21st December 2012
- Laidlaw inquiry costs ‘as much as £3.55 million’
- Andrew Haines joins Eversholt Rail
- London Midland’s franchise won’t end early
- Transport Scotland advertises sleeper service franchise
Main stories this week
Department for Transport estimates suggest the costs of the Laidlaw inquiry alone could reach £3.55 million. [Railway Eye]
- Sam Laidlaw told the transport committee on Tuesday that ministers had failed to put a senior figure in charge of the West Coast mainline franchise competition. [The Times]
- The DfT is planning to tender for more consultants in the wake of the Laidlaw review. [Transport Briefing]
Transport Scotland has advertised bids for tender for the new Caledonian Sleeper franchise. [Railway Eye]
Andrew Haines, formerly of South West Trains and FirstGroup, it to join Eversholt Rail as a nonexecutive director. [Railway Eye]
The DfT has decided not to exercise a clause to end London Midland‘s franchise early, despite months of disruption: it will terminate in September 2015. [Railway Eye]
- London Midland is to offer free travel to its passengers hit by weeks of cancellations and delays. [BBC News]
Other stories
A strike by London Underground drivers on Boxing day looks set to go ahead after peace talks broke down on Monday. [Financial Times]
A study has revealed First Great Western‘s 07.44am Henley-on-Thames to London Paddington service is the most congested in the country. [BBC News]
Update on new services
Contractors have successfully run an Edinburgh Tram at full speed as part of a process to ensure the system is ready for service in summer 2014. [BBC News]
Financial update and sharecheck
Bookings surged for National Express coach services in December following widespread threats of strike action. [Bus and Coach]
Stagecoach has increased profits in the last six months, citing good revenue growth in its UK rail division. [Rail.co]
FirstGroup executives have been rattled not just by the loss of the InterCity West Coast franchise but by its bus operations, says [Private Eye]. FirstGroup shares fell by more than a quarter after the franchise process was subsequently cancelled in late September.
