Etihad Rail runs passenger trains from the Saudi border as war grounds flights
UAE: Etihad Rail and Abu Dhabi’s Emergency, Crisis & Disaster Management Centre organised special passenger trains to facilitate the return of UAE citizens and residents from Saudi Arabia while flights are grounded because of the ongoing war in Iran.
Stadler Digital Labs joint venture launched
PORTUGAL: Stadler and Critical Software have formed the Stadler Digital Labs 51:49 joint venture to develop software for the rail sector.
Limited service starts on Santo Domingo metro extension
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Limited services started on the 7·3 km northwestern extension of Santo Domingo metro Line 2 from María Montez to Pablo Adón Guzmán with a ceremony on February 24 attended by President Luis Abinader.
Underground solar power contract awarded
UK: Transport for London has appointed SSE Energy Solutions to build and operate solar installations to provide zero-carbon electricity directly to the London Underground.
Turkey reaches preliminary financing agreement for Istanbul rail bypass
TURKEY: The government has reached preliminary agreement on US$6·75bn of financing for the construction of the long-planned Gebze – Halkalı railway bypass around Istanbul.
Construction starts on high speed line featuring South Korea’s first undersea rail tunnel
SOUTH KOREA: Construction started with a groundbreaking ceremony on February 3 on the 174·6 km high speed line linking Gimcheon with the island city of Geoje.
Urban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.
RMT calls for maintenance patrols to have better access to welfare facilities
UK: The RMT trade union has called on Network Rail to ensure that all maintenance patrol workers to have guaranteed access to adequate toilet and washing facilities, with documentation of suitable welfare arrangements in all Safe System of Work Packs.
Northern Trains commits to rectifying accessibility failings
UK: Following an investigation by the Office of Rail & Road, Northern Trains has committed to a £550 000 package of improvement measures and to ensuring that its staff receive disability awareness training.
Westbahn launches Wien – Villach open access services
AUSTRIA: Open access passenger operator Westbahn expanded its network significantly on March 1 with the launch of services between Wien, Graz, Klagenfurt and Villach via the recently-opened Koralmbahn.
Newcastle – Sydney high speed railway moves into development phase
AUSTRALIA: The High Speed Rail Authority has called tenders for consultants and technical advisers to assist with planning for the proposed Central Coast High Speed Rail project in New South Wales, following the government go-ahead for a two-year development phase.
