The West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) has today welcomed the publication of the Government’s new Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.

WMRE, the public sector body which jointly specifies and manages the region’s West Midlands Railway services in partnership with the Department for Transport, believes the plan can help the rail network adapt and meet changing post-COVID requirements.

Councillor Peter Butlin, chair of WMRE, said: “This is an historic moment for the West Midlands rail network as it brings to an end a quarter of a century of inefficient fragmentation within the rail industry.

“The Williams-Shapps Plan sets out a clear vision for a greener, more customer-focussed railway, based on collaboration and the devolution of key decision-making to the most appropriate regional level. The rail industry urgently needs to adapt to the changing post-COVID requirements of passenger and freight customers, and the proposals put forward in today’s Government White Paper should help ensure that the railway is able to respond to current and future challenges in a more effective, more efficient and more sustainable way.”

Other key “Williams-Shapps” proposals welcomed by WMRE include:

·         The introduction of flexible season tickets to assist commuters in adjusting to new ways of post-COVID working

·         A more integrated ‘one stop shop’ approach to retailing of different train operator tickets, a simpler, more easily understandable ticketing structure and a more consistent passenger offer

·         A focus on reducing inefficiency and unnecessary duplication of activity within the rail industry and lowering whole industry costs

·         Faster delivery of rail network enhancements and new stations and services

Malcolm Holmes, WMRE’s executive director and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) director of rail, welcomed the Government’s commitment in the plan to a modern and green railway with a focus on decarbonisation and improving air quality.

“Tackling air quality at city centre stations such as Birmingham New Street should rightly be a priority for the new ‘Great British Railways’ organisation,” he said. “We can hopefully now also look forward to progressing the further electrification of our West Midlands rail network, starting with the Birmingham Snow Hill lines which link Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon and Solihull with the Jewellery Quarter, Cradley Heath, Stourbridge, Kidderminster and Worcester.”

Ahead of the Government announcement, WMRE has been instrumental in driving forward regional changes on the network with the establishment of the West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration (WMGRC). 

The WMGRC has successfully brought together infrastructure owner Network Rail, passenger and freight operators, passenger representatives and rail industry specifiers/funders to enable a more co-ordinated, pan-industry approach to rail service provision and rail infrastructure improvements.

One example of this new approach has been the recent replacement of track on the Stourbridge Town branch line, resulting in an improved passenger experience for users of the popular “Stourbridge Shuttle”. West Midlands Rail Executive is the partnership of 16 West Midlands Local Authorities co-managing the West Midlands Railway franchise with the Department for Transport, and planning the strategic future of the West Midlands rail network in conjunction with rail industry and local authority partners.

CSM Live, the branding and live experience division of CSM Sport and Entertainment, has been appointed as the Official Provider of Look, Wayfinding and Signage for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Following a competitive tender process, CSM Live will be responsible for scoping, producing, installing and de-rigging all elements of venue dressing at competition and non-competition venues. This remit includes the Look and Feel, field of play branding, wayfinding and information signage, sponsor recognition, media treatments and Host City dressing, applying relevant experience from previous multi-sport events including the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

In line with Birmingham 2022’s sustainability pledge, which includes plans to deliver the first ever carbon-neutral Commonwealth Games, CSM Live will work to design and provide an entirely sustainable solution, maximising the re-use of the hardware with the aspiration that none of the produced materials goes to waste after the Games.

CSM Live has also committed to work with local companies, suppliers and staff on the programme with a target to procure over 65% of its requirements locally, in order to deliver tangible benefits to the business community in the region. Working alongside the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee, venue scoping will begin immediately, with production due to commence in the early stages of next year. CSM Live will also engage with local students on the design process for the Wayfinding and Signage programme.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports across 14 competition venues from 28 July until 8 August 2022. The event is expected to have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion and attract more than one million spectators.

Giles Stanford, Director, Global Events at CSM Live, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Birmingham 2022 as we seek to deliver a sustainable, innovative and carbon-friendly Commonwealth Games. We have a strong pedigree in providing sustainable branding solutions for major events and combined with the expertise of the local business community, we hope to deliver a spectacular event for all those involved.”

Chief Executive Officer of Birmingham 2022, Ian Reid, said: “It is fantastic to have CSM Live join us as our Official Provider of Look, Wayfinding and Signage for Birmingham 2022. With a strong track record of working on major sporting events, I know we can rely on their expertise to help us deliver the most sustainable Commonwealth Games to date. In addition to their work on competition venues, CSM Live will also be working with us on our community engagement activities, which will support us developing positive relationships within local communities across the West Midlands.”

Dame Louise Martin, Commonwealth Games Federation President, said: “With CSM Live, we have the ideal partner to deliver the look and feel for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. I am delighted by the important pledge from CSM Live to ensure that no product used in its operations will go to waste after the Games.

“A further commitment to work with local companies will ensure there will be positive benefits for the West Midlands from the Games. My thanks also goes out to our CGF Partnerships (CGFP) team as they continue bring on board world-leading organisations to support the delivery of Birmingham 2022 as well as our long-term ambitions.”

Health workers across the West Midlands are appealing to the public this week to back their campaign so NHS staff can receive a proper pay rise before the summer, says UNISON.  

Over the next few days, hospital porters, clerical workers, cleaners, nurses, healthcare assistants and other NHS staff will be urging people to contact their local MPs to keep up the pay pressure on the government. Health workers in Scotland will soon receive a wage rise – of at least 4% – backdated to December after the government there found extra resources to fund the increase.   

NHS staff in the rest of the UK are not so fortunate, says UNISON. The Prime Minister insists everyone else must wait until the NHS pay review body reports, which won’t be until at least July. Health workers were due a pay rise at the beginning of last month – almost seven weeks ago, says UNISON. 
 

The union’s been making the case for a minimum wage boost of at least £2,000 for staff. The government’s suggested an increase of just 1%. By now, NHS staff would be £250 better off if UNISON’s 2k pay claim had been implemented on April 1. 

Instead, staff feel increasingly taken for granted, worn out by the pandemic and overwhelmed at tackling the Covid backlog of cancelled appointments and operations. As a result, many may soon leave the NHS altogether, fears UNISON. Although there’s now significantly fewer Covid patients in hospital than at the January peak, the pressure is still very much on staff, says UNISON.  

Figures published last week show waiting lists are the longest ever. Across the Midlands, more than 361,000 people are now having to wait more than 18 weeks for treatment. Over 84,500 have been waiting over a year.    

Health workers will be touring Birmingham, Stoke, Nuneaton, Walsall, Shrewsbury, Coventry and Wolverhampton in a campaign bus this week and next. This is to garner public support and send a strong message to the government that NHS staff deserve better. 

UNISON West Midlands head of health Chanel Willis said: “NHS staff have given their all during the pandemic. They’ll continue to do so to clear the backlog caused by Covid. But despite their incredible efforts, the government says a meagre 1% rise is all they’re worth.    

“The length of waiting lists across the West Midlands shows the huge challenges still facing the NHS. A decent wage increase paid soon could stop staff feeling unloved and taken for granted, and perhaps be enough to persuade many thinking of walking to stay.”  

Staff in UNISON branches based in NHS hospitals, ambulance stations and clinics across the West Midlands are using social media and taking part in socially distanced events.   

When thinking of financial literacy in the UK, people’s minds typically jump to London. So, this is a closer look at just how financially-savvy different cities across the country are. Using Google’s Keyword Planner data, the top ten cities have been broken down by search volume.

Bristol ranks at number 1, registering a total score of 92.04 (out of 100) for savings and investment searches. This includes registering the most searches for 8 out of the 10 key categories: stocks, shares, bonds, pensions, funds, TSAs and ISAs, savings options, and property.

Findings suggest Bristolians are eager to make the most of their money, which is more important than ever in light of the pandemic. Research suggests those from higher-income households have seen their savings increase, while those from lower-income households, including those furloughed, unemployed or retired have seen their savings decrease.

For each of these groups, savings and investments are now crucial, whether to create new income streams or to get the largest return on their limited savings.

Bristol’s penchant for saving and investment search queries isn’t too surprising, given the city was found to have the highest density of online traders in the UK – with 24 in every 1,000 Bristolians an active trader. It’s clear residents of the city are regularly looking to make their money work for them.

Edinburgh’s residents are also financially-focused, finishing second overall for their volume of savings and investments searches – including topping the table for ‘commodities’ searches and posting the second-highest number of searches for ‘stocks’, ‘bonds’, ‘pensions’, ‘funds’, ‘TSAs and ISAs’ and ‘savings options’ terms.

Interestingly however, Edinburgh ranked last for Google searches around ‘property’ investments. This is surprising given the city regularly features in regional property investment tables and boasts impressive 5-year price growth figures for its properties.

Most shocking though, is London’s 9^th place finish. The city is regularly considered the ‘financial capital of the world’, however, its residents fall behind most of their compatriots when it comes to researching savings and investments. This includes posting the lowest normalised score for ‘cryptocurrency’, ‘pensions’ and ‘savings options’ searches.

This low search volume may be a result of Londoners’ low levels of disposable income. A recent study suggests London’s high cost of living sees its residents take home the lowest income in the UK, that is after tax and basic living costs are taken into account. This is despite Londoners earning the highest salaries.

According to the same study, Londoners are left with just £260.97 each month, compared with Bristolians’ £1,122.57. Of course, there are a huge number of factors at play here, but the data suggests a correlation between this high disposable income & Bristolians actively learning more about the savings and investment options available to them.

Liverpool saw the lowest total search volume for terms related to savings and investments, including the lowest volume for specific categories including ‘stocks’, ‘shares’, ‘funds’ and ‘commodities’.

Annie Charalambous, Content Manager at ETX Capital, commented on the findings: “It’s fascinating to see the differences in how UK cities research their financial investments. London is often considered a financial hotspot and we expect Londoners to be on top of their finances – however search interest sees Londoners towards the bottom of the table.

“While we may expect different savings and investment vehicles to peak in popularity across the country, Bristolians seem to be the most avid researchers when it comes to almost all investment types. Overall, it’s promising to see so many people across the country taking the time to research their savings and investments.

“Knowledge is key in any financial decision, to make sure it’s right for you and provides the greatest return based on your risk acceptance.”

Vehicle technology is evolving at a rapid rate and commercial vehicle engineers must keep pace to ensure their maintenance programmes are fit for the modern fleet. To help those responsible for the maintenance of fleets of all sizes, Logistics UK’s Fleet Engineer Conference returns for 2021, taking place on 7 September 2021 at the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire.

The one-day event will provide delegates with opportunities to hear about the very latest developments in commercial vehicle technology, future vehicle design, maintenance legislation changes, and best practice advice from leading names from across the sector. 

Phil Lloyd, Head of Engineering Policy at Logistics UK, comments: “Inspecting and maintaining vehicles and trailers is becoming increasingly challenging for commercial vehicle engineers as the technology continues to advance at a rapid rate.

“Logistics UK’s Fleet Engineer is designed to provide operators with all the information they need to maintain modern fleets effectively, as well as sharing the insight they need into the future of vehicle design and alternative fuels. The event is a must-attend for anyone with responsibility for specifying commercial vehicles, ensuring roadworthiness, compliance and maintaining vehicles – whether a small fleet of one or two or a large fleet of hundreds.”

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods.

With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.

Severn Trent welcomes Ofwat’s announcement that it has received regulatory endorsement to invest £565million in an ambitious Green Recovery programme to support the UK’s green economic bounce back and create 2,500 new jobs in the Midlands.

The Regulator challenged all water companies to support the UK’s green recovery post-pandemic. Today’s announcement provides Severn Trent with a great opportunity to deliver additional long-term growth, with new investment over the next four years supporting the Company’s ESG ambitions.

The Company will now be working through the detail of Ofwat’s response to its plans. Once finalised, the Green Recovery will enable Severn Trent to lead the way in a number of projects, many of which will be a first for the UK, all of which will involve additional investment and the creation of new jobs. The projects, which were praised for being innovative, will benefit both local communities and the environment, and will be delivered alongside the Company’s existing plans and investment for the region.

The projects will:

·         Increase water supplies with enough water to supply a city the size of Derby, using low carbon technology;

·         Encourage wild swimming by trialling the creation of two bathing rivers in stretches of the River Leam and the River Teme;

·         Accelerate environmental commitments by improving 500 kilometres of river five years earlier than planned; allowing communities and wildlife to benefit sooner;

·         Create a scale trial using a nature-based approach to reduce the risk of flooding whilst creating a green environment which will significantly benefit the town of Mansfield; 

·         Help customers to save water by introducing over 150,000 smart meters; and

·         Remove old customer-owned lead pipes in up to 26,000 homes in two trial areas and using innovative techniques to find and replace them.

Liv Garfield, Severn Trent Chief Executive, said: “We’re really pleased by Ofwat’s endorsement of our ambitious Green Recovery plans. Whilst we still need to go through the finer details of the announcement, we’re delighted that Ofwat shares our enthusiasm for this impressive range of proposals, which we believe will benefit all our customers.

“Our communities, and the environment they care about, are at the heart of what we do. The Green Recovery programme is a key element in the Government’s plans to get the nation back on its feet and improve the environment.

“This investment into our region will see us lead the way by delivering a number of UK firsts including new, innovative trials to reduce the risk of flooding, increased water supplies and transformed stretches of river. What’s more, we will also be creating 2,500 jobs in the Midlands at a time when increasing employment, and getting people back into work, is vital for our region.

“We’ll be accelerating our capital spend to deliver these impressive plans and to achieve our existing commitments earlier. Together with our Green Recovery programme, the investments we are making will play a significant role in providing communities with the confidence that the Midlands can bounce back better than before.” Whilst Severn Trent expects no material changes to today’s draft determination, Ofwat is now entering a consultation period until 9 June and plans to issue its final decision in July 2021.