In The News: 19th March

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Some rail stations are being closed and services being cut as the industry works around the clock to keep passengers and workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

Overnight and the Transport for London is starting to run a reduced service to enable London’s critical workers to make essential journeys.

Up to 40 London Underground stations that do not interchange with other lines are being closed until further notice. People are being urged not to use public transport for anything other than essential journeys.

We have the full details from Transport for London here.

Sticking with Covid-19 – which dominates the papers and the Daily Mail reports on the news that Ministers are considering bringing struggling rail operators into public ownership to help them survive during the crisis.

According to the article passengers numbers are falling like a stone, with industry sources telling the paper they are expecting just a third of normal traffic by tomorrow.

In other news and work is set to begin on the new £14.5 million regional transport integration hub at Motherwell station this year.

Balfour Beatty has been appointed as contractors for the gateway to the Glasgow City Region.

Finally and details have been revealed of quick-thinking Network Rail staff who helped keep pensioners and passengers safe from a landslip in West Lancashire during a recent storm.

After persistent heavy rain, a 15m fault line suddenly appeared on top of a rail cutting.

Engineers put safety first by evacuating two elderly residents from their homes and reducing the speed of trains through the area.

Photo credit: Transport for London

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