Plans to extend pay-as-you-go contactless ticketing to another 47 stations in south east England on 22 September have been delayed because of the cyber attack on computer systems at Transport for London. TfL has also disclosed that financial and other data about its customers could have been obtained by the attackers, and that some services may be disrupted. Chief technology officer Shashi Verma said: ‘The security of our systems and customer data is very important to us. We continually monitor who is accessing our systems to ensure only those authorised can gain access.  We identified some suspicious activity on Sunday 1 September and took action to limit access. A thorough investigation continues alongside the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre. ‘Although there has been very little impact on our customers so far, the situation continues to evolve and our investigations have identified that certain customer data has been accessed. This includes some customer names and contact details, including email addresses and home addresses where provided. ‘Some Oyster card refund data may also have been accessed. This could include bank account numbers and sort codes for a limited number of customers. As a precautionary measure, we will be contacting these customers directly as soon as possible to advise them of the support we can provide and the steps they can take. ‘We have notified the Information Commissioner's Office and are working with our partners to progress the investigation. We will provide further updates as soon as possible. ‘In addition, as part of the measures we have implemented to deal with the cyber incident, we have today put in place additional measures to improve our security. This includes an all-staff IT identity check. Throughout this planned process we have ensured that all safety critical systems and processes have been maintained. ‘We do not expect any significant impact to customer journeys as we carry out this process. However, temporary and limited disruption is possible to some services so, as ever, please check before you travel.’ ‘The security measures we are taking mean that it is now not possible for us to deliver the necessary system changes to enable 47 additional stations outside London to benefit from pay as you go with contactless on 22 September as planned. We are working with DfT and the Rail Delivery Group to reschedule and we apologise for the delay. ‘We will continue to keep our customers and our staff updated. I would like to apologise for the inconvenience this incident may cause customers and I thank everyone for their patience as we respond to this incident.’

Plans to extend pay-as-you-go contactless ticketing to another 47 stations in south east England on 22 September have been delayed because of the cyber attack on computer systems at Transport for London. TfL has also disclosed that financial and other data about its customers could have been obtained by the attackers, and that some services may be disrupted. It is reported that up to 5000 people could have been affected. The National Crime Agency has revealed that a 17-year old boy was arrested in Walsall on 5 September in connection with the incident. He has since been bailed. Chief technology officer Shashi Verma said: ‘The security of our systems and customer data is very important to us. We continually monitor who is accessing our systems to ensure only those authorised can gain access.  We identified some suspicious activity on Sunday 1 September and took action to limit access. A thorough investigation continues alongside the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre. ‘Although there has been very little impact on our customers so far, the situation continues to evolve and our investigations have identified that certain customer data has been accessed. This includes some customer names and contact details, including email addresses and home addresses where provided. ‘Some Oyster card refund data may also have been accessed. This could include bank account numbers and sort codes for a limited number of customers. As a precautionary measure, we will be contacting these customers directly as soon as possible to advise them of the support we can provide and the steps they can take. ‘We have notified the Information Commissioner's Office and are working with our partners to progress the investigation. We will provide further updates as soon as possible. ‘In addition, as part of the measures we have implemented to deal with the cyber incident, we have today put in place additional measures to improve our security. This includes an all-staff IT identity check. Throughout this planned process we have ensured that all safety critical systems and processes have been maintained. ‘We do not expect any significant impact to customer journeys as we carry out this process. However, temporary and limited disruption is possible to some services so, as ever, please check before you travel.’ ‘The security measures we are taking mean that it is now not possible for us to deliver the necessary system changes to enable 47 additional stations outside London to benefit from pay as you go with contactless on 22 September as planned. We are working with DfT and the Rail Delivery Group to reschedule and we apologise for the delay. ‘We will continue to keep our customers and our staff updated. I would like to apologise for the inconvenience this incident may cause customers and I thank everyone for their patience as we respond to this incident.’

The cancellation of the Northern leg of HS2 almost a year ago was caused by a combination of political factors, according to a report by the Institution of Civil Engineers. After Phases 2A and 2B to Crewe and Manchester were cancelled by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last October, the ICE launched a ‘Next Steps Programme’ in April in a bid to analyse what had gone wrong with the project, which has also lost its Eastern Leg to the East Midlands and Yorkshire. Work is continuing on Phase 1 between London and Birmingham, but even part of this Phase remains in doubt, because it is not clear whether high speed trains will ever go beyond Old Oak Common in west London to reach Euston. The ICE has concluded that politicians were to blame for the spiralling costs, rather than engineers or the construction industry. It says: ‘It is not possible to separate politics from major infrastructure projects’. The Labour government stands accused of ‘rushing’ the initial planning, so that HS2 Ltd could be set up before the 2010 general election. There was a bid to get political support, so that tunnels were lengthened to reduce the impact of the new railway without considering the costs and benefits. Once set up, there was too much turnover in leadership at HS2 Ltd, with the result that significant decisions were ‘dumped’ by the new managers, who did not appreciate the implications. The report says: ‘The personnel changes … meant that intended future decisions, not made but tacitly understood, would have been lost. One example is the expectation that HS2 would use standardised designs for bridges: this was not followed through in procurement decisions, with huge cost implications.’ It adds: ‘What has been achieved so far on Phase 1 demonstrates the civil engineering and construction capability in the UK to deliver a project of this scale. HS2 has driven innovation in delivery practices, including pioneering ways to reduce the impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects.’ Recommendations include that the benefits of projects must be clearly defined and communicated so there’s clarity and consistency about the project’s purpose for politicians and decision-makers, media, and the public. In the case of HS2, the lack of clear transport objectives meant the strategic need was not clear. It is also essential to make clear who is in charge. The ICE says: ‘Clarity about how decisions are made, who makes them, and when, is essential. Corporate governance and technical understanding in sponsoring government departments should be improved to help with decision-making. In the case of HS2, steps should have been taken to protect institutional memory as the project progressed. Important knowledge was lost when people moved on to other roles.’ A further recommendation is that contracts need to be based on mature designs rather than concepts, and sufficient time is needed to assess different options and make sure that the choices are in line with the best practice. In the case of HS2 a standardised design could have been used for things like bridges, which would have helped to keep costs down, but this was not clearly agreed in the development process. The ICE’s trustee for policy and external affairs Jonathan Spruce said: ‘The cancellation of HS2’s Northern leg exemplifies how impossible it is to separate major infrastructure projects from politics. To succeed and deliver desired outcomes, projects like HS2 require commitment that spans parties and political cycles. The number one lesson is that governments need to think long-term, select and prioritise projects based on strategic needs, and follow through. Getting it right improves people’s lives.’ C.K. Mak, who is an Honorary Professor in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Hong Kong, chaired the paper’s steering group. He said: ‘Political and public support for infrastructure projects is more important than ever. Understanding why a flagship project like HS2 failed and what needs to be done differently is relevant not just for the UK, but for governments all over the world.’

Rail investment call The Railway Industry Association has sent its Autumn 2024 submission to HM Treasury in advance of the Budget on 30 October. The suppliers’ group is calling for a steady pipeline of capital projects and rail investment to lower costs, create jobs, boost growth and ultimately secure the country’s industrial and manufacturing capacity. RIA chief executive Darren Caplan said: ‘Boosting the railway network is crucial to the economy, local growth, decarbonisation and providing social value to communities around the country. And so we strongly encourage Ms Reeves to remember that capital projects including rail can help her ambition to drive the Government’s headline priority of powering economic growth.’ TfL names potential tram suppliers Transport for London has issued an Invitation to Tender to four pre-qualified manufacturers for the supply of at least 24 trams. The shortlisted companies are Alstom, CAF, Hitachi and Stadler. TfL said the four can now proceed to the next stage of the formal process, along with TfL, to design and build the next generation of trams that will start to be introduced later in the decade if funding is available. The existing fleet consists of trams built by Bombardier and Stadler but the original Bombardier trams are now more than 20 years old, and TfL said they are becoming less reliable. New FirstGroup chair FirstGroup says Lena Wilson CBE will be joining the Board as chair on 1 February. Lena is an experienced director and chair having held positions on listed and private companies for over a decade. She is currently a non-executive director and remuneration committee chair at NatWest Group plc and also the chair of Picton Property Income Limited. David Martin retired from the Board last night, and until Lena joins the Board, senior independent director Peter Lynas will act as chair. HS2 jobs More than 4,500 people who were out of work have found employment with HS2. The latest data from HS2 Ltd shows that 246 people who were previously unemployed joined the project between April and June 2024. To date, the total number of formerly unemployed people now working on HS2 has reached 4,504. In all, more than 31,000 people are now working on HS2, with construction continuing between London and the West Midlands.

Borders ambitions frustrated A feasibility study into extending the Borders Railway from Tweedbank to Carlisle has been put on hold, as part of the Government’s plan to close an alleged ‘funding gap’ of £22 billion in the public finances. Other railway reopening schemes on the Restoring Your Railway list have already been suspended, although work has continued on Mid Cornwall Metro, where a second platform is now being built at Newquay. The Cornish scheme escaped the Treasury axe because it is being funded with almost £50 million from the separate Levelling Up fund. The Northumberland Line is also set to reopen soon between Ashington and Newcastle. Railway to close for landslip work A section of railway in Kent will be closed for four days at the end of next month, so that work to prevent landslips can be carried out. The possession, from 31 October to 3 November, will allow engineers to build a 200m sheet pile wall near East Farleigh, and other renewals will be made while the line is closed. Buses will replace trains between Paddock Wood and Maidstone West. Greater Anglia life-saving classes Greater Anglia is showing its support for World Suicide Prevention Day today, by training more staff in suicide prevention to help keep people safe on the railway. Staff have already helped to save 20 lives so far this year by helping vulnerable or distressed people. In the last three years, 141 GA staff have completed Samaritans’ managing suicidal contacts course, and another session is being held at Norwich tomorrow, using Greater Anglia trainers.

New ticketless travel rules in Wales Ticketless rail passengers in south Wales face a penalty fare for the first time today, as Transport for Wales extends its penalty fare zone to include South Wales Metro routes and the Welsh Marches line to Shrewsbury and Manchester. The penalty is £20, but TfW has warned that it may increase its penalty fare to £100, which would bring it in line with England. Penalty fares do not apply to passengers boarding at stations which have no ticket office or machines, but they must pay on the train as soon as possible. Motorway reopens after railway bridge work The M62 has reopened at Castleton, near Rochdale, after two weekends of work by Network Rail engineers to replace a bridge over the motorway. Network Rail is investing more than £22 million to rebuild the 42 metre, 2000 tonne structure, and the M62 has been closed over two weekends to allow the work to go ahead. A total of 120 people worked around the clock to demolish the existing bridge, on the line between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale, using 11 excavators to pull the old bridge apart while the road below was closed. Manchester platforms closed Two platforms at Manchester Piccadilly will be closed until 29 September, because engineers are installing new netting under the trainshed roof. The work, which began in June, is being carried out in phases to reduce the disruption, and will continue until next month. The latest platforms to be closed are 5 and 6, and trains are being diverted to other platforms.

New ticketless travel rules in Wales Ticketless rail passengers in south Wales face a penalty fare for the first time today, as Transport for Wales extends its penalty fare zone to include South Wales Metro routes and the Welsh Marches line to Shrewsbury and Manchester. The penalty is £20, but TfW has warned that it may increase its penalty fare to £100, which would bring it in line with England. Penalty fares do not apply to passengers boarding at stations which have no ticket office or machines, but they must pay on the train as soon as possible. Motorway reopens after railway bridge work The M62 has reopened at Castleton, near Rochdale, after two weekends of work by Network Rail engineers to replace a bridge over the motorway. Network Rail is investing more than £22 million to rebuild the 42 metre, 2000 tonne structure, and the M62 has been closed over two weekends to allow the work to go ahead. A total of 120 people worked around the clock to demolish the existing bridge, on the line between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale, using 11 excavators to pull the old bridge apart while the road below was closed. Manchester platforms closed Two platforms at Manchester Piccadilly will be closed until 29 September, because engineers are installing new netting under the trainshed roof. The work, which began in June, is being carried out in phases to reduce the disruption, and will continue until next month. The latest platforms to be closed are 5 and 6, and trains are being diverted to other platforms.

The only National Rail line on the Isle of Wight will close again tomorrow, for a new engineers’ possession. The latest closure will mean no trains until 6 October, when the line will reopen between Ryde Esplanade and Shanklin, but the pier section will remain closed until 4 May. These latest closures are being described as essential in ‘futureproofing the service’. While the whole line is closed a footbridge at Brading willl be refurbished, signalling will be upgraded at Ryde and a bridge repaired at Sandown. There will also be work to renew the pier and the track which runs along it which will continue throughout the winter. Network Rail Wessex route infrastructure director Tom McNamee said: ‘Part of the track and infrastructure on the Island Line has become “life-expired”, with extreme weather contributing to the acceleration of the degradation of the railway. ‘Our planned maintenance will ensure we’re able to keep running services safely and reliably, while our ongoing programme of upgrades to the steel structure and track between Ryde Pier Head and Ryde Esplanade stations will preserve and strengthen the track and infrastructure for future generations.’ The line has been closed several times in recent years for upgrades and repairs, including making changes for the arrival of the Vivarail conversions which replaced former tube rolling stock. Like the tube stock, the Vivarail trains were also cascaded from the London Underground, but a much wider programme of conversions for other lines was cancelled when Vivarail ceased to trade in late 2022.

If someone with time on their hands went through the backfile of Railnews (more than 700 editions) and pulled out each issue which included a story about the complexity of rail fares, they would have enough sheets of newspaper to wrap a lorry load of fish and chips. The nonsense which is the National Rail tariff has been getting worse for many years. The original culprit was ‘market price’ fares, as opposed to those simply calculated on distance, in the 1960s, when British Rail was short of money and firmly in the grasp of economists whose knowledge of financial matters may have been infinite, but who knew very little about railways or, indeed, what it was like to travel by train. Charging ‘what the market will bear’ was not, in itself, particularly damaging perhaps, but the 1980s began to see the first rumblings of ‘yield management’, in which every seat on every train can have its own price. From this came the present disaster, and we use the word deliberately. Matters were made worse by privatisation, and we are now in the position that a railway system with roundly 2,500 stations providing some 20,000 passenger trains a day can have 55 million possible fares. There have been a number of tinkerings over the years, such as attempts to abolish return tickets on a few routes, which tends to add to public puzzlement because it is inconsistent. The individual operators had a field day once privatisation had given them a relatively free hand. Peak and off-peak (logical enough, and known to exist since at least the 1940s) were made more confusing by the addition of ‘Super Off Peak’, while each operator decides the time limits for each type of ticket, so that Operator A declares that off-peak starts at 09.00, while operator B says it is 09.30. Operator B, by the way, doesn’t offer Super Off Peak at all. A row is now brewing (again) about the plight of passengers who get caught up in the machinery, and who plead (often in vain, it appears) that the ticket machines at their departure station weren’t working and are given a £100 penalty fare as punishment. Of course, some people are on the fiddle. There have probably been passengers trying to evade payment for their journeys ever since the days of the Stephensons and Brunel. We have no time for such cheats, but there seems to be overwhelming evidence that many people are not cheating, but are simply baffled by the rules. Rightly, many cases are now being reviewed. It is wrong to baffle customers, and it flies against any idea that the railways are there to provide a service. There is a lot for this government to do, but giving fares a radical overhaul must be high on its list of transport reforms. To misquote an old HMRC slogan, buying a railway ticket doesn’t have to be taxing.