R (on the application of HS2 Action Alliance Limited) (Appellant) v The Secretary of State for Transport and another (Respondents); R (on the application of Heathrow Hub Limited and another) (Appellants) v The Secretary of State for Transport and another (Respondents); R (on the application of Buckinghamshire County Council and others) (Appellants) v The Secretary of State for Transport (Respondent) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of HS2 Action Alliance Limited) (Appellant) v The Secretary of State for Transport and another (Respondents) UKSC 2013/0172; R (on the application of Heathrow Hub Limited and another) (Appellants) v The Secretary of State for Transport and another (Respondents) UKSC 2013/0173; R (on the application of Buckinghamshire County Council and others) (Appellants) v The Secretary of State for Transport (Respondent) UKSC 2013/0187

Supreme Court, 22nd January 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Supreme Court rejects HS2 legal bid – BBC News

Posted January 22nd, 2014 in bills, consultations, EC law, environmental protection, news, railways by sally

‘The Supreme Court has rejected a legal bid by objectors of the HS2 national high-speed rail link to force further scrutiny of the government’s plans.’

Full story

BBC News, 22nd January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Network Rail appeal over Beccles crossing fine rejected – BBC News

Posted January 20th, 2014 in accidents, appeals, fines, health & safety, news, railways by sally

‘A rail firm has been told a £500,000 fine imposed after a boy was seriously injured in a crash on a Suffolk level crossing could have been much higher.’

Full story

BBC News, 17th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Commuters could be in line for savings following court case – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 8th, 2013 in consumer protection, costs, news, railways by sally

“A commuter’s court victory could see hundreds of passengers demanding cheaper season tickets as train operators move to plug a ‘loophole’ which he exploited.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Reforming the law on level crossings – Law Commission

Posted September 25th, 2013 in health & safety, Law Commission, news, railways, regulations, reports by sally

“The Law Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission have published a joint report on the law governing level crossings.”

Full story

Law Commission, 25th September 2013

Source: www.lawcommission.justice.gov.uk

Regina (Buckinghamshire County Council and others) v Secretary of State for Transport; Regina (HS2 Action Alliance Ltd) v Same; Regina (Heathrow Hub Ltd and another) v Same – WLR Daily

Regina (Buckinghamshire County Council and others) v Secretary of State for Transport; Regina (HS2 Action Alliance Ltd) v Same; Regina (Heathrow Hub Ltd and another) v Same [2013] EWCA Civ 920; [2013] WLR (D) 308

“The Government’s proposed strategy for the promotion, construction and operation of a new high speed rail network, as set out in a command paper and followed after consultation by an announcement of decisions and next steps, was not a plan or programme which set the framework for future development consent by the decision-maker (ie Parliament) so as to necessitate an environmental assessment within the scope of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (Parliament and Council Directive 2001/42/EC).”

WLR Daily, 24th July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

HS2 challenges fail but powerful dissent – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 26th, 2013 in appeals, EC law, environmental protection, news, planning, railways by sally

“HS2 is the proposed high speed rail link to Birmingham and beyond. Its opponents sought to challenge the decision to promote it by way of a hybrid Bill in Parliament, saying that the process as a whole breached the various EU rules, including the need for Strategic Environmental Assessment under the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 2001/42/EC and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 2011/92/EU.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 26th July 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

HS2 challenge rejected by Court of Appeal – BBC News

Posted July 24th, 2013 in appeals, environmental protection, local government, news, railways by tracey

“The latest legal challenge to the HS2 high-speed rail project has been rejected by the Court of Appeal.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Infrastructure Cost Review highlights important new efficiency initiatives, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 18th, 2013 in costs, environmental protection, news, railways, reports by sally

“A Government-backed efficiency report seeks to answer some of the criticisms of national infrastructure policy, while highlighting some important new initiatives, an expert has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 18th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Protesters launch appeal against HS2 High Court ruling – BBC News

“A protest group is to appeal against a High Court ruling that effectively gave the go ahead to the London-Birmingham section of the HS2 high-speed railway.”

Full story

BBC News, 29th May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Buckinghamshire County Council and others) v Secretary of State for Transport and another – WLR Daily

Posted March 27th, 2013 in consultations, law reports, planning, railways by tracey

Regina (Buckinghamshire County Council and others) v Secretary of State for Transport and another: [2013] EWHC 481 (Admin);   [2013] WLR (D)  122

“A command paper setting out the Government’s proposed strategy for the development of a high speed rail network followed after consultation by an announcement of decisions and next steps was not an administrative provision requiring a plan or programme necessitating an environmental assessment under the terms of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 2001/42/EC.”

WLR Daily, 15th March 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Setback for high speed rail after High Court ruling – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2013 in consultations, environmental protection, judicial review, news, railways by tracey

“The Government’s HS2 high-speed rail scheme suffered a setback today when the
High Court ruled that the consultation process for compensating those affected
by the multibillion-pound project ‘was so unfair as to be unlawful’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court to rule on bid to derail HS2 – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2013 in consultations, environmental protection, judicial review, news, railways by tracey

“Opponents are asking a judge in London to declare in a series of five cases that
the multi-billion pound project is legally flawed and must be sent back for
reconsideration.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Runaway Tube train: Operators fined £300,000 – BBC News

Posted March 1st, 2013 in fines, health & safety, news, railways by tracey

“Three transport companies have been fined £300,000 after a runaway train came
within 2,000ft (600m) of crashing into a packed tube train.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyers on the line: high-speed rail plan faces 10-year delay – The Independent

Posted January 29th, 2013 in consultations, delay, judicial review, news, planning, railways by sally

“Britain’s HS2 high-speed rail line could be delayed for a decade as a unified coalition of Conservative councils, MPs and environmental groups threaten disruptive legal action.”

Full story

The Independent, 28th January 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Romanian metal theft gang jailed – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 20th, 2012 in gangs, news, railways, sentencing, theft by tracey

“Eight Romanians who embarked on a cable theft spree, creating havoc across a swathe of the Midlands rail network, have been sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Graffiti gang who caused £150,000 of damage ‘should be proud of their work’, says judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 11th, 2012 in artistic works, conspiracy, criminal damage, gangs, news, railways, sentencing by sally

“A judge has imposed the ‘least possible sentence’ on gang of graffiti vandals who attacked the capital’s tube network, saying one had a ‘portfolio you would be proud of’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Major legal battle to stop HS2 set to commence – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 3rd, 2012 in appeals, consultations, environmental protection, judicial review, news, railways by sally

“A major legal battle to stop the Government’s HS2 rail project is to begin in what campaigners think is their best chance of derailing the £32 billion scheme.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Railway guard Christopher McGee jailed for manslaughter after ‘seconds of negligence’ caused death of drunk teenage girl who fell underneath train – The Independent

Posted November 15th, 2012 in homicide, negligence, news, railways, sentencing by sally

“A railway guard has been sentenced to five years in prison for the manslaughter of a drunk teenager, after he signalled for a train to move as she was leaning against the carriage.”

Full story

The Independent, 15th November 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Homeowners affected by HS2 to get access to hardship fund – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2012 in compensation, consultations, news, railways by tracey

“Homeowners living along the proposed path of the high-speed rail link will be given access to a hardship scheme if they are unable to sell their house, even if is outside the area earmarked for development, the government has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk