Scotland: services down, fares up, passengers blamed
Peak-time fares are here again. Scotland’s transport policy is in disarray, and everyone is blaming everyone else. Hard on the tail of an intractable industrial dispute, which has…
UK strikes: England Deal, Scotland No Deal
There is a breakthrough in the more than two years of damaging strikes across the UK railway network – but not everywhere. A new pay offer to drivers…
Scottish rail staff to strike over pay dispute
ScotRail employees and Caledonian Sleeper staff have voted to strike on two of Scotland’s key rail routes amid a pay dispute, the UK’s RMT union has announced.
ScotRail enforces emergency timetable
After weeks of disruption, culminating in a virtual meltdown of services over the past weekend, passenger services in Scotland have entered an open-ended period of ‘emergency timetable operations’.…
Scotland’s fares concession extended again
Peak-time fares remain suspended in Scotland. Commuters will be spared paying a premium for their work journeys for another three months. The Scottish government-funded “Off-Peak, All-Day” promotion has…
Glimmer of hope in UK drivers’ strike
Monday’s public holiday in the UK was typical. Cloudy with the threat of rain. However, those clouds had a silver lining. There was news of an attempt at…
Leven countdown is less than four weeks to go
Less than a month to go until Scotland gets its newest railway. Progress is being made all along the Levenmouth Rail Link, ahead of the return of passenger…
Harry Potter bridge overhaul: a job for rail wizards
The Glenfinnan Viaduct has been famous for 123 years. Its fame was renewed as the route of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express. Now it is to undergo a major…
Hynes moves on, does Scotland’s railway move too?
It was possibly the least surprising head-hunting move of the year. The Managing Director of Scotland’s Railway and Network Rail Scotland, Alex Hynes, has been appointed Director General…
Britain’s changing pattern of rail travel
When Great British Railways eventually succeeds Network Rail as the infrastructure and management agency for the UK network, it will inherit a much-changed railway. In terms of passenger…
In the UK, the world’s fastest diesels live on
It may no longer be the frontline workhorse of intercity travel, but reports of the demise of the Iconic HST is greatly exaggerated. Ruling the rails has been…
ScotRail launches off-peak all-day fares trial
ScotRail, the operator of the vast majority of services in Scotland has launched a uniform fare structure regardless of the time of day, as a trial. That means rush…
Scotland’s new transport minister gets down to business at Motherwell and Stirling
There may seem to be a revolving door at the portfolio of transport. Both the UK ministry, and the devolved office in Scotland, have been the subject of…
Many UK trains grind to a halt in four days of strike actions
London commuters may be forgiven for feeling it was still full-on dispute mode. Services of the Underground were curtailed by a widespread stoppage yesterday. Today, and on Saturday,…
Network Rail faces legal action over Scottish deaths
Network Rail is expected to be prosecuted over shortcomings that resulted in a fatal train crash in Scotland. The British infrastructure management agency, which is responsible for the…