Train
operators
have
urged
the
drivers’
union
ASLEF
to
accept
reforms,
after
the
union
announced
two
further
strikes
on
railways
in
England
on
30
September
and
4
October,
along
with
overtime
bans
on
29
September
and
also
from
2
to
6
October.
The
union’s
general
secretary
Mick
Whelan
said:
‘While
we
regret
having
to
take
this
action
–
we
don’t
want
to
lose
a
day’s
pay,
or
disrupt
passengers,
as
they
try
to
travel
by
train
–
the
government,
and
the
employers,
have
forced
us
into
this
position.
The
Rail
Delivery
Group
responded:
‘We
want
to
give
our
staff
a
pay
increase,
but
it
has
always
been
linked
to
implementing
necessary,
sensible
reforms
that
would
enhance
services
for
our
passengers.
The
union
have
rejected
a
fair
and
affordable
offer
without
putting
it
to
their
members,
which
would
take
average
driver
base
salaries
for
a
four-day
week
without
overtime
from
£60,000
to
nearly
£65,000.
We
ask
the
ASLEF
leadership
and
executive
to
recognise
the
very
real
financial
challenge
the
industry
is
facing
and
work
with
us
to
deliver
a
more
reliable
and
robust
railway
for
the
future.’

Labour
remains
cautious
about
HS2

The
Labour
Party
has
refused
to
promise
that
HS2
will
be
built
in
full
if
it
wins
the
next
General
Election.
The
party’s
campaign
co-ordinator
Pat
McFadden
has
spoken
in
favour
of
the
high
speed
project,
but
he
said
the
costs
needed
to
be
confirmed
before
the
line
could
be
included
in
the
Labour
manifesto.
The
government
has
already
refused
to
confirm
that
Phase
2
to
Crewe
and
Manchester
is
going
ahead,
while
the
section
between
Old
Oak
Common
in
west
London
and
Euston
station
has
already
been
paused
for
at
least
the
next
two
years,
amid
uncertainty
about
the
design
of
the
station
at
Euston.

Train
contract
decisions
due

The
government
needs
to
make
decisions
soon
about
the
future
of
two
train
operating
contracts
which
both
expire
next
month.
Avanti
West
Coast,
owned
by
FirstGroup
and
Trenitalia,
was
extended
for
six
months
in
the
spring
to
allow
more
time
to
recover
from
operating
problems,
but
runs
out
on
15
October.
CrossCountry,
which
is
run
by
Arriva,
will
expire
on
the
same
day.
Talks
at
the
Department
for
Transport
with
both
operators
are
understood
to
be
in
progress.

Reopening
plan
cut
back

Plans
to
restore
the
passenger
service
between
Burton-on-Trent
and
Leicester
are
set
to
be
cut
back
to
Coalville,
because
there
is
not
enough
capacity
for
passenger
trains
on
the
single
line
onwards
from
there
to
Leicester. Passenger
services
were
withdrawn
in
September
1964
but
the
line
is
still
used
for
freight.
However,
redoubling
between
Coalville
and
Leicester
to
allow
passenger
trains
to
return
is
being
described
as
a
‘significant
infrastructure
investment’.
Network
Rail’s
programme
director
for
the
Restoring
Your
Railways
project
Mike
Smith
said:
‘Network
Rail
is
working
to
further
develop
the
Ivanhoe
Line
project.
Currently,
the
project
is
not
extending
to
Leicester.
However,
this
reconnection
could
form
part
of
a
separate
future
project,
should
the
initial
Ivanhoe
service
prove
to
be
a
success.’
Stations
on
the
line
could
be
at
Coalville,
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
and
Castle
Gresley,
near
Swadlincote.