Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Wednesday, 14th July 2021
The latest rail news on Wednesday, 14th July 2021
Welcome to the railway news round-up.
In today’s headlines, Siemens Mobility has issued a stark warning to the government that it is in danger of missing climate change targets if it doesn’t speed up electrification plans and introduce hydrogen infrastructure and trains to the rail network soon.
The firm conducted research that found current electrification proposals could take until 2060 and beyond to complete, leaving diesel trains on the network for more than 10 years beyond the UK’s legislative Net Zero date.
Siemens Mobility is urging the Government to commit to electrifying a minimum of 300 miles of rail every year until 2050, as well as introducing hydrogen and battery-powered trains to replace current diesel and bi-modal fleets. It has also identified a number of major routes, currently operating diesel trains, for replacement and upgrade by 2030.
Read more at: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/siemens-mobility-warns-uk-net-zero-targets-under-threat/
North East transport bosses have signed off a £16.3m deal to improve Sunderland Railway Station.
Funding will allow for the development of a new station entrance, concourse, and 400 space multi-storey car park, Sunderland Echo reports.
The six-year project will be the second major scheme to be funded via the region’s £198m share of the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund, following the redevelopment of Durham bus station.
Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris has launched a new forum to coordinate the industry in helping rough sleepers at stations across the country.
The rough sleeping on rail forum will convene quarterly to bring together the rail industry, enforcement, charities and local authorities on the issue of rough sleeping, with the first meeting taking place yesterday.
Mr Heaton-Harris visited Birmingham New Street Station to view a pilot scheme run by Shelter to train Network Rail staff on how to connect with the people they encounter sleeping rough and refer them to the charity’s services.
And finally, archaeologists working in West London on the HS2 project have uncovered a fascinating set of rare potins, an early version of the coin, which date back to the 1st century BC.
‘The Hillingdon Hoard’ of 300 potins dates back to the late Iron Age, during a period where the Romans and Julius Caesar first began to establish themselves in Britain.
To celebrate the discovery, HS2 will be participating in this year’s Festival of Archaeology, beginning on 19th July, with a series of webinars held and members of the public invited to register to find out more about this, and the project’s other archaeological finds.
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