All DfT articles – Page 3
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Rail Business UKAvanti West Coast contract extended and Managing Director appointed
UK: Avanti West Coast must continue to regain the confidence of passengers before decisions on its future are made, the Department for Transport said when it announced a six-month extension of the inter-city operator’s contract. The West Coast Partnership contract covers the operation of inter-city services ...
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Rail Business UKRail needs to get out of a pickle, says Minister in Gherkin
UK: ‘The perception that passengers cannot rely on rail is too close to the truth’, Rail Minister Huw Merriman told representatives of the passenger industry.
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Rail Business UKRail reform will enhance the role of the private sector, says Harper
UK: Private sector train operators will have a key role to play in the reformed rail structure, Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper told industry leaders on February 7. Presenting the annual George Bradshaw Address hosted by industry association Rail Partners, Harper sought to set ...
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Rail Business UKGovernment ‘committed to delivering HS2 to Manchester’
UK: The government is committed to building High Speed 2 through to London Euston rather than terminating it short at Old Oak Common, according to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. ‘I don’t see any conceivable circumstance in which that would not end up at Euston’, he told the ...
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Rail Business UKPenalty fares increase substantially
UK: Penalty fares in England and Wales have been increased to a £100 surcharge plus the price of a full single fare for the passenger’s journey on that train. The penalty is reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days. People who fail to pay the ...
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Rail Business UKGWR fleet to shrink further as it abandons Class 769 introduction
UK: Great Western Railway is to hand back all 19 of the Class 769/9 multi-system ‘Flex’ multiple-units to leasing company Porterbrook in April 2023.
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Rail Business UKRail leaders frustrated as DfT tightens grip and cuts loom
UK: Rail Business UK has taken soundings from across the train operating companies, Network Rail and from sources close to the Department for Transport, finding a bleak outlook. Industry leaders fear having to implement stark cuts to rail provision, even if the industrial relations issues plaguing the sector can be resolved.
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Rail Business UKInterview: c2c focuses on climate and community
Sometimes misrepresented as a recently modernised operation, the c2c suburban business which runs trains between London and Essex is in need of investment. Managing Director Rob Mullen sets out his priorities to Nick Kingsley.
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Rail Business UKModernisation and efficiency improvements included in High Level Output Specification
UK: There is ‘an urgent need for continued modernisation and significant efficiency improvements to bear down on the cost of the railway’, according to the High Level Output Specification which sets out what the Secretary of State wants to be achieved from the management of rail ...
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Rail Business UKRail Partners calls for changes to prevent cuts leading to a ‘spiral of decline’
UK: The Rail Partners association of train operator owning groups has called for changes which it says are needed to prevent lower post-pandemic revenues, rising industry costs and delays to reform triggering a ‘spiral of decline’ with a ‘protracted hiatus, stunted recovery from the pandemic and ...
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Rail Business UKEmissions reduction, rail freight and reliability R&D awarded First of a Kind funding
UK: Grants totalling more than £5m have been awarded to 24 projects under the First of a Kind 2022 funding competition organised by the Department for Transport and Innovate UK. ‘We are breathing life into ideas that will revolutionise our railways and make them greener than ...
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Rail Business UKMerriman named rail and HS2 minister
UK: Huw Merriman MP has been appointed as a minister of state at the Department for Transport responsible for the rail and High Speed 2 briefs.
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Rail Business UKMcLoughlin berates government over northern rail failures as disruption set to worsen
UK: TfN Chair Lord Patrick McLoughlin has described the ongoing rail disruption on routes within and to and from northern England as ‘unacceptable’.
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Rail Business UKMark Harper appointed Secretary of State for Transport
UK: New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak named Mark Harper as Secretary of State for Transport on October 25, succeeding Anne-Marie Trevelyan. Commenting on his appointment, Harper said ‘transport affects us all, and I can’t wait to tackle the challenges we face so we can deliver for ...
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Rail Business UKNorthern mayors shift rail disruption blame from operators to ministers
UK: The Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region mayors have moved away from directly blaming train operators for the ongoing disruption to services in the northwest of England, instead saying the Department for Transport’s tight control of finances is preventing deals between operators and their staff. ...
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Rail Business UKRail reform legislation delay confirmed
UK: Delays to the legislation needed to enact reform of the rail sector including the creation of Great British Railways have been confirmed.
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Rail Business UKAnne-Marie Trevelyan appointed as Secretary of State for Transport
UK: Anne-Marie Trevelyan was appointed as Secretary of State for Transport in incoming Prime Minister Liz Truss’s cabinet on September 6. Trevelyan commented ‘transport is crucial to our lives — bringing people together, creating jobs and connecting the UK with the world. Looking forward to getting ...
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Metro Report InternationalTransport for London funding agreed to 2024
UK: The government and Transport for London have reached agreement on a funding settlement running until March 31 2024. This includes just under £1·2bn of base funding and a revenue support mechanism, although there is still a funding gap and TfL is required to consider pension ...
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NewsUkraine-UK transport partnership to support rebuilding of war damaged infrastructure
UKRAINE: The UK and Ukraine have signed an agreement to share engineering expertise for the rebuilding of rail, road, port and air transport infrastructure damaged by the Russian invasion. Further details have also been given of a £10m package of British support for Ukrainian Railways, which ...
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NewsUK and Israel sign MoU to share transport expertise
INTERNATIONAL: The UK’s Department for Transport and Israel’s Ministry of Transport & Road Safety have signed a memorandum of understanding to share expertise on large scale rail projects, which DfT said could lead to ‘fresh business opportunities and potential new jobs’.