Times are changing, with widespread speculation that the government is about to halve the social distancing minimum to one metre. As Sim Harris writes, the railway industry has spent several hectic weeks adapting itself for the original measurement. IT has been a busy time for train operators and Network Rail. There

THE Department for Transport has drawn £7 billion from the government’s contingency fund, partly to support train operating companies through the Covid-19 crisis. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said the money will pay for Emergency Measures Arrangements on the railways, which are known to have cost £3.5 billion so far. Funding has

THE RMT has launched a ballot for industrial action in protest at changes to working patterns at Heathrow Express which could involve redundancies. The union has claimed that 123 posts could be lost. The jobs affected are mobile sales advisors and customer concierges. Heathrow Express said it is planning to

STAGECOACH has lost its battle for compensation against the Department for Transport after its bids for three franchises were ruled ‘non-compliant’ in April 2019 because they attempted to reduce pension risks. The High Court has rejected the Group’s claims against the DfT. Stagecoach said: ‘We believe there were important issues

Keith Fender reports on the construction of the Northern Line extension to Battersea, which has necessitated the construction of a narrow gauge railway under south London – albeit a temporary one. MAJOR tunnelling projects are normally accompanied by construction railways using locos designed for mining and tunnelling – by their nature

THE cost of keeping the passenger railway operating during the Covid-19 pandemic has reached £3.5 billion, according to rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris. He was answering a Parliamentary question raised by Labour MP Ian Mearns, who represents Gateshead. Mr Heaton-Harris said: ‘Since the outbreak of Covid-19 the government has approved £3.5 billion

TRAIN rebuilder Vivarail’s plans to expand have received a boost after it was able to secure a loan worth £1.5 million. The company was founded five years ago and bought many former District Line cars from London Underground. Their aluminium bodies, although some 40 years old, are still capable of being

Face coverings on public transport – and for hospital staff, outpatients and visitors – will be compulsory in England from today. Anyone travelling by bus, train, ferry or plane in England should wear a face covering from today – to help reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission. The new rules coincide with a further easing of

Great Western Railway (GWR) has created eye-catching artwork to remind customers to wear a face covering on its services from today (June 15). The train operator has applied artwork in the form of giant face coverings to either end of one of its high-speed Intercity Express Trains (IET). The ‘masked’ IET will

PASSENGER trains are set to return to the line between Walsall and Wolverhampton, having been withdrawn 12 years ago. Since then, the line has been used for freight. West Midlands Rail Executive said it had agreed a timetable with Network Rail, with trains also calling at Willenhall and Darlaston, which have