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Articles from Roy Rowlands | Selfgrowth.com
- Second NHS trust considers private takeover - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2012 from Roy RowlandsA second hospital trust is considering handing its management over to a private company – despite Government assurances that the first to do so, Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust, now run by Circle, was a ‘one-off’ due to unique circumstances at that hospital. George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, ...
Views: 658 - Dental access improved in Yorkshire - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2012 from Roy RowlandsMore than 10,000 new NHS dental places will be made available in York and North Yorkshire, it has been announced. NHS North Yorkshire and York is investing £5m in improving services and cutting the numbers of patients waiting for treatment. The primary care trust said nearly 11,000 ...
Views: 636 - Care homes call for more nurses - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2012 from Roy RowlandsEnglish care homes are struggling to meet their residents’ needs, according to new research by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). Nursing accounts for around three-quarters of the care provided in care homes, including tasks from washing and feeding to dementia care and using heart ...
Views: 592 - Unemployment at 2.67 million - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2012 from Roy RowlandsEmployment statistics show that unemployment has increased by 28,000 in the period from November 2011 to January 2012 compared to the previous quarter. The total number of unemployed people is 2.67 million, the highest since 1995. Additionally, the unemployment rate is 8.4% of the ...
Views: 654 - Police riot review could introduce water cannon - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe Metropolitan police force is developing more “assertive tactics” to tackle disorder, as the Scotland Yard review into last summer’s riots ‘Four Days in August’ is published. This includes the potential to buy water cannon, costing around £1m, and making baton rounds more readily ...
Views: 562 - HS2 approved – with minor route alterations - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe high-speed rail link between Birmingham and London has been officially approved by Government, Transport Secretary Justine Greening announced today, and will proceed to the next legislative stages. The first phase of HS2 should be completed with services ready to begin by 2026, with the ...
Views: 502 - Network Rail launches internship scheme - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsA cross-industry internship scheme is being launched by Network Rail to help up to 100 graduates gain local experience in the rail industry. 27 companies are taking part to provide ‘Track and Train’ for students. The 18-month scheme will take place in three parts, with one month at Network ...
Views: 457 - Blackburn – Bolton line improvements considered - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsMPs are calling for improvements to the Blackburn to Bolton train service, with suggestions to double the track to increase capacity and increase hourly daytime services to every half hour. In a debate in the House of Commons, Blackburn’s Labour MP Jack Straw and Conservative Darwen and ...
Views: 481 - Freightliner Ltd and MSC (UK) Ltd renew contract - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsFreightliner Ltd and MSC (UK) Ltd have renewed their contract, increasing the railed container volumes to the North West. The contract is an expansion of the existing service, moving 30,000 container moves per year and will remove an additional 6,000 lorry journeys per year from the road ...
Views: 574 - Car parking charges increased at Southeastern stations - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsSoutheastern has been accused of ‘ripping off’ passengers by increasing car parking charges on top of the fare increases introduced earlier this month. The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) union argues that this is just another way to raise prices, even though regulated fare ...
Views: 458 - Howard Smith to speak at Infrarail - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsHoward Smith, chief operating officer of London Rail at Transport for London, will make a keynote presentation at Infrarail 2012 on May 2. Smith, who sits on RTM’s editorial board, will join transport minister Theresa Villiers and Simon Kirby, director of investment projects for Network Rail, ...
Views: 517 - Station closures in Greater Western franchise - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe tendering process for the new Greater Western franchise is being conducted under the terms of Sir Roy McNulty’s Rail Review before Government has published its response in full. The RMT union blames this for the closure of ticket offices at 29 category E stations and reductions in opening ...
Views: 442 - £1.5bn framework agreements announced - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsNetwork Rail has announced framework agreements worth £1.5bn to deliver rail signalling projects, as part of wider reforms to Network Rail’s infrastructure business, with a greater focus on partnership. The agreements are expected to commence on April 2, operate for the remaining two years of ...
Views: 434 - NXEA invests in ticket machines at Norwich - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsNational Express East Anglia (NXEA) has invested £45,000 in installing additional ticket machines at Norwich station. Customers can use the machines to collect pre-paid and Advance booked tickets, and the project seeks to improve customer service and speed up collection times for passengers ...
Views: 469 - Signal workers to strike again - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsRail signal workers in Scotland are holding further strikes over career progression. RMT union members will take industrial action on January 23 and January 27, following a three-day strike at Christmas. The staff, based at the West of Scotland Signalling Centre, are disputing changes to a ...
Views: 532 - HS2 could ‘unite the nation’ – Greening - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe Government has managed to cut the cost of phase one of HS2, despite extra tunneling and other mitigation measures. The construction cost of phase one, London to Birmingham, which got the go-ahead from Transport Secretary Justine Greening, has been cut by around £400m to £16.3bn, despite ...
Views: 487 - Atkins report suggests HS2 alternative - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsHS2 offers a lower return on investment than alternatives, a new report suggests. The DfT commissioned engineering firm Atkins to appraise a set of strategic alternatives to the Government’s proposed HS2. The report concludes that ‘51m’, an alternative which would improve the capacity on the ...
Views: 496 - Bridge repair project begins - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsA bridge in Manchester city centre is to be repaired by Network Rail. The bridge carries the through rail lines between Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations over London Road. Concrete was applied 50 years ago to extend the life of the bridge, but now further repairs are necessary. The work ...
Views: 437 - Network Rail prosecuted for Grayrigg derailment - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsNetwork Rail is being prosecuted for the Grayrigg train derailment in 2007, which caused the death of one passenger and injuries to 86 people. The ORR has started criminal proceedings against Network Rail for a breach of health and safety law which caused the derailment. The charge is of ...
Views: 465 - Kirkgate station transformation confirmed - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe Wakefield Kirkgate station regeneration project has been confirmed with £1.5m funding from the Station Commercial Project Facility Fund and Network Rail. The work would include removing a redundant spine wall and replacing canopies at the station. If consent is secured, work will begin in ...
Views: 475 - IEP fleet commercial close delayed until May - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe final sign-off on the details on the IEP fleet to replace the HSTs on the GWML and ECML has been further delayed by the Department for Transport, according to the December Structural Reform Plan, published on the Number 10 website. Procurement for the Intercity Express Programme was ...
Views: 580 - Minister sells house near HS2 before approval - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsWelsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan has defended selling her home, located near to the HS2 route, two months before the Government approved the project. Her house in Amersham was sold in November, after being on the market since about June 2010. The house is about 500 yards from where the proposed ...
Views: 440 - Calls to fund Northern Hub - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsMPs from both Labour and the Conservatives are calling on the Government to fund the £500m Northern Hub proposals. The project aims to cut journey times, ease overcrowding and create jobs across the area, as well as helping to reduce the North- South divide. Some rail improvements have ...
Views: 509 - Train PPM ticks up to 88.7% - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsNational train performance for period 10 is 88.7%, figures released by Network Rail show. This compares to 81.1% for the same period – 11 December to 7 January – last year. Performance for period 9 was 88.4% and the moving annual average is now at 91.6%. The upward turn in performance ends ...
Views: 515 - Bury St Edmunds station upgrade complete - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe £150,000 project to revamp Bury St Edmunds is finished with its official opening to the public today, conducted by the Mayor of St Edmundsbury, Cllr Chris Spicer. National Express East Anglia (NXEA) conducted the upgrade as part of the Department for Transport’s Access for All ...
Views: 515 - Thames Hub to be considered - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe Government is holding a formal consultation on UK aviation, and will examine the possibility of creating a Thames Hub as one of the options for increasing capacity – which could also have a dramatic impact on the rail network. Although it is the proposed new airport east of London that ...
Views: 455 - Network Rail and Passenger Focus publish WCML objectives - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsHS2 could free up space for faster and more frequent trains on the West Coast Main Line, according to a new report published by Network Rail and Passenger Focus. An improved level of service could be possible due to extra capacity and the availability of 125mph trains. This could help ease ...
Views: 452 - Track and TOC integration takes another step forward - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe new alliances between Network Rail and train operators are set to benefit passengers by delivering operations more quickly and cheaply. Six alliance framework agreements have so far been made, or about to be made with Abellio, Greater Anglia, c2c, ScotRail, Northern and Southeastern. A ...
Views: 497 - Ticket office reductions lead to inadequate staffing - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsReductions in Underground station ticket office opening hours have led to problems with staffing and adequate information, a London TravelWatch report demonstrates. They found problems with gateline staff at tube stations, with some stations lacking staff presence and others with staffed ...
Views: 458 - Brighton consultation for station improvements - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsStation improvements in Brighton are being considered by councillors, following a public consultation. Over 1,200 people expressed their views on improving the area, and 75% criticised the poor quality of pedestrian facilities available. Southern Rail is investigating the possibility of ...
Views: 433 - Fatigue guidance published for rail workers - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe ORR has issued revised guidance for rail companies concerning the management of fatigue among staff. The RAIB estimates fatigue was a factor in 111 rail industry accidents and incidents between 200 and 2010. The guidance suggests fatigue controls are relevant to all workers who are ...
Views: 447 - Abellio executive team announced for Greater Anglia - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsAbellio Greater Anglia Ltd has announced the new executive team for the franchise, beginning on February 5. Ruud Haket, who has led the bid and mobilisation team, will be appointed as the managing director. Additional executive positions are: Andrew Goodrum as customer services director; Adam ...
Views: 682 - Passenger satisfaction remains at 84% - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsNational satisfaction on the railways varies significantly across different routes and train operating companies, official statistics from the National Passenger Survey show, when 30,590 passengers were surveyed in autumn 2011. National satisfaction overall was 84%, the same as the score for ...
Views: 450 - New ideas to clamp down on cable theft - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2012 from Roy RowlandsMPs are calling on the Government to act with more urgency in tackling metal theft, as the crime has cost the railway industry over £16m in the last year, as well as disrupting passenger journeys. The Transport Select Committee suggests that scrap dealers should be legally required to show ...
Views: 513 - Councils no longer prevented from enhanced CRB checks - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2012 from Roy RowlandsThe Government has reconsidered its position on enhanced CRB check requests for councils licensing drivers of taxis and minicabs. The Local Government Association (LGA) and Transport for London have been lobbying for Government to change its position on the issue. In London, 10% of all ...
Views: 410 - Welfare reform to affect child poverty - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2011 from Roy RowlandsWelfare reform to affect child poverty Children’s commissioners in the UK have warned that child poverty could increase due to the state of the economy and public finances, with key services already being hit by cuts. Their report suggests that changes to the welfare system could push ...
Views: 579 - Framework for EU negotiations agreed - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2011 from Roy RowlandsFramework for EU negotiations agreed Britain will sign up to a revision of the Lisbon treaty to underpin stricter new fiscal rules for the Eurozone, in exchange for an examination of the impact of the European working time directive, which currently imposes a 48-hour week on workers across ...
Views: 545 - Nutrition services for people with HIV - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2011 from Roy RowlandsNutrition services for people with HIV The importance of good nutrition for those living with HIV and AIDS has been highlighted by the British Dietetic Association. A specialist group working in this field, Dietitians in HIV and AIDS (DHIVA), provides practical services to support those ...
Views: 575 - Genomics initiative launches for cancer research - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2011 from Roy RowlandsGenomics initiative launches for cancer research Cancer Research UK has launched the Genomics Initiative, a collection of nine high tech gene projects which aim to identify genetic faults to highlight people at the greatest risk of cancer, choose the best treatments and to start developing ...
Views: 518 - ‘Modern approach’ needed for European Working Time Directive - by Submitted on Nov 16, 2011 from Roy RowlandsThe European Working Time Directive needs ‘common sense’ to reflect modern ways of working, the NHS Confederation’s European Office suggests, as it prepares to negotiate changes to legislation with employer and trade union representatives. These changes must improve the way legislation is ...
Views: 494 - Midwives could leave NHS if pension age rises - by Submitted on Nov 16, 2011 from Roy RowlandsChanges to NHS pensions could prompt many midwives to leave the health service, a survey by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) suggests. The results, published today, show that 46% of those questioned would consider leaving the NHS if the pension age increases to 68. The threat of redundancy ...
Views: 538 - Network Rail Western plans for future - by Submitted on Nov 15, 2011 from Roy RowlandsThe new independent business unit for the Western route, launched in Swindon this week alongside the devolution of power to the routes elsewhere in Network Rail, has outlined its vision for the South West of England. Plans for Network Rail Western include improving rail capacity, especially ...
Views: 447 - Changes to capital project delivery announced - by Submitted on Nov 15, 2011 from Roy RowlandsNetwork Rail has announced changes to the way it delivers capital projects, with the implementation of ‘Project Dime’, which aims to deliver better value for money. The McNulty report published earlier this year suggests that 10-20% efficiencies are needed in the capital investment programme. ...
Views: 613 - 15 minute strike ‘daft’ - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Roy RowlandsUnions have labelled Francis Maude’s suggestion of a 15 minute ‘token action’ instead of a full day on strike as ‘daft’ and a ‘PR gimmick’. Public sector workers have voted for industrial action to be held on November 30, and over three million workers could take part in the strike. A ...
Views: 558 - US concerns over Olympic security - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Roy RowlandsTensions are rising over the level of security that will be provided at the London Olympics, with the US voicing repeated concerns over the number of personnel who will be present. The Guardian newspaper learned that the US is intending to send 1,000 of its own security agents, including 500 ...
Views: 588 - Measures needed to increase Commons diversity - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Roy RowlandsA think tank has urged the House of Commons to consider diversity measures to increase the range of candidates who attempt to become MPs. Out of 650 MPs, just 27 are from ethnic minorities, and one fifth are female. The Institute for Government suggests this is less to do with selection ...
Views: 476 - Job market recovery predicted to be ‘painful’ - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Roy RowlandsEmployers are reducing recruitment levels and employment prospects have fallen since the previous quarter, according to a report on the labour market by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The Institute surveyed 1,000 employers across the private and public sectors and found ...
Views: 513 - NHS managers threatened for rationing care - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Roy RowlandsNHS chiefs could be sacked for rationing care to save money, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is set to announce today. The use of ‘minimum waiting times’ before patients receive treatment are to be banned from March 2012. This follows a report from the Cooperation and Competition Panel ...
Views: 520 - Mothers on low incomes receiving poor maternity care - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Roy RowlandsMaternity services need improvement, especially for people on low incomes, according to a new survey of 1,391 mothers conducted by Netmums and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). The results showed that three-quarters of poor pregnant women were not attending antenatal classes. For those ...
Views: 496 - BMA Northern Ireland calls for minimum pricing - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Roy RowlandsDoctors in Northern Ireland have called for action to combat alcohol misuse during this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week. In the face of alcohol’s huge costs to society and the health service, the BMA is advocating tough measures to reduce the consequences of alcohol abuse. Excess drinking costs ...
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