HS2 Ltd has renegotiated two major contracts in a bid to reduce the costs of the project. New contracts have been signed with EKFB and Align which account for more than 100km of the HS2 route between London and the West Midlands between them. EKFB, which is a joint venture of Eiffage,

The RMT has called its 70 members at Manchester Piccadilly who work for Avanti West Coast out on strike again, in a dispute over the allegedly unfair dismissal of one of their colleagues. The 24-hour walkouts are set to be staged on 1 and 29 August, and again on 10 October. The

Trains have returned to a south Devon station which was badly damaged by fire on 21 July. Three boys were arrested on suspicion of arson at Paignton station, and have been given conditional bail, but the line was closed between Torquay and Paignton while repairs and safety checks were carried out. Trains

The Office of Rail and Road has revealed details of how it will cope with railway reforms, and is inviting views before a formal consultation is launched later this year. The creation of Great British Railways will end the need for contracted National Rail operators to have individual licences, but there

The Devon holiday resort of Paignton could be without trains during the start of this year’s peak summer season, after the station was badly damaged by a fire. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the cause was suspicious, and three boys aged 13, 15 and 16 have been arrested

Network Rail has imposed speed restrictions on some lines in the east of England, after prolonged dry weather caused the soil under the railway to shrink. Engineering work to repair the uneven railway which results will be causing some timetable changes from early August. King’s Lynn trains will be four minutes later

The RMT is to stage protest strikes at East Midlands Railway on the first three Saturdays in August as the operator continues to struggle with problems affecting its fleet of new Class 810 Aurora trains, built by Hitachi. EMR has cut back its intercity and regional services so that the number

A new passenger information system is being tested on 38 ScotRail trains in the Glasgow area. Dubbed the On Train Passenger Announcements system, it has been developed by Network Rail, train operators and the Rail Delivery Group. From today, staff in the control centre are able to send announcements directly to trains,

Fewer East Midlands Railway intercity services are running from today, because of problems with the operator’s new Hitachi Class 810 Aurora trains, as well as holdups in maintaining the long-standing Class 222 Meridian fleet, for which Hitachi is now responsible. The Class 810s should have replaced the 222s, but the transition

The first trains to carry the new Great British Railways identity for Anglia have been unveiled at London Liverpool Street station. The event confirmed that regional identities will be carried on GBR trains. Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy joined GBR Anglia managing director Jamie Burles and colleagues from c2c, Greater Anglia and