Daniel Omatsola-Morgan

RSSB carries out research to benefit the GB rail industry - and we make clear how our activities address the #RailTechnicalStrategy priorities. Read our Spring 2024 Research Highlights for findings you can put into practice now, what's in the pipeline, and how to get involved. #RSSBResearch  https://lnkd.in/e7izWym2

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GWR announces impact on services into Paddington up to 2028 for HS2 Old Oak Common works Great Western Railway (GWR) has announced services into London Paddington will be impacted up to 2028 to allow for works to construct #HighSpeed2 (HS2’s) Old Oak Common station. Work on the new station in West London, has been ramping up with the announcement #engineers have completed the #excavation of the box structure for the “super-hub” after three years of work. The station will have 14 #platforms in total, six high-speed platforms will be situated #underground and a further eight will be served by conventional #rail services. It will be the main interchange between #HS2 services and the Elizabeth line for Central #London or #HeathrowAirport. GWR has now announced there will be upcoming reduced services operating between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway or Heathrow Airport terminals as well as reductions over the next few years.  For much of the time, HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd has stated, construction work in the future for Old Oak Common has been planned to ensure there will be limited impact on train services. However, there will be some periods where trains cannot run into #LondonPaddington, according to #HS2 Ltd. Longer periods of disruption are planned to take place during #Christmas and #NewYear, when overall there are fewer people traveling by #rail, but there will also be periods when there is reduced access to London Paddington with only two tracks into the station rather than four. The first confirmed disruptions will occur this year on Sunday 17 November and from Friday 27 December to Sunday 29 December, where there will no mainline trains operating to or from London Paddington. In 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028, #GWR said there will be further construction work, including periods where #trains will not be able to run into London Paddington. When the tracks are diverted through the Old Oak Common site, from 2026, a 96kmh speed limit will mean journey times to/from London Paddington will be around 90 seconds longer. Some GWR services will be diverted to/from London Euston instead of London Paddington during this time. GWR said London Euston has been chosen after having looked at all the alternatives as it means shorter journey time extensions. Elizabeth line trains will run between Paddington and Abbey Wood/Shenfield, plus between Ealing Broadway and Reading or, when possible, Heathrow Airport. Transport for London #TfL’s underground train services will still be able to stop at Paddington station on the #Bakerloo, #Hammersmith & City, Circle or District lines during the construction. HS2 Ltd is currently in discussions with government about funding and permission to go ahead with the construction of the Euston Tunnel between Old Oak Common and central London. https://lnkd.in/e9Q8SUPp

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CIHT's Professional Development Framework is now available!! Our Professional Development Framework has been created for employers who want to support their highways and transportation staff on their journey to gain EngTech, IEng, CEng or Chartered Transport Planning Professional.   Developed by CIHT experts, CIHT professional reviewers and with input from organisations within the highways and transportation sector.   There is one system and competency framework for all users, but the level and specifics of the competencies are tailored to the qualification that the user is working towards. This means that employers only need to understand one system but can support staff working towards 4 different qualificaitions.   Find out more about CIHT’s Professional Development Framework: https://lnkd.in/eM9UXZF9

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Tilbury Douglas loses £6M claim against Arup for defective railway tunnel design Tilbury Douglas has lost a #legal case for £6M worth of damages from Arup, who it claimed was responsible for the #defective design of a #tunnel on a project to convert a former #railway yard in #Edinburgh. Preliminary work for the project to turn the former railway yard east of Haymarket Station into five office and retail buildings with a basement car park began in January 2014. Tilbury Douglas was the #principalcontractor for enabling works. Two railway tunnels lie beneath the site, which were required to be #reinforced for construction of the development to take place. During #construction, Tilbury Douglas claimed it became clear the brickwork in one of the tunnels was “softer than anticipated” and that there was a significant amount of voiding between the #brickwork lining and the #bedrock beneath it. #Arup was #subcontracted by Tilbury Douglas to design the tunnel work but the principal contractor contended that the original design was based on “erroneous and overly optimistic assumptions” that there was no voiding in the brickwork of the tunnels. It further claimed Arup did not correctly assess the strength and stiffness of the brickwork in the tunnel. Arup’s #design had to be redone and additional works were required that delayed the project following inspections by both Arup and BAM UK & Ireland, another subcontractor on the project. On 30 July 2019, Tilbury Douglas raised a claim for £5,951,533.99 for losses they say that it suffered because of the delays and additional costs to the project necessitated by the redesign. Tilbury Douglas claimed Arup had “failed to exercise the skill, care and diligence expected of a competent civil and structural engineer”. In the most recent hearing, Malcolm said: “In the absence of proof of an error, it is difficult to elaborate on how reasonable diligence might have avoided or corrected it. Arup originally contended that Tilbury Construction had become aware that the differences between the original design and the situation on the ground were such that additional work would be required by May 2014. Tilbury Douglas argued that the five year period did not commence until the end of November 2014 because that was when Arup made the construction company aware a redesign was necessary. The previous judge agreed with Tilbury Douglas and allowed the case to continue. However, fortunes were reversed in the recent hearing. An Arup spokesperson said: "We were always confident in our robust defence of this matter both on the underlying merits of the claim and on our prescription defence and welcome the decision of the court." Tilbury Douglas was contacted for comment. Photo: The north and southbound tunnel portals at Haymarket station https://lnkd.in/dMPmWsRa

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DfT achieved ‘very little’ on rail reform with Great British Railways role unclear, PAC reports The Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom) has “has achieved very little” in its efforts to bring in #rail reform, with Great British Railways’ responsibilities remaining unclear and #taxpayers losing out, according to the Public Accounts Committee. The House of Commons cross-party #parliamentary group has released its latest report into the long-awaited transformation of the #UK’s #railways, taking the #DfT to task for its lack of urgency and progress in the six years since it identified the need for rail reform. Additionally, the #PAC has “yet to see convincing evidence that this #reform programme will turn out to be any different” from other rail reviews that have taken place in the last 20 years. The PAC has urged that DfT to set out a plan for “how and when it will successfully deliver the reforms that are urgently needed in the rail sector” as soon as possible in the new Parliament. This will be contingent on the next government wanting to continue with rail reform, which is likely. The #Labour Party released its strategy for rail in April and it does not stray too far from the #Conservatives’ plan, with the central idea of creating an integrated rail body – known as Great British Railways (#GBR) – being a common factor. However, the PAC contests that, even after six years of work on overhauling the UK’s railways, the DfT “has failed to resolve the fundamental disagreements and clarify key aspects of reform”. Disagreements still persist with HM Treasury and other stakeholders, while “unresolved issues remain regarding the extent of GBR’s role and responsibilities including the level of independence and ability it will have to be a ‘guiding mind’ for the railways”. The DfT must therefore “urgently resolve disagreements ahead of taking forward reform in the next Parliament”, according to the PAC.

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Save the date! Join us at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) on 11th November for Transport Planning Day! This year's theme is ‘The Road Less Travelled: the Principles, Policies, Practicalities and Politics of Reducing Car Use in the UK’ #TPDay2024 #TransportPlanning https://lnkd.in/e4QS2948

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#TeamRSSB To mark #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we’ve collated our popular RED videos that look at how mental health can affect the railway and its staff. These short videos offer insights into the causes of workforce wellbeing challenges and what can be done to help prevent and reverse them. https://lnkd.in/eXMBqhrk

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HS2 unable to confirm level boarding accessibility at £1.6bn Old Oak Common station HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd cannot guarantee there will be #levelboarding for #conventional rail and Elizabeth line services at its £1.67bn Old Oak Common station in west London, which #accessibility campaigners have deemed “scandalous”. Level boarding is an #accessibilityrequirement that ensures that the height of train floors is the same as that at station platforms so that people in wheelchairs and with other disabilities can enter and exit carriages. A spotlight was shone on the lack of level boarding and the general inaccessibility of UK stations when #Paralympian and member of the House of Lords Tanni Grey-Thompson was forced to crawl off a train at King’s Cross. In her reaction to the Grey-Thompson incident, Transport for All head of policy, public affairs and campaigns Emma Vogelmann highlighted that “#inaccessible stations are still being #built, including some of the biggest ones on the #HS2 route”. #NCE put Vogelmann’s concerns about the inaccessibility of HS2’s stations to the company and it effectively confirmed that level boarding is not currently part of its designs for access between non-HS2 trains and platforms at Old Oak Common. The under construction £1.67bn “super hub” will be a key interchange between HS2 services and trains for people heading into central London or Heathrow Airport. It will have six HS2 platforms a further eight for conventional rail services, #HeathrowExpress and the #Elizabethline. An HS2 spokesperson said: “HS2 is constructing the platforms for the conventional rail lines through the station to Network Rail standards. “This includes all platforms that will be served by GWR (Great Western Railway), Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express services, which all have different floor heights. “Our designers are progressing a feasibility study with Department for Transport and Network Rail that will assess options to achieve level boarding for Elizabeth Line services at Old Oak Common Station which, is influenced by many factors.” The spokesperson pointed out that “all three stations [Heathrow Express, Elizabeth line, conventional rail] will be step free with level access from street to seat on HS2 services. “The same would have applied to Euston, including a major upgrade of the tube station to make that fully accessible before the last government decided to pause the project.” The #DfT declined to comment. Full Article: https://lnkd.in/erVthY_T

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Light rail and tram systems present an opportunity to reimagine urban transportation with a focus on sustainability. As these systems expand, innovative track design and construction methodologies are paramount to ensure efficiency, longevity, and minimal environmental impact. Jamie Kelly’s talk is expected to explore the intersection of track design, construction practices, and sustainability principles from a Designer/Constructor’s perspective. It will be fascinating to delve into the specific challenges and considerations faced in track design and construction. Traditional approaches often prioritize short-term cost-effectiveness over long-term sustainability, leading to issues such as excessive maintenance requirements, limited durability, and ecological disruption. So, it should be interesting to hear what Jamie advocates for a comprehensive approach that integrates sustainable principles throughout the track design and construction process. Does this for example include the utilization of recycled and locally-sourced materials, innovative track geometries to minimize energy consumption and noise pollution, and the incorporation of green infrastructure elements to enhance biodiversity and mitigate environmental impacts? From a sustainability point of view Jamie’s thoughts on the role of emerging technologies such as 3D printing, and autonomous construction equipment in revolutionising track construction methodologies, reducing material waste, and enhancing precision will be value adding. His case studies from various light rail and tram projects should illustrate the successful implementation of sustainable track design and construction practices. Lessons learned and best practices will provide practical insights for engineers, planners, and policymakers involved in the development of future light rail and tram systems. So keen to see how, Jamie’s talk demonstrates that sustainable track design and construction not only align with environmental and social objectives but also offer long-term economic benefits by reducing life cycle costs and enhancing system resilience. 

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Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) Rufus Boyd writes about the short-term challenges and long-term opportunities of integrating rail with other modes. Read the full article here: #UKrail #railways #RailDirector

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In our latest blog, Richard Hines, the new HM Chief Inspector of Railways, talks about the challenges the industry faces, including climate change and his collaborative approach to addressing these. Read: https://lnkd.in/eVBVFjqU

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Save the date! Join us at Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) on 11th November for Transport Planning Day! This year's theme is ‘The Road Less Travelled: the Principles, Policies, Practicalities and Politics of Reducing Car Use in the UK #TPDay2024 #TransportPlanning https://lnkd.in/e4QS2948

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Check out the latest edition of The Student Engineer below! 👇

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Two new #tunnels are proposed in revised plans for a new #railway line linking #Oxford and #Cambridge. East West Railway Company (EWR Co) launched a public consultation yesterday on its updated plans for its rail project connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. Passenger services are due to start along the first stage of East West Rail (EWR) between Oxford and Bletchley in 2025, with #track all laid and line testing under way on this section. The updated proposals contain revised #infrastructure and #design plans for a new stretch of railway between Bedford and Cambridge, plus essential railway improvement works to upgrade the existing railway between Oxford and Bedford. A cut and cover tunnel beneath the A428 and Bourn Airfield development has been proposed in response to public feedback and to reduce the railway’s environmental impact. The other #tunnel – through Chapel Hill, near Haslingfield – would avoid having to construct a very large cutting, which would require significant #construction works and could affect the flight paths of Barbastelle bats which live in the area. The plans were updated following feedback during a previous non-statutory consultation and further technical design work. The consultation comes after the government committed to delivering EWR in full in last month’s Budget. The proposals also include EWR Co’s preference for green traction power in the form of discontinuous electrification with hybrid battery-electric trains; station upgrades; new stations; and work to reduce the environmental and construction impacts of the route design. EWR Co CEO David Hughes said local authorities and businesses had been calling for the railway for three decades and the revised plans aimed to maximise the benefits of the project. “East West Rail will improve people’s everyday lives by creating more job opportunities, easier and quicker ways to get to work and enjoy days out, and more affordable places to live, while crucially boosting economic growth both across the route and the entire country,” he said. “Our updated proposals have been influenced by the huge number of conversations we’ve had with local people and businesses, and thousands of responses we have had to our last public consultation. I encourage people to read our updated proposals in this consultation, attend one of the public events across the route and share your views to help us refine our designs further so East West Rail can best serve its local communities.” Councilor Liz Leffman, chair of England’s Economic Heartland, encouraged people to respond to the proposals. “We must ensure the scheme to be delivered is planned, built and operated in a way which leaves the best possible legacy for our communities, businesses, #environment and wider #transport system,” she said. 

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🚆 Latest rail figures reveal Transport for Wales performance improvements in 2024 Since January 2024, over 80% of TfW trains have arrived on time or within 3 minutes of their scheduled arrival, with most recent statistics for March indicating that this has now risen to 85% of rail services.

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Check out our Greater BYPY winner on the front page of Chamberlink magazine! 💫👀 Read all about Santina Bunting’s achievements in the digital edition of Chamberlink 👇 #futurefaces #gbypy #professionaldevelopment #youngprofessionals

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The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and Transport Focus, have jointly called upon the industry to review the way it responds to stranded trains. A new report from the regulator and industry watchdog examines stranded train incidents - which are by no means unusual. During the 70 days of research carried out for the report, there were 75 incidents, with each affecting at least two trains. The risk is that passengers who are uncomfortable, thirsty, anxious or late for a flight take matters into their own hands and climb out of trains on to the track, putting their safety – and their lives – at risk. Something which occurred in six of the 75 incidents recorded for the report. Find out more about the report, which identifies the need for a greater focus on passenger safety, in our new blog👉https://ow.ly/VZpN50T4TNz #3Squared #MakeChangeWork #ORR #TransportFocus #RailReport #StrandedTrains

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National Highways has previously suggested that the UK already has the road network we need. Therefore, when we look to the future of the highways sector, it’s clear the major focus is likely to shift away from major road building. Graeme Smith, Transport and Mobility Solutions (TMS) general manager at Mott MacDonald, emphasises the importance of this shift in focus in a recent interview. Graeme explains that renewals, enhancements and digital roads will need to play an increasingly central role to make sure the highway network delivers for society and the environment. He also states the need for fresh thinking, new skills and technology is likely to be mirrored on local roads bringing new challenges for local authorities to address. Delivering the answers was one of the drivers behind forming TMS at the start of the year. If you want to learn more about how Graeme and his team at Mott MacDonald will tackle these issues read the full interview here: https://mottm.ac/3Av22U1 #TMS #NationalHighways #transport #mobility 

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