Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Thursday, 25th August 2022
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Thursday, 25th August 2022
The Department for Transport (DfT) has this week published figures showing that national rail passenger numbers have reached a new post-pandemic milestone, with 95% of pre-COVID levels being recorded on 10 August.
This came in a run of seven straight days, from Saturday 6 August to Friday 12 August, where 93-95% of pre-COVID passenger levels were hit every single day of the week.
Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association, said: “Given all the industrial action of recent weeks, and that the month of August is the traditional summer season when many go on holiday, it is astonishing that we are now getting 95% of pre-COVID passenger levels reached on the national rail network, and in a week where over 93% was recorded every single day of the week.”
A Tube station has shut and others have partly closed due to flooding as torrential rain hit London on Thursday morning.
An article in the Evening Standard says six flood warnings are in place across the capital, while a yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued across the city and the south-east.
TfL (Transport for London) said on Twitter about 6am that Dagenham Heathway Underground station was closed “due to heavy flooding” while exits one and two are also shut at Charing Cross.
Fresh business opportunities and potential new jobs will be unlocked for the UK’s rail industry thanks to a new partnership signed by the Transport Secretary with Israel yesterday.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by the two countries to share expertise on large scale rail projects, following the successful launch of the UK’s Elizabeth Line earlier this year.
The benefits of the state-of-the-art line will be extended overseas, through the Department for Transport’s Crossrail International advisory company.
ScotRail is urging people to skip the 10:51 train from Inverness to Edinburgh — and save money in the process. It is running a social media campaign with a video to explain why.
In short, the train is busy, and the operator has said there are no ways for them to add more carriages because its fleet is being fully utilised.
The train is apparently popular with tourists and travel groups, which like to take the route because of the stunning scenery like the Drumochter Pass in the Highlands – and the 10:51 service apparently poses a challenge because of its popularity.
Photo credit: RIA
