In The News: 19th August

Click here to listen to the latest news on Wednesday, 19th August 2020

The rail industry has this morning fallen silent to remember Brett McCullough, Christopher Stuchbury and Donald Dinnie who all tragically lost their lives a week ago today.

They died after the ScotRail service they were travelling on crashed after a landslip on the track in Aberdeenshire.

Alex Hynes, Scotland’s Railway Managing Director says the strength of support and offers to help from railway colleagues across the rest of Britain has been a real source of comfort.

The main rail line between Edinburgh and Glasgow could be closed for two months because of flood damage, Network Rail has revealed.

That’s according to an article in The Scotsman, that says engineers have been working around the clock to repair extensive damage near Polmont caused by flooding from the Union Canal.

A 300m section of track was engulfed by ‘unprecedented’ rainfall which saw gallons of water cascading from the damaged canal last Wednesday.

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The rise in the cost of living is expected to result in a 1.6% rise in rail season tickets.

The article features in several of this morning’s newspapers including The Mirror, as the increase is typically based on July’s Retail Prices Index.

Although the article says there is speculation ministers are considering delaying the 2021 rise, usually increased every January, due to low passenger numbers.

Finally, and a row over car parking at a new Forth Bridge visitor centre has been settled by the Scottish Government.

The Forth Bridge Experience project will let the public climb the structure and learn about its heritage.

Network Rail had hoped to create 78 car parking spaces at the site, but planners cut that to just 39 before giving the project the green light.

However now, in an article in The Herald, it says an appeal to the Scottish Government to have Edinburgh Council’s decision overturned has led to officials reversing the move, increasing parking to 57 spaces.

Photo credit: Network Rail

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