News - Abellio
| Contact the news and picture editor. |
|
Themes Caledonian MacBrayne Carstairs ScotRail Network Rail Forth Bridge Weather Caledonian Sleeper Ferguson Marine Railfreight Newhaven Extension Avanti West Coast RMT MV Corran Dunbar Carnoustie
|
The Dutch national railway NS has sold off its British subsidiary, Abellio, to the British management. The rail operator announced this in an internal communication that was obtained by ANP. The move marks the end of the Dutch railway's presence in the United Kingdom, where the company had been active since 2003.
For several decades, NS was a major player in other European countries, but decided a few years ago to focus more fully on the Netherlands again. The foreign investments generated significant revenue, but also additional fears. Abellio suffered major losses in Germany, and the rail operator came under fire in Scotland for failing to meet certain performance targets. (Permalink) Abellio NS |
|
|
|
Abellio UKs CEO Dominic Booth is understood to be leading buyout and will help fund deal using own money. The Dutch state railway is to pull out of the UK with a management buyout of its subsidiary Abellio, which runs four rail lines and a number of London bus routes. Abellio, which for 20 years has run East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Merseyrail and West Midlands Railway and employs 15,000 staff, is to be sold by the Netherlands state-run Nederlandse Spoorwegen to its UK management. The business will be operated by a new firm, to be known as Transport UK Group Limited.
(Permalink) Abellio East Midlands Railway Greater Anglia Merseyrail Transport UK Group Limited West Midlands Railway |
|
ScotRail and Scots ministers have been accused of hiding how much taxpayers' money is being spent in keeping Scotland's trains running after nationalisation.
(Permalink) Abellio ScotRail Scottish Rail Holdings |
|
The details were revealed in a Sunday Mail investigation into ScotRail, which is already in meltdown weeks after being taken into public ownership.
(Permalink) Abellio ScotRail Scottish Rail Holdings |
|
|
|
Ministers have been strongly criticised for a lack of action to halt a 'national embarrassment' ScotRail dispute as it was confirmed strikes will bring the nation's railways to a standstill during 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.
(Permalink) ASLEF Abellio COP26 Industrial Action RMT ScotRail Stikes TSSA Unite |
|
The Abellio-led Greater Anglia and West Midlands Trains businesses have agreed directly-awarded National Rail Contracts with the Department for Transport, ahead of the expiry of their Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement contracts on September 19.
(Permalink) Abellio Department for Transport Greater Anglia West Midlands Trains |
|
A rail trade union has announced that ScotRail ticket examiners will join conductors in strike action involving not working on Sundays from the end of April.
(Permalink) Abellio Conductors RMT ScotRail Strike Ticket examiners |
|
Abellio ScotRail says the pandemic lockdown had a 'significant' impact on its performance last year.
(Permalink) Abellio Abellio ScotRail Loss ScotRail |
|
Abellio was given the cash as part of help during the pandemic in addition to franchise payments.
(Permalink) Abellio Franchise Nationalisation ScotRail |
|
On March 17 the Scottish Government announced that it would take over the ScotRail franchise from 2022.
ScotRail has been run by Dutch firm Abellio since 2015 but criticism over performance has seen the contract cut short. (Permalink) Abellio Nationalisation ScotRail |
|
Switching control of ScotRail into public hands will be no panacea - it will just leave ministers with fewer people to blame when things goes wrong.
(Permalink) Abellio Nationalisation ScotRail |
|
The Scottish Government is to take over the running of ScotRail next year, Transport Secretary Michael Matheson announced to MSPs today.
(Permalink) Abellio Nationalisation ScotRail |
|
The Scottish government says ScotRail will be taken into public ownership in March 2022.
(Permalink) Abellio Nationalisation ScotRail |
|
ScotRail services will be taken into public ownership from next year, it has been confirmed.
(Permalink) Abellio Nationalisation ScotRail |
|
Scottish Labour said any extension of Abellios ScotRail operation would amount to a 'kick in the teeth for passengers' amid industry speculation the Scottish Government is considering the option.
(Permalink) Abellio ScotRail ScotRail franchise |
|
|
|
Hundreds of ScotRail staff have been asked to consider quitting in a cost-cutting move condemned by one union as creating a 'climate of fear' amongst the workforce.
All administrative, clerical, supervisory and managerial staff across Scotland, including its Glasgow headquarters have been asked to consider voluntary redundancy, a matter of weeks after Abellio ScotRail announced a loss of £3.5m in its first full year operating train services in Scotland. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
A campaign to devolve control of Scotland’s railways to Holyrood is to call for support from all political parties.
It has been claimed the move would save the taxpayer £100 million a year and enhance customer experience on the railways by reducing journey times and delays. Any savings would also be reinvested to fund increased services and improved rolling stock. Scottish ministers are already responsible for the funding and managing of railways north of the Border through the ScotRail franchise which is currently operated by Dutch company Abellio. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
The reliability of ScotRail trains significantly improved in the weeks after its improvement plan was published, according to new statistics.
The PPM data showed 89.7% of trains arrived within five minutes of schedule in the four weeks to 7 January. This was a 6% rise on the previous four weeks, and a 2.8% improvement on the same period last year. But ScotRail's annual performance remains below the 91.3% target set in Abellio's contract for the franchise. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
UNDER-fire ScotRail issued an apology on social media every 51 minutes this year. The train operator has, so far, said 'sorry' to travellers 10,000 times in 2016 - an average of 30 apologies every day.
The news came on the day it was revealed monthly and annual season ticket holders would get a 'free week' paid for by the Government as a 'thank you' for their patience during disruption and upgrades. ScotRail has faced heavy criticism for late and cancelled trains, with campaigners calling for Dutch parent firm, Abellio, to be stripped of the franchise to run the railways. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
The Sunday Mail today exposes the growing scandal of late-running ScotRail trains missing out stops and leaving commuters stranded.
Dutch operators Abellio promised last month to stop trains from bypassing stations at peak times. But we can reveal that thousands of passengers are still being hit by the hated practice of “skip stopping†during the rush hour. If they’re on the platform, they have to wait for the next train. If they’re on board, they’re forced to get off miles from their stop. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail Station skipping |
|
ScotRail is hoping to ease its acute overcrowding by drafting in more trains from south of the border.
The operator also plans to switch more trains to its busiest routes, including Edinburgh-North Berwick, to help reduce the commuter crush. News of the changes come days after ScotRail announced that two daily rush hour services on the Borders Railway would be doubled in length from next week to help cope with passenger demand. Abellio, which runs ScotRail, ordered 70 new trains when it won the franchise two years ago, but the first of its two fleets will not start arriving until next autumn, and the second is now delayed until the second half of 2018. (Permalink) Abellio Borders Railway ScotRail  Hythe: A Class 321 EMU slows for the stop at Hythe station on 7th January 2012. It will call after at Colchester Town, reverse and terminate at Colchester. Private housing, a large DIY store and student flat ...  Helensburgh Central: Waiting for work. A pair of Class 320 EMUs in ScotRail blue, stabled in platform 3 (onetime platform 4) at Helensburgh Central on 23 September 2012. |
|
The Transport Minister has met with passenger groups, unions and political parties to discuss options for bringing Scotland's railways into public ownership.
Humza Yousaf said formal engagement would begin in the new year to look at creating a public sector bid for future ScotRail franchises amid ongoing criticism of performance under current operator Abellio. Mr Yousaf has said such a bid could be ready for 2020 when a clause in the contract with Abellio would allow it to be broken. (Permalink) Abellio Humza Yousaf ScotRail |
|
Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf has called for 'immediate improvement' in Scotland's rail services as ScotRail's performance improvement plan was published in full.
The Scottish government had come under pressure from opposition parties, including Scottish Labour, to reveal the details of the improvement plan due to a plague of recent problems affecting Abellio ScotRail services, including a train breakdown near Edinburgh and overhead wiring issues near Glasgow. ScotRail's 249-point plan includes measures to improve punctuality and reliability through various local and national initiatives such as numerous infrastructure developments, better communication with customers and the launch of an 'On Time Every Second Counts' campaign. Yousaf, who visited Edinburgh Waverley Station before speaking at a rail conference, said that he was 'delighted' that the plan was being published, hoping that the publication will spur 'immediate improvement' in ScotRail's performance. (Permalink) Abellio Abellio ScotRail Humza Yousaf ScotRail |
|
Aberdeen-based FirstGroup has revealed it is keen to make a bid for the ScotRail franchise as pressure mounts on Dutch operator Abellio.
The company reaffirmed its interest in regaining the contract it lost in 2014 after Scottish Labour released figures showing nearly 50 trains a day were either being cancelled or significantly delayed on Scotland’s railway network. Thousands of people have signed a petition calling on the Scottish Government to strip Abellio of the 10-year contract, worth up to £6billion, unless services improve. FirstGroup ran the majority of Scottish train services for 10 years until they were taken over in April last year by Abellio, a subsidiary of Dutch national rail company Nederlandse Spoorwegen. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
Dutch operator says any operator running the ScotRail franchise - public or private - does so to a 'tightly specified Scottish Government contract', meaning 'Ministers set fares and essentially determine how many seats are available and therefore how much overcrowding exists across the network'
(Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
Scotland's transport minister is to invite unions and other political parties to talks next week on setting up a public sector train operator.
Humza Yousaf revealed the move after widespread criticism of existing ScotRail services. He said the contract could be cancelled in 2020 and contingency plans were in place for the Scottish government to take over train services earlier. ScotRail said it was working to implement a 246-point improvement plan. Dutch firm Abellio took over the ScotRail franchise in April last year in a 10-year deal worth up to £6bn but with the option for the Scottish government to cancel it at the halfway point. (Permalink) Abellio Humza Yousaf ScotRail |
|
The RMT union is staging a day of protests in support of 'safer Scottish railways'.
The rail union is calling on the Scottish government to set out an immediate timetable for Abellio to be stripped of its ScotRail franchise. It has said making Scotland's railways safer can only be done with a publicly-owned service. ScotRail said it had invested hundreds of millions of pounds on new trains and improved technology. Protests are being held at railway stations across the country. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
A transport workers' union has renewed its call for Abellio to be stripped of the ScotRail franchise, claiming its performance has 'slumped'.
The RMT said Abellio was 'draining away key funds' that would be better spent on staffing, services and safety on Scotland's rail network. The union hit out at the Dutch operator on Tuesday, on the eve of a series of protests in support of the Safer Scottish Railways campaign. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
The new Borders railway service is beset by cancellations, delays and unreliable trains, a new report has claimed.
Rail campaigners Bill Jamieson and David Spaven compiled the report from Network Rail and timetable data from the Realtime Trains website. They said it showed 'serious underperformance of the line', which re-opened in September 2015. Scotrail said it was 'determined' to find a solution to the 'challenges'. The Borders Rail Monitor report said that the line, which is run by Scotrail operator Abellio, was blighted by delays caused in part by poor infrastructure choices imposed by Transport Scotland. (Permalink) Abellio Bill Jamieson Borders Railway David Spaven ScotRail |
|
ScotRail has been fined £483,000 for failing to meet required standards for trains and stations.
Performance inspectors found areas which missed targets included station toilets, ticket machines, train seats, toilets and cleanliness. The results follow criticism of the ScotRail Alliance franchise, operated by Dutch firm Abellio, for delayed, cancelled and over-crowded trains. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
The Scottish government stands ready to take over the ScotRail franchise through the development of a new public sector body if problems with its performance continue, it has emerged.
ScotRail’s moving annual average (MAA) for performance has fallen from 90.3% to 89.6% since Abellio took over the franchise, prompting Transport Scotland to ask the company for an improvement plan. Abellio holds the contract until 2025, but Transport Scotland can replace it at the ‘break-point’ halfway through in 2020. The Scottish government confirmed yesterday that, using new powers awarded in March, Transport Scotland has started work to establish a public sector body to take over the franchise. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
THE ScotRail Alliance has unveiled a plan to improve performance, after managing director Phil Verster had described the task of upgrading the network while running trains day-to-day as like ‘performing open heart surgery while doing a marathon’.
Public criticism has been mounting: a petition calling for Abellio to lose its franchise has attracted more than 14,000 signatures, while there have also been questions in the Scottish Parliament. (Permalink) Abellio Phil Verster ScotRail |
|
A petition calling for Abellio to be stripped of the ScotRail contract, backed by about 16,000 people, is to be presented to Transport Minister Humza Yousaf.
It calls for the Scottish government to act over delays and cancellations. (Permalink) Abellio Humza Yousaf ScotRail |
|
THE Dutch company operating Scotland’s trains have been warned they could be stripped of their contract within months.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has vowed to terminate Abellio’s deal to run ScotRail if train delays and cancellations get worse. (Permalink) Abellio Humza Yousaf ScotRail |
|
LATE trains, overcrowding, not enough seating, not enough carriages. Many rail travellers, as the petitions and protests of the past few weeks demonstrate, blame the current crisis in Scotland’s rail service solely on its operator ScotRail owned by the company Abellio. However, a growing number of campaigners also believe the chaos is down to the government agency Transport Scotland too.
(Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
THE Welsh Government has chosen four possible operators of the next Welsh franchise, which starts in 2018 when Arriva's 15-year contract comes to an end. The aim is to create a 'not for profit' organisation, which the government said will be modelled on Transport for London.
The Government has selected Abellio Rail Cymru, Arriva Rail Wales/Rheilffyrdd Arriva Cymru Limited, KeolisAmey and MTR Corporation (Cymru) Ltd, all of whom will now move on to the next stage of the competition. A public consultation will also start in the New Year. The successful bidder, to be known as an Operator and Development Partner, will run trains in Wales, assist with the evolution of the South and North Wales Metros and manage the transition to electric trains in several parts of the Principality. [From Richard Buckby] (Permalink) Abellio |
|
The operator of Scotland's railway network has reiterated its commitment to the Far North Line in the Highlands.
ScotRail Alliance, which involves Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail, has been criticised for the quality of services on the line. A railways expert and MSPs have concerns about the long-term future of the line that links Inverness to stations in Sutherland and Caithness. But ScotRail Alliance said it was investing in the line. (Permalink) Abellio Far North Line ScotRail |
|
TRANSPORT bosses have been urged to come clean about overcrowding on Scotland's failing railways. Labour warned passengers were being kept in the dark over the scale of jammed ScotRail services.
It challenged Dutch-owned operator Abellio and quango Transport Scotland to publish statistics on clogged routes. Under the £6 billion franchise ScotRail has to compile capacity reports on the flagship Glasgow-Edinburgh line every four weeks and audit passenger numbers across the network twice a year. But the data is not released to the fare-paying public, unlike south of the Border where the 10 most overcrowded peak services are regularly published. It comes amid a growing political row over the deal with Abellio making £1 million a month from the franchise since taking over from First Group last year. ScotRail trains on a third of routes are late more often than they are on time, despite rising fares. (Permalink) Abellio First Group ScotRail |
|
NEARLY 14,000 people have called for the controversial Dutch firm in charge of ÂScotland’s train Âservice to be stripped of their contract unless ScotRail improves.
The online petition urges the Scottish ÂGovernment to take action against ÂAbellio over the delays and cancellations suffered by commuters using ScotRail. The firm have already been hit with £1.5million in fines for poor service, the ÂSunday Mail can reveal. The petition and the Âexperiences of 7000 Âpassengers on the failing Âservice will be delivered to Transport Minister Humza Yousaf at Holyrood this week. (Permalink) Abellio Humza Yousaf ScotRail |
|
THINGS don't look good for ScotRail. Latest figures show that trains on a third of routes are late more often than they are on time. Figures also show that at stations like Arbroath, Glasgow High Street and Ardrossan Harbour only 10% are running on time.
We've also learned that the Dutch company Nederlandse Spoorwegen, which owns ScotRail operators Abellio, admitted Scotland's trains are run for the benefit of commuters in Holland. Documents show the contract is used to make healthy profits on “limited investmentâ€. The boss of Nederlandse Spoorwegen said passengers in the Netherlands must benefit from the firm’s work overseas - and there were calls for the deal to be scrapped and the rail service returned to public ownership. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
DOCUMENTS penned by the parent company of the Dutch firm who operate ScotRail boast the contract is used to make healthy profits on “limited investmentâ€.
THE firm responsible for ÂScotland’s crisis-hit rail Ânetwork have admitted our trains are run for the Âbenefit of commuters in ÂHolland. Business documents penned by the parent company of the Dutch firm who operate ScotRail boast the contract is used to make healthy profits on “limited investmentâ€. The boss of Utrecht-based ÂNederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), who own ScotRail operators Abellio, says passengers in the Netherlands must benefit from the firm’s work overseas. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
UK: A contract for leasing company Angel Trains and Commonwealth Bank of Australia to finance a £900m order for 665 Bombardier Transportation electric multiple-unit cars for use on Abellio’s new East Anglia franchise was signed on September 29.
Angel Trains said the ‘largest rolling stock deal since the privatisation of UK rail’ builds on its ongoing relationship with CBA and ‘further establishes the bank’s credentials in the rail industry’. The deal covers 22 10-car and 89 five-car suburban EMUs which are to be built at Bombardier’s Derby plant, providing a ‘stable long-term workload’ for more than 1 600 employees. [From Richard Buckby] (Permalink) Abellio |
|
TESTING has started at the Velim test track in the Czech Republic of the first of 70 class 385 EMUs being built by Hitachi Rail Europe for the ScotRail franchise operated by Abellio.
This is the first of six four-car trains being built by Hitachi at its Kasado factory in Japan. The remainder of the order for 24 four-car and 46 three-car EMUs will be produced at Hitachi’s new factory in Newton Aycliffe, Britain. (Permalink) Abellio Class 385 Hitachi ScotRail |
|
The UK's last train maker Bombardier has been awarded a £1bn contract as part of 'the biggest investment in the railways since the Victorian era'.
The contract will see 660 'state of the art' carriages built from the Bombardier factory in Derby. It is part of a £1.4bn boost to rail services for passengers across East Anglia, announced by the Department for Transport. The DfT said it is one of the biggest ever orders for British-built trains. The investment will be overseen by rail operator Abellio East Anglia, which has been awarded a new franchise running from October 2016 to 2025. (Permalink) Abellio |
|
Plans for a multimillion pound upgrade to Inverness train station has taken another step forward after the search began to find a full design team for the project.
The full business case for the plans has been completed and Abellio Scotrail Ltd is now ready to develop detailed design proposals – and has said work could start on the project by the middle of 2017. The train operator, in conjunction with the council and region’s transport partnership, commissioned Dundee-based architects Nicoll Russell Studios last October to carry out the initial design work. Now the contract has gone out to find a full design team. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail  Inverness: First ScotRail Class 158 units line up at the buffers inside Inverness station. From left to right they are 158741, 731 and 702.  Inverness: The main entrance to Inverness Station, facing onto Station Square, just off Academy Street, on 19 November 2014. The Royal Highland Hotel (formerly The Station Hotel) stands alongside on the right. |
|
Talks aimed at resolving the ScotRail dispute have broken up, without any progress being made.
The RMT union met Abellio ScotRail management for an hour over its plans to change staffing levels on new trains. The two parties held talks twice last week, brokered through the Arbitration and Conciliation Advisory Service (ACAS). On both occasions, they broke up for both sides to consider their positions. Members of the RMT have already staged a number of walkouts in the dispute, and further stoppages are scheduled. They include three of the four competition days at golf's Open Championship, which is being played at Royal Troon next week. The RMT also intends to strike on Sunday 10 and Monday 11 July. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
The RMT rail union has begun to ballot conductors for industrial action in a dispute over driver-only train services.
Talks between RMT representatives and Abellio ScotRail over the the introduction of new electric and high speed inter-city trains on Scotland’s rail network broke down when the union said it had not received the assurances it had sought on the issue. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
The head of ScotRail has pledged to improve the performance of train services after admitting to “unacceptable†delays for thousands of passengers.
Figures obtained by a Sunday newspaper show that the franchise, operated by the Dutch company Abellio since last April, has failed to meet punctuality targets for ten consecutive months. More than 40 per cent of trains were delayed at the country’s three busiest stations over the past year, the figures show. At one station, 90 per cent of trains were late in the same period. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
Infor has announced that Abellio has successfully deployed Infor EAM to replace its SAP solution at ScotRail with the purpose of improving the management of its fleet of rail stock across Scotland. The deployment is in the cloud and includes the Infor ION middleware that will integrate the EAM solution to the remaining ERP solution, presumably the parts of SAP at ScotRail will still be retaining.
For companies with aging ERP solutions this is interesting as it demonstrates that it is possible to replace part of a major ERP installation improving functionality and without compromising the stability of the rest. Infor ION is the software that allows companies to achieve this with Infor and provides the data workflows that means that replacing one element of an ERP solution does not mean that the rest has to be replaced immediately. As a result the risks associated with a big bang change are alleviated. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
Department for Transport today (April 7) announced three shortlisted bidders for the West Midlands franchise.
The shortlisted bidders are: London and West Midlands Railway Limited, a subsidiary of Govia Limited (a joint venture between Keolis and Go-Ahead Group); West Midlands Trains Limited, currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Abellio Transport Group Limited with East Japan Railway Company (known as JR East) and Mitsui & Co Ltd as minority partners; MTR Corporation (West Midlands) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of MTR Corporation (UK) Limited. The contract award is expected to be made in June 2017 ahead of the new deal starting in October 2017. [From Mark Bartlett] (Permalink) Abellio  |
|
TWO new passenger rail franchises are being launched in Manchester today, in a ceremony which marks the biggest change for train services in the north of England for more than a decade.
Arriva has taken over Northern from Abellio and Serco, while FirstGroup has taken sole charge of Transpennine Express, having run the previous franchise in partnership with Keolis. [From Mark Bartlett] (Permalink) Abellio  Leeds: A First TransPennine class 170 unit bound for Hull arrives at Leeds on 4 November 2011, while a Northern service to Sheffield waits in the bay platform on the right, formed by a two car Class 158 unit ...  Blackpool North: Typical motive power line up at Blackpool North in September 2014, with a TransPennine 185 alongside a Northern 158 and a 156 also in the station. Behind, on the hill, the new buildings overlooking th ...  Newcastle Central: Why the long face? The TransPennine 185 on the left - about to depart for Liverpool - makes the Northern 142 on the right look rather frumpy at Newcastle Central in December 2014. But 30 years' servic ... |
|
Midlothian groups are flocking to “adopt†local stations to make railway platforms and surroundings more welcoming and people-friendly.
“Travellers will soon see the fruit of plans to improve the appearance of Eskbank, Gorebridge, Newtongrange and Shawfair stations, together with Galashiels and Stow,†said Carol Byers, chairman of the Borders Railway Community Partnership (BRCP), which is backing the grass-roots initiative along with operator Abellio ScotRail. (Permalink) Abellio Borders Railway ScotRail Station Adoption |
|
National Mining Museum Scotland has adopted Newtongrange Railway Station as part of the Abellio Scotrail “adopt a station†scheme.
The initiative allows the museum to improve the appearance of the station with planters and floral displays. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail Station Adoption  Newtongrange: 67026 'Diamond Jubilee' leads the returning steam special from Tweedbank past Newtongrange with 60009 Union of South Africa on the rear.  Newtongrange: Plaque commemorating the official opening of the new Borders Railway station at Newtongrange on 9 September 2015. See image [[52489]]  Newtongrange: The zig-zag path from the station to National Mining Museum is dotted with information boards about the history of mining in the area. This one though celebrates the predecessor to the shiny new stati ... |
|
UK: The first of 70 Class 385 electric multiple-units ordered by Abellio for the ScotRail franchise is now under construction at Hitachi’s factory at Kasado in Japan. The first seven of the 25 kV 50 Hz EMUs are to be built in Kasado, with the remaining 63 to be produced at Hitachi’s UK plant in Newton Aycliffe.
(Permalink) Abellio Class 385 Hitachi ScotRail |
|
The 'shambolic' performance of train services between London and Norwich is set to be scrutinised by a panel of MPs.
Abellio Greater Anglia, which runs the Great East main line, has seen severe delays along the route recently. Will Quince, Conservative MP for Colchester, said the House of Commons select committee for transport, would look at reliability and other issues. The firm said it would work with any inquiry. (Permalink) Abellio  Brundall: A Great Yarmouth - Norwich service formed by locomotive hauled stock operating in T&T formation pulls away from the Brundall stop on 9 June 2015. DRS 47813 is the leading locomotive with 47818 at the ...  Norwich: The 11.16 Abellio Greater Anglia arrival from Lowestoft stands at Norwich platform 6 on 27 September 2013.  Liverpool Street: 90014 at the rear of a push-pull service to Norwich awaiting its departure time at London's Liverpool Street station on 19 September 2006. |
|
Just one train out of 16 arrives on time at Scotlands worst performing rail station.
The Dutch firm that now operates ScotRail, Abellio, has revealed just how bad its record is for punctuality. Arbroath station in Angus came out as the worst performing station in the country with just 6.1 per cent of the services terminating at Arbroath in the year up to October arriving on time within a minute of its schedule. Second bottom was Ardrossan Harbour, in Ayrshire, with an 10.9 per cent punctuality rate. It was followed by High Street in Glasgow which recorded a rate of 19.5 per cent and Springburn in Glasgow, on just 22.2 per cent. At the other end of the scale, 89.6 per cent of trains terminating in Cowdenbeath, Fife, and 89.4 per cent of those completing their journey in Dunbar, East Lothian, arrived within 59 seconds. Posters in railway stations claim more than eight in 10 trains - 83.3 per cent to be exact - on the network arrive on time. The official figure used to calculate punctuality is called a public performance measure and it regards all long-distance journeys as on time if they arrive no more than 10 minutes late. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
A summit on Scotland's railways is needed to deal with the 'chaos currently engulfing the system', according to a Labour MSP.
Neil Findlay wants Transport Minister Derek Mackay to bring together employee and passenger representatives, the board of ScotRail and a cross-party group of transport experts to discuss issues affecting train services. It was revealed earlier this month that ScotRail has been fined more than £250,000 over three months for failing to meet strict standards for trains and stations. Figures show the franchise, taken over by operator Abellio in April, was hit with £265,282 in penalties between July and September. ScotRail fell short in eight of 17 areas of station performance over the period, including toilets, litter, shelters and CCTV and security. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
The new ScotRail franchise and a strong showing by its Abellio Greater Anglia operation has helped boost profits for Dutch state-owned rail operator, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), in what has been a “turbulent†start to 2015.
NS said its British franchises were largely responsible for a 16 per cent rise in turnover to €2.4 billion in the first half of 2015. [From Richard Buckby] (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail Norwich: The 11.16 Abellio Greater Anglia arrival from Lowestoft stands at Norwich platform 6 on 27 September 2013.  Stirling: The 0833 Edinburgh - Dunblane runs into Stirling platform 2 on the morning of 1 April 2015. The red carpet beyond the train is part of an Abellio launch event to mark their takeover of the ScotRail fr ... |
|
Rail passengers in the Highlands have been reassured that the region would not lose modern carriages to a new railway in the Borders. A spokeswoman for Abellio ScotRail said all but one of Class 158 trains would continue serving the north.
(Permalink) Abellio Abellio ScotRail Class 158 ScotRail  Inverness: 158702 BBC Scotland 75 years brings up the rear of the 19.58 to Elgin, at Inverness on 20 April.  Inverness: Motive power line up under the trainshed at Inverness in March 2009 comprising (L to R) 158702, 158731 and 158741. On the far left 170403 can partly be seen having arrived from Glasgow. |
|
The new Borders Railway is due to reach another major milestone when it officially transfers into the ownership of the ScotRail Alliance.
It will mark the formal completion of the contract by BAM Nuttall. The developer said the £294m project, linking Edinburgh with Tweedbank by rail, has been delivered 'on time and within budget'. From Sunday the new 30-mile railway will be taken over by a group formed from Network Rail and Abellio. [From Richard Buckby] (Permalink) Abellio Borders Railway ScotRail |
|
A UNION yesterday called for an inquiry into rail company
Abellio being awarded a £2.5 billion ScotRail franchise after it was embroiled in a scandal in the Netherlands.
Jeff Hoogesteger, its Scotland-based chief executive, was dismissed because of “irregularities” over the Dutch firm winning a public transport contract. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
A new golden age of steam train travel will showcase the Highlands to a wider audience, say the new operators of ScotRail.
Steam-powered locomotives are to make a return on three journeys across the north later this month. Abellio, the Dutch firm which took over the ScotRail franchise earlier this year, said it wanted to allow passengers to experience the “epitome of sophisticated travel” from a bygone age. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
SCOTRAIL parent firm Abellio chief executive Jeff Hoogesteger has been dismissed over “irregularities” in a public transport contract in the Netherlands, the Dutch firm announced today.
Mr Hoogesteger had moved to Edinburgh and was based at Abellio UK’s new headquarters in Glasgow, where he worked three days a week. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
A SECRET perk enjoyed by passengers in the know is to be retained by new ScotRail operator Abellio – travelling first-class at no extra cost.
The little-known quirk is because some trains with first-class seats run on routes where first-class tickets are not available, so anyone can sit on them.It has even led to commuter trains being crammed with passengers while their first-class compartments remain empty. ScotRail only offers first-class on its inter-city routes – the main line between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and between Aberdeen and Inverness. However, some of those diesel-powered trains also operate on suburban routes, for which only standard-class tickets can be bought. They include between Edinburgh and Glasgow and both Dunblane and Fife. That means passengers lucky enough to find themselves on such trains can avail themselves of the “extra space and comfort for luxurious travel”, as ScotRail describes its first class. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
STEAM train plans by new ScotRail firm Abellio were thrown into disarray today after the intended operator was banned from the tracks.
West Coast Railways (WCR) was barred from operating anywhere in Britain by track owner Network Rail until it makes a series of improvements. The operations of West Coast Railways are a threat to the safe operation of the railway. Network Rail The move came after WCR caused the most serious case this year of a train running through a red light. It also puts in doubt the launch of WCR’s flagship Jacobite steam service between Fort William and Mallaig next month, which has been running for 20 years. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail West Highland Lines |
|
Commuters may never have heard of it but from Wednesday Dutch rail operator Abellio will be responsible for running Scotland's trains.The ScotRail franchise covers 2300 trains each weekday, more than 86.3million passenger journeys and 1.6billion passenger miles a year.
FirstGroup has been running the rail network for the past decade but last year, lost the £2.5billion contract to an offshoot of Dutch national railways. It was a massive blow for a company which owes much of its success to a former apprentice mechanic. Moir Lockhead left school at 15 to work in a bus garage in Darlington. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail  Glasgow Central: A piper welcomes First ScotRail's inaugural service - a train for Gourock about to leave Glasgow Central on 17 October 2004.  Edinburgh Waverley: First Group CEO Moir Lockhead is serenaded aboard the FTPE special to Glasgow Central at Waverley on 4 December 2007 celebrating the launch of the First TransPennine Express services linking Edinburgh ...  Haymarket MPD: Transport Minister Tavish Scott unveils a commemorative plaque marking the official opening of new facilities at Haymarket depot on 13 February 2007. First ScotRail's Managing Director Mary Dickson lo ... |
|
SCOTRAIL’S new operator is in danger of a having shaky start to its tenure, writes Alastair Dalton.
Alarm bells are going off in my head about the Scottish taxpayer’s biggest contractor – and it hasn’t even officially started the job yet. Dutch firm Abellio takes control of ScotRail on Wednesday, funded by the Scottish Government to the tune of £2.5 billion over the next decade. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
THOUSANDS of ScotRail staff have been told to snip off old logos from their uniforms when the franchise changes hands next week because new outfits won’t be ready in time.
The instruction was met with derision by rail unions, who said members would refuse to take scissors to their clothes or turn hats back to front. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail |
|
SCOTRAIL managing director Steve Montgomery is to quit - despite new Dutch operators Abellio saying last week he was staying on, the train operator confirmed to The Scotsman today.
He will step down “sometime in May”, a spokeswoman for ScotRail said. The news came as it was also confirmed that senior Network Rail executive Phil Verster would lead a new ScotRail-Network Rail closer-working “alliance”, and start work shortly. (Permalink) Abellio Phil Verster ScotRail |
|
Designs for the 70 new trains being built for the ScotRail fleet have been unveiled by the transport minister and new franchise holder Abellio.
The new trains are said to be quieter, faster and longer than current services. They will operate on Scotland's busiest route - the Edinburgh-Glasgow via Falkirk High line - by 2017. They will also be used on the Stirling-Alloa-Dunblane line and south Glasgow suburban routes. (Permalink) Abellio Alloa Dunblane Electrification ScotRail Stirling |
|
Abellio has committed to an upgrade of Inverness Railway Station which will cost between £2m and £3m.
The Dutch rail operator will run ScotRail services from April after securing the franchise in October. It will take over from Aberdeen-based FirstGroup, which has run most Scottish rail services for the past 10 years. Representatives from Abellio met with members of Highlands and Islands transport body Hitrans in Inverness earlier. A feasibility study into how best to upgrade the station is to be completed by March of next year. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail  Inverness: Looking across the concourse at Inverness on 19 November 2014. The train waiting to depart from platform 6 is the 12.17 local service to Dingwall. The 32 minute journey includes stops at Beauly, Muir ...  Inverness: Looking out from the station concourse at Inverness in September 1975. The 08.20 train to Edinburgh, headed by a Class 24 and 26, is poised to depart. With a near 4-hour journey time (via Stirling) th ... Inverness: Motive power line up under the trainshed at Inverness in March 2009 comprising (L to R) 158702, 158731 and 158741. On the far left 170403 can partly be seen having arrived from Glasgow. |
|
There are just ten days left to save direct rail services between Carrick, Wigtownshire and Glasgow which are planned to be all but axed.
Incoming ScotRail franchisee Abellio plans a major shake up of rail services in December. Under the proposals there will be only one through train in either direction via Paisley, a service leaving Stranraer after 9pm at night, and at other times passengers will need to change trains at Ayr. (Permalink) Abellio SAYLSA ScotRail Stranraer  Girvan: The driver of the 1102 to Stranraer has collected the token from the Girvan signalman on 26 May and is ready to set off south with unit 156 514.  Girvan: The immaculate interior of the waiting room at Girvan, Scotland's only art deco station, seen on 3 June. Even the ceiling is glossy. The more modern seating is unfortunately not sympathetic, though pr ...  Stranraer: A Sunday morning service for Glasgow Central leaving Stranraer Harbour in August 2003. |
|
COMMUTERS on Scotland’s busiest rail line will suffer six weeks of disruption this summer, in the first big test for ScotRail’s new Dutch operator, Abellio.
Part of the main Edinburgh-Glasgow route will be closed from 13 June to 27 July, which coincides with tens of thousands of fans heading for the Open golf at St Andrews. The Winchburgh tunnel in West Lothian is being closed as part of the £750 million electrification of the line to enable faster and longer trains to run. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail St Andrews  Dalmeny: The Forth Bridge lines are carrying at least 7 passenger services an
hour each way, so when the loops at Dalmeny are used for reversing
trains during occasional diversions of Edinburgh - Glasgow s ...  Dalmeny Junction: A type 2 passes Dalmeny Junction signal box with a northbound freight heading for the Forth Bridge in 1971. The branch from South Queensferry came in behind the box and the line round to Winchburgh Ju ... |
|
A director with Dutch firm Abellio has outlined its aims for the Borders Railway once it takes over the ScotRail franchise in April.
The line between Tweedbank and Edinburgh is scheduled to reopen in September next year. Abellio's UK rail business development director Mike Kean said the route would be extensively marketed in advance. He added that this would continue after trains returned - with the message that the railway was 'here to stay' (Permalink) Abellio Borders Railway ScotRail |
|
Dutch operators who will run Scotland’s trains have given a boost to the Borders Railway ahead of its opening next September.
Abellio has confirmed the route will become part of the Great Scenic Railways of Scotland network. And that will be seen by rail supporters in the Borders as an opportunity to bring more tourists into the area. (Permalink) Abellio Borders Railway |
|
A dutch transport group has confirmed that Hitachi Rail Europe is its preferred bidder for the construction of electric trains for Scotrail.
Rail operator Abellio, announced this week as the winner of the contract to run Scotland’s train services for the next decade, has enlisted the firm to build and supply 70 new electric trains for ScotRail, which will come into operation by December 2017. The firm will operate ScotRail services from April next year, taking over from Aberdeen-based FirstGroup, and said it will invest millions to improve trains, facilities and services. Hitachi will manufacture the 70 trains from its multi-million pound facility in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, which is currently under construction. (Permalink) Abellio Hitachi ScotRail |
|
News this week that a new operator will take over the next ScotRail franchise means a brighter future for rail services in Wigtownshire.
That is the claim made by SNP MSP for the South of Scotland Aileen McLeod, who said the awarding of the Scotrail franchise to Abellio will see specific commitments to the Stranraer-Ayr line. This is likely to include support for community rail partnerships, services between Stranraer and Ayr every two hours and the introduction of a Scenic Railway Service on the line to attract visitors. (Permalink) Abellio ScotRail Stranraer  Stranraer: The 12.36 service to Glasgow Central waits to leave Stranraer Harbour on 24 May 2012.  Maybole: A southbound train pulls away from a colourful Maybole station and heads for Girvan on the last day of May 2007. Girvan: The immaculate interior of the waiting room at Girvan, Scotland's only art deco station, seen on 3 June. Even the ceiling is glossy. The more modern seating is unfortunately not sympathetic, though pr ... |
|
BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded Northern a so-called "direct award" franchise for 22 months. Northern, which is a joint venture of Serco and Abellio, itself a subsidiary of Netherlands Railways (NS), will now continue to operate the franchise, which covers regional and suburban services in northern England including the cities of Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle, until February 2016. This will give the DfT time to invite bids for a longer-term franchise and is part of the continuing shake-up of the franchising system following the collapse of the West Coast franchise deal in October 2012.
(Permalink) Abellio |
|
A leading candidate to take over the ScotRail franchise has brushed off concerns over the commercial viability of the Borders Railway project, saying that it will present a 'suite of ideas' about how to incorporate the expected loss-making new service within a profitable network.
Abellio, a subsidiary of Netherlands Rail, claims to have established an early lead in what will be a closely-fought battle to win the 10-year franchise to run 85% of the Scottish rail network. Its bid is based on its previous experience of running a 'social railway' which boosts passenger numbers. (Permalink) Abellio Borders Railway ScotRail |
KML version
