In The News: 28th July

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Plans to decarbonise Scotland’s rail passenger services by 2035 have been launched by Transport Secretary Michael Matheson.

The Cabinet Secretary was speaking during a visit to ScotRail’s Shields Road electric fleet Depot where he unveiled Transport Scotland’s ‘Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan’.

The action plan is testimony to the Scottish Government’s determination to deliver on its Programme for Government (PfG) commitment to decarbonise passenger rail services and continue to reduce carbon emissions.

French giant Alstom is set to get approval from the EU’s competition watchdog to buy Bombardier’s rail business, paving the way for the creation of the world’s second largest rail firm.

That’s according to an article in City A.M. which writes that Reuters reported that regulators were set to give the deal the go-ahead after Alstom made a number of concessions due to antitrust fears.

The EU is expected to decide on the deal by 31st July and if it is approved, Alstom will be behind only China’s CRRC Corporation in terms of size.

Hopes of upgrading the rail line between Ipswich and Cambridge by the end of the decade have moved ahead – with the hope that some trains could run from Suffolk as far as Oxford.

An article in the East Anglian Daily Times says consultants Steer have been appointed by the East West Rail Consortium to develop a business case for developing the eastern section of the route.

This will use existing lines running from Cambridge to Ipswich and Norwich – and would mean a major upgrade of the line to Suffolk by building a second track from Cambridge to Newmarket.

Train operator Greater Anglia is investing £4 million in replacing and improving six train washing plants across its network.

New trains washers are being installed at Southend Victoria and Crown Point Depot in Norwich, while the washers at Clacton, Colchester, Ilford depot and Orient Way in London, will be refurbished.

It is part of a £1.4 billion investment in transforming train services in East Anglia.

Click here for more details.

Finally, and a railway museum is marking its reopening by announcing the world’s first iron railway bridge will be returning to the region for permanent display.

The Northern Echo features the news of Locomotion in Shildon’s reopening, after being closed because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Gaunless Bridge, designed by George Stephenson and built in 1823 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, will become a permanent fixture at the museum.

Photo credit: Transport Scotland

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