18th January 2013
- Hong Kong-based MTR has emerged as a contender to operate the Docklands Light Railway, currently run by Serco, which is up for tender in 2014
- Network Rail executive bonuses of up to £900,000 each were highlighted by a national paper
- Eurostar chairman Richard Brown defended his support for the rail franchising system to parliament
- ATOC chief executive Michael Roberts used purchased ticket data to argue ticket prices have fallen over the last decade
Main stories this week
Hong Kong-based MTR has emerged as a contender to operate the Docklands Light Railway, currently run by Serco, which is up for tender in 2014. [The Times]
Network Rail executives – including Robin Gisby, Patrick Butcher and Simon Kirby – will enjoy bonuses of up to £900,000 each next year as passengers struggle to cope with above inflation fare rises. [Daily Telegraph]
Eurostar chairman Richard Brown defended his support for the rail franchising system while giving evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee on Tuesday. [Transport Briefing]
In a letter to the [Financial Times], ATOC chief executive Michael Roberts used purchased ticket data to argue ticket prices have fallen over the last decade.
New services
Journey times between major provincial cities in northern England will be slashed, in many cases by more than half, by High Speed 2, reports the [Daily Telegraph]
- More than 4m trees are to be planted along the planned HS2 highspeed rail link between London and the north of England in an effort to help it blend in with the countryside. [Sunday Times]
- The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, spoke out against the controversial HS2 project this week. [Bucks Free Press]
Other news
Former Tory Minister Edwina Currie has defended a rail union banned from publishing an ‘offensive’ advertisement which uses her affair with John Major to mark the 20th anniversary of the then Prime Minister’s decision to sell off Britain’s railways. [Daily Mail]
The head of London Midland trains has said he is “embarrassed” by the company’s performance over the last four months. [BBC News]
Peter Hendy, London’s transport commissioner, has used taxis nearly 400 times during the past three years for which he has charged expenses. [Evening Standard]
- The [Railway Eye] blog uses the same figures to describe London Underground’s Mike Brown, who claimed no taxi journeys at all, as Britain’s best value managing director.
Hundreds of rail signal workers across Scotland are to be balloted for strike action in a move that threatens to cause widespread disruption to passengers. [The Herald]
Transport for London is on the verge of signing orders for new London Overground trains from Bombardier. [Transport Briefing]
Trains at London Victoria were suspended after the station was filled with smoke when a Gatwick Express Class 442 carriage burst into flames. [Daily Telegraph]
Finance update and sharecheck
National Express shares began to increase in late November following the appointment Sir John Armitt as its new chairman [Financial Times] and a surge in coach bookings in December following widespread threats of rail strike action. [Bus and Coach]
Stagecoach has purchased a number of bus companies from FirstGroup in Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. [Transport Briefing]
