Carbon
cuts
++


The
Railway
Industry
Association
has
warned
that
the
rate
of
reducing
railway
carbon
emissions
is
‘lagging
behind
other
transport
modes
by
some
distance’.
RIA
was
reacting
to
the
government’s
response
to
a
Commons
Transport
Committee
report,
in
which
the
government
says
it
only
‘partially
agrees’
with
the
Committee’s
call
for
a
long-term
decarbonisation
plan.
RIA
technical
director
David
Clarke
said:
‘This
isn’t
just
bad
news
for
rail
decarbonisation,
it
makes
reaching
Net
Zero
by
2050
less
likely.
All
the
government’s
commitments
need
to
be
achieved
if
the
UK
is
to
reach
Net
Zero.
A
lack
of
progress
in
any
one
area
jeopardizes
the
whole
plan.
In
its
response
to
the
Committee’s
report,
the
DfT
says
that
the
Great
British
Railways
Transition
Team
will
“bring
forward
costed
options”
for
rail
decarbonisation,
something
which
we
need
to
see
as
soon
as
possible.
Alongside
this,
we
need
some
flesh
on
the
bone
when
it
comes
to
the
Integrated
Rail
Plan,
including
a
response
to
the
Committee’s
report
on
the
plan,
which
is
currently
eight
months
overdue.’

Interchange
++


Scottish
transport
minister
Fiona
Hyslop
has
opened
the
newly-modernised
transport
interchange
at
Motherwell.
Ms
Hyslop
was
joined
by ScotRail
chief
operating
officer
Joanne
Maguire,
North
Lanarkshire
councillor
Paul
Kelly
and
SPT
chief
executive
Valerie
Davidson.
The
concourse has
been
enlarged,
the
forecourt
improved
and
waiting
areas
upgraded.
Links
between
trains
and
buses
have
also
been
made
more
effective.

Charity
++


The
Railway
Benefit
Fund
is
seeking
a
new
chief
executive
to
lead
the
charity
through
its
next
stage
of
growth
and
development.
Current
CEO
Claire
Houghton
announced
her
retirement
earlier
this
year.
Claire’s
departure
provides
an
opportunity
for
a
person
with
‘vision,
drive, and
passion’,
the
charity
said.
The
deadline
for
applications
is
26
June.