It was being reported last night that the East Midlands city of Derby has been chosen to host the headquarters of Great British Railways, the industry’s new ‘guiding mind’. If GBR goes ahead after an Act of Parliament is passed next year, it will take over the management of passenger contracts, formerly known as franchises, and also Network Rail, reducing the role of the Department for Transport so that it will only decide broad policy. If Derby has been chosen, it will have beaten five other shortlisted entries from Birmingham, Crewe, Doncaster, Newcastle and York, but at least some of those places could be chosen for GBR’s regional centres. Derby has long claimed to be the greatest ‘railway cluster’ in Europe, and still has Alstom’s train-building works in Litchurch Lane, which was run by Bombardier until recently. Alstom opened a national training academy for apprentices last month, when a plaque was unveiled by veteran Derby South MP Dame Margaret Beckett during National Apprenticeship Week. Although the choice of Derby has not been confirmed, an announcement is expected later this morning.

RMT members employed by Network Rail have voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to accept an improved pay and conditions offer, the union said today. It added that in a turnout of nearly 90 per cent, its 20,000 Network Rail members had voted by 76 per cent to 24 per cent to accept the offer. The RMT National Executive has confirmed that the vote means the end of its trade dispute with Network Rail. The settlement includes an increase of salaries of between 14.4 per cent for the lowest paid grades to 9.2 per cent for the highest paid, plus a further increase of 1.1 per cent for all grades. Backpay will be increased, and a ‘no compulsory redundancies’ agreement has been renewed until January 2025. Network Rail has withdrawn its requirement that the RMT accepted its ‘modernising maintenance’ proposals, and staff will also benefit from discounted rail travel. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that when the union first declared its dispute with Network Rail a year ago, the union was told that Network Rail workers would only get two to three per cent. He continued: ‘However, since then strike action and the inspiring solidarity and determination of members has secured new money and a new offer which has been clearly accepted by our members and that dispute is now over.’ However, further strikes have been called at 14 train operating companies for 30 March and 1 April. Mick Lynch added: ‘Our dispute with the Train Operating Companies remains firmly on and our members’ recent highly effective strike action across the fourteen train companies has shown their determination to secure a better deal. ‘If the government now allows the train companies to make the right offer, we can then put that to our members but until then the strike action scheduled for March 30 and April 1 will take place. ‘The ball is in the government’s court.’ Transport secretary Mark Harper reacted swiftly: ‘I am pleased Network Rail’s RMT members have voted to accept a fair and reasonable 5 per cent plus 4 per cent pay offer over two years that the government worked hard to facilitate,’ he said. He continued: ‘While this is good news, unfortunately, RMT members who work for train operating companies are not being given the same chance to bring their dispute to an end. That’s because the RMT has refused to put the Rail Delivery Group’s very similar offer to a vote, denying these members the pay rise they deserve. ‘That’s why I am once again urging the RMT to call off their upcoming strikes across train operating companies, put the Rail Delivery Group offer to a vote, and give all of their members a say.’

Updated 10.55Avanti West Coast’s contract to provide intercity services on the West Coast Main Line has been extended to October, less than two weeks before the arrangement had been due to expire. A new managing director has also taken over. Avanti, which is owned by FirstGroup and Trenitalia, had come under fire because of its high number of train cancellations and a reduced timetable which it introduced last summer in a bid to work within its resources. Its contract was due to end on 31 March, but will now continue until 15 October. Transport secretary Mark Harper said: ‘The routes Avanti West Coast run are absolutely vital, and I fully understand the frustrations passengers felt at the completely unacceptable services seen last autumn. Following our intervention, rail minister Huw Merriman and I have worked closely with local leaders to put a robust plan in place, which I’m glad to see is working. ‘However, there is still more work to be done to bring services up to the standards we expect, which is why over this next six months further improvements will need to be made by Avanti West Coast.’ Figures published by the Office of Rail and Road at the start of this month revealed that Avanti had cancelled 10.5 per cent of its services in the three months to December last year, which was the worst figure for any operator, although CrossCountry was only just ahead with 10.3 per cent, while TransPennine Express was third worst, with 7.7 per cent. Announcing Avanti’s contract extension today, the Department for Transport said it had recorded ‘significant improvements, including running 40 per cent more services and cancellations falling to 4.2 per cent’, although it also warned that ‘further improvements will be needed over the next six months’. In a notice to the London Stock Exchange this morning confirming the extension, FirstGroup also announced that Andy Mellors has been appointed managing director of Avanti, and that he will taking up his duties immediately. He has previously had senior posts at Great Western Railway and South Western Railway, and most recently he has been managing director of Firstgroup’s open access rail businesses division, which is responsible for Hull Trains and Lumo. He takes over at Avanti from First Rail managing director Steve Montgomery, who has been acting md of Avanti since September last year. FirstGroup’s chief executive officer Graham Sutherland said: ‘We are working closely with government and our partners across the industry to deliver a successful railway for our customers and communities. Performance at Avanti is steadily improving and since the introduction of the new timetable in mid-December, the number of services has increased by more than 40 per cent compared to last summer, with more seats and better frequencies. Today’s agreement allows our team to continue their focus on delivering their robust plans to continue enhancing services for our customers, including further progress on our train upgrade and refurbishment programme.’ Labour’s shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh was critical of the extension. She said: ‘Avanti has literally broken records over the last six months for delays and cancellations, and the Conservatives’ answer is to reward failure with millions more in taxpayer cash. ‘If this is what success looks like to ministers, it shows that under the Conservatives our broken railways are here to stay. ‘The next Labour government will put passengers back at the heart of our railways, and build the infrastructure fit for the century ahead, unlocking jobs and growth.‘ The RMT has also condemned the DfT’s decision, pointing out that ‘Avanti also plans to scrap at seat service catering from May which will mean standard class passengers will not have the option of an at seat service, serving sandwiches, snacks and drinks.’ RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said ‘this was a case of reward for failure which will mean that Avanti owners FirstGroup can continue to make profits on what even Ministers have today admitted is still a substandard service’.  He continued: ‘The government is keeping privatisation afloat regardless of the cost to the rail passengers, rail workers and the taxpayer and the service itself. It is quite clear that the West Coast contract should be bought back into public ownership along with the rest of the railway.’ Meanwhile attention is turning to TransPennine Express, which is also owned by FirstGroup and has also recorded high numbers of cancellations. Its two-year National Rail Contract ends on 28 May, and the DfT said its future ‘will be considered separately with a further announcement in due course’.

The rail regulator is telling the industry that it can no longer leave out cancellations from official statistics when the decision not to run a train is made no later than the night before. Such trains have been known as ‘P*-coded’, which stands for ‘pre-cancelled’. They are significant because such cancellations are not included in the official statistics. The Office of Rail and Road has highlighted TransPennine Express, where the cancellation total increased from 7.2 per cent to 23.8 per cent when P*-coded trains cancelled because train crew were not available were included. The ORR said that between 5 February and 4 March TPE had fully ‘pre-cancelled’ 1,093 trains, and ‘part pre-cancelled’ another 532. Northern and ScotRail also reported ‘significant numbers of full pre-cancelled services’ caused by a shortage of  train crew, losing 380 and 159 trains respectively. Transport for Wales recorded 98 full and 159 part pre-cancellations because rolling stock was not available. Another four of the 24 British train companies, including three open-access operators, also reported P*-coded cancellations and are included in the statistics published today. The regulator has now instructed the rail industry to change how it records ‘pre-cancellations’ and to introduce a clearer way of working when making late changes to services. A suitable plan has yet to be introduced, and until the practice ceases, the ORR said it ‘will continue to publish this data to ensure full transparency’. The ORR’s director, planning and performance, Feras Alshaker said: ‘Until we are satisfied that official statistics reflect passenger experiences, we will make sure that information on service reliability is available for passengers and stakeholders. We acknowledge that ongoing strike action has led to a refocusing of resources elsewhere, but this should not deflect from the fact that this needs to be sorted as a matter of urgency. ‘We’ll continue to publish pre-cancellation data until we’re satisfied and should we not have a satisfactory plan from industry by the end of April, we will consider imposing a change in the way these services are recorded.’ As a result of the inclusion of “P*-coded” pre-cancellations, the national cancellations score increased by 0.4 percentage points in the latest period, to 3.3 per cent.

Network Rail’s chief union negotiator Tim Shoveller is leaving the infrastructure owner to take up a new task in the freight sector. He will become chief executive officer at Freightliner’s owner, the European division of US firm Genesee & Wyoming Inc., later this year. Mr Shoveller began his railway career as a trainee driver and guard with British Rail in 1992. He moved on to various management posts in the following years, including as operations director at the franchise Midland Mainline. When the MML franchise, which had been owned by National Express, was won by Stagecoach in 2007, he joined the new operator East Midlands Trains as managing director. He became well known for his insistence on punctual station departures, giving his despatch staff new ‘Acme Thunderer’ whistles and radio controlled watches to help them get trains departing on time. In March 2008, he said: ‘By on time, I mean exactly on time, not even a few seconds late.’ He moved on to become business development director at Virgin Trains, and then managing director of Stagecoach Rail Division. He has most recently been managing director of Network Rail’s North West and Central region, and since last year has played a key part in negotiating with the rail unions. He said: ‘I am thrilled to join G&W at such a pivotal time for low-carbon rail-freight logistics. My priority is to lead the team to optimise the core business for our customers and to drive growth in new markets in the UK and Europe. I look forward to building on the impressive work that is already underway.’ Until he joins G&W, its European operations will continue to be led by interim CEO Becky Lumlock and Jack Hellmann, who is chairman of G&W in the UK and continental Europe.

Members of the RMT at 14 train operating companies in England are on strike today, after negotiations with the Rail Delivery Group appeared to have stalled again. Network Rail staff are not striking, because a new pay offer has been put to RMT Network Rail members in a ballot which closes on Monday. Even so, the lack of RMT staff at the operators means that timetables have been cut back, with last trains running much earlier than usual and with no service to many destinations. Although staff at ScotRail and Transport for Wales are not involved and are continuing to provide domestic rail services, cross-border trains in Scotland and Wales run by English operators are disrupted. Avanti West Coast will not be serving North Wales today, nor running to Glasgow, although this is because of engineering work at Carstairs. Replacement buses are being provided from Carlisle, and ScotRail trains are also running from Carlisle to Glasgow on the Glasgow & South Western route via Dumfries and Kilmarnock. LNER is not running north of Edinburgh, and its services between there and London are reduced. There are no GWR trains west of Cardiff, north of Oxford or west of Plymouth. Other operators’ timetables in England are also disrupted, although c2c services are almost normal and Merseyrail is not affected by the strikes. Transport for London services are returning to normal after yesterday’s Underground strike by ASLEF and the RMT, but at 09.30 this morning TfL was still warning of ‘severe delays’ on some Underground lines. The RMT is set to stage a second 24-hour National Rail walkout on Saturday, and unless there is a settlement in the meantime, two more strikes have been called for 30 March and 1 April. Meanwhile, the RMT has criticised large pay rises awarded to senior managers working for some train operators. The union’s general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘On the one hand Ministers tell workers they must tighten their belts and on the other they are using taxpayer’s money to fund eyewatering pay rises and profits for the railway fat cats. It is this blatant the unfairness that will only reinforce our members determination to get a better deal.’

Updated 11.10London Underground services are at a standstill today, because members of ASLEF and the RMT are staging a 24-hour strike. The dispute is over working conditions, job cuts and pensions. The walkout means that no service can run on any Underground line. Other Transport for London services are not affected by today’s stoppage. The RMT wrote to London Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday, telling him that job cuts must be halted and that the safety of the travelling public was foremost in workers’ minds. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘Attacks on pensions, conditions and job losses will not be tolerated and the travelling public needs to understand that understaffed and unstaffed stations are unsafe. We will continue our industrial campaign for as long as it takes.’ Last night TfL's chief operating officer Glynn Barton said: "I apologise to our customers for any disruption caused by Wednesday's industrial action. I urge the trade unions to call off this action and continue to engage with us to avoid disruption.’ Some early morning Underground services may be disrupted tomorrow morning in the wake of today’s strike, while National Rail services in England are set to be disrupted tomorrow and also on Saturday by RMT industrial action in a dispute with operators. This may affect some Transport for London services, such as the Elizabeth, Bakerloo and District Lines, which run on sections of the National Rail network. Meanwhile, a ballot is in progress asking RMT members if they are willing to accept a new pay offer. Industrial action affecting Network Rail has been suspended. Update:ScotRail has confirmed that its services will not be affected by tomorrow’s strike on National Rail, because industrial action by Network Rail staff has been suspended. ScotRail service delivery director David Simpson said: ‘ScotRail services will operate as normal on Thursday, 16 March, following the suspension of planned strike action by RMT members of Network Rail. The dispute between the trade union and other train operators does not involve any ScotRail staff. We look forward to welcoming passengers to our services.’ 

People living alongside railways are being urged to keep objects in their gardens safely tied down after a wind-blown gazebo caused 60 trains to be cancelled or delayed on one London line. Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside Overground services were disrupted for about three hours after a gazebo was reported to be blocking the line between Upper Holloway and Crouch Hill stations at around 09.45 on Friday. Passenger and freight trains had to be halted until a Network Response Unit could clear the line. While it was blocked, there were 15 full train cancellations and eight partial cancellations. Another 37 trains were delayed. Network Rail Anglia’s head of network delivery Juwad Nasir said: ‘We worked hard to get the railway running again as soon as possible, but unfortunately there was still a big impact on London Overground passengers. ‘I’d ask all our neighbours to tie down anything on their properties that could get on to the tracks. Thank you for helping us keep passengers and freight moving safely and reliably.’

Two 24-hour RMT walkouts at most English train operators are set to go ahead on Thursday and Saturday this week, after talks arranged between the Rail Delivery Group and the union before the weekend appeared to make little progress. The sticking points are pay and ‘modernisation’, which the RMT fears could mean the mass closure of ticket offices.   However, the union has called a ballot of its Network Rail members after a new offer was received. The RMT National Executive is making no recommendations to its members about whether they should accept or reject the offer, but industrial action on Network Rail has been suspended, at least for the time being, which should mean that this week’s strikes at train operators may be slightly less disruptive than in the past, because signallers should be working normally.   The Network Rail ballot closes on 20 March.   Further strikes affecting the operators have been called for 30 March and 1 April, unless the negotiations succeed before then.   Meanwhile, London Underground services will also be disrupted on Wednesday this week, when ASLEF and RMT members walk out for 24 hours in a dispute which ASLEF claims has been caused by ‘management’s failure to accept that changes to our working arrangements and pensions should only happen by agreement’. The RMT is particularly unhappy about job losses at stations and what it sees as the possibility of ‘attacks on pensions or ripping up agreements’.   ASLEF’s Undeground organiser Finn Brennan said: ‘We understand that TfL faces financial challenges, post-pandemic, but our members are simply not prepared to pay the price for the government’s failure to properly fund London’s public transport system.   ‘Cuts to safety training have already been forced through and management is open that they plan to remove all current working agreements under the guise of “modernisation” and “flexibility” and to replace the agreed attendance and discipline policies. Proposals to slash pension benefits are due to be announced in the next week.’   Transport for London’s chief operating officer Glynn Barton said: ‘ASLEF and the RMT are planning strike action on the London Underground on Wednesday 15 March. Strikes are bad news for everyone and we are encouraging them to withdraw this action and continue to engage with us to avoid disruption to our customers.   ‘Our advice for our customers is clear; please check before you travel as strike action impacts varying services throughout the week. Expect services to be busy and please allow extra time to complete your journeys.’   The strikes in London on Wednesday will affect Underground lines, but services on London Overground, the Elizabeth Line, the Docklands Light Railway and tram routes are not expected to be disrupted. On Thursday and Saturday TfL said the walkouts on National Rail may cause problems on those sections of the Underground, the Elizabeth Line and London Overground which use Network Rail tracks.   TfL added: ‘This action on London Underground comes following the government's mandated review into TfL's pensions scheme and despite the fact that no proposals have been tabled on pensions. If any proposal is made in the future this would require appropriate consultation and extensive further work.’

Avanti West Coast is launching a new ‘flexible’ Advance ticket today. Passengers who buy a ‘Superfare’ choose the date of travel and one of three ‘slots’ – morning, afternoon or evening. But the precise time of departure will be sent to the passenger 24 hours in advance. Avanti said the fares are fixed by destination and start from £12 for a single ticket between London and Birmingham. Other destinations in the trial are Liverpool, Preston and Manchester. The number of tickets available on a route each day will vary and bookings can be made at least seven days and up to 21 days before travel. Sarah Copley, who is AWC’s executive director for commercial, said: ‘Superfare tickets are aimed at customers who can be more flexible with their journeys. Not only does it provide a cheaper option, but it’s also quick and easy. Customers pick their date and time of day. Then, 24 hours before their journey, we match them to an empty seat and give them their departure time and reservation. ‘We want to give our customers more cost-effective ticketing options in an innovative way when travelling with us, as well as encouraging more people to take the train.’ Meanwhile, third-party retailer Virgin Trains Ticketing has announced that it is now making ’split’ tickets available. By buying more than one ticket, each covering a section of a longer journey, the total of fares can be lower than a through booking. Virgin Trains ticketing director Mark Plowright  is due to speak at an All-Party Parliamentary Rail Group meeting this afternoon. He said: ’Split tickets is just a sticking plaster on the bigger issue of complicated rail fares. Passengers shouldn’t need to split their tickets to get the best deal; rail fares should be simple, easy to understand and offer the best value for money. ‘When we launched the Virgin Trains Ticketing app in June 2022, we genuinely hoped that meaningful fares reform would have already been introduced to negate the need for split tickets, but unfortunately that’s not yet happened. While we wait, we’ve made the decision to invest in the functionality to ensure our customers can get the cheapest fares.’