UK’s first high-speed railway HS1 faced cancellation months before Channel Tunnel opening Transport and infrastructure Ministers considered abandoning the High Speed 1 (HS1), the UK’s first high-speed railway that links London to the Channel Tunnel amid financial struggles just months before the cross-channel line was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, City AM can reveal. According to correspondence released by the National Archives, transport minister John MacGregor listed axing the high-speed [...]
How to keep the wheels on private rail? Bring back first class service Opinion The era of rail renationalisation is an opportunity for the remaining open access operators to compete with a luxury offering, says Simon Hunt Amid all the Budget chaos last week, one big government announcement was drowned out: the transport department is freezing rail fares. Most commuters would gladly favour a freeze over a repeat of [...]
Firstgroup doubles down on open access expansion despite DfT concerns Transport and infrastructure Firstgroup has doubled down on its open access expansion plans as the transport business defied government concerns over the scheme. The FTSE 250 firm said it was “focused on growing” its operations in open access, an arrangement under which private rail operators will continue to run services after the nationalisation of all major routes as [...]
Reform promise to scrap ‘insane’ Northern Powerhouse Rail September 8, 2025 Reform UK has pledged to scrap Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), labelling the project “insane” ahead of a major announcement by the Labour government in the coming weeks. Richard Tice, in a forward to a report by centre-right think tank Policy Exchange, told companies considering bidding for contracts to build NPR that they should “not bother” [...]
Highest profit in over a decade for London St Pancras Highspeed August 4, 2025 London St Pancras Highspeed, the company which runs the rail line between the capital and the Channel Tunnel, has reported its biggest profit for more than a decade. The business has achieved a pre-tax profit of £136.6m for the 12 months to 31 March, 2025, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The total is [...]
London Waterloo: Disruption after major signalling failure July 21, 2025 A major signalling failure at London Waterloo has caused severe disruption, with trains unable to use 14 platforms at the station, according to a rail company. South Western Railway (SWR) asked customers not to travel on its services on Monday morning in a statement posted on social media. Passengers have been told that they will [...]
British Steel secures £500m contract with Network Rail June 17, 2025 British Steel has won a £500m contract with Network Rail in a deal that helps secure the future of its Scunthorpe steelworks. The agreement will see British Steel supply up to 80,000 tonnes of rail per year to the body which manages the UK’s railway infrastructure, around 80 per cent of the track it needs. [...]
Open access is ‘key priority,’ says Firstgroup boss June 2, 2025 Firstgroup is pushing ahead with plans to expand its open access offering despite fears over a government clampdown. The transport giant on Monday announced it had leased five Class 222, six car diesel trains after signing an agreement with rolling stock firm Eversholt Rail. It intends for the 340-seat trains to be used on a [...]
Eurostar routes could see double-decker trains May 14, 2025 Double-decker trains could be running through the Channel Tunnel in the coming years as part of proposals from the French rolling stock giant Alstom alongside Eurostar. Chief executive Henri Poupart-Lafarge told the Financial Times the trains would increase traffic on routes between London and Europe, which are traditionally operated by Eurostar. “The double-decker train has [...]
Eurostar tells rivals to put their money where their mouths are April 28, 2025 Eurostar has called on its rivals to invest in the UK’s capacity for international rail as it insisted it welcomed increased competition. The Temple Mills depot in East London is currently the only place in the UK that can host high-speed, cross-channel trains to and from Europe. It has become a central part of the [...]