Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Wednesday, 14th April 2021
The latest rail news on Wednesday, 14th April 2021
Cars will continue to be the preferred mode of transport for around half of journeys post-COVID, a survey of travel plans has revealed, putting climate targets and a fair economic recovery at risk according to leading sustainable transport charity Campaign for Better Transport.
Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, says: “Cars are the main contributor to carbon emissions and lethal air pollution, so returning to a car-dominated transport network is simply not an option post-COVID.
“Our research highlights that unless the Government does more to promote public transport and encourage its use, we cannot hope to reduce harmful emissions or build back in a way that is fair and sustainable.”
ScotRail workers have voted to stage industrial action in a bitter row over pay.
That’s according to an article in the Daily Mail (Scotland) that says Unite members backed industrial action by 75 per cent and action short of a strike by 90 per cent.
The union has criticised the Abellio franchise, which runs ScotRail, for withdrawing a rest day working agreement for engineers and denying workers a pay rise.
In response Abellio ScotRail has described it as disappointing saying strike action is divisive and wrong. It says the Scottish Government has instructed it not to award a pay rise.
An industrial dispute about the operation of train doors that has rumbled on since 2017 appeared to be over last night after RMT union members working for South Western Railway were offered a cut in working hours from 42 to 37 a week with no reduction in pay.
That is according to an article in The Times that says train guards voted four to one in favour of driver-controlled doors.
Finally, and The Great Western Society (GWS), the charity that operates Didcot Railway Centre, has appointed Clive Hetherington as its new Chief Executive.
Clive takes up the post as the 21-acre living museum gets set to reopen following lockdown and as the GWS prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
He says these are exciting times for GWS and while COVID and the lockdown are still primary concerns, they can hopefully look forward with a sense of optimism to its 60th anniversary this year.
Photo credit: Didcot Railway Centre
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