Arup AECOM JV secures consultancy contract for Northern Link project

The Arup AECOM joint venture (JV) has secured a preliminary design consultancy contract from Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) to conduct the planning and design for the proposed Northern Link main line project.

Work will include the development of the scheme into an engineering design, preparing the construction programme and gazette plans, as well as determining the cost estimate.

The Arup AECOM JV will work closely with MTR’s Capital Works team to deliver the works.

New mural on show at Brixton Underground Station

A new large-scale public art commission at Brixton Underground Station is set to be unveiled on 17 November. The mural, called “Endurance”, was created by artist Shanti Panchal and will be on view for one year.

This work will be Panchal’s first public artwork since a 1993 tiled mural for the London Borough of Harrow.

The mural is the sixth in a series of commissions at Brixton Station. As part of the programme, artists will respond to the rapid development of the area and the wider social and political history of mural-making.

'Endurance' in particular is a community portrait that observes continued resilience and interdependency. Shown in the image are three scenes of Londoners; the people include an artist, an NHS worker, a waiter, and people at work and at leisure.

In the background are buildings, statues and sections of open public space that draw on the Brixton neighbourhood. The architecture seen behind the figures includes the Black Cultural Archives, Brixton Windmill, and the Tate Modern.

Present among the scenes are The African and Caribbean War Memorial and the Cherry Groce Memorial Pavilion in Windrush Square.

Thales wins contract for high-speed train line in Spain

France-based Thales has received a contract for the delivery of technology for the Seville–Malaga–Granada high-speed train line in Spain.

The contract, which is valued at around €11.6m, has an execution period time of over 17 months. Under the contract, the company will provide traffic control systems for a new bypass link of around 1.7km.

The scope of the contract includes the delivery of interlockings and train detection systems for the new section, as well as an extension of the LZB train protection system and the European Railway Traffic Management System.

The company will also deliver fixed and mobile telecommunications systems as per the new operating conditions. Furthermore, Thales will be responsible for the maintenance of the new installations for six months.

RIA North classifies line electrification priority in North England

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) North has published a new plan outlining the priority for electrification in the North of England.

Called ‘Greener, Faster, Better‘, the plan sets out a long-term plan for which passenger and freight routes should be prioritised for electrification, as well as other low-carbon technologies, such as battery and hydrogen-power.

The report identifies strategic freight lines, intercity corridors, and suburban networks across North England that should be top of the list to be electrified.

According to RIA North, the Midland Main Line and TransPennine Route Upgrade offer the greatest decarbonisation benefits – both of which the UK Government announced it will electrify as part of the 2021 Integrated Rail Plan.

The report shows that, even on existing electrified routes, there are still high proportions of both passenger and freight services using diesel propulsion, due to other sections of the journey not being electrified.

Avanti West Coast placed on short-term contract

The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has placed rail operator Avanti West Coast on a short-term contract and challenged it to deliver the urgent increase in services required.

Over the past few months, Avanti has seen major operational issues on the West Coast Main Line it has been contracted to operate since 2019, primarily caused by a shortage of available drivers.

As such, The DfT has chosen to award the operator a 6-month contract extension to assess whether service levels can improve.

The West Coast Partnership (WCP) franchise, which Avanti operates, has been running under an Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement (ERMA) since September 2020 to provide continuity for rail passengers and the industry during the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Tended’s geofencing wearable gets product acceptance

UK startup Tended has received product acceptance from Network Rail for its first-of-a-kind geofencing wearable safety solution.

The acceptance comes after two years of R&D and testing in live environments alongside Network Rail and their frontline workforce.

The geofencing wearable features a high-tech, rugged wearable accompanied by a planning dashboard.

The solution enables organisations to easily map out geofence zones over their worksites.