In The News: 26th May

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The owner of Britain’s biggest train factory has told the government that it will be ‘unable to continue production’ without support as it burns through cash during the lockdown.

The Times article says Bombardier Transportation has asked for contractual charges to be suspended after it was forced to halt production.

The bond repayments and penalties for delivery delays that it wants paused total about £20 million a month.

The article says the company is not seeking a rescue loan, but it is concerned that contractual costs will put its balance sheet at risk.

Meanwhile the paper also features comments that trains could be fitted with plastic screens and contactless door controls under plans to restore confidence in public transport during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some news from the weekend and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says a further £283 million has been made available to increase the number of bus and light rail services as quickly as possible.

He also said 3,400 people, including British Transport Police officers, Network Rail and train operator staff have been deployed at stations to advise passengers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Govia Thameslink Railway’s entire fleet of Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express trains, plus stations and staff areas, have been treated with a powerful new viruscide.

The company says it sticks to surfaces, killing coronavirus for up to 30 days.

It further improves GTR’s already-enhanced cleaning regime, in which stations and staff areas are treated with more short-term viruscides, and all 2,700 of its train carriages are sanitised every night.

Finally and the Daily Mail features an article of the speeded-up driver’s-eye footage of a train hurtling through the Scottish Highlands at the equivalent of 830mph.

LNER has released the video to give people the opportunity to experience the journey from the comfort of their homes.

Whereas normally it would take over three hours, the video completes the route in just over seven minutes.

Photo credit: Govia Thameslink Railway

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