Latest news with #SouthWesternRailways
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Good news for puffins
Wild Things columnist Eric Brown takes another look at a varied menu of wildlife stories circulating recently including commuters relaxing to birdsong, good news for puffins and the stinky bug arriving from China. Passengers on South Western Railways have experienced an aural nature treat. They listened to sounds of birdsong, waterfalls and flowing rivers on their journeys for a survey conducted by an Oxford professor. It might have been expected that the last two in particular might cause a stampede for the loos but in fact the study of more than 2,000 travellers found 35 per cent said they were less stressed compared to when they listened to nothing at all. So what does this tell us apart from the fact that Oxford professors must be struggling for something to do these days? For a start, anything that distracts from the performance of South Western Railways is welcome for long-suffering commuters. Frequent delays and cancellations have led to SWR becoming the first privately run English service to be nationalised and taken into government control in an attempt to improve performance. The first journey under new supervision was interrupted by a one-hour bus journey due to track works. You couldn't make it up. So perhaps those nature sounds were not so much a Song of Joy but Sad Songs that Say so Much. Wild Things: Searching for butterfly royalty It's doubtful whether the puffin's croaking "aaargh" call will have been among sounds stuffed into commuters' ears. But there is good news of one of Britain's most photogenic and lovable birds. After suffering significant losses during the bird flu epidemic, puffin numbers are recovering. The first puffin survey for five years revealed an increase of 15 per cent to an estimated 50,000 pairs on the Farne Islands. Some 938 puffins perished on the Northumberland island in 2022 and 2023 but the National Trust hopes to celebrate 100 years of Farnes administration in August by recording a further increase in puffin numbers. Not such good news for our river salmon. Mark Lloyd of the Rivers Trust warned of salmon facing extinction after a survey conducted by the Environment Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (try getting that on a T-shirt badge). It revealed that 90 per cent of the fish were "at risk" or "probably at risk". I wonder if this is connected to frequent illegal water company sewage discharges into rivers? Wild Things: Halting the decline of starlings While those companies have created a stink from our rivers, scientists warned of the danger from Chinese stink bugs. These bugs joined other Chinese invaders like the brown winged cicada and box tree caterpillar putting our crops, fruit trees and plants at risk. Some of these bugs were destroyed after being spotted among a consignment of trees at the Sevington inland border control post in Kent. The fruit-eating stink bug produces a stench when invading homes and is believed to be increasing in numbers here. How generous of China to send us such things along with Covid, SARS and bird flu.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UK takes first step in rail renationalization scheme
The UK's South Western Railways on Sunday was returned to public ownership, kicking off a campaign for the Labour government. The move is part of the government's larger plan to renationalize the country's rail services, as had been pledged by Prime Minister Keir Starmer when he took office last year. "Today is a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers," Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in a statement. The South Western service entered public ownership at 1:59 a.m. local time (0059 GMT), however, the first service to be run under the changed ownership was set to be a rail replacement bus service. Britain's railways have developed a poor reputation, with frequent cancellations, high ticket prices and confusion over which services tickets can be used for. Rail unions who have staged several strikes over pay in recent years were happy about the state takeover. "Everyone in the rail industry knows that privatization... didn't, and doesn't, work," Mick Whelan, general secretary of union Aslef said. The UK's rail services were privatized in the mid-1990s, although the rail network remained in public hands, run by Network Rail. Legislation passed in November paved the way for the country's 14 rail operators to be brought back under public control once their contracts expired — all of which will run out by 2027 at the latest — or earlier in cases of poor performance. Four operators were already taken under public control due to poor performance, but these were originally to be temporary measures. Alexander said this move would end "30 years of fragmentation," adding that change will take time. The Labour government said renationalization will save up to £150 million ($203 million or €178 million) in compensation fees paid to rail operators. Southeastern and Eastern services are set to be nationalized by the end of 2025. The rail systems in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all publicly controlled. In Germany, the majority of trains and rail infrastructure are owned by the state enterprise Deutsche Bahn (DB). Edited by: Alex Berry
Free Malaysia Today
25-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
UK renationalises first train operator under Labour reforms
The UK projected renationalisation would save up to £150 million yearly by cutting compensation fees to rail operators. (EPA Images pic) LONDON : Britain's South Western Railways on Sunday becomes the first private train operator to be returned to public ownership under the Labour government's plans to renationalise the country's much-maligned railways. Renationalising all of the UK's rail operators is among the key policies launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer since his party's return to government last July following 14 years in opposition. 'Today is a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers,' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in a statement. Train passengers in Britain suffer from frequent cancellations, in addition to high ticket prices and regular confusion over which services they can be used on. The privatisation of rail operations took place in the mid-1990s under the then Conservative prime minister John Major, but the rail network remained public, run by Network Rail. Four of the 14 operators in England are already run by the state owing to poor performance in recent years, but this was originally meant to be a temporary fix before a return to the private sector. Labour triumphed over the Conservative party in elections last year, re-entering Downing Street with promises to fix the country's ailing transport services. Legislation was approved in November to bring rail operators into public ownership when the private companies' contracts expire – or sooner in the event of poor management – and be managed by 'Great British Railways'. Alexander said this will end '30 years of fragmentation', but she warned that 'change isn't going to happen overnight'. 'Public good' 'We've always been clear that public ownership isn't a silver bullet, but we are really firing this starting gun in that race for a truly 21st-century railway, and that does mean refocusing away from private profit and towards the public good,' she added. In an example of how passengers might not immediately notice much difference, South Western's first service under public ownership on Sunday was set to be a rail replacement bus. Government figures show that the equivalent of 4% of train services in Britain were cancelled in the year to April 26. Rail unions – which have staged a stream of strikes in recent years over pay and conditions due to a cost-of-living crisis – welcomed the state takeover. 'We're delighted that Britain's railways are being brought back where they belong – into the public sector,' said Mick Whelan, general secretary of union Aslef. 'Everyone in the rail industry knows that privatisation… didn't, and doesn't, work,' he added. Two operators serving towns and cities in southeastern and eastern England are next to be brought back into public ownership by late 2025. All the current contracts are set to expire by 2027. The government has said renationalisation will save up to £150 million per year because it will no longer have to pay compensation fees to rail operators. The main rail operators in Scotland and Wales, where transport policy is handled by the devolved administrations in Edinburgh and Cardiff, are also state-owned.
DW
25-05-2025
- Business
- DW
UK takes first step in rail renationalization scheme – DW – 05/25/2025
Britain's South Western Railways became the first private operator to return to public ownership. The Labour government plans to renationalize the whole network by the end of 2027. The UK's South Western Railways on Sunday was returned to public ownership, kicking off a campaign for the Labour government. The move is part of the government's larger plan to renationalize the country's rail services, as had been pledged by Prime Minister Keir Starmer when he took office last year. "Today is a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers," Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in a statement. The South Western service entered public ownership at 1:59 a.m. local time (0059 GMT), however, the first service to be run under the changed ownership was set to be a rail replacement bus service. When did the UK privatize its railways? Britain's railways have developed a poor reputation, with frequent cancellations, high ticket prices and confusion over which services tickets can be used for. Rail unions who have staged several strikes over pay in recent years were happy about the state takeover. "Everyone in the rail industry knows that privatization... didn't, and doesn't, work," Mick Whelan, general secretary of union Aslef said. The UK's rail services were privatized in the mid-1990s, although the rail network remained in public hands, run by Network Rail. Legislation passed in November paved the way for the country's 14 rail operators to be brought back under public control once their contracts expired — all of which will run out by 2027 at the latest — or earlier in cases of poor performance. Four operators were already taken under public control due to poor performance, but these were originally to be temporary measures. Rail nationalization to end decades of 'fragmentation' Alexander said this move would end "30 years of fragmentation," adding that change will take time. The Labour government said renationalization will save up to £150 million ($203 million or €178 million) in compensation fees paid to rail operators. Southeastern and Eastern services are set to be nationalized by the end of 2025. The rail systems in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all publicly controlled. In Germany, the majority of trains and rail infrastructure are owned by the state enterprise Deutsche Bahn (DB). Edited by: Alex Berry
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
UK renationalises first train operator under Labour reforms
LONDON: Britain's South Western Railways on Sunday becomes the first private train operator to be returned to public ownership under the Labour government's plans to renationalise the country's much-maligned railways. Renationalising all of the UK's rail operators is among the key policies launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer since his party's return to government last July following 14 years in opposition. "Today is a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers," Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in a statement. Train passengers in Britain suffer from frequent cancellations, in addition to high ticket prices and regular confusion over which services they can be used on. The privatisation of rail operations took place in the mid-1990s under the then Conservative prime minister John Major, but the rail network remained public, run by Network Rail. Four of the 14 operators in England are already run by the state owing to poor performance in recent years, but this was originally meant to be a temporary fix before a return to the private sector. Labour triumphed over the Conservative party in elections last year, re-entering Downing Street with promises to fix the country's ailing transport services. Legislation was approved in November to bring rail operators into public ownership when the private companies' contracts expire – or sooner in the event of poor management – and be managed by "Great British Railways." Alexander said this will end "30 years of fragmentation", but she warned that "change isn't going to happen overnight." "We've always been clear that public ownership isn't a silver bullet, but we are really firing this starting gun in that race for a truly 21st-century railway, and that does mean refocusing away from private profit and towards the public good," she added. In an example of how passengers might not immediately notice much difference, South Western's first service under public ownership on Sunday was set to be a rail replacement bus. Government figures show that the equivalent of four percent of train services in Britain were cancelled in the year to April 26. Rail unions – which have staged a stream of strikes in recent years over pay and conditions due to a cost-of-living crisis – welcomed the state takeover. "We're delighted that Britain's railways are being brought back where they belong – into the public sector," said Mick Whelan, general secretary of union Aslef. "Everyone in the rail industry knows that privatisation... didn't, and doesn't, work," he added. Two operators serving towns and cities in southeastern and eastern England are next to be brought back into public ownership by late 2025. All the current contracts are set to expire by 2027. The government has said renationalisation will save up to £150 million ($203 million) per year because it will no longer have to pay compensation fees to rail operators. The main rail operators in Scotland and Wales, where transport policy is handled by the devolved administrations in Edinburgh and Cardiff, are also state-owned. ajb/pdh/yad
