Network Rail Punctuality Fine To Pay For Wifi

Network Rail (NR) has been ordered to return £53.1m to the Treasury after it "failed to deliver" on major routes.

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) said that during 2013/14  long-distance and major commuter line punctuality was 86.9%, "significantly short" of the average target of 92%.

The fine will be used to part-fund a pledge to spend up to £90m improving free wifi access on routes across England and Wales.

Commuters on routes into London from Bedford, Brighton, Kent and Portsmouth are expected to benefit from connections at least 10 times faster than those currently available, along with those using services into Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester.

Rail unions criticised the "crazy money merry-go-round" that saw NR funds taken back after failing to meet planned improvements in performance in the five years to March 2014.

TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said: "All the politicians are doing is taking taxpayers' money from Network Rail and recycling it through the Treasury - this time to spend on one of their pet projects, faster wifi that should be paid for by the private rail companies.

"Once again, passengers lose out while private rail firms are laughing all the way to the bank."

ORR chief executive Richard Price said the money was ordered to be returned as NR had been specifically funded to improve train punctuality.

"But it did not deliver its commitments for passengers who travel on long-distance and LSE services," he added.

London and South East England (LSE) passenger services in 2013-2014 saw punctuality levels of 89.6% against a target figure of 93%.

Between 2009 and 2014, the ORR said around 73,100 additional late trains over and above funded obligations, while for the LSE area there were some 265,500 additional late trains.

However, the ORR said NR did achieve infrastructure targets, bringing in rail enhancement plans on time and within budget.

NR chief executive Mark Carne, who joined in February, blamed increased passenger numbers, in part, for the punctuality problems. 

"We accept that we have fallen short of the regulatory targets for train punctuality and that this is, in part, down to our failure to reduce infrastructure faults quickly enough," he said.

"At the same time, the sharp increase in passenger demand has led us to run more trains at peak times, even when we know this will lead to a more congested railway and punctuality targets may suffer."

There were more than 1.5bn passenger journeys on the network in 2013-2014, up from around 1.2bn in 2008-2009. 

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Pink Floyd To Release First Album In 20 Years

Pink Floyd will release a new album later this year, the band's first in 20 years.

Polly Samson, the wife of guitarist David Gilmour tweeted: "Btw Pink Floyd album out in October is called 'The Endless River'.

"Based on 1994 sessions is Rick Wright's swansong and very beautiful."

Wright, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd, died in 2008 from cancer.

Backing vocalist Durga McBroom-Hudson also confirmed the news in a post on Facebook, writing: "YES. THERE IS A NEW PINK FLOYD ALBUM COMING OUT. AND I'M ON IT. And there was much rejoicing."

Responding to fans who commented on her Facebook page, McBroom-Hudson said Roger Waters, who left the band in 1985, would not feature.

A source close to the project told The Sun: "This will be one of the most exciting pieces of music for decades because it is the closest we will ever come to a Pink Floyd comeback."

A spokesman also told the paper there will be no tour to accompany the album's release.

The band achieved worldwide fame in the 1970s and 1980s with albums including The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall.

After numerous line-up changes over the years, founding members Dave Gilmour, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright reunited in 2005 to perform at Live 8 in Hyde Park.

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Five Arrested Over Fake Government Websites

Five people have been arrested over fake Government websites created to con people out of money.

People trying to order official documents such as passports and car tax discs have fallen victim to fraudsters who have mocked up sites.

Almost 6,000 complaints about the sites have been made to Citizens Advice.

The arrests were made under the Fraud Act and consumer protection laws. Those detained are now on police bail.

Lord Harris, chairman of the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB), said his team is "making it as difficult as possible for these online hoaxers to operate".

"We have been working with search engines such as Google and Bing to remove adverts from online search results and we continue to gather intelligence across the country to help tackle this issue," he added.

"We urge you to avoid unofficial websites which could leave you out of pocket or at risk of identity theft. Only use the GOV.UK website to find Government services. If you come across copycat websites, report them to Citizens Advice."

The fraudsters use URLs with words such as govuk and directgov in them, to appear similar to the official sites.

Martin Lewis, creator of the consumer financial advice site MoneySavingExpert, urged people to go directly to the official Government site, rather than using search engines.

He said: "Copycat websites disguise themselves as the real thing, but charge you for a useless service. I've lost count of the number of people who contact me upset and want to know how to get their cash back."

Consumer Affairs minister Jo Swinson said: "It's great that it's becoming easier and more common to use the internet to order official documents such as passports or tax discs, but people should be aware of rogue websites that are out there trying to exploit them."

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Channel Tunnel Passengers Evacuated From Train

Hundreds of passengers have been evacuated from a broken-down train inside the Channel Tunnel, causing delays of up to four hours for other services.

The Eurotunnel shuttle train, which was heading to France, came to a halt around 7.30am, seven miles into the 30-mile long tunnel.

It stopped after a problem with the overhead power line.

Some 382 passengers and four dogs were taken off the train and then transferred to the French terminal where they waited for it to be brought out of the tunnel so they could get their cars back.

Passengers were transferred to the French terminal. Pic: Richard Byrom

Services using the one unblocked passenger tunnel were able to continue.

But Eurotunnel warned services were delayed, with hold-ups possibly lasting for the rest of the day.

The company said in a statement: "Our passenger service is currently operating with some timetable disruption. This is due to an incident in the tunnel which is in the process of being resolved.

"There is a waiting time of approximately 60 minutes before check-in and three hours on the terminal. 

"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this will cause to your journey."

The company carries passengers in vehicles on board trains between Folkestone in Kent and Calais in France.

Eurostar, which does not take cars, said if journeys were not essential passengers would be able to exchange tickets, free of charge, to another available service within the next four months.

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Flight Security: What You Can Take On Board

US officials are requiring that passengers coming to the US from some airports turn on electronic devices before boarding.

The measure aims to enhance aviation security at a time of increased threat.

Here is a look at what you can or cannot bring on flights to the US, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an agency of Homeland Security in charge of ensuring the safety of air travel.

:: Liquids

The US banned liquids in 2006

Liquids, aerosols and gels, in limited quantities, are safe to bring aboard an aircraft.

For carry-ons, officials allow 3.4oz (100ml) bottle or less (by volume), which should be placed in a 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag.

However, restrictions have been eased and in some cases - such as, if travelling internationally into the US with a connecting flight, if the container is transparent - larger quantities of liquid can be put in the carry-on.

Medications, baby formula and food, and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Officers may need to open these items to conduct additional screening.

:: Sporting Equipment

Most sporting equipment can be checked in but cannot be brought in the cabin.

The TSA has not said which airports are subject to the extra screening

Skates can be brought in a carry-on, but baseball or cricket bats, golf clubs or hockey sticks need to be put in the checked luggage, the TSA says.

:: Musical Instruments

The agency allows musical instruments to be carried on if they can be X-rayed or physically screened by security personnel.

The department vows that "security officers will handle musical instruments very carefully and will allow you to be as involved as possible in any physical screening".

However, if the instrument cannot be cleared, it must be checked in.

:: Blunt Objects: 

Knives, scissors, box cutters, razor-like blades cannot be part of carry-on and must be checked in.

:: Food and Liquor 

TSA gives advice as to how to speed up the screening

For most foods the safest thing is to put them in the checked luggage. Jams, syrups, sauces, oils and vinegar, liquors that exceed the permitted 3.4oz will not be permitted in the cabin.

:: Pre-Check

The TSA has launched a "Pre-Check" scheme to speed up security lines at some airports. Passengers who meet certain criteria - for example members of the armed forces or certain types of frequent flyers - can apply, but their status can be revoked.

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MPs To Question Top Official Over Abuse Claims

The most senior civil servant in the Home Office is to give evidence to MPs after the department admitted more than 100 official files relating to allegations of historical child abuse by politicians have been lost or destroyed.

Permanent secretary Mark Sedwill said the documents - which related to a 20-year period between 1979 and 1999 - were "presumed destroyed, missing or not found".

Home Affairs Select Committee chair Keith Vaz revealed on Sky News he has asked Mr Sedwill to appear before the committee on Tuesday to answer questions.

These files are in addition to a dossier alleging historical child abuse involving powerful and famous figures at Westminster in the 1980s that is also missing.

Mr Sedwill says an independent figure will assess how the Home Office acted

Mr Sedwill has said he will appoint a senior legal figure to assess the Home Office's handling of the dossier.

Prime Minister David Cameron has called for Mr Sedwill to establish what happened to the file which was handed to the then home secretary, Leon (now Lord) Brittan, by Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens in 1983.

Lord Brittan admitted he received the dossier and passed it on to officials, but no action was ever taken.

The Prime Minister is under pressure to launch a full public inquiry

Mr Sedwill revealed in a letter to the Home Affairs committee that while the original review had identified 527 potentially relevant files which had been retained, there were a further 114 files which could not be located.

He said that the investigation had not found a single dossier from Mr Dickens, but several sets of correspondence over a number of years to a number of home secretaries containing claims of sexual offences.

However he said that the review had found no record of specific allegations by Mr Dickens of child sex abuse by senior figures.

Mr Cameron has faced criticism for an "inadequate" investigation into what happened to the dossier.

Labour MP Tom Watson has launched a petition calling on the PM to "make amends for historic failures" and establish a national inquiry.

But Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said it was "too soon" for such a move, which could delay the Home Office probe.

Allegations of sex abuse have been made against the late Cyril Smith

"It may well be then that the answer is to have a much broader inquiry but I think it's too soon to come to that conclusion now," he told Sky's Murnaghan programme.

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday Politics programme, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg did not rule out a wider inquiry, but stressed the ongoing police investigations would have to take precedence.

Former Conservative Cabinet minister Lord Tebbit has told the BBC he believes there could have been a cover-up of the allegations.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "We are currently assessing information and conducting a number of investigations under Operation Fairbank.

"Any material submitted to us, historic or current, is reviewed to establish if it is relevant to these."

Calls for more to be done about allegations of child sex abuse by politicians have increased since the death of Liberal Democrat MP Cyril Smith, who was subsequently said to have been a paedophile.

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Crash Takes Cavendish Out Of Tour De France

One of Britain's top cyclists will miss the rest of the Tour de France after crashing in the final moments of Saturday's opening stage in Yorkshire.

Mark Cavendish dislocated his shoulder in a heavy fall near the finish line in Harrogate - his mother's home town.

The Isle of Man sprinter collided with Australian Simon Gerrans in the last 200 metres and was thrown to the ground in the high-speed smash.

Cavendish lay clutching his shoulder, and after cycling painfully across the line, the 29-year-old was taken to hospital.

The 'Manx Missile', who competes for the Omega Pharma-QuickStep team, later said: "I'm gutted about the crash today.

"It was my fault. I'll personally apologise to Simon Gerrans as soon as I get the chance. In reality, I tried to find a gap that wasn't really there."

The rider crossed the finish line clutching his midriff

X-rays were taken on Saturday night which confirmed the shoulder injury.

His team then decided to wait overnight to see if he was fit to continue the race before ruling him out on Sunday morning.

The first stage lasting 190km began in Leeds and was won by German rider Marcel Kittel. Team Sky's Chris Froome finished sixth.

The high-profile crash marred the opening day of Yorkshire hosting the world's greatest bike race.

Cavendish's Tour De France is now over

Many spectators, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Prime Minister David Cameron, were willing Cavendish on as he entered Harrogate.

But he fell in the town centre as his mother, Adele Towns, watched from the stands.

More than a million people lined the streets of Yorkshire on Saturday for stage one as crowds flocked from all over the country to get a glimpse of the 198 racers.

Hundreds of thousands more people are expected to turn out for the second stage today from York to Sheffield - a 201km route where the world's top cyclists will face some of Britain's toughest climbs.

Police have warned spectators to stay safe after some dramatic scenes on Saturday.

A teenage boy was airlifted to hospital with serious leg injuries after he fell from the roadside in Ilkley, into the path of a Tour team vehicle following behind the race.

There were also reports of spectators on the climbs getting very close to the leading riders - often while taking 'selfies' on their phones.

On Monday, the Tour moves south to Cambridge and a 155km stage ending on The Mall, in central London.

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New Airport Security Checks 'Unavoidable'

Airlines To Scrutinise Smartphones Amid Threat

Updated: 8:12am UK, Friday 04 July 2014

Airlines with direct flights to the US have been told to tighten their screening of mobile phones amid fears terrorists could use them in bomb attacks.

US officials singled out Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy handsets for extra security checks.

They will apply to US-bound direct flights from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the officials said.

The new precautions come in response to requests from US authorities, who fear attacks on planes flying to America.

US security officials said they fear bomb makers from the Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have worked out how to turn the phones into explosive devices which can avoid detection.

They also are concerned that hard-to-detect bombs could be built into shoes.

A US official said that other electronic devices carried by passengers also are likely to receive more intense scrutiny.

Airlines or airport operators that fail to strengthen security could face bans on flights entering the US.

On Thursday, the US Homeland Security Department announced on plans to step up general security checks, but offered few details on how airlines and airports will implement them.

An official familiar with the issues said the US believes that while it is possible there may be some additional delays at security checkpoints, at most major airports passengers will not be seriously inconvenienced.

The official said most passengers taking long-distance flights arrive well in advance of scheduled departures, leaving time for extra screening.

But he said the US could not rule out disruptions in countries where airport infrastructure and security procedures are less sophisticated.

In the UK, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the additional security was not expected to cause "significant" disruption to flights.

He told Sky News: "There will be extra security checks but they will be made in the course of events people already go through and I hope there will not be significant delays."

But British aviation security expert Philip Baum said heightened security will inevitably mean longer queues and increased waiting times to board flights at UK airports.

"It will mean (more) random searches, secondary searches and an increase in the number of passengers asked to remove shoes and possibly all passengers being asked to remove shoes if they're going on certain flights," he said.

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Scotland Moves To Slash Drink-Drive Limit

By Niall Paterson, Scotland Correspondent

Drinking a pint or a single glass of wine could soon put you over the legal driving limit in Scotland, under proposals due to reach the Scottish Parliament in the next few weeks.

Currently more than 80mg of alcohol in the bloodstream per 100ml would make you a drunk driver - the Scottish Government wants to reduce that to 50mg.

That would bring Scotland into line with Germany, France and Spain - but create a situation where crossing the Scottish border after consuming one drink could lead to a drink-driving conviction.

Thirty people are killed on Scottish roads each year as a result of alcohol, and 150 seriously injured.

Across Scotland almost 7,500 people are convicted of drink-driving offences each year.

First Minister Alex Salmond recently branded Scotland a "nation of drunks".

A pint of beer could be enough to push drivers in Scotland over the limit

The proposals have been welcomed by many families of those injured or killed by drunk drivers.

Stacey Muldoon, a 23-year-old mother from Lanarkshire, was killed in 2008 when the driver of the car taking her home from a night out crashed into a lamppost.

He was later found to be twice over the legal limit. Her sister, Leigh Payne, believes lowering the limit will in future prevent many other deaths.

"We're coming into line with most of Europe and some of America", Ms Payne told Sky News.

"We've done loads of research and definitely bringing it down to 50mg is the way to go.

"I think that people will now realise that it's not acceptable to have a drink . Physically ordering a drink and drinking it with your dinner you cannot do with 50mg.

Stacey Muldoon died in a car where the driver was over the limit

"Stacey left a twin sister, Kelly. She left two wee girls. They are now 10 and eight. My mum and dad have lost something they can never get back."

The Scottish Government says lowering the limit is a priority. Yet it has been two years since it first consulted on the issue and, as a devolved matter, it does not require legislative action by Westminster.

There has been resistance from the alcohol and pub sector. 

"I think it will lead to loss of business," says Bridgit Simmons, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association.

"Of course pubs serve many soft drinks, there's been a growth in coffee, people eat there, but inevitably people do go to the pub to have one drink...

Bridgit Simmons is concerned the change will damage business for pubs

"They've understood what they can do until now but confusion will mean they just won't go out, and that's of concern to us."

The Scottish Government said it hopes to introduce a bill affecting the change some time in August.

A spokesperson said: "We are working with Police Scotland and the UK Government to prepare for a lower limit, including obtaining the necessary type approvals for the devices used by the police to test drivers. 

"As a lower limit cannot be brought in until the necessary approvals are obtained through the UK Government, we have made clear to the UK Government that we view introducing a lower limit in Scotland as a key priority which we want to introduce as soon as possible."

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Silverstone Celebrates Grand Prix Anniversary

By Enda Brady, Sky News Reporter

Formula One legends have descended on Silverstone for a special parade to mark the 50th British Grand Prix at the world famous Northamptonshire circuit.

Nigel Mansell and Emerson Fittipaldi were among the F1 heroes to take part, with a bumper crowd in attendance for a day of celebration at the former airfield.

"The British Grand Prix is the jewel in the crown of British motor sport and one of the most important races on the Formula 1 calendar," said Richard Philips, Silverstone's managing director. 

"The drivers often comment that Silverstone is up there with circuits like Monaco, Monza and Spa as a race they really want to win.

"2014 will be extra special with plenty of commemorative events and activities for fans to look forward to, as well as the race itself, which promises to be as exciting as ever as the teams fight to get the most out of their cars under the new regulations."

Silverstone is expecting one of its largest ever crowds for today's race

Much has changed since that first race at Silverstone in 1948 (several British Grand Prix were held away from there), but the heritage and history remains as strong as ever, not to mention the increasing financial firepower F1 brings to the UK economy.

Mr Philips added: "This region is now a thriving motorsport powerhouse, contributing around £9bn to the British economy and that is all down to Silverstone. Nine of the 11 teams are based in and around here and it all comes down to the Silverstone factor."

The first British Grand Prix at the track was won by the Italian driver Luigi Villoresi in a Maserati.

Two years later the World Championship was founded and Silverstone was given the honour of staging the first round, with a huge crowd of 150,000 people turning out, only for star attraction Juan Miguel Fangio to break down mid-race.

The first ever British winner was Peter Collins in 1958, whose victory came just weeks before his death in the German Grand Prix.

Silverstone hosted its first Grand Prix in 1948

"The cars were very, very different back then," said Jackie Oliver, who raced in F1 in the 1960s and 1970s before going on to become a team owner.

"It was an amazing rush to race around Silverstone in those vehicles. They look very different now, but the excitement of a British Grand Prix remains.

"It's a very unique place. I absolutely love coming here, the history of the place gives me goosebumps."

There have been 10 British winners at Silverstone, with Lewis Hamilton the last in 2008.

Former F1 driver Martin Brundle added: "Classic events like Silverstone mean so much. It's a really important race for British F1 drivers. Not having a British Grand Prix would be like not having a Monaco Grand Prix or Monza.

Today Silverstone contributes £9bn to the British economy

"It has a massive halo effect on everything we do, including helping to develop young drivers into Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, rally or Le Mans drivers. Look how important the British motor sport industry is to this country.

"We have this incredible business, history, heritage that is British motor sport, and the British Grand Prix is at the heart of it all.

"Thank goodness we have such amazing fans. The spectators keep the British Grand Prix alive, because we don't have government funding. It is driven by selling tickets."

The race was only one lap old when a red flag was brought out by the marshals following a crash.

Jenson Button will restart the race in second, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth.

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