has fulfilled its threat to sue the Mayor of London Boris Johnson for defamation, following the appearance of an election poster which it claims links its general secretary Bob Crow with Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone in a damaging way. However, the Mayor's office is shrugging off the development.

Those parts of the rail system which will come under the greatest pressure during the Olympics have been identified. Passengers are being urged to avoid some key hubs this summer, including Bank and London Bridge, by changing their travel habits or simply going on holiday. The transport secretary Justine Greening revealed that Government staff are among those who are being urged to work more flexibly. She said: "We know there will be times where unprecedented numbers of people will be travelling through certain hotspots."

Rail unions have expressed their anger following the revelation that the process of closing ticket offices at smaller stations is progressing further behind the scenes than the government seems prepared to admit. Leaked emails from the Department for Transport suggest that transport minister Theresa Villiers has already agreed to some closures, but RMT leader Bob Crow is describing the development as 'vandalism'.