in brief... F
Tube satisfaction hits record high
igures covering periods 9 and 10 of 2012/13 (11 November - 5 January) show that reliability was maintained
despite passenger demand continuing to exceed expectations. In total there were three million more passenger journeys than forecast during the two four-week periods, with LU operating more than 97 per cent of scheduled train services. Customer satisfaction rose to a new record high of 84 per cent.
ORR director to retire D F
irector of Railway Policy, Michael Beswick, is to retire in June. He said: ‘I have worked in the railways for 37
years, 19 years at ORR and it’s been great to see them revitalise, modernise, improve and grow. I look forward to playing an important role in my final months at ORR, as we prepare to publish our draft determination in June setting out the plan for Britain’s railways for the period 2014-2019.’
150th anniversary of Clapham Junction
irst opened on 2nd March 1863, Clapham Junction is now the busiest interchange station in Europe with
40 million people per annum. South West Trains teamed up with Wandsworth Council to treat passengers to a host of anniversary celebrations including complimentary vintage Oyster card wallets. Jane Kelly, customer services director of SWT said: ‘It’s not easy to last 150 years; Clapham Junction has had to constantly reinvent itself to meet the needs of modern passengers.’
Community rail lines hit two million mark P T
assenger numbers have hit two million for the first time on the Devon and Cornwall community rail lines.
Journeys rose by 4.7 per cent over the last year, an increase of 147 per cent since 2006. First Great Western managing director, Mark Hopwood, said: ‘The results show how productive partnerships can really deliver results that benefit local people and the local economy.’
RMT not happy with Balfour Beatty
he rail union is campaigning to defend the defined benefit pension fund at BB after learning the board is proposing
to replace it with an ‘inferior’ defined contribution pension scheme for future pensionable service - a move that would hit 2683 workers. BB said the proposal is the result of a deficit in the fund and a downturn in business. RMT general secretary Bob Crow, said: ‘This is a highly profitable company. Pensions and benefits at the top of BB are still on the rise as the workforce is lined up for a pensions kicking.’
Page 16 April 2013
High Court rejects legal challenges to HS2
Work on a new high speed railway from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds can continue after a High Court judge today threw out attempts to derail the crucial scheme.
In a landmark victory for HS2 in one of the biggest judicial reviews ever faced by a government, of the ten broad areas of challenge presented against HS2 Phase One (from London to Birmingham) by four sets of claimants, The Hon Mr Justice Ouseley ruled categorically in the government’s favour on nine of these.
The judge agreed it was lawful for the government to choose to rule out upgrading the existing network as a credible alternative to HS2 – noting that a patch and mend approach fails to meet the government’s objectives of providing a long term boost to capacity and economic growth.
He also found that the government’s approach to consultation on the HS2 strategy/Phase One route, environmental assessment and consideration of the impact on habitats and protected species, had all been carried out fairly and lawfully. The 15 local authorities challenging the Secretary of State for Transport lost on all seven grounds of challenge they attempted. The government will be seeking to recoup legal costs from the claimants.
The one area where a challenge was upheld concerned the way in which the property compensation consultation had been carried out, not the merits of the policies.
In order to save time and public money and to limit the impact on residents affected, the Secretary of State has decided that instead of appealing this decision it will re- run this consultation in line with the judge’s finding that further consideration should have been given to other potential compensation models. A re-run property compensation consultation will not affect the HS2 construction timetable in any way. High speed rail minister Simon Burns said: ‘This is a major, landmark victory for HS2 and the future of Britain. The judge has categorically given the green light for the government to press ahead without delay in building a high speed railway from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.’
The judge did not comment on the merits of particular property compensation schemes and he has not said the government should introduce a property bond – preferred by HS2AA. The next stages for the HS2 project are a consultation on the draft environmental statement in the spring and the deposit of a hybrid bill by the end of the year.
Contracts awarded for Phase Two of HS2
Following the government’s announcement of the high speed
line’s second phase, running from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds, HS2 Ltd has awarded its first contracts to take the project forward to the next stages.
The contracts will provide engineering
and environmental services for each leg of the route. The work will include developing the initial concept engineering designs and preparing sound demonstrations for the consultation on Phase Two, which has been brought forward to start later this year. Alison Munro, chief executive of
HS2 said: ‘We have already created 1,200 jobs through our Professional Services Framework for Phase One of the scheme and Phase Two will create thousands more.’ Under the Phase Two framework HS2 has awarded contracts to: Lot 1 - covering engineering services
for the west leg of the route, from Birmingham to Manchester. Awarded to AECOM, value £3.1 million Lot 1 - covering engineering services for the east leg of the route, from Birmingham to Leeds. Awarded to Mott MacDonald, value £3.2 million Lot 2 - covering environmental services for both legs of the route. Awarded to Arup, value £1.1 million.
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