Latest Rail News

01.09.20

FirstGroup granted extension of the EMA for Great Western Railway

The Department for Transport has reportedly extended financial help for Great Western Railway.

The company FirstGroup, which runs the GWR trains from Paddington to Wales and the likes of Cornwall and Devon, has said the Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) has been prolonged until June next year.

Since lockdown began in March, numerous rail operators have been contending with low passenger numbers.

The EMA was originally signed with the DfT to continue operating GWR until March 2023, with a possible one-year extension, and is due to expire in September.

Operators have been in talks with the government about further support for the industry in order to keep trains running and increase capacity as schools and businesses reopen.

The EMA meant changes to franchise agreements, shifting all revenue and cost risk to the government.

Operators instead run daily services for a small, pre-determined management fee.

Matthew Gregory, Chief Executive of First Group said: “We welcome the news of the extension of the EMA for GWR. This demonstrates the essential nature of GWR’s services to the communities it serves, and provides important clarity and continuity for our customers, employees and wider stakeholders.

“Across the network we are increasing service levels to provide more capacity as schools recommence and work and leisure facilities reopen, and we are taking all necessary steps to ensure our passengers continue to travel safely.”

Image: Balfour Beatty/First electric train from Cardiff to London 

Comments

There are no comments. Why not be the first?

Add your comment

related

Rail industry Focus

View all News

Comment

The challenge of completing Crossrail

05/07/2019The challenge of completing Crossrail

With a new plan now in place to deliver Crossrail, Hedley Ayres, National Audit Office manager, major projects and programmes, takes a look at ho... more >
Preparing the industry to deliver trains for the future

04/07/2019Preparing the industry to deliver trains for the future

The move to decarbonise the rail network involves shifting to cleaner modes of traction by 2050. David Clarke, technical director at the Railway ... more >

'the sleepers' blog

On the right track, Sulzer is awarded RISAS accreditation for Nottingham Service Centre

29/06/2020On the right track, Sulzer is awarded RISAS accreditation for Nottingham Service Centre

Following an independent audit, Sulzer’s Nottingham Service Centre has been accepted as part of the rail industry supplier approval scheme (RISAS). The accreditation reinforces the high-quality standards that are maintained by Sulzer’s... more >
read more blog posts from 'the sleeper' >

Interviews

Andrew Haines, CE of Network Rail, tells BBC News his organisation could issue future rail franchises

24/06/2019Andrew Haines, CE of Network Rail, tells BBC News his organisation could issue future rail franchises

Andrew Haines, the Chief Executive of Network Rail, has told the Today programme on Radio 4's BBC’s flagship news programme that he would not rule out his organisation issuing future r... more >
Advancing the rail industry with management degree apprenticeships

08/05/2019Advancing the rail industry with management degree apprenticeships

In answering the pressing questions of how current and future generations of managers can provide solutions to high-profile infrastructure projects across the UK, Pearson Business School, part of... more >