Hugo Carvalho de Oliveira’s Post

Great British Railways aims to unify the UK’s rail network by 2026, potentially saving £1.5bn annually. It will replace the current franchising model with a single guiding mind. The reform will focus on improving service quality and efficiency, with Shadow GBR already tackling operational challenges. The overhaul is set to reshape UK rail by simplifying regulation and integrating passenger and freight services. Currently, Shadow GBR is removing duplication, streamlining operations, and testing integration benefits. Key initiatives include improving driver pooling to reduce cancellations and enhancing ticket compatibility across services. https://lnkd.in/e59kkrRe

A new train service between Stirling and London will begin next summer after rail regulators gave it the green light. The return service will run four times a day from June 2025 to London Euston. The trains will call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it has approved an application by Grand Union Trains to operate the service. The ORR said the plan would increase choice for passengers and significantly increase direct journey options between London and both central and southern Scotland. The regulator's director of strategy, policy and reform Stephanie Tobyn said: "By providing more trains serving new destinations, open access operators offer passengers more choice in the origin and price of their journey, leading to better outcomes for rail users." Grand Union Trains will run on an open access basis, meaning it will receive no taxpayer-funded subsidies and take on all revenue risk. It will be the first open access operator on the West Coast Main Line. Read more ➡️ https://buff.ly/4c7w1zj The Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network is here to support your business - reach out to share your views, concerns and opportunities. #SCCnews #businesssupport #businessnetwork #businessvoice #businessleader Sign up for the Scottish Chambers of Commerce enewsletter at https://buff.ly/3CpsQnu

The London Assembly has today called on the government to further devolve the running of rail services in London, to ensure Londoners get the most benefit possible from proposals to bring rail back into public ownership. In a letter to the Minister for Rail, Lord Hendy, the Transport Committee calls on the government to amend the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill 2024-25 to allow Transport for London (TfL) to run services operating into, and within, London. The Committee has also written to the Mayor of London, recommending that TfL should have the power to appoint a public sector operator for the Elizabeth Line and Overground, in line with the changes to other services operating in London following the introduction of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill 2024-25. If any further rail services are devolved, the Committee believes that the Mayor and TfL should be given the ability to appoint the operator and set the direction for them, as is currently the case with London Overground and the Elizabeth Line. What are your thoughts on this? Is it a good idea? Let us know your thoughts below👇 https://lnkd.in/eHeaB8jj

Rail revenues and expenditures The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has published its annual overview of rail's finances. The chart shows income and expenditure for franchised train operators by main finance category in constant prices. Pre-pandemic annual revenues (excluding franchise subsidies/premiums) had reached £14bn, they are now down to £11bn. Expenditures on the other hand saw little reduction during the pandemic and now exceed revenues by nearly £4bn. Staff costs have remained fairly constant over time and have declined from 31% to 28% of total expenditure. Rolling stock and track access charges on the other hand have increased significantly. The former due to large scale replacements of some fleets which was encouraged by previous franchise competitions. While track access charges now make up 27% of expenditure up from 15% in 2015/16. The challenge for the rail sector is to continue growing revenues over the next few years without being distracted by internal reorganisation. #Jacobseconomics Rail income and expenditure in constant prices

The 2024 budget has revealed that regulated ticket and railcard prices in the UK are set to increase in 2025. This change is part of broader financial adjustments within the rail industry, aimed at balancing operational costs and improving services. The government is expected to justify the rise by highlighting investments in infrastructure and service enhancements. This news raises important questions about the balance between affordability for passengers and the financial sustainability of the rail network. How will these increases affect ridership and the overall perception of rail travel in the UK? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/enDFGU2q #UKRail #RailTravel #TransportPolicy #Budget2024 #RailIndustry

HS2 Set to Extend to London Euston: A Major Milestone for UK Rail Post:   The future of the HS2 high-speed rail line is back in focus as Transport Secretary Louise Haigh signals that it is likely to extend all the way to London Euston, reversing previous plans to terminate at Old Oak Common. With the project already facing challenges due to rising costs, this decision could bring much-needed clarity for businesses and commuters. However, questions remain about how the extension will be funded. The Department for Transport has promised further updates soon.  Click the link to watch the video https://lnkd.in/ebmP3pbw #HS2 #LondonEuston #UKRail #TransportInfrastructure #LouiseHaigh #HighSpeedRail #UKEconomy #RailNews #EustonStation #UKGovernment #SustainableTransport

So, after 30 years of “railway innovation” (cough*chaos*cough), it looks like we're putting the final nail in the coffin of the great rail privatisation experiment. The Labour government’s "public ownership bill" will become law this week, officially starting the long and possibly bumpy road to re-nationalising the rail industry. While the idea of nationalisation sounds like a magic bullet to some (i.e. throw as much tax payer money as possible at the wall and see what sticks), let’s be honest: it’s going to be an absolute logistical nightmare. We’re talking about an industry that’s 40% under state control already, but is still running on a shoestring budget, ageing infrastructure, and, apparently, a severe shortage of train drivers. Too add, the nationalised services haven’t exactly been punctual paragons of excellence. Many services (cough*all services*cough) are struggling with cancellations, subsidies that make your eyes water, and a Christmas timetable that’s basically "Choose Your Own Adventure" at this point. So, will this nationalisation be the great savior of the British rail system? It could save the Treasury a bit of cash (lol probably won't) and might even simplify the fare system's 55 million fare types (55 MILLION...) But can the trains actually run on time? That's the real question.

With single wagonload transport being one of the most fragile and volatile services offered by the rail freight industry, the 1.7 billion euros that #Germany will pour into it sounded like music to the ears of logisticians. Nevertheless, soon, joy was overtaken by doubt, considering reports claiming that DB Cargo would be the primary beneficiary of this financing scheme. Is this the case? And who is set to benefit, in the end, from this nearly 2 billion euro budget? #railfreight #railfreightnews #railcargonews

We’ve now hit the halfway point in building an interstate intermodal and IMEX (port shuttle) terminal in the heart of Melbourne’s northern freight catchment zone.   Thank you to Patrick Hatch who visited our Somerton construction site and wrote about our progress in The Age in a double page spread.   Our CEO Mishkel Maharaj said: “The inner streets of Melbourne are getting more and more congested as the freight task continues to grow, and those potholes that we see in our roads are a result of heavy trucks. So rail freight is better for the community – it’s [about] carbon emissions, road safety, road damage and congestion.”   The link to the full article is below but here are some fun facts about the future SIT: 👉 We’re due to open late next year with the capacity to handle 1 million 20-foot containers (TEUs) – with the potential to double that number – and can manage all interstate freight volumes until mid-2050s. 👉 We’ll remove half-a-million truck trips from inner-Melbourne roads and interstate highways – EACH YEAR. This is about 1,300 a day. 👉 Within a 7-kilometre radius of our terminal there is more than 3 million square metres (equivalent to 133 MCG footy fields) of modern warehousing capacity. 👉 By rail, the SIT is only 22.5-kilometres from Australia’s largest container and general cargo port and approximately 15 kilometres by road to Melbourne Airport. We’re also backed by Aware Super, one of the nation’s largest profit-for-member super funds working to build a stronger future for the nation’s nurses, teachers, policy and other front line service providers. #railfreight  #infrastructureaustralia  #TrucksOffRoads

Government sets out process for transferring rail operators into public ownership. New Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has released plans to overhaul the rail network and confirmed that South Western Railway will be the first to transfer into public ownership next year. The move follows the government’s first major pieces of legislation, the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, receiving Royal Assent and paving the way for a major shake-up of Britain’s railways. The transition to a publicly owned railway is intended to improve reliability and support the government’s “number one priority of boosting economic growth by encouraging more people to use the railway”. Government says the changes will fix the foundations and deliver change with reform and investment to deliver growth. It will also clamp down on unacceptable levels of delays, cancellations and waste “seen under decades of failing franchise contracts and will save up to £150 million a year in fees alone by ensuring every penny is spent on services rather than private shareholders.” Under the announcement a wide area of southern England and East Anglia will come back into public control by autumn 2025 and delivering on manifesto commitment to bring contracts with existing operators into public ownership as they expire without costing taxpayers “a penny in compensation”. Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said, “For too long, the British public has had to put up with rail services that simply don’t work. A complex system of private train operators has too often failed its users. “Starting with journeys on South Western Railway, we’re switching tracks by bringing services back under public control to create a reliable rail network that puts customers first. “Our broken railways are finally on the fast track to repairing and rebuilding a system that the British public can trust and be proud of again.” The Transport Secretary also announced that publicly run services will be managed by DfT Operator Limited – previously known as DfT Operator of Last Resort Holdings Limited (DOHL) – whose functions will eventually be integrated into Great British Railways (GBR)... Find out more 👉 https://lnkd.in/gRCq-AWZ #rail #railway #railindustry #railoperators #publicownership