In The News: 10th July

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Transport leaders have urged the Government to stop encouraging people to avoid trains and buses, saying it is time to send commuters the signal that ‘public transport is safe’.

The article in The Daily Telegraph features comments from Matthew Gregory, chief executive of the FirstGroup, saying it is time to ‘move away’ from telling passengers to avoid travelling for non-essential journeys.

A Department for Transport spokesman signalled that messaging on public transport could change in the near future, saying the advice is under ‘continual review’.

Glasgow Subway is cutting passenger distancing from 2 metres to 1 metre after Nicola Sturgeon approved the move for public transport operators.

That’s according to an article in The Scotsman that says appropriate mitigation measures will be needed with operators introducing back-to-back or face-to-back seating, enhanced ventilation, Perspex screens and mounted sanitisers, wipes and bins.

ScotRail, where 2 metres distancing has cut capacity to 20 per cent, said it was assessing the impending change.

Plans to build a rail freight depot are to go ahead after a council withdrew its opposition according to an article on the BBC website.

Planning permission for the depot at Radlett Aerodrome was granted in 2014, despite St Albans district Council wanting a 2,000-home village there.

However, the council is now prepared to accept a depot should be constructed there instead.

Finally, and it’s been revealed that Transport for Wales will begin railway line transformational works on August 3 and move forward with plans to deliver South Wales Metro.

It is part of the three-quarters-of-a-billion-pound investment in Metro, which includes £164 million of European Regional Development Funding through the Welsh Government.

Earlier this year TfW completed the transfer of rail assets, known locally as the Core Valley Lines, from Network Rail into its ownership.

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Photo credit: Transport for Wales

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