In The News | 02 November 2022 | Latest Rail News

Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Wednesday, 2nd November 2022

InTheNews: The latest rail news on Wednesday, 2nd November 2022

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has insisted the Government is “committed” to HS2 following Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove’s suggestion that capital investment for the project will be reviewed.

An article from the London Evening Standard said Mr Harper told Sky News: “The Government remains committed to delivering High Speed 2 on time and within budget.”

The cabinet minister was also pressed on the decision not to extend the high-speed railway from the East Midlands to Leeds and insisted that the government would explore options to bring high-speed trains to the city.

Prospective developers of a major new railway station in Cardiff have been left “frustrated” after their plans were put on hold.

An article from Nation Cymru said the Welsh Government has decided to call-in the decision on plans for a new Cardiff Parkway railway station in St Mellons.

The decision means that Welsh Ministers will review and determine the application and not Cardiff Council’s planning committee.

Executive chairman of Cardiff Parkway Developments, Nigel Roberts, said he was “very disappointed and frustrated” that the decision-making process had been extended.

Network Rail has awarded BAM Nuttall a contract to design a series of resilience measures along the coastal railway running between Dawlish and Holcombe in south Devon.

The scheme, which aims to protect the track from falling debris from the cliffs, will include netting designed to retain the cliffs in high-risk locations; and catch fences to stop any cliff material falling onto the railway.

The work forms part of the South West Rail Resilience Programme (SWRRP), in which BAM Nuttall is currently working on the construction of a new £80m sea wall at Dawlish.

Read the full story here.

Finally, Birmingham New Street station was brought to a halt on Monday evening, as people were evacuated following the discovery of what was believed to be a hand grenade… but turned out to be a cannabis grinder. 

Police were called to the station upon discovery of the item on Monday afternoon, and the station was evacuated and closed, causing travel chaos for thousands.

A later update by the British Transport Police confirmed the item had been assessed and was deemed non-suspicious, with the station reopened again at 5pm, with services returning to normal.   

Read the full story here.

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