Rail industry puts service and job cuts on the line amid warnings that government support ‘not unlimited’ June 15, 2021 The rail industry is taking steps to trim services and cut jobs in a bid to save £2bn a year as it warned that the government’s current support for the sector was “not unlimited”. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March last year, ministers have spent over £10bn – £800m per month – propping [...]
Government to take control of all Southeastern rail services September 28, 2021 The Government announced this morning it is taking over all services of train operator Southeastern after a “serious breach” of its franchise agreement. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said an investigation by his department identified evidence that since October 2014 the company has not declared more than £25m of historic taxpayer funding which should have been [...]
Stratford crowned UK’s busiest station for first time ever November 25, 2021 Stratford station was crowned today the UK’s busiest station, surpassing for the first time in 16 years London Waterloo. Data from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has revealed that for the year 2020 – 2021, Stratford recorded almost 14 million entries and exits, compared with 12.2 million recorded at Waterloo. The station was [...]
Sunak is right in taking on the unions, but anti-strike laws are no silver bullet January 9, 2023 Strike action doesn’t have to be very extensive to send British society into fits of frightening folk memories of the 1970s. People murmur knowingly about a winter of discontent coming back to haunt us from the past. Real connoisseurs will recall the Army being brought in, ageing Green Goddess fire engines wheeled out to cover [...]
Exempt housing can plug the hole, but we must bring it up to scratch January 21, 2022 If finding affordable housing is difficult for numerous young professionals and key workers in the country – and especially in the capital – imagine how hard it is for prison leavers struggling to find a job, or for refugees who have just landed on new shores. Then there are the victims of domestic abuse desperately [...]
RMT rouses Caledonian Sleeper staff into new wave of ins November 9, 2021 RMT has confirmed a two-day strike is going ahead this week on the Caledonian Sleeper in Scotland. Workers on the sleeper service have been roused into action for the fourth time following a protracted pay dispute with Serco. The industrial action takes place between 11th and 13th November. The train provides overnight journeys from London [...]
Terrible Thursday: Chaos returns to central London as TfL staff walk out in yet another tube strike March 3, 2022 Another tube strike has just begun with Londoners facing another day of travel chaos as the refusal by thousands of Transport for London workers is expected to cripple transport services today. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will walk out for 24 hours in a deadlocked dispute over jobs, pensions and conditions, [...]
Talks failed: Tube strike going ahead on Tuesday and Thursday on ALL London Underground lines February 24, 2022 Strikes by London Underground (LU) workers are to go ahead next week after talks failed to resolve a dispute over jobs, pensions and conditions. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out next Tuesday and Thursday (March 1 and 3), threatening disruption to Tube services across the capital. The RMT said [...]
Government to unveil flexible rail tickets as part of a wider overhaul May 16, 2021 The government will reportedly bring in flexible rail tickets next week as a part of a wider shake-up of the UK’s rail system. Commuters will be offered “carnet” tickets that will allow office workers to come into the office once or twice a week as Covid restrictions are lifted. The tickets will allow passengers to [...]
‘Pingdemic’: Transport workers set for exemption, Shapps says July 23, 2021 Some transport workers will be exempt from having to isolate if they are “pinged” by the NHS Covid-19 app, the government has announced this evening. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said that testing would be introduced at a number of key transport sites around the country. It comes after a number of rail franchises announced that [...]