Newsham station on the Northumberland Line is to open for passengers on March 17, after the Office of Rail & Road announced its approval on March 10.
Bizie is using the south end of the UK’s West Coast Main Line to test an app which integrates multimodal journey planning and ticketing functions with other service such as car parking, ordering food and drinks from station shops or helping people plan a trip to a football game by train including finding a pub or restaurant. It is envisaged that the app could automatically reschedule services in response to events, for example taking into account real time train delays when pre-ordering a coffee to be ready and waiting at a commuter’s local station.
The last operational day for the Rail Partners association of train operator owning groups will be March 21. The organisation decided to wind down after the government’s decision to take Department for Transport contracted passenger train operations into the public sector.
Network Rail has launched an e-mail services to let people living within 500 m of a railway know about upcoming engineering works, especially those that might cause a disturbance. This is expected to save £1·65 per printed letter. It is expected to take six to 12 months for the service to be fully implemented across the country. Letters will still be sent to notify people not able to access on-line systems.
The Rail Safety & Standards Board has called tenders to undertake research and develop a migration strategy for the transition to FRMCS. This would provide a route map that identifies key stakeholders, UK-specific challenges and key milestones as the groundwork for a more detailed phased route map that could follow.
ScotRail, Network Rail, Perth & Kinross Council, Friends of Blair Atholl Station and the Highland Mainline Community Rail Partnership are undertaking a feasibility study to explore the redevelopment of Blair Atholl station building as socially-rented residential housing.
A ‘safe hub’ has launched at Leeds station, creating a dedicated space where organisations including British Transport Police, Samaritans and the Women’s Night Safe Space group can reach and help vulnerable people. Additional charities are already looking to join the partnership. It operates on a flexible booking system, allowing organisations use the space when their services are most needed.
Rail Operations Group has appointed Brian Ferguson as General Manager of Rail Operations Assets Ltd. Reporting to Group CEO Dave Burley, he will oversee ROG’s investment portfolio with a particular focus on leading the introduction of the Class 93 locomotives.