13th September 2013
- Network Rail summoned by government to explain poor performance
- Public Accounts Committee criticises case for High Speed 2…
- …as government launches public relations fightback
Main stories this week
Senior executives at Network Rail have been summoned by ministers to explain increasingly poor performance after the rail regulator said the company was falling well short on punctuality and was also set tomiss its efficiency targets. [Financial Times]
- The [Daily Mail] reports the company faces a £75million fine.
The Public Accounts Committee has told the government that it has yet to present a convincing strategic case for High Speed 2. [Transport Briefing]
- But the government has launched a fightback against critics of the High Speed 2 programme to coincide with the release of new research which claims HS2 could deliver economic benefits woth up to £15bn a year. [Transport Briefing]
- Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin warned projections are likely to underestimate future demand for travel. [Transport Briefing]
- Meanwhile, the Welsh Government has confirmed it will be seeking extra rail infrastructure money from Westminster if the controversial project goes ahead. [WalesOnline]
New services
Network Rail has announced what it describes as the first stage of work to connect two new Thameslink rail tunnels to the national network. [Transport Briefing]
Other stories this week
Labour MPs in London have signed a Commons motion calling for transport fares in the capital to be frozen at the rate of inflation for 2014. [BBC News]
Finance and companies
Go-Ahead chief executive David Brown said his company continued to believe in the “fundamental strengths” of the UK rail market despite a £15.7m fall in rail profits. [Global Rail News]
