Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Thursday, 22nd April 2021
The latest rail news on Thursday, 22nd April 2021
An open letter to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP, signed by more than 15 rail businesses, and industry and campaign groups, has called for a programme of rail electrification to begin as soon as possible to meet the Government’s legally binding net zero commitments.
The letter comes on the back of a new report, “Why Rail Electrification?” which sets out why – even with the development of clean new technologies like battery and hydrogen trains – the industry will be unable to decarbonise the rail network to the extent required without significant further electrification.
According to Network Rail, to decarbonise the network, 13,000 single track kilometres – or around 450km a year – of track will need to be electrified by 2050 in order to achieve net zero, yet from 2019-2020 only 251km was electrified.
Align joint venture, HS2’s construction partner for the Chilterns Tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct, has taken an innovative step to reduce the use of single use plastic on its construction sites.
Analysis of Align’s purchasing data showed that the joint venture, which is made up of three companies, was using over 100,000 pairs of disposable blue plastic overshoes in indoor areas at its construction sites every month.
In a matter of weeks, Onsite Support Ltd returned with a prototype shoe made from recycled Taslan. Each pair of the newly designed overshoes contains recycled material from six plastic bottles.
RailDirector, our exclusive rail industry magazine covering everything from track to train, is on its way to 2,200 rail industry leaders and subscribers. More than 15,000 people also read the magazine online each month.
April’s cover feature is LNER’s Managing Director David Horne, speaking about overcoming coronavirus and the opportunities of an innovative approach.
The magazine also highlights the vast range of roles in the industry, with interviews with Network Rail’s Lydia Fairman discussing her role inspiring the engineers of the future, through to HS2’s lead archaeologist Mike Court on his journey exploring 10,000 years of British history.
