Latest news with #railproject
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Dubai Metro Blue Line: How city's mega-project is being delivered
The Dubai Metro Blue Line is as 'complex' a project as they come because it will deliver rail into existing communities. A senior representative of Parsons Corporation – picked by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority as project management consultants for the build – has told The National about the huge challenges and major benefits of the mega-project that is set to carry 320,000 passengers a day by 2040. 'We're delivering a project in the middle of a live city – into very busy and very dense environments … such as International City and Mirdif,' said Pierre Santoni, president for infrastructure in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The RTA awarded the $5.6 billion contract last year and construction has started. It will have 14 stations, 30km of track, connect to the existing metro, have a bridge spanning Dubai Creek, an iconic station at Dubai Creek Harbour and a huge underground interconnector station at International City that all bring a 'huge number of challenges'. The project will involve diverting traffic, tunnelling, pumping water out of the ground so workers can operate in a dry environment and, crucially, rerouting utilities as they pass gas and transmission lines. 'Everybody wants to go home and be able to turn on the electricity,' he said. 'Probably traffic management around the construction zones and making sure the utilities continue running … are the two most visible parts of the challenges.' Parsons Corporation, along with its partner AtkinsRealis, has a five-year contract on the project. A growing metropolis Aerial maps of Dubai clearly show why the new line is needed. The city has expanded south in a bulge of industrial, commercial and residential developments that will now be served by the new rail system. The catchment area for the new metro line is expected to be about 1 million people and Mr Santoni said it was going to be 'totally transformational'. 'It is connecting parts of Dubai that are in dire need of public transport connectivity,' he said. "If you're in International City today and are looking to get to the airport, while it is now partially possible through public transport with the Blue Line travelers will be able to get to the airport within 15 mins making journeys much more efficient and convenient." The line is set open on September 9, 2029 – twenty years after the very first Metro opened – and is set to add about 30 per cent capacity to the current system with the RTA previously stating it would reduce traffic along the alignment by 20 per cent. The metro will also serve Dubai Silicon Oasis, a strategic centre under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, and Dubai Academic City, anticipated to host more than 50,000 university students by 2029. Mr Santoni said the stations are 'marginally larger than previous ones' but the size of the trains and length of platforms are largely the same so capacity cannot be increased by adding more trains. Therefore much work has focused on getting trains faster through stations and getting people in and out of the stations quickly using technology and ease of access. Integration is key The soaring station at Dubai Creek Harbour has caught the eye but the project also includes an underground interchange station at International City. Mr Santoni said two tunnels will be dug underneath International City and this will happen largely without disruption to the community. Another station, at the sprawling Chinese Dragon Mart, is noteworthy. Integrating the metro with other modes of transport from ferries to taxis is crucial. He said lessons were learnt from the existing Metro. 'We have personal electric vehicles, mopeds … [and] electric vehicles, charging stations and things like this need to be accommodated in some of the parking areas. 'Whatever mode of transport people use … they should be able to leave it there in a safe way, protected. At the end of the day, nobody wants to spend time getting to the station.' He also pointed to what's known as 'transit-oriented' development – where communities are planned around the system – and this became more prevalent during the metro's Expo extension. 'That was a perfect example,' he said. 'That's why when you arrive, it's a seamless experience in and out and we're trying to do that for the Blue Line a lot more.' The Blue Line also supports urban planning initiatives such as the 20-minute city, ensuring that more than 80 per cent of services are accessible in a 20-minute commute without having to use a car. Turning to the broader economic benefits, it has been put at a '2.6' benefit to cost ratio, meaning for every dirham spent then at least Dh2.6 would come back. This considers time savings, reduced carbon emissions and traffic benefits but crucially does not take into future benefits such as property price rises. Mr Santoni also paid tribute to the RTA and the government of Dubai and said Parsons was grateful to be entrusted with the responsibility of the project. Parsons, meanwhile, has been involved in some of Dubai's most epic projects from the Dubai Canal to the iconic Infinity Bridge that spans the Creek. And Mr Santoni, a civil engineer by trade who arrived in 2005, has had a front-row seat to the huge changes in the city. 'My first project was Discovery Gardens,' he said. 'My second was Jumeirah Lakes Towers. It is amazing to see the growth of the city and … to see that it is doing so well.'
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Latest HS2 delay 'extends the agony' says Northants villages
People living near the route of the HS2 rail project said the latest delay to the scheme "extends the agony" for Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, told MPs on Wednesday that there was "no route" to meeting the 2033 deadline, although she did not suggest a new said there had been a "litany of failure" around the work has been taking place in villages in south Northamptonshire since 2019. The only remaining section of the HS2 project, between London and Birmingham, was originally due to be up and running by 2026, but the deadline got pushed back to 2031 and then to latest announcement means villagers on the route in south Northamptonshire now know they will be facing disruption from the work for at least another nine years. The village of Thorpe Mandeville has been living with disruption caused by work on an access road, a site compound and a viaduct for some time Brown from the Thorpe Mandeville Parish Council said there were more headaches to come with HS2 waiting permission to close a route into the village that is currently controlled by traffic said: "It would make it a peaceful village, but for village commuting, it would make getting north damn near impossible." As a former parish councillor in Lower Boddington, Peter Deeley has had dealings with HS2 since the idea first surfaced. He said: "We've had nothing else but problems in regards to noise pollution, we've had inability to get access, we have the situation of air pollution - I cleaned my car yesterday, it now looks as if half the Sahara's desert is on it." Not far down the road is Greatworth Hall, where Stephen Adkins' family have been tending the land since construction of HS2 is taking place just yards from his said: "The delays are unbelievable and, personally, it just extends the agony."He said that, if anyone asked him for advice on living near a national infrastructure project, his "advice now would be just get out if you can because it has been miserable". The Conservative MP for south Northamptonshire, Sarah Bool, said: "I fully understand the frustrations many feel. "I continue to work closely with affected communities in Radstone, Greatworth and across south Northamptonshire to hold HS2 Ltd to account — pushing for better mitigation, timely communication and proper treatment of those whose lives and land have been upended."The BBC has contacted HS2 for a statement. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- Times
What happened to HS2? The project that made Britain a laughing stock
I t was supposed to be the flagship rail project to the north-south divide, a catalyst for growth, new employment opportunities and unrivalled connectivity. London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield would be linked by trains travelling at up to 248mph. There would be connections to Heathrow and potentially to the Channel Tunnel. The cost was to be a mere £32.7 billion. Almost two decades after it was first proposed, however, HS2 is in tatters. The absence of a guiding mind, a single accountable person in Westminster or Whitehall, has led to runaway costs, delays and routes being axed. What remains is little more than a skeleton of the original design.
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
HS2 rail line branded an 'appalling mess' and its opening is delayed past 2033 as focus switches to saving money after costs rose by £37BILLION
The disastrous HS2 rail project will not open as planned in 2033, a senior minister confirmed today, as a damning report reveals that its costs have soared by an astonishing £37billion. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander branded the building of a new line linking London and Birmingham with the North an 'appalling mess' and told MPs she saw 'no route' to getting trains running in eight years' time. Instead the scheme will now focus on saving taxpayers' money even if it means delaying its opening, she told the Commons this afternoon. She warned that phase 1 of the project between London and Litchfield could end up being 'one of the most expensive railway lines in the world' after years of cost overruns and delays. And she warned there was evidence of sub-contractors defrauding the scheme. The project was announced in 2010 by then Conservative Transport Secretary Philip Hammond. But ever since it has been beset by controversy over its route amid ballooning costs - including spending £100million on a tunnel for bats. Reports suggest the first phase will not open to passengers until 2035 at the earliest. The Transport Secretary said she has accepted 89 recommendations from an independent review into infrastructure projects which was spearheaded by former Crossrail chief executive James Stewart. She told MPs that the word '''affordable'' was clearly not part of the HS2 lexicon', adding: 'Quite simply, there have been too many dark corners for failure to hide in. 'The ministerial taskforce set up to provide oversight of HS2 had inconsistent attendance from key ministers, including the then-transport secretary and the then-chief secretary to the Treasury. 'The Government has re-established the taskforce with full senior attendance, as per the review's recommendations – and new performance programme and shareholder boards will offer much-needed oversight and accountability. 'Secondly, the report highlights HS2 could cost the taxpayer millions more than planned. We'll stop this spiralling any further by delivering all the recommendations on cost control. 'That starts with HS2 fundamentally changing their approach to estimating costs – it includes certainty over funding which the spending review has given, and it also means HS2 working with suppliers so their contracts incentivise saving costs for taxpayers. 'As far as I'm concerned, suppliers should make a better return the more taxpayer money they save.' Mike Brown, former Transport for London (TfL) commissioner is set to become the new chairman of HS2 Limited - the company in charge of the project. The review hit out at spending, including £2billion laid out by the Tory government on the route between Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds before they scrapped it. More than £250million was also spent by HS2 Ltd on failed designs for a new station at Euston. The company was reportedly asked to provide a cheaper alternative, but ended up nearly doubling the price in the second design. Earlier this month a whistleblower who lost his job after accusing HS2 executives of fraud over the true cost of the project won more than £300,000 in compensation. Risk management expert Stephen Cresswell repeatedly raised concerns that the cost of the high speed rail line - which could end up landing the taxpayer with a bill of more than £80billion - was being 'actively misrepresented'. The consultant was told by one HS2 executive to 'disregard' scenarios he had prepared which forecast a 'significant' increase in the price to the public, an employment tribunal heard. As a result, Mr Cresswell warned that he found himself in a 'very uncomfortable position' of having a 'very different' view to the high speed rail line company's 'documented position'. The tribunal heard that in a meeting with bosses he said 'fraud had been committed because he understood fraud to be making false statement so as to secure a benefit'. After losing his job, Mr Cresswell took HS2 to an employment tribunal, claiming he had his contract terminated and been denied other work as a result of blowing the whistle. After the rail firm admitted that he had not given adequate levels of protection following his disclosures he has now been awarded £319,070 in damages. In response, campaigners said it was not to late for Labour to consider scrapping high speed rail over years of 'catastrophic mishandling'. HS2 Ltd previously said investigations into Mr Cresswell's claims found no evidence of fraud or illegal activity. Last month a DfT spokesperson said: 'We take all whistleblowing allegations seriously and it is important that individuals are given appropriate levels of protection, which clearly was not the case for Mr Cresswell.
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
World's tallest train station to open as part of new mega £3.6billion rail route expansion
THE WORLD'S tallest train station is set to be built as part of a £3.6 billion rail route expansion project. Dubai's new Metro Blue Line includes plans for a 74 metre high station - the tallest in the world. 3 3 3 The expansive project is set to create better transport links across the country, helping both residents and tourists navigate the area more easily. It is expected that 200,000 passengers will use the system every day by 2030, rising to 320,000 by 2040. Work is already underway and is set to finish in 2029 - on the 20th anniversary of Dubai's Metro system. It is set to cost around Dh18 billion, equivalent to around £3.6 billion. The new system will feature two routes - one 21km and the other 9km. Perhaps the most impressive part of the new development is the station at Dubai Creek Harbour - set to be the " highest metro station in the world" at 74 metres. The station's architecture will be in-keeping with the rest of Dubai's iconic buildings, with the American architects behind the Burj Khalifa designing the new transport hub. Its exterior is said to be inspired by the shape of a seashell, while its interior reflects themes like heritage, earth, air, fire and water. The design was approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, in June of this year. On Monday June 9, the Sheikh laid the first foundation stone for the "architectural icon". I fled the UK for sunny Dubai - life back home is miserable & no-one has any cash Developer Emaar Properties is set to retain the naming rights of the skyscraper station for at least the first decade. Other stations on the line are expected to be named after brands - a common practice on the Dubai Metro. The Dubai Metro Blue Line will add 14 brand new stations to the city's rail network. It brings the total to 78 stations, with 67 of these serving the Dubai Metro. Each station will include public bus bays, taxi stands, bike areas, electric scooter racks, and disabled parking bays for those with people of determination status. Nine of these stations will be above ground, while five will be underground, although exact plans for which stations will be where are yet to be confirmed. The International City station is set to be the only station to serve multiple lines, with a 44,000 square metre interchange station. In a bid to improve the city's transport links, the government previously announced their plan to have 140 stations by 2040. It will include better connections between Dubai International Airport and nine of the city's key areas, with a travel time from 10 to 25 minutes between these hubs. The new station will join a long list of record-breaking stations around the world. This includes the largest station by number of platforms: Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Containing 44 platforms, the station serves approximately 660 trains carrying 125,000 commuters per day. Another record-breaking station is Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, which is the world's busiest station. Used by an average of 2.7 million people per day, it joined the Guinness World Records in 2022 and officially became the world's busiest station.
