NEWS
75 minute travel-to- work limit for NR HQ
Network Rail meeting adjourned over bonuses
Network Rail and the TSSA union have clashed over the number of workers affected by the 75 minute travel limit for staff to get to the new Milton Keynes headquarters.
About 150 workers could be af- fected,
according to Network
Rail, which promised to help each individual to make the move and with transition. The TSSA says the figure will be more like 850 and called the time limit an “unfair and arbitrary decision which we be- lieve to be unlawful”.
A Network Rail spokesman said: “We hope they will choose to say with the company and be a part of our plans to deliver a bigger, bet- ter railway in the years ahead.”
The TSSA has warned that it could take legal action to defend its mem- bers’ rights. Network Rail’s new headquarters are set to open this summer, replacing offices in Lon- don and elsewhere in the country.
Network Rail adjourned its Febru- ary 10 AGM in the face of public and political pressure over its bo- nus pool.
Transport Secretary Justine
Greening had announced her intention to attend the meeting and vote on this issue. The senior management, including Network Rail chief executive David Higgins had already decided to forego any bonus this year and donate the money to the level crossing safety fund.
Network Rail said the board will “take the opportunity to reflect further on how to incentivise per-
formance in the company against the backdrop of the current con- text”.
Chairman Rick Haythornthwaite said: “Friday’s meeting was not to approve a specific annual bonus payment for Executive Directors, but rather to amend a previously approved long term incentive scheme to ensure additional ex- ternal scrutiny of performance.
“The issue of annual performance payments would only arise if Network Rail surpassed stretch- ing performance thresholds and would only be decided in May af- ter the end of the financial year.”
Calls for TfL control of all London rail
The Mayor of London, Boris John- son, has asked Government to devolve the power to franchise the suburban London railways to him to improve services.
He would set standards for private train companies by integrating them into the Transport for Lon- don network and adopting the TfL contracting model. The savings from this could then be invested into providing reliable, frequent services, clean and safe stations, more staff and simpler fares.
Johnson said: “The fractured or- ganisation of London’s suburban railways is totally inefficient and needs a complete overhaul. My vision is for one integrated sub- urban service operating to the standards we have demonstrated can be achieved on London Over-
The Mayor also recognised the need for investment, and called for an extra 1,700 carriages on the inner suburban railway by 2020.
In the next four years, six London- area rail franchises come up for renewal.
ground, which is now one of the most reliable and popular railways in the UK.
“There are 85 million trips each year on London’s rail network that could benefit from this approach. Devolving the commercial fran- chises would allow us to invest millions of pounds in improving stations and to simplify the ticket- ing system.”
London TravelWatch welcomed the plans. Vice chair David Leib- ling said: “This is something Lon- don TravelWatch has been advo- cating for several years.
“We hope that today’s proposal will lead to all London’s rail services reaching the much improved qual- ity of London Overground services since TfL took over, with decent standards for stations, enhanced ticketing facilities, additional staff- ing where appropriate and im- proved passenger information.”
EGIP consultation finished
The first phase of the consulta- tion on the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) has ended after seven months. The £1bn programme aims to transform rail services and infra- structure on key routes across the central belt of Scotland.
The consultation covered eight lo- cal authorities and involved over 200 meetings, and the distribu- tion of half a million leaflets. Over 450 submissions were received. The project team will now assess the feedback and review the pro- gramme before a second consul- tation begins in the summer.
MPs urge funding of Northern Hub
MPs from both Labour and the Conservatives are calling on the Government to fund the £500m Northern Hub proposals. Some parts of it have already been approved, including the Orsdall Chord to link Manchester’s Victo- ria station with Oxford Road and Piccadilly, and the electrification of the trans-Pennine line from Manchester to Leeds and York. Transport minister Theresa Vil- liers said the final decision, due this summer, would depend on affordability but said she “fully appreciates” the public support for the plans in the north and its potential benefits.
New licence condition deadline extended
Train operators have been given more time to develop the in- dustry code of practice on pas- senger information for the new licence condition, the ORR has announced. The deadline is now March 1. An ATOC spokesper- son said: “Licensing is a signifi- cant and permanent step, so it is vital that we get it right. Train companies have said for some time that it is vital to ensure the Code of Practice is fit for pur- pose under this new approach. We believe a month’s extension is necessary if we are to succeed in getting this right in a way that will benefit passengers and tax- payers.”
rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 12 | 11
© Network Rail
© TfL
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92