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Network Rail has saved more than £385 million in the first year of the new control period 6, as it looks to deliver £3.5 billion of efficiency savings over the next five years.
However, passenger and freight performance varied by region, according to figures contained in the 2019-20 annual assessment of Network Rail published by the Office of Rail and Road today.
In response, Andrew Haines, Network Rail’s chief executive, welcomes the recognition of the unprecedented progress being made to deliver efficiencies.
He admits there is much more to do to provide a consistently reliable service for passengers and although there have been some real performance improvements in some parts of the country, this is not yet consistent across the network.
Around 5,000 jobs are under threat at SSP, the owner of Upper Crust, as a result of the plunging passenger numbers at railway stations and airports because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The article in the i paper writes that the group said it expects to open only around a fifth of its UK sites by the autumn, with travel likely to remain at very low levels.
SSP has around 570 sites across 130 airport and railway stations in the UK and Ireland, as well as operations in 35 countries worldwide.
Rail passengers will be given warning of crowded trains under plans to promote social distancing on the network.
An article in The Times has revealed that a new feature will be added to the Trainline app that allows passengers to alert fellow travellers to busy services where it is impossible to keep at least a metre apart.
The news comes as train operators are preparing to increase frequencies from Monday, with services running at up to 90 per cent of pre-lockdown levels on some lines.
Finally, and a new multi-million pound station in County Durham has opened to passengers.
The first scheduled train stopped at the new Horden station on Monday, 29 June, marking the entry into service of the £10.55 million development near Peterlee.
Photo credit: Network Rail
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