The train drivers’ union ASLEF has called a new 24-hour strike in England on 1 September, with an overtime ban on the following day. The action has been announced in addition to walkouts by the RMT between tomorrow and early September. The operators affected are Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, c2c, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Govia Thameslink Railway, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains. ASLEF’s general secretary Mick Whelan said: ‘We don’t want to take this action but the train companies, and the government which stands behind them, have forced us into this place because they refuse to sit down and talk to us and have not made a fair and sensible pay offer to train drivers who have not had one for four years – since 2019 – while prices have soared in that time by more than 12 per cent. ‘The government appears happy to let passengers and businesses suffer in the mistaken belief that they can bully us into submission. They don’t care about passengers or Britain’s railway, but they will not break us.’ The Rail Delivery Group has dubbed the further action ‘unnecessary’. It continued: ‘The union leadership has its head in the sand and refuses to put our fair and reasonable offer to members.’

Train operators in England are warning of limited services on 26 August and 2 September as the RMT stages two more 24-hour strikes in the dispute over pay and conditions, but there will also be disruption on CrossCountry routes tomorrow and on 9 September in a separate dispute over the duties of CrossCountry staff at Edinburgh. Although Edinburgh station is managed by Network Rail, CrossCountry staff have been dispatching trains, but the operator wants to abandon dispatching on the grounds that this ‘does not meet their business model’, according to the RMT. The union says its members are set to be paid less as a result, after CrossCountry withdrew a financial offer. The two 24-hour strikes tomorrow and on 9 September are set to disrupt CrossCountry services nationally, and not just those which call at Edinburgh. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘CrossCountry have not been serious in trying to resolve this dispute and have put their energies into attempting to discredit their own staff. ‘We will not accept attacks on our members’ jobs, conditions or allow them to be made poorer. ‘In our union, if you attack one member of staff, you are attacking the whole workforce and that is unacceptable.’ CrossCountry responded: ‘Throughout this process, we have sought to work with the union to provide all ten Edinburgh employees with the best employment options for them. ‘Should the action go ahead, a local issue impacting ten CrossCountry colleagues will lead to hundreds of colleagues losing out on yet more pay as well as disrupting thousands of passengers who are keen to enjoy their summer.’ With two national 24-hour strikes in England also imminent, the Rail Delivery Group added: ‘While the industry is working hard to keep as many services running as possible, the strikes called by the RMT leadership are designed to deliberately target passengers who want to enjoy various sporting events, festivals, and the end of the summer holidays, disrupting their plans, hurting local economies and forcing more cars on to the road. This, despite having repeatedly refused its membership a vote on an offer of up to 13 per cent for the lowest paid over two years, which could settle this dispute. ‘We hope that RMT will call off these unnecessary strikes so that we can continue discussions and avoid further disruption for our passengers.’

Railway fares will rise in March next year but not by the Retail Prices Index in July, which was 9 per cent.  Instead, it is expected that the increase will be based for the second year running on Average Earnings Growth, which was 5.9 per cent in the quarter to July 2022 and used to decide this year’s changes. The 2024 increase applying to train operators in England is due to be announced next month. Any changes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be decided separately, usually by the devolved governments. But the prospect of any increase has already ignited criticism. ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan said: ‘After all the effort by rail workers to keep Britain’s railway network running during 17 hard months of lockdown, to keep key workers and essential services moving around this country, and after all the work done to encourage people back on to our trains post-pandemic, I am shocked, but not surprised, that this government is putting up fares yet again. ‘We should be encouraging more people to use our trains – taking cars off the roads and reducing carbon emissions – but this will only deter passengers from travelling. I’m afraid this government either doesn’t understand, or simply doesn’t care, what it is doing.’ ‘I do hope the government doesn’t try to tell anyone this is our fault. It isn’t. This is a fare rise made in Downing Street, and at the DfT, by people who don’t want our railways to thrive for passengers and businesses in Britain.’ Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘Nobody likes their fare going up, but after a year where many journeys have been blighted by disruption due to industrial action and patchy performance, passengers will be relieved to hear that fares will be capped below the Retail Prices Index and any increases will be delayed until March next year.’

Two 170m HS2 tunnel boring machines have created another underground section of the high speed line in the Chilterns, by reaching the ventilation shaft at Great Missenden. ‘Florence’ and ‘Cecilia’ are now three quarters of the way through their 16km drive under the Chilterns, having spent the last two years excavating the two bores between the M25 and South Heath, which is roughly 2km east of Great Missenden. Designed for the geology of the Chilterns, the first TBMs were launched in the summer of 2021 from a site near the M25 and have already excavated 2 million cubic metres of chalk and flint. Engineers have also completed five shafts that will provide ventilation and emergency access near Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles, Amersham and Little Missenden with an ‘intervention’ shaft at Chesham Road. A ‘headhouse’ will be built on top of the shaft to house ventilation and safety equipment, designed to resemble local farm buildings with new planting to help blend it into the surrounding landscape. The landmark comes just weeks after planning consent was granted by Buckinghamshire Council for the North Portal of the tunnel under Schedule 17 of the HS2 Act, meaning that all major design elements now have consent. The tunnel will form part of Phase 1 between London and Birmingham, which has been given a ‘red’ rating by the Infrastructure Projects Authority, meaning that the London to Birmingham and Birmingham to Crewe sections are considered to be ‘unachievable’. Even so, HS2 Ltd pointed out that ‘construction was now hitting a peak, with “work intensifying and huge civil engineering structures taking shape”’. HS2 Ltd’s project client David Emms said: ‘HS2 will transform rail journeys between London the midlands and the north, and free up space on the existing network for more freight and local services. We’re seeing great progress on the tunnel, which will take our trains deep under the Chiltern hills, safeguard the woodlands and wildlife habits above and significantly reducing disruption to communities. ‘The huge progress that Florence and Cecilia have made would not have possible without a huge team in support - manufacturing the tunnel segments, excavating the vent shafts and I’d like to thank everyone involved.’ The two TBMs are operated by Align, a joint venture formed of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick.

HS2 has been given a ‘red’ rating by the Infrastructure Projects Authority, which means that the London to Birmingham and Birmingham to Crewe sections are considered to be ‘unachievable’. The definition continues: ‘There are major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable. The project may need re-scoping and/or its overall viability reassessed.’ It is the latest hurdle in the path of HS2, where construction has been under way for some years. The project received another setback when work at London Euston was ‘paused’ for at least 24 months in March this year. Birmingham to Crewe has also been delayed by two years, again to reduce costs. The project’s chief executive Mark Thurston also resigned in July, and will be leaving HS2 Ltd in October.  However, the Crewe to Manchester section, Phase 2b, has achieved a less severe ‘amber’ score, which means ‘Successful delivery appears feasible but significant issues already exist, requiring management attention. These appear resolvable at this stage and, if addressed promptly, should not present a cost/schedule overrun.’ HS2 Ltd said construction was now hitting a peak, with ‘work intensifying and huge civil engineering structures taking shape along Phase One of the route’, in preparation for the launch of services in the early 2030. The Department for Transport added: ‘We remain committed to delivering HS2 in the most cost-effective way for taxpayers. HS2 will bring transformational benefits for generations to come, improving connections and helping grow the economy.’ However, critics have highlighted the pessimistic ratings for Phase 1 and Phase 2a as a further reason for cancelling the project. Lord Tony Berkeley, who has been opposing HS2, said: ‘It should be cancelled tomorrow. This is the Treasury’s own report telling them that the scheme is unachievable. What more evidence do they need? Everyone knows the money would be so much better spent on improving the existing rail infrastructure – particularly Northern Rail. Someone just needs to take the decision.’

The number of responses in the consultation over ticket office closures sent to the transport watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch has soared from 170,000 in late July to 315,000 now, according to Transport Focus. The original 21-day consultation period, which would have ended on 26 July, has been extended to 1 September, and some sources are describing the volume of protests as ‘overwhelming’. Councils are among the protestors. Reading Borough Council has written to the Rail Delivery Group to make its opposition plain. One Reading councillor said he believes the plans would have a ‘retrograde step, making accessing the railways less inviting and accessible by putting up barriers for vulnerable people and people with disabilities, as well as not encouraging new passengers or providing a welcoming gateway for tourists’. Councillors in Somerset are ‘extremely concerned’, and another councillor in Nottinghamshire described the proposals as ‘an attack on public service’.  Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority, which covers Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, warned that he often pays more for a ticket when using a machine compared to talking to a member of staff at a ticket office. He also deplored the fact that many people do not have smartphones, and so cannot buy tickets that way. Jon Cruddas, the Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham, has criticised the government over the ‘totally insufficient’ initial 21-day consultation period, which he said was a ‘disgrace’. He has written to transport secretary Mark Harper to express his objections to the plan. Railnews has received more messages from readers about ticket office closures than on any other subject, and has added a page to its Platform section in the forthcoming August print edition, which is published a week today, to reflect as many opinions as possible.

Passengers on a London Underground train were taken to a disused station, because of an error by staff. A Jubilee Line train should have terminated at Green Park and then continued out of service to Charing Cross along a section which was closed to passenger traffic in 1999 when the Jubilee’s extension to Stratford was opened. This included new tunnels from Green Park to Westminster and then on to Waterloo and Canary Wharf. But the Green Park to Charing Cross section has been maintained and its conductor rails are still live, because it is used as a reversing siding. Charing Cross Jubilee Line is also one of the stations which Transport for London makes available for film makers, along with Aldwych. The surprise journey was made on Sunday 30 July, but the details have only become known now. One passenger told the BBC: ‘Westminster station looked unusual and as the train slowed, I noticed the roundels said Charing Cross.’ The driver apologised, and was able to return the unharmed passengers to Green Park. TfL said the train had been sent to Charing Cross to even out the service, but some passengers had stayed on the train because of a ‘miscommunication’ at Green Park. Normally, Charing Cross Jubilee Line is only accessible to visitors on one of the London Transport Museum’s ‘Hidden London’ tours, which costs £44.

A meeting of the Great British Railways Transition Team has been held in Derby for the first time, after the city was named as the future headquarters of GBR. But although members of the team were welcomed by Derby City Council at the Derby Roundhouse, there is still no sign of progress with finding Parliamentary time for the essential Act of Parliament which will be needed to give GBT powers to become the industry’s ‘guiding mind’. These will include taking over the responsibilities of Network Rail, which replaced Railtrack in 2002 and became a public sector body in 2014. GBR will also award passenger operating contracts and supervise them, instead of the Department for Transport. Derby City Council revealed last night that it had hosted a GBRTT board meeting on 26 July. The council said ‘The visit provided an opportunity for representatives from both parties to discuss progress and celebrate the potential that the move to Derby will bring.’ Council leader Baggy Shanker said: ‘It was a pleasure to welcome the board of Great British Railways to Derby for their first meeting in the city. ‘The Roundhouse was the perfect setting to showcase the city’s unmatched rail heritage once again, as well as its commitment to a bright future of skills, learning and innovation. ‘I was delighted to be able to share in positive conversations with the board about the future of GBR here in Derby. The atmosphere in the room was buzzing and ideas invigorating.’ GBRTT lead director Anit Chandarana added: ‘We’re grateful to Derby City Council for being such gracious hosts to our Board, as we work to create a simpler, better railway for everyone in Britain.’ Details of the Parliamentary business to be debated in 2023-24 have not yet been announced but the government has made no commitment to include GBR in the coming session, which will be the last before a General Election. 

The first passengers have been boarding trains at a new station in Kent today. Thanet Parkway between Ramsgate and Minster opened for business this morning, and the first train of the day was the 04.58 High Speed service to London St Pancras International. Southeastern has predicted that the station will be used by more than 100,000 passengers in its first year. The station has two 250m platforms which are long enough for 12-car trains. As well as High Speed services to London, local journeys can also be made to places like Canterbury, Margate, Ashford and Broadstairs. The station is fully accessible and will be staffed on weekdays between 08.00 and 16.00 for the next six weeks. Southeastern said it was ‘committed to keeping staffing of the station under review’. As well as rail connections, Thanet Parkway is a potential integrated transport hub. A new road provides access to the station from the A299 Hengist Way, with parking available for 293 vehicles, including 16 for Blue Badge holders, as well as several charging points for electric vehicles. Pick up and drop off zones have also been set out, along with a station bus stop which will be served by an electric minibus shuttle to nearby Discovery Park. Cliffsend and Sevenscore level crossings have been upgraded at the same time. At Cliffsend the current AHBs are being replaced with full barriers with CCTV monitored from East Kent Signalling Centre in Gillingham.  The station and level crossing works has been jointly funded by the Department for Transport, South East Local Enterprise Partnership, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Thanet District Council and Kent County Council. The station forms part of Network Rail’s Thanet Corridor Enhancements Programme which includes upgrades to Dibleys, Ships Meadow and Grove Ferry crossings to allow line speed increases between Ashford, Canterbury West and Ramsgate. Southeastern managing director Steve White said: ‘We are delighted to welcome another fully accessible station to our network offering sustainable travel options. Each customer who parks at this new station and takes our all-electric railway to London will reduce their CO2 emissions by approximately 11 kilos compared to driving. Additionally, the station offers charging points for electric vehicles as well as ample parking for cycles, supporting aspirations for active travel.’ Thanet Parkway is one of two National Rail stations opening this week. The other is Portway Park and Ride on the Severn Beach line in Bristol, which was officially opened by transport secretary Mark Harper this morning. Train services will begin tomorrow.

Transport secretary Mark Harper is in Bristol this morning, where he will open the new station at Portway Park and Ride on the Severn Beach branch line. The single five-car platform, which will be unstaffed, has cost £5.8 million. It has been funded by the West of England Combined Authority, the Department for Transport, Bristol City Council, Network Rail and GWR. It was originally intended to be completed three years ago, and had been expected to cost £2.23 million. The public train service will run half-hourly between Bristol Temple Meads and Avonmouth and hourly to Severn Beach, and will start tomorrow, when the first departure will be the 05.34 to Severn Beach. The first train to Bristol Temple Meads will leave at 06.06, taking 25 minutes to the city centre. The Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees said: ‘Portway Park & Ride station will offer local people and commuters an efficient and sustainable travel option. Having boosted the number of free parking spaces at our park and ride site, it offers commuters more options to park up and catch a train or the bus. ‘Completion of the railway station highlights our commitment to developing modern and accessible travel solutions. As we look towards a future of improved connectivity through a mass transit system, Portway Park & Ride is a key step on our journey towards a better connected Bristol and South West.’ Portway P&R, which is close to the M5, is the second station to be opened in south west England in under a month, because Marsh Barton in suburban Exeter was opened to traffic on 4 July. The previous addition in the region was Okehampton, in November 2021. The last new station in the Bristol area was Filton Abbey Wood, which was opened in 1996. Network Rail’s Western route director Marcus Jones said: ‘This announcement marks an important milestone in our efforts to transform rail travel for our passengers in and around Bristol and the wider West of England area. ‘I’d like to thank our partners in the project for their hard work and dedication in bringing this new station to the city. We hope that passengers from Bristol and beyond will experience the benefits that this new station will bring for years to come.’