Latest news with #Aslef
Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Times
Ministers turning clock back to bad old days of British Rail
Bit by bit, Britain's rail network is falling back into public ownership. As the contracts of train operating companies expire, their operations are coming under the control of an interim Department for Transport (DfT) entity that will make way for Great British Railways some time in late 2026. All passenger operator contracts are expected to have been rolled into GBR from October 2027. From then on Britain will be served by a nationalised railway not dissimilar to British Rail, that specialist in shabby, second-class service that so epitomised shabby, postwar Britain. Only private freight operations will survive this return to locomotive socialism, together with rolling stock leasing firms and nimble 'open-access' private passenger companies operating on only a few routes with no subsidy in the gaps between GBR services. Everyone outside the Labour government can see what is coming down the line: a gigantic state monopoly run by civil servants (hundreds of DfT officials are being transferred to help run it) and those well-known champions of innovation and customer choice, the RMT and Aslef. As a report warns, the 'ghost of British Rail' is risen. Tony Lodge, a specialist in the rail industry at the Centre for Policy Studies think tank, is not alone in believing that it doesn't have to be this way. In his report, 'Rail's Last Chance', Mr Lodge describes GBR as a solution in search of a problem. He is right: while the privatisation of national infrastructure in the Thatcher-Major era produced winners (telecoms) and, ultimately, losers (water), the experience of the rail industry was more mixed. Before the pandemic rail privatisation was largely a success. Between 1998 and 2015 the number of passenger journeys more than doubled, outstripping state railways in France and Germany. New trains and services were introduced; passenger satisfaction was the highest in Europe. True, fares increased, and private operators sometimes overreached themselves with excessive franchise bids. But that record in no way makes the case for raising British Rail from the grave. It was not privatisation that resulted in the recent drop in rail income but Covid. The pandemic permanently altered the rail landscape. Working from home meant many fewer commutes and lucrative peak-time season tickets. Raw passenger numbers are almost at pre-pandemic levels but the tickets being bought are cheaper, off-peak ones: receipts are down £1.4 billion. Shipping fresh air around the country, as Rishi Sunak described operations during lockdown, killed the franchise model. Faced with rescuing insolvent passenger companies, the Tories chose consolidation under GBR, but with private firms running services on fixed contracts to foster innovation. In his report Mr Lodge pleads with the government not to throw the good out with the bad. The network is costing the taxpayer £12 billion a year while delivering only 2 per cent of passenger journeys. If this huge burden on the public finances is to be reduced ministers must, he says, prioritise customer and income growth. That means allowing more and more open-access operators to compete on price and service, making ticketing more user friendly with apps and points systems, monetising the network's vast land bank and making the Office of Rail and Road into a muscular regulator. His is a hybrid system marrying a unified network with competition. Everyone knows it's the best way forward. Except the unions and government.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Rail union votes for more strikes in Hull Trains driver dispute
Drivers at Hull Trains have voted to continue strike action in support of a colleague who was of the Aslef union have staged a series of walkouts over the last few union has claimed a driver was unfairly sacked for raising a safety concern, which the company has Trains said it was disappointed at the results of the latest ballot. The new vote means the industrial action will continue over the next six Roebuck, Aslef's organiser in the north-east of England, said: "Hull Trains has been telling our members that they wish to sort out this issue but it's nearly a month since their last meeting with Aslef and the silence is deafening."They also have a new managing director who, it appears, doesn't wish to get involved."In response, a spokesperson for the company said: "The company has made a number of proposals for a resolution of this matter with Aslef."We remain committed to open dialogue to resolve this situation and avoid further disruption to our customers."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. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Travel chaos in Britain as 2.7M drivers hit the roads on Frantic Friday
Britain's big summer getaway turned into chaos on 'Frantic Friday' today as an airport terminal was evacuated, a major motorway was blocked and trains were cancelled. Some 2.7million leisure journeys were being made on the roads today, according to RAC estimates - with motorists warned to avoid heading out before 7pm tonight. Many families were on the move after the schools broke up for summer, but there was disruption for those travelling to London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. Areas of Heathrow's Terminal 3 were evacuated this morning while a fire alarm was investigated, which passengers said had caused huge queues at passport control. In Essex, drivers on the M11 were warned of seven-mile queues after it was blocked in both directions near Stansted after two crashes between junctions eight and nine. Those heading to Gatwick were hit by train chaos after a points failure at Haywards Heath impacted services operated by Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink. Other disrupted rail services included LNER between Retford and Newark after a train hit an obstruction on the track; and the Mildmay line in London due to defective track. Great Western Railway trains between Castle Cary and Westbury were affected by a points failure; while four Hull Trains services were cancelled due to Aslef strike action. At Heathrow today, passengers complained of queues after a fire alarm at Terminal 3 just after 11am led to a temporary evacuation being carried out for safety reasons. Arriving passenger Christina Warren tweeted: 'Landed at Heathrow an hour early but there was a fire alarm so the line for passport control is literally backed up literally the entire terminal because of a fire alarm going off.' Natalie Berg, who tweeted a photo of the queues, said on X: 'Nearly two hours and line has barely moved at Heathrow. Just been told immigration and baggage reclaim has now reopened so hopefully on the move soon.' And another passenger in the terminal wrote: 'Fire crews investigating incident in baggage hall at Heathrow T3 mean security birder is currently closed. Very long queue already.' A Heathrow spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'Following an earlier fire alarm evacuation in parts of Terminal 3, the incident has now been stood down. We apologise for any disruption caused to journeys.' Passengers were later allowed into the baggage reclaim hall to collect their bags and get on their way. Meanwhile drivers in Kent were at a standstill as they queued to use the Port of Dover after holidaymakers and freight lorries descended in large numbers. The vehicles were moving very slowly through Dover from the A20, and down Jubilee Way towards the port. An update from Port of Dover said the traffic into the port was causing delays of around an hour. A traffic control system was in place, and one traffic warden told an eyewitness that they had received a lot of verbal abuse from drivers. Doug Bannister, chief executive at the Port of Dover said his organisation has been 'preparing for a busy summer' and have brought in measures to 'minimise disruption'. He said: 'We know how vital it is to keep things moving, not just for holidaymakers but for our local community too. 'That's why we've boosted staff levels, strengthened traffic management, added welfare facilities and introduced AI-powered forecasting - all to minimise disruption and ensure both residents and travellers have the best possible experience during this busy season.' The Port of Dover said it was expecting nearly 40,000 cars this weekend and more than 270,000 in the next six weeks. The RAC revealed on Monday that a larger number of drivers than ever before were expected to head off on holiday at some point this week, rather than wait until the weekend to get away. But the first getaway weekend will also be busy with 2.7million journeys planned on 'Frantic Friday' today. Following this there will be a 'Saturday Scramble' tomorrow as the largest number of journeys on a single day - 3million - is set to take place. An extra 2.7million trips are expected on Sunday, and 4.6million more at some point over the weekend, bringing the total number of journeys this week to 26.9million. The M40 northbound between J12 for Gaydon in Warwickshire and the M42 exit at J3A in the West Midlands could see major delays. Queues are also likely on the M1 northbound from J12 to J16 in Northamptonshire; and on the M4 westbound from J22 for the Pilning Interchange near Severn Beach across the Prince of Wales Bridge to J26 for Newport. The M1 northbound from J22 near Leicester to J26 for Nottingham, near the Peak District, could face 40-minute delays. Queues of 50 minutes along the M25 anticlockwise from J4 for Sevenoaks to the Dartford Crossing are also likely. The RAC and Inrix are jointly urging those setting off at the weekend to travel as early or late as possible – with traffic set to be at its worst through the middle of the day.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Train drivers vote for further strikes in long-running dispute
A fresh wave of strikes has been announced by drivers at a train company in a long-running dispute over the sacking of a colleague. Members of Aslef at Hull Trains have voted to continue taking industrial action after months of walkouts. Unions have to ballot members on industrial action every six months. The union already announced a strike from Sunday June 1 to Saturday August 9. Nigel Roebuck, Aslef's organiser in the north east of England, said: 'Hull Trains has been telling our members that they wish to sort out this issue, but it's nearly a month since their last meeting with Aslef and the silence is deafening. 'They also have a new managing director who, it appears, doesn't wish to get involved. 'So trains are cancelled, passengers inconvenienced, and we now have a further mandate for six months to seek a proper and just resolution to this matter.' The driver was sacked over a safety issue.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
The slow road to summer! 2.7million drivers hit the roads on Frantic Friday as families head on holidays with hour-long queues at Dover, Heathrow terminal evacuated and chaos on trains
Britain's big summer getaway turned into chaos on 'Frantic Friday' today as an airport terminal was evacuated, a major motorway was blocked and trains were cancelled. Some 2.7million leisure journeys were being made on the roads today, according to RAC estimates - with motorists warned to avoid heading out before 7pm tonight. Many families were on the move after the schools broke up for summer, but there was disruption for those travelling to London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. Areas of Heathrow's Terminal 3 were evacuated this morning while a fire alarm was investigated, which passengers said had caused huge queues at passport control. In Essex, drivers on the M11 were warned of seven-mile queues after it was blocked in both directions near Stansted after two crashes between junctions eight and nine. Those heading to Gatwick were hit by train chaos after a points failure at Haywards Heath impacted services operated by Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink. Other disrupted rail services included LNER between Retford and Newark after a train hit an obstruction on the track; and the Mildmay line in London due to defective track. Great Western Railway trains between Castle Cary and Westbury were affected by a points failure; while four Hull Trains services were cancelled due to Aslef strike action. Areas of Heathrow's Terminal 3 were evacuated this morning while a fire alarm was investigated, which passengers said had caused huge queues for passport control At Heathrow today, passengers complained of queues after a fire alarm at Terminal 3 just after 11am led to a temporary evacuation being carried out for safety reasons. Arriving passenger Christina Warren tweeted: 'Landed at Heathrow an hour early but there was a fire alarm so the line for passport control is literally backed up literally the entire terminal because of a fire alarm going off.' Natalie Berg, who tweeted a photo of the queues, said on X: 'Nearly two hours and line has barely moved at Heathrow. Just been told immigration and baggage reclaim has now reopened so hopefully on the move soon.' And another passenger in the terminal wrote: 'Fire crews investigating incident in baggage hall at Heathrow T3 mean security birder is currently closed. Very long queue already.' A Heathrow spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'Following an earlier fire alarm evacuation in parts of Terminal 3, the incident has now been stood down. We apologise for any disruption caused to journeys.' Passengers were later allowed into the baggage reclaim hall to collect their bags and get on their way. Meanwhile drivers in Kent were at a standstill as they queued to use the Port of Dover after holidaymakers and freight lorries descended in large numbers. The vehicles were moving very slowly through Dover from the A20, and down Jubilee Way towards the port. An update from Port of Dover said the traffic into the port was causing delays of around an hour. A traffic control system was in place, and one traffic warden told an eyewitness that they had received a lot of verbal abuse from drivers. Doug Bannister, chief executive at the Port of Dover said his organisation has been 'preparing for a busy summer' and have brought in measures to 'minimise disruption'. He said: 'We know how vital it is to keep things moving, not just for holidaymakers but for our local community too. 'That's why we've boosted staff levels, strengthened traffic management, added welfare facilities and introduced AI-powered forecasting - all to minimise disruption and ensure both residents and travellers have the best possible experience during this busy season.' The Port of Dover said it was expecting nearly 40,000 cars this weekend and more than 270,000 in the next six weeks. The RAC revealed on Monday that a larger number of drivers than ever before were expected to head off on holiday at some point this week, rather than wait until the weekend to get away. But the first getaway weekend will also be busy with 2.7million journeys planned on 'Frantic Friday' today. Following this there will be a 'Saturday Scramble' tomorrow as the largest number of journeys on a single day - 3million - is set to take place. An extra 2.7million trips are expected on Sunday, and 4.6million more at some point over the weekend, bringing the total number of journeys this week to 26.9million. The M40 northbound between J12 for Gaydon in Warwickshire and the M42 exit at J3A in the West Midlands could see major delays. Queues are also likely on the M1 northbound from J12 to J16 in Northamptonshire; and on the M4 westbound from J22 for the Pilning Interchange near Severn Beach across the Prince of Wales Bridge to J26 for Newport. The M1 northbound from J22 near Leicester to J26 for Nottingham, near the Peak District, could face 40-minute delays. Queues of 50 minutes along the M25 anticlockwise from J4 for Sevenoaks to the Dartford Crossing are also likely. The RAC and Inrix are jointly urging those setting off at the weekend to travel as early or late as possible – with traffic set to be at its worst through the middle of the day. Anyone going away today or on Sunday was encouraged to try to start their trips before 10am or after 7pm, while Saturday drivers were told to consider heading out before 10am. RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Nick Mullender said tomorrow is expected be the 'single busiest day for summer traffic with many drivers travelling long distances to get to their holiday destination'.
