Preliminary works are now underway for the first phase of Britain’s HS2 project to build a 338km high-speed network linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. David Briginshaw reviews progress on the £55.7bn scheme.
Momentum is building behind the ambitious Rail Baltica project, which aims to construct an 870km standard-gauge 240km/h mixed-traffic railway linking the Baltic state capitals with Poland and the broader European railway network. David Briginshaw reports from the Latvian capital Riga on progress so far.
BOREALIS Infrastructure, Canada, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan announced on July 14 that they have entered into a definitive agreement to sell their 30-year concession to own, operate and manage Britain’s 109km High-Speed 1 (HS1) link between London St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel.
ITALY’s Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning (Cipe) granted definitive project approval on July 10 for the €2.5bn Brescia - Verona high-speed line.
CHINA Railway Corporation’s (CRC) new fleet of CRH2E high-speed sleeper trains entered passenger service on the Beijing - Shanghai route on July 1.
THAILAND’s National Environment Board (NEB) has approved the first phase of the Bangkok - Chiang Mai high-speed line, after an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
EAST Japan Railway (JR East) has announced plans to build a 360km/h test train by spring 2019 as the basis for a new fleet of E956 10-car trains to be introduced in time for the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo in 2030.
RUSSIA’s state appraisals company, the Glavgosexpertiza, has approved design documentation for the third and fourth construction phases of the proposed Moscow - Kazan high-speed line.
RB Rail, the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian joint venture responsible for implementing the Rail Baltica standard-gauge high-speed project, has awarded a €563,065 contract to Systra to develop design guidelines for the project.
NEARLY 400 people representing 165 companies from around the world attended a briefing on July 5 on the planned Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high-speed rail project covering tender parameters, procurement processes and harmonisation of regulatory requirements for the upcoming Assets Company (AssetsCo) tender.
