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FEBRUARY 2007 ISSUE: CONTENTS

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EDITORIAL COMMENT, NEWS & LETTERS [Download]
RAIL PROFESSIONAL COMMENT: Time and space throw up insurmountable problems...
'The re-letting of the East Coast Main Line is a big deal for Britain's railways. If the next franchisee gets it right, it could be a very successful railway line. So why did the Department for Transport set such a tight deadline for expressions of interest?'

NEWS HEADLINES
- First Great Western takes questions from MPs
- EWS looks for tabloid mole
- Minister condones overcrowding
- Portsmouth trains stop
- Campaign against SWT
- Driver injured
- First ScotRail’s customer service dips
- Campaign to save Gatwick Express
- Heathrow Express’s tunnel vision
- The cost of safety

LETTERS
- Send Crossrail underground
- Operators need a Plan B

BUSINESS NEWS & NEWS ABOUT PEOPLE [Download]
BUSINESS NEWS
- Eurotunnel finds solution
- GBRf’s new livery
- Arriva’s figures
- New division for EWS
- ERTMS and DLR contracts awarded

NEWS ABOUT PEOPLE
Gill Sage; Robin Hicks; Peter Smith; Peter Forsdick; Ray Parry; Charles King; Nick Brown; David Brooks; Tom Clift; Douglas Ferguson; Kirsty Davison; Richard Sadler; Richard White; Julian Barker; Jay Saw; new training team for Tube Lines; Dougie McDonald; Gerard Whelan...

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RAIL PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW: IAN BROWN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TRANSPORT FOR LONDON’S LONDON RAIL DIRECTORATE [Download]
Paul Coleman gets Ian Brown’s views on Crossrail, Thameslink and the decision to operate London Overground as a concession

NEWS ANALYSIS: BIDS BEGIN FOR ECML [Download]
The ECML is up for grabs again. But will GNER’s early exit from its franchise agreement change the face of bidding for this and other franchises from now on? Alan Whitehouse looks at the possibilities

FEATURE: SUPERMARKET SWEEP [Download]
Rail freight carriers have begun providing new services for supermarkets due, in part, to Asda and Tesco’s environmentally conscious policies. Peter Plisner reports

FEATURE: GOOD AS NEW [Download]
First Great Western is under attack from all sides for its current performance. It promises services will get better, and its newly-refurbished inter-city trains look great. Paul Clifton gets a sneak preview at Bombardier’s Derby works

FEATURE: WI-FI ON THE MOVE [Download]
Customer research shows that most people would like access to the internet on trains. Installing wi-fi facilities can attract new passengers as well as allowing the relay of real time information on critical train systems and CCTV for monitoring purposes. Patricia Leonard explains

FEATURE: HEAD TO HEAD WITH THE AIRLINES [Download]
With new taxes being imposed on air passengers, long check-in times, constant security scares and the scenes of chaos at airports over Christmas,trains ought to be able to take more business from domestic airlines. Rob Sheldon explains how

FEATURE: FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE [Download]
Richard Garland explains how train operators can significantly reduce verbal and physical abuse towards their staff by encouraging employees to report incidents and working closely with the British Transport Police

FEATURE: TAKING CHANCES [Download]
Level crossing deaths seem to be unavoidable despite high profile campaigns reminding people of the dangers. Newly-released statistics show who is taking the most risks - three quarters of those who die are men and most are over 30 years of age. Paul Clifton reports

VIEW FROM ACROSS THE POND: AMTRAK’S ICY DIP [Download]
Michael R Weinman explains how unacceptable delays following an ice storm have helped to prompt a shake up at Amtrak

LEGAL OPINION: EAST COAST GOES TO EUROPE [Download]
GNER has complained to the EU that preferential track access charges paid by open-access operators amount to illegal state aid. Raichel Hopkinson and Zara Skelton explain what the ramifications of this could be

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INSTITUTION OF RAILWAY OPERATORS [Download]
Screen test
James Richardson looks at the way IT is used to integrate the train operations cycle
Plus: Diary of events

RAIL BUSINESS AWARDS [Download]
Countdown begins to top industry event

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES [Download]
A regular round-up of key resources.

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