Issue 34/2012

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
In this issue:

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.

Click here for other time periods