Network Rail’s Post

A new timetable to be introduced on Sunday, 2 June will see improvements for customers throughout the country, helping to ensure rail remains one of the easiest and sustainable ways to travel. There will be almost 100 additional services each weekday, including trains to new stations at Cameron Bridge and Leven, which form part of the reopening of the Levenmouth rail link. A significant part of the changes sees a completely new timetable structure for Inverclyde, with 30 extra services every weekday, a more frequent service between Glasgow and Wemyss Bay, and better connections between rail and ferry at Gourock. Journey times will improve from North Fife to Edinburgh, while the number of seats provided between the Kingdom and Edinburgh increase from just under 16,000 in each direction each day, to more than 19,000. This will help to deliver opportunities for local people, unlocking access to education, culture, entertainment, and employment opportunities, as well as attracting new business and investment. Further improvements for customers include: • New 0805 Prestonpans to Waverley to increase morning peak capacity for commuters in East Lothian. • More weekend North Berwick services strengthened from four to six carriages. • Glasgow to Neilston, Newton, and Cathcart Circle evening services will increase in frequency from hourly to half hourly. • Glasgow to Alloa evening services will increase in frequency from hourly to half hourly. • 1050 Inverness to Edinburgh and 1033 Edinburgh to Inverness strengthened from three to five carriages on Saturdays, to match what operates Monday to Friday.

A new timetable to be introduced on Sunday, 2 June, will see improvements for customers throughout the country, helping to ensure rail remains one of the easiest and sustainable ways to travel. There will be almost 100 additional services each weekday, including trains to new stations at Cameron Bridge and Leven, which form part of the reopening of the Levenmouth rail link. A significant part of the changes sees a completely new timetable structure for Inverclyde, with 30 extra services every weekday, a more frequent service between Glasgow and Wemyss Bay, and better connections between rail and ferry at Gourock. Journey times will improve from North Fife to Edinburgh, while the number of seats provided between the Kingdom and Edinburgh increase from just under 16,000 in each direction each day, to more than 19,000. This will help to deliver opportunities for local people, unlocking access to education, culture, entertainment, and employment opportunities, as well as attracting new business and investment. Further improvements for customers include: • New 0805 Prestonpans to Waverley to increase morning peak capacity for commuters in East Lothian. • More weekend North Berwick services strengthened from four to six carriages. • Glasgow to Neilston, Newton, and Cathcart Circle evening services will increase in frequency from hourly to half hourly. • Glasgow to Alloa evening services will increase in frequency from hourly to half hourly. • 1050 Inverness to Edinburgh and 1033 Edinburgh to Inverness strengthened from three to five carriages on Saturdays, to match what operates Monday to Friday.

The Parks, Sydney’s Parkland Councils was pleased to see many of its recommendations and those of its member Councils recognised and adopted in the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into “Current and Future Transport Needs in Western Sydney.”   This important Report confirmed what we have been saying for years and we look forward to the Government now taking action on its Findings and Recommendations.   We are heartened to see that among the 20 recommendations of the report, our continued calls for implementation of the City Deal commitments of a North-South rail line from St Marys through to Macarthur, with a connection to Leppington, and for a comprehensive rapid bus system were recognised as needing prioritisation. The evidence provided to the Inquiry by our Mayoral Forum Chair, Dr George Greiss and Chair of our General Managers Committee, Mr Ben Taylor, as well as many other Mayors and General Managers of our eight member councils demonstrates the depth of knowledge and understanding of the key issues that we have and we were encouraged to see this identified in Finding 2: “Local councils are experts in the public transport needs of their communities..” As the report highlighted there can be no doubt that the people of our region deserve better and a more equitable provision of public transport. We remain hopeful that this report will help the Government to take the necessary steps to achieve this. Stevie Barnett

Are we going to transform the West? I've spent the last few weeks teaching my son to drive around Sunshine, Albion and up towards St Albans. Perplexed to see the 'Airport Rail coming soon' signage still up and the construction materials simply sitting there. Not only would the Melbourne Airport Rail be great for those travelling to and from the City, but it will also provide hugely beneficial to the communities of Victoria's regional towns including Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Yet the State remains at and impasse with the Airport, and the investment heads instead to the eastern SRL stations. Sunshine remains as the only location in Melbourne that the State Government has declared a Metropolitan Activity Centre, a National Employment and Innovation Centre, a Priority Precinct and a Transport Super Hub. Perhaps it's time to for the State to offer greater development incentives to the largest private and institutional land owners in the area to lead a 'joined-up' precinct plan for the Sunshine CBD and the Albion Quarter? https://lnkd.in/gQgiHj3U

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Aberdeen City Council - City Development & Regeneration in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council are proposing a new cycle lane from Westhill into the city centre as part of their plans to prioritise sustainable transport in and around the city. As part of the plans their preferred option involves major changes to Queen's Cross roundabout which would see restricted access on to Albyn Place and on-street parking removed from Carden Place. Whilst I appreciate cleaner forms of transport should be encouraged I can't help but think that removing on-street car parking from Carden Place and beyond and restricting vehicular access to Albyn Place is only going to further put people off from coming into the city centre or encourage companies to join the exodus of businesses which have relocated out to Kingswells and Westhill. The bus gates have already split the city by creating a north-south divide and we are seeing a surge in companies enquiring about properties out with the LEZ. It feels like the powers that be really just don't get it! If you'd like to share your views there is an online survey which is open to members of the public until the 18th August. https://lnkd.in/eHmM6P7G

Brisbane Metro is the step-change our city needs to make the leap from public transport to mass transit. Our city’s incredible growth means better public transport must be a priority today, during the Games and beyond. We’re investing in Brisbane Metro to deliver critical infrastructure upgrades and turn-up-and-go transport to Brisbane’s suburbs, including our first two high-capacity lines which could boost the capacity of our network by 30 million seats a year between: ⚡️UQ and RBWH ⚡️Eight Mile Plains and Roma Street We’ve already had positive discussions with the State and Federal governments about further expansions. With their support we could deliver an additional 41 million public transport seats a year north to Carseldine, south to Springwood, east to Capalaba, to the airport and even further in the future.

Did you know that the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) was instrumental in shaping modern Florida? Founded by Henry M. Flagler in 1895, the FEC connected Jacksonville to Miami and extended to Key West, transforming the state into a major tourist destination. Flagler, who previously co-founded Standard Oil, recognized Florida's potential for growth, initiating large-scale development along the railway, including hotels, schools and infrastructure. The railway not only facilitated trade but also established tourism and agriculture as Florida's primary industries. By connecting remote regions to key urban centers, the railway spurred residential and commercial growth, attracting new businesses and residents. This expansion significantly impacted the development of surrounding areas, leaving a lasting legacy in The Magic City and West Palm Beach, where the influx of visitors and commerce positioned them as vibrant hubs of activity and economic prosperity.

🚄 Big Moves for Queensland's Future! 🌟 The Queensland government's recent commitment of $2.75 billion to the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line marks a transformative step for regional connectivity and economic growth. Set to link Beerwah to Caloundra by 2032, with potential future extensions to Maroochydore, this project isn't just about reducing travel time—it's a major economic catalyst for South East Queensland. This rail development is expected to generate around 2,200 jobs in its initial stage, boosting local employment and skill development. Beyond job creation, the rail line is poised to enhance property values and attract new businesses, fostering long-term economic vitality in the region. With the Brisbane 2032 Olympics on the horizon, the timing couldn’t be better, as improved transport infrastructure will be crucial in managing the influx of visitors and the subsequent boost in economic activity. This rail line will play a critical role in sustainable urban development by reducing car dependency and lowering transport emissions, aligning with broader environmental goals. As this project progresses, it promises not only immediate construction impacts but ongoing benefits through improved lifestyle and economic opportunities across South East Queensland. This is a great step toward's a future where connectivity drives growth and sustainability! 🚆💼🌱 #SunshineCoast #InfrastructureDevelopment #QueenslandRail #Brisbane2032 #SustainableTransport #EconomicGrowth https://lnkd.in/gWtYxv38

𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑹𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏. This time they take out the top tourism gong. If you don't live in Southern Queensland or all of NSW you might be forgiven for not knowing about the Northern Rivers #RailTrail, Tweed Valley Section. In the story that is rail trails in Australia Victoria led the way a number of decades ago, all driven by one state MP that was passionate about them. Victorian High Country Rail Trail, East Gippsland Rail Trail and many others were developed. And then Queensland followed, with three announced by the Anna Bligh Labor Government of 2008. The crown jewel, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (which the author was on the steering committee for). Other states started to notice, and in a lesser degree have stuck their toe in the rail trail pond. SA with their Riesling Trail comes to mind. Tassie with the North East Rail Trail. But NSW was very slow in recognising their popularity, their community outcomes and economic return. And to be honest they still don't. And here in lies my beef with NSW. In NSW it is left up to individual councils to plan and gain grants to create sections of rail trails in their LGA areas. But rail corridors don't "respect" LGA boundaries, they go right across our amazing landscape. And so, the Tweed Valley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is winning award after award, but it is only one section of the larger trail. The other sections have been left to the other councils to deliver, and it is planned that once done they will create a long-distance trail, probably the most scenic in Australia. But there is a solution. The NSW Government should see the state value of rail trails, like Vic and QLD did, and take on these projects themselves, and not rely upon individual councils to drive them. The irony is, that both the NSW and Commonwealth Government provided grants for the Tweed Valley section, and so NSW paid for it anyway. Seems like a nobrainer to me. Might be something that the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure could drive, and maybe Fiona Morrison (Bec Watson) as the NSW Open Space Commissioner might take on. They have done such a great job with their Places to Play and Places to Swim programs. Tweed Shire Council Tredwell Management