Balfour Beatty today announces a £7.2 million investment in Microsoft 365 Copilot — one of the largest AI investments of its kind in the UK construction and infrastructure industry. Unlike publicly available tools, the AI-powered assistant embedded within Microsoft 365 applications will operate securely within Balfour Beatty’s compliant and confidential IT environment. Supporting the Group’s workforce […]
Category: Industry News
Regulator: Passenger train performance on the High Speed 1 network improves, but action needed on management of lifts and escalators
The high speed route from London to the Channel Tunnel, operated by London St. Pancras High Speed, saw significantly improved train performance in the latest reporting year alongside increases in traffic volumes, the Office of Rail and Road said today (30 July) in its annual report on London St. Pancras High Speed. However, the regulator […]
Regulator: Passenger train performance on the High Speed 1 network improves, but action needed on management of lifts and escalators
The high speed route from London to the Channel Tunnel, operated by London St. Pancras High Speed, saw significantly improved train performance in the latest reporting year alongside increases in traffic volumes, the Office of Rail and Road said today (30 July) in its annual report on London St. Pancras High Speed. However, the regulator […]
First-time buyers to benefit from 40,000 new homes on brownfield railway land
Thousands of potential homeowners and families are set to benefit from new high-quality homes built on surplus railway land, as the Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander unlocks brownfield sites across the country for development. In a major boost for working people wanting to rent or own their first property, the Government is today (30 July) unveiling […]
ORR approves limited new passenger services on East Coast Main Line from December 2025
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved some additional services from December 2025 for three open access operators, extending or adding to their existing services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML). ORR said the additional services from East Coast Trains Limited (Lumo), Grand Central Rail Company Limited (Grand Central) and Hull Trains […]
Irish trial assemblies complete as huge railway bridge sets sail for Stockport
Huge concrete components which will form a new £20m railway bridge and roundabout in Stockport are now travelling over the Irish sea ready for the project’s main construction phase in just 4 days’ time. Network Rail and engineers from its contractor Murphy are gearing up for a meticulously planned three-week window during which Greek Street […]
Essential safety upgrades for Longport footbridge this summer
Passengers and pedestrians using Longport station in Stoke-on-Trent are being reminded of major improvements to the station’s footbridge this summer. Network Rail is investing £1.4 million to upgrade the structure and staircases making them safer and more reliable for station users. It means that from Monday 4 August to Friday 10 October* the bridge will […]
Railway Mission Chaplains: Crisis to Comfort – The Hidden Strength Behind a Resilient UK Rail Sector
In the world of rail operations, employee wellbeing is not just a moral imperative; it’s a strategic one. In 2024, Railway Mission chaplains responded to 9,896 individual situations across the UK rail network. These included everything from critical incidents and traumatic events to deeply personal challenges like bereavement, illness, and family breakdown. Railway Mission chaplains […]
Staffordshire rail upgrades to improve safety and journey reliability
Passengers and residents in Stone, Staffordshire, are being advised about a £7m+ package of railway upgrades to improve safety, performance and long-term reliability on the West Coast Main Line. The work, which has been planned during the summer school holidays, includes refurbishing the River Trent Viaduct, replacing track at Stone station and the renewal of […]
Network Rail announces Jeremy Westlake as new Chief Executive
Network Rail has today announced the appointment of Jeremy Westlake as its next Chief Executive, replacing Sir Andrew Haines who will be retiring. Jeremy, who is currently Chief Financial Officer, will formally take up the role in October following a transition period alongside Sir Andrew. In this role, Jeremy will oversee the amalgamation of Network […]