InPost is to install parcel lockers at more than 40 South Western Railway stations, starting with 14 in Greater London. ‘Our stations sit at the heart of the communities we serve, and we want them to offer more than simply a place for customers to travel to and from’, said Jerome Pacatte, Head of Stations at SWR.
Network Rail is to procure a national online key management system to act as the UK’s centralised administration for the cryptographic keys required by each ETCS radio block centre and on-board unit to enable them to communicate securely over GSM-R.
Air Partner’s Redline division has been awarded a four-year extension to its contract to provide security consultancy support to HS2 package C1 contractor Align JV.
Tracsis has won a multi-year contract to provide its TRACS Enterprise resource planning and management system to a ‘major UK rail operator’. This includes the renewal of some existing systems already licenced by the customer, plus significant levels of additional functionality through the TRACS Enterprise Suite, including the ATTUne timetabling software. A second contract covers the provision of remote condition monitoring technology and associated Centrix software and support services, to an existing customer.
RAIB makes five recommendations in its report into a train collision with material washed out from a cutting slope at Corby on June 13 2019.These call for the Environment Agency to work with Northamptonshire County Council, Anglian Water, Homes England, Corby Borough Council and Network Rail to implement an effective flood management system at the location; for NR to identify similar locations prone to safety critical flooding;for NR to provide staff with training and guidance on how to better manage the short-term risks to earthworks while waiting for longer term planned work to take place; a review of procedures for managing stranded trains to identify what emergency equipment is needed; and for NR and train operating companies to make this equipment available for use. A learning point urges non-railway organisations responsible for managing flood risk to include the effect of flooding on railways in their planning.
Network Rail is to carry out a design contest to trial innovative methods for in-service monitoring of vehicle response to track conditions. The aim is to prevent service affecting rough rides, remove speed restrictions more quickly, prevent unexpected track geometry faults and prevent derailment on high risk assets that are not routinely measured dynamically.
HS2 Ltd has adopted the Construction Equipment Association’s Emissions Compliance Verification (ECV) scheme, with a unique colour-coded label fitted to each machine carrying a Datatag ID QR code that provides full emissions data. HS2 Ltd is currently recommending the use of the scheme to contractors and supply chains across the project, while JCB and Hitachi Construction Equipment are now factory-fitting the system as standard to all machines in the UK and Ireland.
Network Rail has awarded track engineering support framework contracts for the Scotland Route to Avidrail and PBH Rail. Minor drainage framework contracts have bene awarded to QTS Group, Stobart Rail and Amalgamated Construction.
Ticket offices at 26 Greater Anglia stations have reopened with limited hours from May 24, having been closed temporarily over the last five weeks in response to the drop in demand as a result of the coronavirus.
Alex Warner has succeeded West Midlands Mayor Andy Street as Chair of the Grand Rail Collaboration, which brings together the West Midlands Rail Executive, Network Rail, passenger and freight operators and other rail industry partners. ‘I’m massively excited by the opportunity to help deliver a shared approach to driving customer satisfaction across the region’, said Warner. ‘Our long-term goal is to stimulate social mobility and the prosperity of the West Midlands and beyond. As well as passengers, I am determined this collaboration focuses intently on the vital role that freight continues to play in supporting the region’s economy.’
Greater Anglia has appointed Stephanie Evans as Environment & Energy Manager.
