Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Friday, 28th May 2021
The latest rail news on Friday, 28th May 2021
The HS2 rail project will go all the way to Leeds and could arrive sooner than forecast, the government has said, scotching speculation that mounting costs would prevent the full scheme going ahead.
An article in The Times says Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, told an online event for the Policy Exchange think tank: “We are going to complete HS2 and include HS2 on the eastern leg to Leeds.
“And the only question that we have is how to better integrate that with plans which were developed a very long way since HS2 was first dreamt up all those decades ago, and that pertains to the Northern Powerhouse Rail.”
Shareholders in train and bus operator FirstGroup have voted in favour of allowing the firm to sell its US school bus and transit division for £3.3 billion.
An article in the i newspaper says just 63.3 per cent of investors voted in favour of the deal with 38.7 per cent rejecting it.
Only 50 per cent of shareholders needed to agree to the deal for it to be approved.
The North’s leaders have called on the Government to urgently publish a long-term plan for the region’s railways, to give essential certainty on investment and delivery of major projects.
Through Transport for the North (TfN), the region’s political and business leaders say the Government must publish the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) for the North and Midlands as soon as possible to avoid delays to delivery of schemes including Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 in the North.
They say it’s also critical to address congested hotspots on the North’s rail network today, as well as addressing the short and medium-term projects such as the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
Finally, Network Rail is delivering a new £33 million train depot and staff accommodation facilities within the existing Cadder railway yard, between Bishopbriggs and Lenzie.
The investment will include the construction of three new service platforms and night-time accommodation for six High Speed Trains (HSTs) and a new modular building to accommodate up to 250 support staff working on Scotland’s Railway.
Photo credit: Transport for the North
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