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InTheNews: The latest rail news on Monday, 18th September 2023
A lightning strike caused major disruption to the rail network in the Midlands, affecting concertgoers attending Radio 2 In The Park in Leicester.
An article on the Sky News website said East Midlands Railway (EMR) last night said there had been “multiple points failures” impacting services to and from cities including Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby.
None of its trains were running north or south of Leicester either, the company said.
CrossCountry Trains said some of its services in the region had also been affected.
The Metro extension to Wolverhampton Railway Station has finally opened to the public.
An article on the Express and Star website says the extension has created two new tram stops, at Pipers Row and Wolverhampton Railway Station, via a new 720 metre route from St George’s.
Tram enthusiasts and Metro staff gathered at Wednesbury Parkway early on Sunday morning to get on the very first passenger tram to make the journey to its newest stops.
The penalty fare for travelling without a valid ticket or pass on Metrolink will be increasing to £120 from the 24th September as part of ongoing efforts to tackle fare evasion on public transport.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is urging passengers to take note of the higher penalty fare and to ensure they touch-in at the start and touch-out at the end of every journey when using contactless, smart cards or concessionary passes.
Customers can also purchase a ticket or travelcard with cash or card at the ticket machine or via the new Bee Network app from 18th September. Passengers cannot buy tickets on the tram.
Three of First Group’s railway companies won awards at this year’s National Rail Awards was held last Thursday, 14 September, and were highly commended in several other categories
An article on Rail Advent says South Western Railway (SWR), Great Western Railway (GWR), and Avanti West Coast each won awards, with South Western Railway winning in two categories.
Meanwhile Southeastern won six awards including Customer Service Excellence and Great Place to Work categories, and was highly commended in two other categories.
Congratulations to all the winners.
Photo credit: West Midlands Railway
