Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Wednesday, 6th March 2024.
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Wednesday, 6th March 2024
A multi-billion pound railway project which would link Oxford with Cambridge is to be scrutinised by a transport committee this week.
An article on This is Oxfordshire says the East West Rail (EWR) initiative hopes to establish a line connecting Oxford and Cambridge via Bicester, Milton Keynes and Bedford.
A project bidding to reopen a disused railway line has secured £350,000 government funding.
An article on the BBC website says the Leamside Line would connect Pelaw, in Gateshead, to Tursdale, in County Durham, and the money is to be used for a “strategic outline case” for the southern section between Washington and Ferryhill.
Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon said he was glad the government had “finally decided” to support the £1bn project after previously issuing “confusing” messages.
The Metro tunnels beneath Newcastle city centre are to undergo a £3.4 million track replacement scheme, ensuring that the busiest part of the network is resilient for many years to come.
Nexus, the public body which runs Metro, will be renewing a key junction located in the tunnel between Monument and Haymarket Metro stations.
The renewal works will be carried out over two weekend line closures to keep the amount of disruption to customers at a minimum and planned in before the start of major restoration works on the Tyne Bridge.
Over the last 12 months, Chiltern Railways has recovered more than £400,000 of lost revenue from 3,984 fare evasion cases.
The rail operator said that fare evasion results in less money being available to improve the railways, and that it has a responsibility to strongly pursue those who don’t buy a ticket before they board with the intention of not paying a valid fare.
Across nearly 4,000 cases, common instances of not having a valid ticket for travel included adults misusing rail cards or carrying child tickets. Some cases also involved ‘short-faring’, where tickets are only purchased for a shorter leg of the trip to avoid paying for a full journey.
Photo credit: Nexus
