New high speed rail line between the South West and London?

Network Rail has announced that it will be conducting a strategic review into the case for building new rail lines across the network of Great Britain. The review will look at five of Network Rail’s strategic routes, including the Great Western Main Line.

The media release by Network Rail stated: ‘By 2025 many lines will be full up, especially those running to and from the west of London. This will happen even after the company has implemented the investment to boost current capacity. With demand for rail growing, the company must start planning for the medium- and long-term future today. Network Rail must ascertain how to meet the capacity challenge and see what solutions – including potentially, that of new lines – are deliverable and affordable. This review, working in partnership with other players in the railway industry, will kick start this process.’

Network Rail has launched a tendering process to appoint a consultancy to assist this study. The review will be run on the same basis as Network Rail’s route utilisation strategies (RUS) which look at future demand and service provision for each rail route. It is anticipated that Network Rail will announce the name of the successful consultancy firm by the end of July and that an initial report will be completed in summer 2009.

Department for Transport approves £34 million package of transport improvements for Cornwall

The Department for Transport has approved a contribution of £34m towards the Camborne-Pool-Redruth local transport scheme – the scheme will provide new roads, linking the A30 road to new housing and employment areas. The scheme also includes the conversion of the A3074 into a bus priority corridor – improvements will also be made to cycling and walking links in the regeneration area.

Government response to Transport Committee report

The response of the Government to the House of Commons transport committee report on ‘Ticketing and Concessionary Travel on Public Transport’ has now been published – the response is available on the website of the transport committee at: ‘http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmtran/708/70802.htm’

People

Chris Hilditch, who has been managing director of Stagecoach Devon, for the last five years, has been appointed to be managing director of another subsidiary, National Transport Tokens, based in Blackburn, Lancashire – Chris Hilditch has now completed ten years as a Stagecoach employee, having previously worked for FirstGroup and British Bus.

And finally,

A train manager at First Great Western was spotted wearing a metal badge with the initials ‘NVQ’. A customer asked what the letters ‘NVQ’ stood for – the response from the train manager was ‘Not Very Quick’!