In The News | 19th February 2021 | Latest Rail News

Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Friday, 19th February 2021

The latest rail news on Friday, 19th February 2021

Northern leaders have reluctantly agreed to delay the publishing of its Northern Powerhouse Rail business case.

The article in The Guardian features the Transport for the North meeting in which it was decided they had a “statutory duty” to do what the government wanted and delay the publishing.

It was due to be signed off and published in March by Transport for the North, but last week the government asked for this to be delayed until it had published its own Integrated Rail Plan.

It’s led to concerns that a new £39 billion railway line could be scaled back.

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Rishi Sunak is set to extend business rates relief and the furlough scheme into the summer, offering further support to companies battered by coronavirus restrictions.

That’s according to an article in City A.M. that says in his Budget next month the chancellor is expected to announce that the year-long business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will continue beyond the previous end-date of March 31^st.

More than 140 organisations involved with the rail industry have signed up to the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Charter, launched last November by Women in Rail (WR) and the Railway Industry Association (RIA).

The aim is to help improve equality, diversity and inclusion within the rail workforce and to make sure everyone in the industry feels included and supported.

RIA’s Policy Director Kate Jennings said that they are looking forward to working with fantastic organisations to help drive change and highlight progress.

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Finally, and North Yorkshire Moors Railway has received a Capital Kickstart Fund award of £296,000 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund for its Yorkshire Magnificent Journey project.

The impact of COVID-19 has meant the NYMR has had to defer some of its Yorkshire Magnificent Journey match funding.

This latest award means that it can now continue and fulfil one of the major elements of the project and continue the renewal of Goathland Station bridges.

Photo credit: NYMR

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