Sadiq Khan calls for rail re-nationalisation in wake of timetable chaos September 20, 2018 London mayor Sadiq Khan has joined calls for the railways to be re-nationalised following a damning review into industry's timetable chaos in May. Today the rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), published the review that transport secretary Chris Grayling ordered in the summer when the full scale of the damage caused by the timetable overhaul became [...]
Network Rail spends millions fixing water leaks at revamped London Bridge station September 20, 2018 Network Rail is having to spend millions of pounds digging up parts of the recently revamped London Bridge station after discovering a number of water leaks. New Civil Engineer first reported that retrofit waterproofings are now being carried out at the station despite the £1bn upgrade that was officially unveiled by the Duke of Cambridge in May. [...]
Transport secretary Chris Grayling: Re-nationalising UK rail network won’t solve problems September 20, 2018 Transport secretary Chris Grayling today denied that re-nationalising the UK’s railways would solve transport problems that have plagued commuters this year. Calling for an overhaul of the UK’s rail network, Grayling outlined a number of possible routes after the publication of a damning report into the health of the system, but said re-nationalisation would not [...]
All aboard the blame train: Government, regulator and train firms all failed in rail chaos September 20, 2018 The government, regulators and the owner of the rail network were all part of a comedy of errors which led to chaos on Britain’s railways earlier this year, according to a review of the disruption published today. The report by Office of Rail and Road (ORR) boss Stephen Glaister into the chaotic timetable change which [...]
Beleaguered Grayling set to announce major new review of rail services September 16, 2018 The government is set to launch a major review of the UK’s railways this week, following widespread criticism and a series of operational problems. Transport secretary Chris Grayling is expected to appoint Keith Williams, the former boss of British Airways, to undertake a systematic, 12-month review of the country’s rail services. Williams is the deputy [...]
John Lewis boss ‘to lead review’ into rail industry amid calls for nationalisation September 15, 2018 John Lewis boss Keith Williams is to lead the government's review into the rail industry next week as it battles criticism over its franchise system. The Sun reported that deputy chairman Williams will lead review – to be announced on Thursday – to focus on a balance between the public and private sector at a time when the industry [...]
The Grosvenor Estate weighs up move to become a serviced office space provider September 13, 2018 It might be one of London’s oldest landlords, but the Grosvenor Estate is mulling a move into one of the property market’s newest trends. In a bid to cash in on the growing popularity of serviced office spaces, the Duke of Westminster’s Mayfair business confirmed it is weighing up the idea of challenging market giants such [...]
Network Rail: Hungry shoppers and record car manufacturing keep Britain’s freight trains chugging ahead September 7, 2015 Rising consumer spending, faster delivery services and a jump in UK car manufacturing has sent the number of goods needing to be sent up and down the country by freight trains steaming ahead, according to new research from Network Rail. In a report published in partnership with Royal Mail and the Co-Op, Network Rail said [...]
Network Rail is poised for £1bn sale of properties including Vinopolis site and Brixton arches August 16, 2015 Network Rail has taken the first step towards selling off its £1bn commercial property portfolio after hiring bankers to conduct a review of its estate. The government-backed organisation, which runs all of Britain’s rail infrastructure, confirmed that it is working with boutique investment bank Rothschild to explore ways in which it can “make more [...]
Network Rail fined £2m for London Bridge overcrowding chaos and other delays August 10, 2015 Network Rail has been fined £2m by the rail watchdog over chaos at London Bridge station which caused misery for thousands of commuters earlier this year. An investigation into Network Rail's performance by the Office of Rail and Road found that while there was no systematic weakness at the firm causing the failings, it did [...]