East Midlands Railway has introduced GroupSave tickets on the Barton-on-Humber to Cleethorpes line. Groups of three to nine people get a discount of 34% off adult tickets, and can take up to four children for £1 each.
A 30% increase in rail travel is needed by 2035 to achieve the net zero goals set by the UK Climate Change Committee for 2050, according to Trainline. The retailer has called for collective action to inspire behaviour change by showing the impact of switching even one journey to rail.
Fiona Tordoff is to step down as Chief Executive of the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators. Acting Chief Executive designate Annette Shipley will take over at the end of March and oversee the process of appointing a permanent successor. ‘My vision was to make sure the profession had an association which had a full line up of learning and development programmes, an ability to create qualifications and of course the Royal Charter’, said Tordoff. ‘I feel that my mission has in that sense been accomplished.’
In partnership with City of York Council and the Department for Transport, Network Rail has submitted a planning application for a proposed £24m station at Haxby on the York to Scarborough line. It is hoped that construction could start in spring 2025 for opening in 2026.
Network Rail has appointed Jason Hamilton as Route Director on its North & East route from April. He will take over from Matt Rice, who is leaving to join train operator Northern. Hamilton has been a part of the East Coast route’s executive team as Route Programme Director (Works Delivery).
Railway Mission is seeking three trustees with strategic experience in either fundraising, HR and personnel or financial governance to strengthen its board.
Northern has established a network of specially trained staff to help colleagues who experience unwanted sexual behaviour on the railway to access support services and report incidents to the police.
Tees Valley Combined Authority has announced a £40m proposal to develop a transport hub including a park and ride facility at South Bank station.
Trip.com Group’s ticket retailer TrainPal is working with Ecologi B-Corp to fund tree planting. The TrainPal app tracks the CO2 savings achieved from each journey, compared to alternative forms of travel, and enables customers to fund tree planting directly from the app. The app will update customers with a ‘grow your forest’ feature which visually represents the number of trees planted.
Greater Anglia and the Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership have installed a ‘talking bench’ at Chappel & Wakes Colne station, with users able to press a button to hear local history. ‘We hope the new bench gets people talking and brings people together’, said CRP Rail Engagement Manager Jayne Summer. ‘The bench not only provides useful information but is also intended to help tackle loneliness by encouraging people to connect and talk.’