In The News: 1st September

Click here to listen to the latest news on Tuesday, 1st September 2020

Department for Transport has today exercised its option to extend the Emergency Measures Agreement for Great Western Railway until at least the 26th June 2021.

That’s according to a statement released by FirstGroup plc. Under the EMA, the DfT waive the revenue, cost and contingent capital risk and GWR is paid a fixed management fee with the potential for a small performance-based fee.

Matthew Gregory, Chief Executive at the FirstGroup, welcomes the news saying it provides important clarity and continuity for customers, employees and wider stakeholders.

Scotland’s Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has visited the ground investigation works for the East Kilbride rail corridor project.

The project forms a key part of the Scottish Government’s plans to decarbonise Scotland’s rail passenger services by 2035.

Commenting, Mr Matheson said “these plans will help to deliver a variety of benefits to the economy, the environment, and to passengers and freight users”.

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Network Rail has completed a range of essential upgrades over the August bank holiday weekend.

Among the work included West Coast main line upgrades to track work at Coventry and signalling upgrades in Liverpool.

Network Rail’s Tim Shoveller has thanked passengers for their patience while hundreds of engineers worked over the long weekend to make the network better.

Finally, a solar-powered scarecrow that mimics the calls of a hawk is being used to ward off birds causing delays to passengers travelling between Manchester and London Euston.

Large numbers of birds have been damaging the electric arms of Avanti West Coast’s Pendolino trains and overhead line equipment giving them power at Alstom depot in Longsight, Manchester.

The device installed humanely scares the birds away while protecting them from potential electrocution.

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Photo credit: Peter Devlin

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