Latest news with #NetworkRail
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Peterborough Station Quarter £65m project takes step forward
A £65m project to regenerate the area around a city station is getting closer to receiving much-needed government City Council needs to confirm it will be responsible for additional costs in building an area known as the Station Department for Transport (DfT) has agreed to pay nearly £48m towards the project – on the condition that the council is responsible for any "cost overruns".A report being presented to councillors on 23 July said: "For local authorities in receipt of significant public funding, this is a standard request." The government approved the Station Quarter project in May, which would build a new entrance to Peterborough railway station, pedestrianised square and multi-storey car £48m of DfT funding was signed off a few weeks later, with works set to begin in August. At the time, the city's Labour MP, Andrew Pakes, said: "I'm really hopeful we will see the hoardings going up in August and work beginning to start."As well as a refurbished station building, new paths would make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get to the city centre shops - and landmarks like the city's City Council and Network Rail would be responsible for the building works, which are expected to cost £65m in total, with the rest being match-funded by other sources, such as Network Rail and the city council's Towns report said: "The council will be accountable for the agreed level of grant funding provided.. and as such will be responsible for any costs incurred over and above that figure."It added that the project would have "significant social, economic, and environmental regeneration benefits" for the area around the station and wider city centre. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Busy UK train line to shut for a WEEK sparking ‘severe disruption' for thousands of passengers – check dates to avoid
Latest shutdown follows a number of delays and cancellations on busy line RAIL FAIL Busy UK train line to shut for a WEEK sparking 'severe disruption' for thousands of passengers – check dates to avoid Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BUSY UK train line is set to shut for a week causing severe disruption. Passengers using the mainline links in the Midlands are being reminded that no trains will run for seven days this month. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The Cross City Line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4 Credit: Shutterstock Train bosses have apologised in advance for the inconvenience after announcing the northern section of the Cross City Line between Birmingham and Lichfield is shutting down for repairs. There will be no services between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley from Monday July 28 until Sunday August 3 inclusive. The line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4. The latest shutdown follows a number of delays and cancellations earlier this month. Damaged electrical wires meant some lines in and out of Birmingham were blocked, causing disruption to services. To help keep passengers moving during the seven-day closures at the end of this month, there will be temporary measures in place. These include: A rail replacement bus service will run between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, and between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway. Train services will continue to run as normal between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove on the southern section of the Cross City line. Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will be diverted via Aston, with slightly extended journey times. The original closure was needed to install an HS2 viaduct, with further Network Rail work – including earthwork repairs, cutting back vegetation, track maintenance and improvements – planned to make the most of the line being closed. While the viaduct will now be installed at a later date, the other work will continue. This is in addition to Birmingham City Council's ongoing strengthening and refurbishment work on the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct. The viaduct runs directly above the railway. HS2 finally gets under way as world's longest tunnelling machine prepares to start digging Denise Wetton, Network Rail's Central route director, said: 'Everything was done to plan this work to cause the least disruption to the fewest number of people, while completing the most amount of maintenance work as possible. "There is never a good time for closures like this and I am sorry for the inconvenience, but school holidays and summer breaks means passenger numbers will be lower than normal. 'Passengers should check with West Midlands Railway and National Rail Enquiries for travel information, and I want to thank passengers in advance for their patience.' Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: "I'd like to thank our customers for their patience while the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed. "We'll be running replacement buses throughout the work to keep our customers moving and I'd urge passengers to check their travel before setting out and allow extra time for their journeys.' Passengers can plan their journey and check before they travel at and with West Midlands Railway at You can follow all the latest Network Rail news and updates here.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Busy UK train line to shut for a WEEK sparking ‘severe disruption' for thousands of passengers – check dates to avoid
A BUSY UK train line is set to shut for a week causing severe disruption. Passengers using the mainline links in the Midlands are being reminded that no trains will run for seven days this month. 1 The Cross City Line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4 Credit: Shutterstock Train bosses have apologised in advance for the inconvenience after announcing the northern section of the Cross City Line between Birmingham and Lichfield is shutting down for repairs. There will be no services between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley from Monday July 28 until Sunday August 3 inclusive. The line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4. The latest shutdown follows a number of Read more in News Damaged electrical wires meant some lines in and out of Birmingham were blocked, causing disruption to services. To help keep passengers moving during the seven-day closures at the end of this month, there will be temporary measures in place. These include: A rail replacement bus service will run between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, and between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway. Train services will continue to run as normal between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove on the southern section of the Cross City line. Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will be diverted via Aston, with slightly extended journey times. Most read in The Sun The original closure was needed to install an HS2 viaduct, with further Network Rail work – including earthwork repairs, cutting back vegetation, track maintenance and improvements – planned to make the most of the line being closed. While the viaduct will now be installed at a later date, the other work will continue. This is in addition to Birmingham City Council's ongoing strengthening and refurbishment work on the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct. The HS2 finally gets under way as world's longest tunnelling machine prepares to start digging Denise Wetton, Network Rail's Central route director, said: 'Everything was done to plan this work to cause the least disruption to the fewest number of people, while completing the most amount of maintenance work as possible. "There is never a good time for closures like this and I am sorry for the inconvenience, but school holidays and summer breaks means passenger numbers will be lower than normal. 'Passengers should check with West Midlands Railway and National Rail Enquiries for travel information, and I want to thank passengers in advance for their patience.' Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: "I'd like to thank our customers for their patience while the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed. "We'll be running replacement buses throughout the work to keep our customers moving and I'd urge passengers to check their travel before setting out and allow extra time for their journeys.' Passengers can plan their journey and check before they travel at You can follow all the latest Network Rail news and updates here.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Busy UK train line to shut for a WEEK sparking ‘severe disruption' for thousands of passengers – check dates to avoid
A BUSY UK train line is set to shut for a week causing severe disruption. Passengers using the mainline links in the Midlands are being reminded that no trains will run for seven days this month. 1 Train bosses have apologised in advance for the inconvenience after announcing the northern section of the Cross City Line between Birmingham and Lichfield is shutting down for repairs. There will be no services between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley from Monday July 28 until Sunday August 3 inclusive. The line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4. The latest shutdown follows a number of delays and cancellations earlier this month. Damaged electrical wires meant some lines in and out of Birmingham were blocked, causing disruption to services. To help keep passengers moving during the seven-day closures at the end of this month, there will be temporary measures in place. These include: A rail replacement bus service will run between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, and between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway. Train services will continue to run as normal between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove on the southern section of the Cross City line. Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will be diverted via Aston, with slightly extended journey times. The original closure was needed to install an HS2 viaduct, with further Network Rail work – including earthwork repairs, cutting back vegetation, track maintenance and improvements – planned to make the most of the line being closed. While the viaduct will now be installed at a later date, the other work will continue. This is in addition to Birmingham City Council's ongoing strengthening and refurbishment work on the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct. The viaduct runs directly above the railway. HS2 finally gets under way as world's longest tunnelling machine prepares to start digging Denise Wetton, Network Rail's Central route director, said: 'Everything was done to plan this work to cause the least disruption to the fewest number of people, while completing the most amount of maintenance work as possible. "There is never a good time for closures like this and I am sorry for the inconvenience, but school holidays and summer breaks means passenger numbers will be lower than normal. 'Passengers should check with West Midlands Railway and National Rail Enquiries for travel information, and I want to thank passengers in advance for their patience.' Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: "I'd like to thank our customers for their patience while the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed. "We'll be running replacement buses throughout the work to keep our customers moving and I'd urge passengers to check their travel before setting out and allow extra time for their journeys.' Passengers can plan their journey and check before they travel at and with West Midlands Railway at
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Botley Road business 'enraged' over closure cash ineligibility
A business owner has been left "enraged" after his business was judged to be ineligible for a goodwill payment following the long-term closure of a major Rail said last month that it would support local firms affected by the closure of Oxford's Botley Road, which has been shut since April David Hogben, of Courtney Pianos, said he had been told his business would not receive the payment, despite facing judged not to have met Network Rail's criteria for the payments have four weeks to appeal the decision, the rail company said. In correspondence seen by the BBC, Network Rail judged that Courtney Pianos did not meet one of the six criteria for the goodwill found that the shop was not dependent on footfall or through traffic on the Botley Road, and could operate remotely. Mr Hogben, who has appealed the decision, said: "It sounds like these people have no clue as to the real world and what is going on."They've not actually seen these businesses, been and visited them, and seen the effect that this closure has had - I do feel slightly enraged about it."On the particular issue of through-traffic, he said Network Rail's verdict that his business was not dependant on it was "nuts".He added that the rail company "need to go back and rethink the whole thing and ask themselves what they are trying to achieve"."Are they trying to fairly compensate those business that have genuinely lost trade, or are they actually trying to minimise and cut off the amount they have to pay out in order to save money?" he Rail said it could not confirm how many businesses were considered for the goodwill payment, or how many were BBC is aware of multiple businesses that have been unsuccessful in their bids for goodwill payments - including one which is next door to a firm that has been successful. The £231m Network Rail project to upgrade Oxford Station has been beset by delays, with the Botley Road now not expected to reopen until August a statement, Network Rail said: "We have followed the eligibility criteria as set out with the Department for Transport and HM Treasury when the allocation of goodwill payments to businesses affected by the ongoing delayed scheme at Botley Road was announced last month."We have also had independent oversight on these decisions from the Federation of Small Businesses."There will now be a four-week standstill period in which businesses can review and appeal the decision should they believe the criteria has not been applied correctly or if they believe there is an error in the information received."A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We recognise the disruption and frustration caused by this work, and the Rail Minister continues to receive regular updates and engage with local businesses and residents on the project's progress, ensuring Network Rail is being held to account in delivering the critical works." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
