In The News | 10th July 2024 | Latest Rail News

Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Wednesday, 10th July 2024.

InTheNews: The latest rail news on Wednesday, 10th July 2024

Royal Mail will stop using trains to transport post in a move that brings nearly two centuries of mail rail to an end.

An article on the Daily Mail website says the postal service will inform staff today that it is planning to sell off its freight trains and switch to road deliveries.

The shake-up comes after bosses at Royal Mail’s owner International Distribution Services agreed to sell the company to ‘Czech Sphinx’ Daniel Kretinsky for £3.5billion.

The new Labour government says it is “urgently exploring options” to save the Hitachi Rail factory in County Durham.

An article on the Chronicle Live says Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, and new transport secretary Louise Haigh have all committed over recent weeks and months that a Labour administration would act to protect the major trainbuilding plant in Newton Aycliffe, where hundreds of jobs are at risk due to a gap in orders.

Labour had claimed that the previous Tory government had the power to save the factory “with the stroke of a pen” by extending the manufacturing giant’s existing contracts, pledging it would do that if it were in power and then also deliver a long-term strategy that would end a “boom-and-bust cycle” for the rail industry.

Sadiq Khan has said that the Northern line will most likely not get new trains for another 15 years. An article on the My London website says the Mayor of London said that Transport for London (TfL) is doing ‘the best it can’ to cope with technical issues encountered with the current 1990s stock.

He added that, in order to design, build and install new stock on the line, more funding would be needed from the newly elected Labour government. Engineers are currently having to deal with problems with trains’ traction power system and the availability of spare parts.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) Trust Board has announced the appointment of Laura Strangeway as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NYMR.

After a great level of interest from candidates and an extensive process, Laura was chosen as the best person for the job after performing the role of Acting CEO since the resignation of Chris Price.

Laura brings with her a wealth of experience in tourism and heritage management and a passionate commitment to preserving and enhancing the cultural legacy of one of the UK’s most beloved heritage railways.

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