Crisis at TfL as government clashes with Mayor and unions
The funding debate at Transport for London has reached crisis proportions, as the Mayor of London hit out this morning at ‘draconian’ government plans to increase fares by more than RPI+1 per cent, extend the Congestion Charge Zone to the North and South Circular roads in a year from now and withdraw some concessions. The government is said to be demanding these changes in return for providing more financial support for TfL after the latest two-week funding extension runs out at the end of this month. The Mayor of London Sadia Khan is calling on ministers to publish the taxpayer-funded review into TfL's finances, while the RMT is pledging ‘an all-out campaign of political and industrial resistance’.
A train maintenance contract has been agreed between Bombardier Transportation and Arriva CrossCountry which is worth £248 million over three years. It follows a new award to Arriva by the government.
Work has started to explore the ground on a Northumberland railway which is being proposed for reopening after its passenger services were withdrawn in 1964. The route runs north from Northumberland Park Metro station to Ashington.
The Department for Transport has awarded a three year contract to Arriva to continue running CrossCountry until October 2023, and this new deal will not include significant commercial risk. Sim Harris asks if this is the way forward.
Talks between Transport for London and the Government have resulted in an additional two weeks of emergency funding, which will take TfL to the end of October.
The Department for Transport has awarded a three year contract to Arriva to continue running CrossCountry until October 2023. The new deal will not include significant commercial risk for Arriva, because the terms of the contract are those which apply to the new Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements, with the DfT paying the costs and collecting the revenue. Arriva will be paid a ‘performance-linked’ fee. The RMT has greeted the news by calling for full renationalisation.
Trains are calling at Kintore in Aberdeenshire today for the first time since December 1964. The new two-platform station was built at a cost of £15 million. It is fully accessible, with lifts to the footbridge, and also has a car park which offers 168 spaces – 24 of them equipped with electric charging points. The new station will be served by up to 28 ScotRail trains a day.