Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Monday, 26th April 2021
The latest rail news on Monday, 26th April 2021
Ministers have launched a £1 billion auction for thousands of miles of phone lines running alongside Britain’s railways, in a move they hope will improve train services while boosting broadband speeds for millions of homes.
That’s according to an article in The Daily Telegraph that says private sector bidders will have the chance to upgrade 10,000 miles of cables, while also building 250 new mobile phone masts close to train lines.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Upgrading the fibre optic cable network beside our railways has the potential to create a more digitally connected railway, and could lay the foundations towards eradicating blackspots and phone signal outages which infuriate passengers.”
ScotRail services were severely disrupted owing to a fifth consecutive weekend of strikes by conductors in a dispute over overtime payments.
The article in The Herald says conductors are locked in a row over a lack of extra cash for working rest days, a benefit enjoyed by other staff grades such as drivers, and have staged walkouts on the past five Sundays.
The government is facing a rebellion from rail bosses after watering down plans for flexible season tickets.
An article in The Daily Telegraph says the paper understands that there is growing dissatisfaction within the industry over the rollout of French-style “carnet” tickets this June.
The part-time rail commuting regime offers far less generous discounts to a traditional season ticket than previously hoped after the Treasury intervened to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Finally, The Railway Benefit Fund has today launched a week-long fundraising event designed to bring together the Railway Family in support of colleagues in need. ‘Railway Family Week’ will feature a range of exciting fundraising events.
More than £25,000 has already been raised to support current, former and retired railway people and their families as part of Railway Family Week.
