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Friday, 29 July 2016

BBC News

• More Scottish rail strikes announced by unionWorkers on ScotRail are to stage a fresh wave of strikes in a long-running dispute over the increased use of trains without guards.
• RMT announces five-day August strike on Southern rail networkA five-day August strike on the Southern rail network is announced by the RMT in a dispute over the role of guards.
• London rail services make up six of top ten most overcrowdedRail services into and out of London made up six of the top 10 most overcrowded services in England and Wales last year, new figures show.
• Electrical fault causes major disruption at Glasgow CentralRail services from Glasgow Central Station still face disruption after an early morning electrical fault in overhead wiring.

The Guardian

• Unions demand change after report into London's 'cattle-truck' trainsAll the capital’s rail terminals are operating over capacity, according to new figures, prompting calls for renationalisationMore than a third of rail passengers are forced to stand on trains arriving in parts of London in the morning rush hour, according to official figures that show rail capacity in the capital has failed to keep pace with demand.Almost 35% of passengers arriving at Blackfriars on weekday mornings stand, making it the country’s most overcrowded station, as do nearly a third of those arriving at other stations including Waterloo, Fenchurch Street and Moorgate. Continue readin...
• Southern rail guards to stage five-day strikeLong-running dispute over future of guards’ roles will lead to industrial action in August on stricken rail serviceGuards working for Southern rail are to stage a five-day strike from 8 August as part of a long-running dispute over the future of their roles, the RMT union has said.It comes as Southern’s services were hit by a string of delays and cancellations over the course of several weeks due to a combination of industrial disputes, staff shortages, and major engineering works. Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which owns Southern, has even faced calls to be stripped of the franchise, and Cl...

The Herald

• ScotRail staff to stage fresh wave of strikes in long-running dispute over driver-only operationMembers of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union will walk out for 48 hours from August 7, 24 hours on August 11 and over the weekend of August 13/14.

The Telegraph

• Revealed: Rail passengers suffer unbearable levels of overcrowding as trains cram in twice the number of people they should

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield trains ‘among most overcrowded in country’ reports suggestNew figures being reported this evening suggest trains in Sheffield are among the most overcrowded in the country.
• New anti-HS2 groups to be created to battle revised routeNew anti-HS2 campaign groups are set to be created across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire following the high-speed train line route being revised.

Wales Online

• Trains are now so full that passengers are standing in the toilets"This is the second time in a week I've been forced to stand in a smelly toilet"

Yorkshire Post

• Anger at campaigners’ call to scrap “vanity” high speed rail projectA CAMPAIGN group’s call to scrap the HS2 high speed rail project has provoked a furious backlash from the Yorkshire business community.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Increase in overcrowding 'not acceptable' - CBTTrain services are becoming increasingly overcrowded, new figures from the Department for Transport show. The figures show that the overall number of passengers in excess of capacity (PiXC) on trains at peak times in 2015 was at 3.8%, a 0.3% increase from 2014. London had the greatest...
• Atkins awarded contract to support Hitachi in Thameslink TMS deliveryAtkins is to review Hitachi’s Tranista traffic management system (TMS) before it is implemented for Network Rail’s Thameslink programme. Atkins announced today that it has been awarded the contract to support Hitachi Information Control Systems (HICSE) and Hitachi Rail Europe with...
• New five-day RMT strike to hit SouthernThe protracted industrial dispute between Southern and RMT has been hit by its longest strike yet after RMT announced five days of industrial action. RMT said it had been forced to hold the strikes, from 00.01am on 8 August to 23.59pm on 12 August, after Southern rejected its proposal to resume...
• HS2 appoints interim construction commissionerHS2 has appointed an interim commissioner to mediate in disputes arising from the construction of the high-speed rail. Gareth Epps’ role will include ensuring that people affected by HS2 know who the construction commissioner is and what they do, mediating in unresolved disputes...

Railway Gazette

• More Alstom Metropolis cars ordered for LimaPERU: Lima metro concessionaire Graña y Montero Ferrovias has awarded Alstom a €200m contract for...
• Railway supply industry news in briefAnnouncing its Q2 2016 results on July 26, Progress Rail and EMD parent company Caterpillar said...

Other News Sources

• Smallfield police incident: Manhunt to trace suspect after 'armed man' report at drugs raid propertyPolice are urgently seeking 57-year-old Paul Hodge, wanted on suspicion of drugs and firearm offences
• Young people urged to 'take reality check' as video highlights dangers of trespassing on railway tracksWARNING: Some of the scenes shown in the British Transport Police and Network Rail video may cause upset
• Southern Railway conductors announce plans for a FIVE day strike CONDUCTORS on Southern Railway will walk out on strike for five days in a row over the future of their roles.
• Brighton train more overcrowded than Indian rail network THE MOST overcrowded train in the country last year ran out of Brighton station and was more overloaded than comparable rail services in India, The Argus can exclusively reveal.