Hong Kong plans $110bn investment for rail network expansion
Hong Kong Transport and Housing secretary Anthony Cheung announced an estimated $110bn future rail expansion plan as part of the Railway Development Strategy 2014 recommendations.
According to a blueprint released by the Hong Kong Government, seven new railway projects are expected to be completed by 2031.
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This is expected to significantly speed up passenger flow, reduce dependence on road-based transport, ease road congestion and decrease vehicle-induced air pollution.
London to have night tube service in time for Rugby World Cup in 2015
The London Underground (LU) will start weekend night tube services in the UK city from 12 September 2015, coinciding with the Rugby World Cup.
The new development is expected to reduce night-time journeys by an average of 20min or more. This decision follows the report of independent research commissioned to study the economic benefits of the night tube.
According to the study, London’s economy will receive £360m boost through the night-time service that would produce new opportunities and roughly 2,000 permanent jobs.
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By GlobalDataChina and India sign MoC in railways
India and China signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) in railways, in a bid to strengthen the rail infrastructure network in India.
Signed during the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the country, the agreement will focus on the implementation of high-speed trains and the redevelopment of railway stations and tracks, Reuters reported.
China has also agreed to offer help to train approximately 100 railway officials, as well as establish a railway university in India.
European Commission invites transport project proposals for €11.9bn funds
The European Commission invited project proposals for €11.9bn in EU funding to improve transportation infrastructure among the member states.
The proposals can be submitted until 26 February 2015 and they need to be co-financed by the member states. The largest ever single amount allocated by EU for transport infrastructure will be spent on nine major transport corridors, known as the Trans-European Transport Network.
The nine corridors comprise Scandinavian-Mediterranean, North Sea-Baltic, North Sea-Mediterranean, Baltic-Adriatic, Orient/East-Mediterranean, Rhine-Alpine, the Atlantic corridor, Rhine-Danube and the Mediterranean.
Alstom UK paid $8.5m bribes to win contracts, says UK fraud prosecutor
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) alleged that Alstom Network UK paid approximately $8.5m in bribes over a six-year period to win transport contracts in India, Poland and Tunisia.
Reuters reported that according to the legal filings, Alstom had bribed to win India’s Delhi Metro, tram and infrastructure deals in Warsaw and Tunis between 2000 and 2006.
In July, Alstom UK was charged with six offences of corruption and conspiracy. The SFO has been investigating Alstom for five years as part of an international criminal inquiry into alleged corruption.
Stadler to deliver 34 additional FLIRT trains for Helsinki Regional Transport
Finland-based Junakalusto Oy placed an additional order worth €200m for 34 FLIRT trains from Stadler Rail.
The rolling-stock leasing company ordered these trains for Helsinki Regional Transport (HRT), Finland. The latest order is the second option in the original contract signed in 2006.
The new trains will be a uniform fleet and are almost similar to the previous FLIRT trains delivered by Stadler, with small changes in the interior layout and the passenger information system.
Mali signs $11bn agreements with China for new rail projects
The Mali Government signed $11bn agreements with China to support two major railway projects, which will connect the country to the coast.
Signed during the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, China, Reuters reported that the agreements are likely to boost the country’s economy and help deliver better services.
The first planned project worth $8bn is for a 900km-long railway link from Mali’s capital Bamako to Guinea’s port capital Conakry.
Alstom launches new predictive maintenance tool for trains
Alstom launched a new predictive maintenance tool, HealthHub, to examine the health of trains, infrastructure and signalling assets using advanced data analytics.
Alstom presented this tool at the international trade fair for transport technology, InnoTrans 2014.
The new tool allows the operator to perform a condition-based predictive maintenance, which will eventually decrease lifecycle costs rather than the traditional mileage-based maintenance approach.
Australia approves Adani’s North Galilee Basin Rail project
India-based Adani Enterprises received approval from the Australian Government for the North Galilee Basin Rail project (NGBR).
The Galilee Basin is said to be potentially the last undeveloped coal resource within Queensland, Australia.
ABC reported that Adani will invest A$2.2bn ($1.94bn) to construct the 300km line, which will be able to transport 100 million tonnes of coal a year.
Siemens to supply locomotives and coaches to All Aboard Florida rail project
Siemens will supply locomotives and passenger coaches for the planned All Aboard Florida passenger rail project between south and central Florida, US.
The country’s first privately owned and controlled passenger rail system, All Aboard Florida is expected to operate trains that can run at speeds of up to 125mph.
Siemens’ rail systems division president Michael Cahill said: "Intercity rail is an important lever to improve existing infrastructure challenges and bolster city and state economies, clearly something that All Aboard Florida will succeed at doing."
