In The News | 9th March 2023 | Latest Rail News

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InTheNews: The latest rail news on Thursday, 9th March 2023

British Steel has won its largest ever order for rail sleepers with a major export deal for West Africa.

An article on the BBC website says the deal will see the export of 244,000 steel sleepers to Guinea, which will be used to upgrade a railway line at a bauxite mine.

The firm said its steel sleepers, manufactured at its Scunthorpe plant, were 100 per cent recyclable and provided a more durable and cost-effective solution for track operators

Rail export sales manager Jérôme Bonef described it as fantastic news for the business.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’ union (RMT) has said planned strike dates on 14 train operators will go ahead, but they insist they are open to discussions with bosses.

The article on Sky News says the union said the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing 14 train operators, invited them to discussions to settle its ongoing dispute, but on the condition that planned strike action on 16 and 18 March is suspended.

But the union’s executive council said the schedule will remain in place. They added the union will be “available for discussions and will attend any meetings on creating a resolution to the dispute through an improved offer”.

Welsh politician Kirsty Williams CBE has been appointed as the new chair of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence Community Committee (GCRE).

The £400 million train, railway infrastructure and technology testing facility opens in 2025 and is located at the head of the Dulais and Swansea valleys.

The article on Insider Media says that to support community engagement, GCRE is establishing a committee which will provide a forum for the business to engage with local elected representatives for the site and government officials.

Transport bosses are upping their attempts to catch fare dodgers on the London Underground – by using social media.

Fares across the Transport for London (TfL) network increased by an average of 6 per cent on Sunday, March 5.

But that’s not stopping TfL from cracking down on those not purchasing tickets, as bosses outline plans to catch those who ‘chronically’ don’t pay for services.

Speaking at Transport Ticketing Global 2023, the world’s largest ticket conference, protection policy manager John Poett said: “Lots of things are happening where people actually fare evade and are recording themselves while they’re doing it.”

He added TfL is working with policing partners, legal team and have had success with our internal investigation team actually stopping a few people who have recorded themselves fare evading.

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