Latest news with #TransportSecretary
Sky News
25-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News
First renationalised train service starts today - but not how you'd have hoped…
South Western Railway (SWR) has been renationalised this weekend as part of the government's transition towards Great British Railways. The train operator officially came under public ownership at around 2am on Sunday - and the first journey, the 5.36am from Woking, was partly a rail replacement bus service due to engineering works. So what difference will renationalisation make to passengers and will journeys be cheaper? What is nationalisation? Nationalisation means the government taking control of industries or companies, taking them from private to public ownership. Britain's railway lines are currently run by train operating companies as franchises under fixed-term contracts, but Labour have said they want to take control of the lines when those fixed terms end. In its manifesto, the party vowed to return rail journeys to public ownership within five years by establishing Great British Railways (GBR) to run both the network tracks and trains. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said renationalising SWR was "a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers". "But I know that most users of the railway don't spend much time thinking about who runs the trains - they just want them to work," she added. "That's why operators will have to meet rigorous performance standards and earn the right to be called Great British Railways." 6:32 How will ticket prices be affected? Labour have argued cutting off payments flowing into the private sector could save the taxpayer £150m a year. But the government has not explicitly promised the savings made from nationalisation will be used to subsidise fees. It is unlikely rail fares will fall as a result of nationalisation, rail analyst William Barter told Sky News. "The government could mandate fare cuts if it wanted to, but there's no sign it wants to," he said. "At the moment, I'm sure they would want to keep the money rather than give it back to passengers. The current operator aims to maximise revenue, and there's no reason the government would want them to do anything differently under government control." 0:54 What difference will it make for passengers? Britain's railways are frequently plagued by delays, cuts to services and timetable issues, but Mr Barter said nationalisation will make very little day-to-day difference to passengers. There was "no reason to think" the move would improve issues around delays and cancellation of services, he said. "It's going to be the same people, the same management," he explained. "The facts of what the operator has to deal with in terms of revenue, infrastructure, reliability, all the rest of it - they haven't changed." Which services are being next to be nationalised? In the longer term, the move is likely to bring "a degree of certainty compared with relatively short-term franchises", Mr Barter said, noting the government would only want to renationalise a franchise "because in one way or another something very bad is going on in that franchise, so in a way it can only get better". It also means the government will have greater accountability for fixing problems with punctuality and cancellations. Mr Barter said: "If this is the government's baby, then they're going to do their best to make sure it doesn't fail. So rather than having a franchise holder they can use as a political scapegoat, it's theirs now." He added: "In the short term, I don't think you'd expect to see any sort of change. Long term, you'll see stability and integration bringing about gradual benefits. There's not a silver bullet of that sort here." Next to be renationalised later this year will be c2c and Greater Anglia, while seven more companies will transfer over when their franchises end in the future.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Why forgetting your driving licence will soon be a thing of the past
The UK government will introduce digital driving licences in the coming months, in what has been called a 'game changing' measure. Britons will be given the option of accessing a digital version of the official document on their phone, allowing them to easily prove their age and right to drive online and in person. Drivers licences will be one of the first official documents accessible via a new Wallet app, which is set to launch this summer. The initiative will modernise access to government services and will eventually allow the public to store a range of official documents within a secure digital "wallet" housed within the app. Initially, the app will feature a veteran card, followed by a pilot programme for digital driving licenses later this year. Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander said: 'This is a game changer for the millions of people who use their driving licence as ID. 'The innovation puts power back in the hands of the people, making everyday interactions faster, easier, and more secure. We are delivering on the Plan for Change by making public services work for everyone.' The technology will make use of security features already built into modern smart phones, including facial recognition checks similar to those used when people pay using a digital bank card. The government said this means that digital documents will be more secure, even if a device is lost. By the end of 2027, the Wallet will include documents like DBS checks and every other credential issued by the government. Traditional physical documents will also still remain available. 'Along with CDs, the Walkman and flip phones, the overflowing drawer rammed with letters from the government and hours spent on hold to get a basic appointment will soon be consigned to history,' Science Secretary Peter Kyle said. ' Wallet will mean that every letter or identity document you receive from the government could be issued to you virtually. 'For people who choose to use Wallet, they will find it easier to prove they're entitled to benefits or check their age when buying alcohol or DIY equipment, with more security and trust than ever before.' The government said that when people first open the new app this summer, they will be able to build a personalised homepage of the services most useful to them by answering a handful of simple questions. Future additions to the app are also set to include an AI-powered chatbot, Chat, ways to make payments and notifications and reminders about services. People will be asked questions such as if you own a car, meaning you can then opt to see information about getting an MOT or applying for road tax. In future, the app will also mean users can instantly cancel a stolen passport, find an apprenticeship or apply for benefits from the App. It will be available on and Android, with a Digital Veteran Card to be made available to former service personnel later this year.
The Sun
13-05-2025
- The Sun
Urgent warning to drivers using ‘ghost plates' to dodge speed cameras with £100 fine to be enforced
DRIVERS are being warned they could face £100 fines as councils crack down on so-called 'ghost plates'—illegal number plates intended to evade speed and bus lane cameras. These plates often use reflective or obscuring materials to avoid detection by traffic enforcement systems. In Wandsworth, council chiefs are taking action to shut down the loophole. These banned plates, often referred to as 3D or 4D plates, reflect camera flashes and can render a vehicle invisible to enforcement systems. Council bosses have issued a stark warning about rogue motorists using ' ghost plates ' to avoid detection. These plates, which are not legal for road use, are being used by some drivers to beat traffic rules and avoid fines. Authorities are now ramping up efforts to stop them. Two years ago, the head of the national Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system revealed that a shocking number of drivers – roughly one in 15 – could easily outsmart the system. On leaving his post, Professor Fraser Sampson wrote to Transport Secretary Mark Harper expressing his frustration over the lack of government action on the issue. To combat the problem, new cameras capable of spotting these 'stealth' number plates have been rolled out in some areas. In Wolverhampton, local enforcement officers were equipped with upgraded technology during a strict clampdown last year. Drivers caught using ghost plates can expect to be hit with a £100 fine. In his letter to Mark Harper, Prof Sampson detailed how motorists were getting around the law using reflective materials, cloned plates, and other deceptive tools to avoid penalties for speeding, low-emission zone breaches, or bus lane violations. According to Prof Sampson, the ANPR system has a 97 per cent success rate in reading plates but still produces 2.4 million incorrect readings daily. That margin of error could mean innocent drivers end up being wrongly fined. Prof Sampson has raised major concerns about the vulnerability of the system, which still depends heavily on readable number plates despite advances in technology. He said: "For all its technological advancement and operational indispensability, the ANPR system still relies ultimately on a piece of plastic affixed to either end of a vehicle. "Served by a wholly unregulated market, what my predecessor termed the humble number plate represents a single and readily assailable point of failure with the ANPR network being easily defeated by the manufacture and sale of stealth plates, cloned registration marks and other rudimentary obscurant tactics." He added: "The result is that the ability to frustrate the ANPR system remains staggeringly simple at a time when proper reliance on it for key public services such as policing, law enforcement and traffic management is increasing daily." What to do if you think you're being scammed The DVLA recommends you do the following: Forward suspicious emails to report@ and The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will investigate it. Forward suspicious text messages to 7726 as this will flag the potential scam to your phone provider. Report scam or misleading adverts to the Advertising Standards Authority. You can report adverts found online, including in search engines, websites or on social media. You can also report scam or misleading adverts to Google or Bing if you found them in search results Contact Action Fraud if you think you've lost money or been hacked because of an online scam or fraud and you're in England or Wales. If you're in Scotland and you've lost money because of an online scam or fraud, report the crime to Police Scotland. 2
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wait goes on for Great British Railways HQ decision
No decision has yet been made on the location of Great British Railways' (GBR) headquarters in Derby, two years after it was confirmed the city would host the site. The publicly-owned body will oversee the rail system across England, Wales and Scotland. Legislation to create the body is expected to be put before Parliament this autumn. Possible sites mooted for its location have included Becketwell, Derby Works, Midland House, Pride Point and RTC Derby. The Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said on a visit to East Midlands Railway's headquarters in Derby that she was "clear" the organisation needs to be "up and running in 2027", after the project was met with delays in the past. However, she could not commit to an announcement on the location in 2025. "We've got to take some legislation through Parliament first," she told the BBC. "The HQ will be in Derby, 100%. We're really excited about it, I think it's a great opportunity for this fantastic city. "The precise location of the HQ hasn't been determined yet but I will work closely with the local councillors, with the local MPs and make sure that we get a perfect base for this fantastic new public sector organisation." Derby is already home to the UK's largest train factory, which employs about 2,000 people. In May 2021, former transport secretary Grant Shapps announced plans for GBR to be set up, saying it would replace an "overcomplicated and fragmented" system. In March 2023, the government announced Derby had beat off competition to host the organisation. It was initially due to be launched in early 2024, but the implementation date was delayed. The leader of Derby Conservatives Steve Hassall said the lack of any news on a location would be of "great frustration for the public, who really got behind the campaign [to house the HQ in Derby]". Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Plastic 'nurdles' washed up after ship collision
Tiny plastic pellets found washed up on England's east coast are likely to have come from a collision involving an oil tanker and a cargo ship a week ago, the coastguard has said. The Stena Immaculate and cargo ship Solong collided in the North Sea, off East Yorkshire, on Monday, triggering an explosion and fires. Chief coastguard Paddy O'Callaghan said they were told on Sunday there had been a sighting in waters off the Wash of a "sheen that we now know to be plastic nurdles" and a team was clearing them. Nurdles are balls of plastic resin used in plastics production. They are not toxic but can present a risk to wildlife if ingested, according to HM Coastguard. One crew member of the Solong is missing and presumed dead. The captain of the cargo vessel has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter. Mr O'Callaghan said aerial surveillance had confirmed the presence of the nurdles in the water and some on the shore. "Retrieval has started today," he said. "This is a developing situation and the Transport Secretary continues to be updated regularly." Calum Duncan, head of policy and advocacy at the Marine Conservation Society, said: "We're deeply concerned about nurdles washing up along the Wash, a vital internationally important protected area for birds like waders, wildfowl, gulls and terns." He said the pellets posed "a significant threat to marine life". "Fish and seabirds could mistake them for food, leading to starvation and serious health issues," said Mr Duncan. The Wash, where pellets have been spotted, is a large inlet of the North Sea which stretches from just south of Skegness, in Lincolnshire, to a point near Hunstanton, in Norfolk. In a joint statement, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust said they were "very concerned" about the pollution. "Unfortunately, the risks posed by nurdles increase when other pollutants become stuck to them," Tammy Smalley, of the Lincolnshire trust, said. "We urge members of the public to report nurdle sightings but to avoid touching them as they may have toxic pollutants stuck to them." HM Coastguard said "salvage operations" in respect of both the Solong and the Stena Immaculate were ongoing. The agency said it was likely the nurdles entered the water at the point of collision, but did not disclose where they had been washed up and in what quantity. It is not yet known whether the fire on the Solong was completely out. HM Coastguard said it would not be commenting further. On Friday, Mr O'Callaghan said there were "only small periodic pockets of fire" on the cargo vessel, which were "not causing undue concern". The BBC understands it is likely the oil tanker, carrying 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel for the US military, will soon be towed to Saltend, near Hull, where its remaining fuel will be offloaded before being taken to a location, outside of the Humber and likely to be Newcastle, for repairs. Crowley, co-owners of the tanker, said a salvage team confirmed 17,515 barrels of the jet fuel had been lost "due to the impact and fire". Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, was named by the Crown Prosecution Service as the crew member who was missing and presumed dead. Vladimir Motin, captain of the Solong, appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court on Saturday charged with gross negligence manslaughter and was remanded in custody to appear before the Central Criminal Court in London on 14 April. Previously, HM Coastguard said 36 people had been rescued and taken safely to shore. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is trying to establish the cause of the crash. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. HM Coastguard North Sea oil tanker owner praises 'heroic' crew North Sea collision ship captain appears in court
