The number of people using London Underground and buses over the August bank holiday weekend reached its highest level since the Covid lockdowns, but was still lower than the totals for the same period in 2019. Transport for London is continuing the struggle to balance its books, and the Mayor’s proposal to axe Day Travelcards to improve revenue has sparked protests. Over the three day August holiday weekend in 2019 11.17 million people travelled by bus, and 7.2 million used the Underground. This year the figures were 10.8 million on the buses and just over 7 million on the Underground. The figures were boosted by holiday events, particularly the Notting Hill Carnival, but as London returns to normal after the break many people are still working from home for one or two days a week, which depresses TfL’s income. However, the number of trips to the office is slowly increasing again, because some large employers like HSBC are insisting that staff work at least three days in the office each week. TfL will be hoping for more income in connection with a series of events around the capital this autumn, including the well-established Open House festival between 6 and 17 September, when many private buildings and grounds allow public tours. TfL customer director Emma Strain said: ‘We have had a bumper summer with people using public transport to make the most of London’s cultural offerings, including the Notting Hill Carnival over the Bank Holiday weekend. The summer season might now be coming to an end, but there’s still plenty to see and do. This September we encourage people to take public transport, walk or cycle to explore a different side to the city with the Open House Festival, with the rare opportunity to see the inner workings of London’s buildings and sites and find out the secrets of our incredible city.’

► Consultation responses total tops half a million ► RMT stages closures protest march in Westminster ► Train services disrupted as unions strike again The number of responses to proposals to close more than 900 station ticket offices in England has topped half a million, as the time to react runs out. The consultation, which was extended at the end of July, expires at midnight tonight. The two passenger watchdogs, Transport Focus and London TravelWatch, are responsible for collating and analysing the messages they have received so that they can give formal responses in the autumn. Rail Delivery Group chief executive Jacqueline Starr said: ‘Since the introduction of the smartphone, the numbers using ticket offices have dropped to historic lows and that trend is rapidly accelerating. For rail to survive and thrive long-term, like any responsible industry, we need to change and evolve with our customers. ‘We wanted to give as many people as possible the opportunity to have their say on the industry proposals. We are extremely grateful to everyone for taking the time to submit their views, and we will work with the passenger watchdogs to incorporate this valuable feedback into our plans. ‘The taxpayer is continuing to subsidise the railway, and we believe that now is the right time to move staff to more flexible, engaging roles so our staff can better support customers face to face with a whole range of needs, from finding the right ticket, to navigating the station and getting support with accessibility needs, while reducing costs to taxpayers. ‘We also understand that some customers have particular challenges and they should be supported in any transition.  Over the coming weeks, we will work closely with passenger watchdogs to review and adapt individual proposals where necessary.’  Objections to the closure proposals have been continuing. Meanwhile, no trains are running on most lines in England today as ASLEF stages a 24-hour strike. RMT members are set to walk out for 24 hours tomorrow, while ASLEF will simultaneously ban overtime. Again, train services are expected to be limited, with no service on some routes. The RMT staged a protest march to Parliament and Downing Street yesterday, as the deadline for responses to ticket office closures was approaching. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘We are sending a clear message to the government and profiteering rail operators that our ticket offices must not be closed. ‘The campaign to save our ticket offices has amassed widespread public support and forced an extension of the consultation. ‘However, our campaign will continue beyond the consultation deadline. We need to pressure politicians in every constituency and to highlight the critical role that ticket offices and station staff play in supporting passengers of every type to reach their destinations. ‘Closing ticket offices will lead to the widespread destaffing of stations and make the railways inaccessible to thousands of disabled, vulnerable and elderly passengers. ‘We will not quietly sit back and allow this to happen. Our members will continue their industrial campaign to save their jobs and to protect railway passengers.’

Nearly all train services in England are likely to be cancelled tomorrow, as the drivers’ union ASLEF stages a 24-hour strike. Most English operators are affected, with the exceptions of Merseyrail, Transport for London and Tyne & Wear Metro. Neither ScotRail nor Transport for Wales are in dispute with ASLEF, but cross-border services from England will also be disrupted. Tomorrow’s walkout will be followed by an RMT strike on Saturday, but limited services are expected to run some lines, although ASLEF will also be staging an overtime ban on Saturday which could mean that drivers are not available for some shifts. The RMT has made a bid to end the walkouts. Almost a week ago, the union’s general secretary Mick Lynch told the Rail Delivery Group: ’I believe that both parties are of the view that we need to navigate a way through the dispute.’ The Rail Delivery Group has yet to publish a response to this letter, but when the latest strikes were announced the RDG said: ‘The industry will be working hard to keep as many services running as possible. There is no question the strikes called by the RMT and ASLEF leaderships are deliberately designed to target passengers who want to enjoy various sporting events and festivals during the bank holiday and at the end of the summer holidays, disrupting their plans, hurting local economies and forcing more cars on to the road. ‘This, despite the RMT having repeatedly refused their memberships a vote on offers of up to 13 per cent for the lowest paid over two years, which could easily settle this dispute.’ Meanwhile, Network Rail has told its staff who joined strikes since June 2022 that they will not be receiving annual bonuses this year, which are expected to be around £300. NR said: ‘Our position was made very clear – any discretionary payments would focus on those who continued to support rail services during industrial action.’ Mick Lynch has responded that Network Rail’s decision was ‘a transparent attempt to divide the workforce’, and an online petition has been set up which calls for all Network Rail staff to be paid the bonus.

British Transport Police are investigating the death of a Nottinghamshire police officer who received fatal injuries on the East Coast Main Line near Newark Northgate station. Sergeant Graham Saville, 46, had been trying to help another man on the track who was described as ‘distressed’, when he was hit by a train. The incident, last Thursday, led to more police being called to the scene at about 19.00. Sgt Saville was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, but he died yesterday. Another man of 29 was also taken to hospital after suffering electrocution, although his injuries are not thought to be critical. Nottinghamshire Chief Constable Kate Meynell said: ‘Today is a day of mourning for the entire police family. ‘Graham was a hugely respected and popular colleague and his death in the line of duty has come as an enormous shock to us all. ‘Our hearts and deepest condolences go out to his family and we will do everything we can to support them through this unimaginably devastating time. ‘It is impossible to put into words how devastating this news is for everyone who loved and respected Graham. ‘On Thursday, he went to work to protect the people of Nottinghamshire from harm, and it is testament to his bravery and dedication as a police officer that he was fatally injured while attempting to save another man's life.’ Nottinghamshire Police Federation branch chairman Simon Riley added: ‘I cannot convey in words the sadness we all feel at this dreadful news and our hearts go out to Graham's family, all his colleagues in Nottinghamshire Police and his former colleagues in the Metropolitan Police, where Graham previously served. ‘Graham was the epitome of what we should all strive to be as police officers and his selfless act of bravery in trying to save the life of another human being will not be lost on any of us.’

The RMT union is hoping to hear from the Rail Delivery Group this week following a letter from the union’s general secretary Mick Lynch, in which he sets out a path to a negotiated settlement in the long-running dispute over pay and conditions, and which the union is describing as a ‘road map’. The dispute, which began in the spring of 2022, is set to cause more disruption later this week, when 20,000 RMT members at train operators in England are being called out for 48 hours over Friday and Saturday. Drivers belonging to ASLEF are also walking out on Friday, and will be refusing to work overtime the following day. Train operators have been warning that most lines in England will be closed on Friday and that services will be ’limited’ on Saturday, where they run at all. In his letter to the RDG, which was sent just before the Bank Holiday weekend, Mick Lynch wrote: ‘I believe that both parties are of the view that we need to navigate a way through the dispute and from the RMT’s position that would mean the following suggested stages: a 1-year pay proposal for all companies covering the year 2022-23, with an underpin, backdated to the relevant anniversary dates in 2022. A guarantee of no compulsory redundancies. An undertaking that discussions with RMT within the companies, including formal consultations and negotiations, will be deferred until the outcome and determination from the ticket office closures consultation has been provided by the Government and, in any case, that these discussions will not commence before 1 December 2023. ‘A commitment that in the interim, ahead of 1 December 2023, each Train Operating Company will provide to the RMT in writing, their full agenda, and details of “Workforce Reform” proposals for all functions and grades that they are seeking to apply within their organisations. A commitment that the existing collective bargaining structures and processes in each company will be respected and adhered to in full including consultation and negotiation as appropriate to the matters in scope and, if necessary, use of Avoidance of Dispute processes. A commitment that pay negotiations for the year 2023–2024 will commence from 1st December 2023.’ He continues: ‘In using the above staged programme, I believe that we can bring clarity to everyone in the industry, that they will receive a pay increment for the previous year 2022-23, with a guarantee  of  employment  going  forward, and  that  all  of  the  change  agenda  that the companies wish to propose will be known in full and then addressed appropriately through the respective machineries in each of the companies. ‘I am aware of your initial view of the suggested programme, but I do request that full consideration is given by the RDG and DfT to this suggested means and that you respond to this initiative next week.’ The Rail Delivery Group has yet to publish its response. 

The number of people who have responded to controversial ticket office closure proposals in England has topped 460,000, according to the passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch. The consultation period was extended to 1 September at the end of July, and the proposals have triggered a determined reaction from passengers and politicians, who often argue that closing nearly all ticket offices will discriminate against people who cannot use ticket vending machines and who may not have access to smartphones or the internet. The operators have also conceded that a small number of tickets, including railcards, cannot be bought from machines. Labour shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh has called on the government to admit that the proposals are intended to save money rather than to help passengers more effectively on station concourses and platforms. She said: ‘This sham process is being driven every step of the way by Tory ministers. It’s time they stop dodging accountability, and come clean on the damage these closures will do. Railroading this botched plan through without consideration for passengers or staff only risks exacerbating the managed decline of the rail network.’ Meanwhile, the RMT has claimed that mass closures could cause the loss of 2,300 jobs. London TravelWatch chief executive Michael Roberts said: ‘With more than 460,000 responses received already, it’s clear that there are strong views on the future of ticket offices. With a week still left to have your say, it’s not too late to submit a response about your local station.’ Over the coming weeks, the two watchdogs will continue to analyse carefully the proposals and consultation responses before they report their decisions on whether to support or object to the plans. They will be considering various factors, such as whether a station will continue to be staffed, accessibility, the alternative options for buying tickets and whether passengers will continue to be able to use lifts, waiting rooms and toilets, which are sometimes closed when no ticket office staff are on duty.

The words used by train operators when things go wrong are sometimes confusing passengers instead of guiding them, according to a new report. Passenger watchdog Transport Focus asked passengers for their opinions of advice like ‘do not travel’ on days when trains were actually running, and their responses were often critical. The reactions to problems like bad weather, infrastructure failures (pictured) and industrial action differed according to how the operators explained the situation, and passengers ‘struggled’ if the railway was still running trains but telling its customers not to use them. Bad weather in October 2021 prompted Transport Focus to examine how communications could be improved. Passengers were asked what they understood existing ‘do not travel’ messages to mean, and if they provided the right information to make decisions about attempting a journey. Some passengers will always try to make a journey even when there is disruption, because they tend to feel that their journey is not ‘deferrable’. The research also includes railway users’ reactions to potential improvements, including feedback on content, language, tone and the effect on passengers. It found that the information passengers need varies depending on where they are in their journeys. Have they started out or are they still close to home? Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘Passengers can be annoyed when they know trains are running but are told not to use them. The railway should reflect carefully on when it is right to say, “do not travel”. Passengers would rather be given the facts so they can make an informed decision. ‘When there is major disruption, train companies should steer clear of baffling jargon like “ticket easement” and make sure they communicate in ways passengers will immediately understand.’ Jason Webb is customer information director and the Rail Delivery Group’s lead for the ‘Smarter Information, Smarter Journeys’ Programme. He added: ‘The SISJ Programme was pleased to jointly commission this research with Transport Focus. The research delivered new insight into how customers react to information during severe disruption. Following the research, the SISJ Programme has worked with train operators to develop and implement best practice to be used when communicating “Do Not Travel” messages. ‘This includes recommended language, good practice messaging examples and communication principles which is now being used by train operators, so customers should benefit from clearer, more consistent information.’

A Scottish court is to deal with the prosecution case against Network Rail in connection with the fatal Carmont derailment. Three people on board a train were killed three years ago when it was derailed by debris washed on to the track near Stonehaven on 12 August 2020, which was a day of heavy storms. Some of the vehicles in the ScotRail HST were overturned down an embankment in the crash, which claimed the lives of 45-year old driver Brett McCullough, 58-year old conductor Donald Dinnie and 62-year old passenger Christopher Stuchbury. Fortunately there were few people on board because of the Covid pandemic but six other passengers received mainly minor injuries. The HST had been heading south to Glasgow but was turned back at Carmont after other line blockages were reported, and had been returning to Aberdeen when the accident happened. The charges have not been specified, but will be brought at Aberdeen High Court on 7 September by His Majesty’s Advocate under section 76 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, which applies where notice has been given that a defendant will plead guilty. Network Rail cannot comment on the forthcoming hearing, but said: ‘The Carmont derailment and the tragic loss of Christopher Stuchbury, Donald Dinnie and Brett McCullough was a terrible day for our railway and our thoughts remain with their families and all those affected by the accident. ‘The Rail Accident Investigation Branch report into Carmont made clear that there were fundamental lessons to be learnt by Network Rail and we have supported the investigation process. ‘Since August 2020, we have been working hard to make our railway safer.’ The RAIB highlighted gaps in Network Rail’s procedure for maintaining records about changes to its infrastructure, a lack of guidance or additional support for control room staff during a very busy time, a failure to recognise that existing measures did not fully deal with the risk from very heavy rain, and also the absence of an effective strategy to deal with the general threat to the stability of earthworks in extreme weather. The report also noted that HSTs, designed in the late 1970s, are not as crash-resistant as newer trains, and commented that it was ‘more likely than not’ that the consequences of the derailment might not have been so bad if the train had met modern crashworthiness standards. The RAIB made 20 recommendations, many to Network Rail. Others were intended for the RSSB, the Rail Delivery Group or rolling stock operators. Kevin Lindsay, who is ASLEF’s full-time organiser in Scotland, said: ‘We welcome the news that Network Rail is being held to account for its endemic and systemic failings which resulted in the tragic deaths of three people, including train driver Brett McCullough. But we are still angry and disappointed at those failings. We appreciate that Network Rail has accepted responsibility for their failures and their commitment to ensuring a tragic incident like Carmont never happens again. ‘However, such corporate failure must result in penalties for those responsible. Full justice should mean that penalties are laid squarely at the door of those individuals in senior management roles who presided over the corporate failure that has seen Network Rail end up in court – and accepting culpability for their role in this tragedy.’

The Railway Industry Association has signed an agreement with Rail Business Daily to acquire most of its assets. A transition period is expected to take three months, as RIA becomes the publisher of the Rail Business Daily titles and the employer of some RBD staff. Rail Business Daily will continue to offer marketing and recruitment services, although these will be rebranded. RIA chief executive Darren Caplan said: ‘We at the Railway Industry Association are excited to be acquiring the widely-read RBD Daily newsletter and Rail Director magazine, and the RBD Community. The acquisitions will enable RIA to grow its reach and augment our ability to do even more to help develop a bigger and better UK rail supply sector in the coming years. ‘As part of the acquisition we are delighted to welcome into the RIA family Dean Bruce as md of the newly-acquired assets, along with other talented members of the RBD media and Community teams. All of us in Team RIA look forward to working with and integrating with them in the months ahead.’ RBD chairman David McLoughlin added: ‘We would like to thank Darren Caplan and chairman David Tonkin for their pragmatism and professionalism in working with us on this deal and we wish RIA and RBD every success together in the future.’

A light plane came close to colliding with a train in Cheshire last week, it has been reported. The incident affected a train travelling from Crewe South Yard to Chester depot, when it was passing the industrial area at Dairy House Farm, west of Crewe, which is the base of the Cheshire Microlight Centre. According to the train driver, a two-seater high-winged monoplane banked steeply in front of the train, risking a collision. British Transport Police and the Civil Aviation Authority have been informed. No one was injured, and the driver was able to continue the journey to Chester.