Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Friday, 3rd February 2023
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Friday, 3rd February 2023
Five new railway station could be built in Wales as part of plans to boost transport links with England. They would likely be created in south-east Wales on the main line between Cardiff and Bristol.
An article on Wales Online says the UK and Welsh governments have announced they are working together on a £2.7 million study to develop options for new stations and services on the South Wales Main Line, with the aim to reduce the amount of congestion on the M4 between the bridge and the Welsh capital.
This follows Lord Peter Hendy’s review of UK transport connectivity in 2021 which highlighted the need to reduce congestion on the M4 motorway to ease cross-border journeys.
Rail passengers are facing fresh travel chaos today as train drivers hold another strike leaving large parts of the country with no services all day.
An article on Sky News says members of Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have walked out in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
Operators said there would be severe disruption, with trains that do run due to start later and finish much earlier than usual – typically between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
Saturday morning services are also expected to be affected.
Plans to improve public transport in communities on the England-Wales border have been released.
An article on the BBC website says put forward by transport body Midlands Connect, the proposals include road and rail improvements across the Shropshire Marches as well as Mid and West Wales.
Helen Morgan, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said the area was being “held back by a lack of public transport” and change was “crucial”.
Midlands Connect will submit the plans to the government and request funding.
Birmingham City Council’s granted Schedule 17 approval under the HS2 Phase One Act 2017, for HS2’s Washwood Heath Depot, north-east of Birmingham city centre.
This is where HS2 trains will be maintained, serviced and stored when not in use, and includes the Maintenance Building, Network Integrated Control Centre (NICC) and Cleaners and Drivers Building.
All the buildings have been designed to celebrate engineering and provide sustainable working, as well as outdoor amenity spaces for staff. The designs have been produced by HS2’s Engineering Delivery Partner (EDP).
Photo credit: HS2 Ltd
