UK Rail strikes coming up again
A large part of the UK rail industry is bracing for a new wave of strikes. The long-standing dispute over pay, conditions, and job security remains far from resolution. The strike, initiated by the drivers’...Read more
For sale: the land previously held for HS2 Northern Leg .. or not
The UK government has announced that land previously designated for the now-cancelled northern leg of the HS2 high-speed rail project has had restrictions on its use lifted, allowing owners freedom, and even for sale on the...Read more
Simpler UK fares plans get a mixed reaction
The government-managed London and North Eastern Railway has announced plans to radically overhaul its fare structure. The train operating company proposes to simplify the myriad of different fares available, leaving just three options. They say...Read more
Elizabeth Line popularity tailors a swift shift in Britain’s busiest stations
There are unprecedented numbers of passengers flocking to the Elizabeth Line. That popularity is music to the ears of the backers of the multi-billion pound project. The new railway, crossing London from east to west,...Read more
Network Rail’s key role with California high speed railway
High-speed rail development at home may be faltering, but for the overseas arm of Britain’s infrastructure agency, it’s a different story. Network Rail Consulting Inc, has been awarded a $73.2m (£57.5m, €66.7m) contract to provide...Read more
Scotland’s East Kilbride railway on the cusp of a massive upgrade programme
Work has begun on the £140m (€164m) East Kilbride route electrification and upgrade. Over Christmas, engineering teams were busy demolishing bridges on the route. Two bridges, near Hairmyres, will be redecked to create the room...Read more
Half a billion pound overhaul transforms London’s Central Line
The Central Line carries some of the busiest parts of the London Underground network. Now, it’s set for a step-change in rolling stock provision. Despite the gloomy post-pandemic financial health of the network, things are looking...Read more
FirstGroup make Sheffield and London open access bid
Aberdeen-headquartered transport multinational FirstGroup has applied to run a new London to Sheffield rail service. The private sector transport operator has submitted the first phase of an application for a new open-access rail service between...Read more
A catalogue of calamities blight Britain’s festive railway getaway
There has not been much in the way of festive cheer on the UK railways. Strike action may have come to end (with the considerable exception of London Underground). However, whatever squabbles there may have...Read more
Plenty of work done over Christmas in the UK
It has been a particularly trying time for the field teams at Network Rail, the UK infrastructure agency. Over the festive period, engineers worked around the clock to carry out enhancement and reliability upgrades across...Read more
UK 2023: twelve months on the rails
Reviewing 2023 reveals a year of ups and downs. Downest of them all was probably the ditching of the Manchester leg of the HS2 project, writes UK Correspondent Simon Walton. It was the ultimate slap...Read more
London’s Elizabeth Line is a victim of its own success
Before it became fashionable to berate expensive infrastructure projects, the nineteen billion pound (22 billion euro) Elizabeth Line, was an icon of British engineering achievement. The building of the line, including a massively complex tunnel...Read more
London commuters are the first to benefit from hi-tech signalling in East Coast Digital Project
A milestone has been reached in the deployment of the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP). The first passenger trains controlled by digital in-cab signalling known as the European Train Control System (ETCS) have entered service...Read more