Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Tuesday, 28 March 2017

BBC News

• South West Trains: Hong Kong firm MTR to help run rail franchiseMTR will run one of the UK's biggest franchises, along with majority stakeholder First Group.

Financial Times

• Firstgroup: hot line blingInvestors seem sceptical about increased returns
• Stagecoach loses South West franchise to FirstGroup/MTRNew operator will replace old rolling stock on suburban services after August

The Guardian

• Chinese firm MTR to help operate UK's South West trains franchiseThe Hong Kong state-owned metro operator MTR and FirstGroup are to take over the running of South West Trains, one of the Britain’s biggest commuter networks, in a seven-year deal that trade unions denounced for handing another franchise to a state-controlled foreign operator.

Times Online

• More trains promised as Stagecoach loses South West franchise [subscription]One of the enduring fixtures of the privatised rail industry, Stagecoach’s operation of South West Trains, is to end. Instead, services in and out of London Waterloo are to be run by a joint venture between FirstGroup and the Hong Kong Chinese company MTR.
• Foreign firms control 75% of Britain’s railways [Subscription]Three quarters of Britain’s rail companies are now in foreign hands after the government gave partial control of the busiest network to an operator based in Hong Kong.
• Transport strike may spread as ballots planned [Subscription]The threat of an all-out national transport strike was raised last night.

The Mirror

• Outrage as Chinese firm gets green light to run UK railway but they promise Wi-Fi and more seats MTR, whose metro trains in Hong Kong are 99% on time, will be on charge of South West Trains from August

London Evening Standard

• 'Praise Jesus': Commuters react as South West Trains operator loses franchise to Hong Kong firmBeleaguered commuters have welcomed the announcement that South West Trains will be part-run by a Hong Kong firm.
• Siemens 'committed to London' whatever the outcome of Brexit talks

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• North East transport giant Arriva boost sales to £4.32bn after launch of new rail franchiseThe Sunderland firm started the Northern rail franchise last April and also invested heavily in bus improvements

Other Regional Press

• Passengers to enjoy 'faster journey times and more comfortable trains' under new rail franchise as Stagecoach lose out PASSENGERS can expect faster journey times from Weymouth to London under a new rail franchise.

Buying Business Travel

• Hong Kong firm to run South West Trains franchiseStagecoach ‘disappointed’ to lose contract

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• First MTR South Western Trains Limited wins South Western franchiseFirst MTR South Western Trains Limited will use the experience of one of its major shareholders MTR, who operate the busy Hong Kong metro, to deliver smooth and rapid journeys for passengers travelling around London’s suburban network. Faster journeys will be delivered through a consistent fleet of new suburban trains offering a regular, metro-style service. Passengers can look forward to more space, ensuring that the railway can support London’s growth. Passengers travelling across the South Western network will also benefit from more space and faster rail services as the new seve...

Rail Magazine

• First/MTR partnership awarded South Western franchiseSeven-year deal beginning in August includes �1.2bn investment programme

Rail Technology Magazine

• First MTR joint venture awarded South Western franchise First MTR South Western Trains Limited (First MTR) has been awarded the new South Western franchise by the government, which will see the introduction of 750 new train carriages to the network by 2020. Pending the successful completion of a 10-day standstill period, the 70:30 joint venture will...
• Southern completes Class 377 modifications for extreme winter weatherSouthern’s Class 377 fleet has been given a major upgrade to make it more resilient to frost and snowy weather this winter. Engineers have finished work upgrading the 1.5-tonne line inductors that sit beneath the 377s, which smooth out spikes from the electric third rail current to protect...
• Almost 1.5 million eTickets sold six months after introduction Newly released figures of eTicket sales have shown that over one million have been sold since the modern system was first implemented last year. The eTicket scheme, which was first offered to customers by Virgin Trains West Coast in August 2016, in partnership with Trainline, allows passengers...

Railnews

• First, MTR beat Stagecoach to win South West Trains The South West Trains franchise has been won by a consortium of FirstGroup and MTR. The new contract will start on 20 August and run for �at least� seven years, and in that time premiums worth a total of �2.6 billion at present values will be paid to the government. The decision by the Department for Transport ends more than 20 years of control by Stagecoach Group, which ran the first franchised train in Britain early on 4 February 1996. Stagecoach Group said it was �disappointed� to have lost the bid, although it had failed to come to terms with the DfT over the details of a Direct Award whi...

Railway Gazette

• Israel Railways Traxx locomotive on testISRAEL: The first of 62 Traxx AC electric locomotives being built for Israel Railways has been...
• World rail freight news round-upRussian Railways expects to launch an electronic trading platform for freight services during...
• First MTR joint venture wins South Western franchiseUK: The First MTR South Western Trains Ltd joint venture of the UK's FirstGroup (70%) and Hong...

Other News Sources

• Transport for London takeover of South West Trains ruled out
• South West Trains operator to lose rail franchise from AugustFirst MTR South Western Trains Ltd has been awarded the seven-year contract by the Department for Transport
• South West Trains franchise: Meet new operator FirstGroup plc and MTR - but are they any good?First MTR South Western Trains Ltd is taking over from South West Trains in August - but who exactly are they, and are they any good?
• South West Trains franchise: New operator promises �1.2bn investment including earlier and later trains to LondonThe Department for Transport has detailed improvements to the network, including more trains and new smart payment cards
• Network Rail completes three weekends of track replacement work at London WaterlooLarge sections of the switches and crossings have now been replaced at London Waterloo