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• Manchester ranks first as Birmingham, Leeds and Edinburgh record a surge in station retail sales between October-December 2016
• King’s Cross, Cannon Street and Paddington stations deliver strongest growth in London
• Rise in sales for 19^th successive quarter caps successful 2016 for station retailers

Network Rail’s mission to work ever closer with train and freight operators is becoming a reality, with closer than ever ties between the track operator and the companies running services to improve customers’ experiences.

• Pioneering approach to railway engineering could save £250,000 per week
• Passengers benefit from faster trains and less disruption as the requirement for cautionary speed restrictions after engineering is eliminated
• “Formation flying” engineering trains are a world first and the latest in a series of new techniques that have so far saved over £5m

Network Rail Consulting expands operations in North America and appoints new vice president to lead their Canadian subsidiary

Alex Hynes, the current managing director of Arriva Rail North, is to be appointed managing director of the ScotRail Alliance.

Network Rail and Abellio have today announced that Phil Verster will be moving to become managing director of the East West rail project that was announced by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling last month.

• Birmingham New Street station was the best performing station in England, recording a 26% growth in sales on last Christmas
• Network Rail reports 9.5% sales growth across its managed stations over the festive period
• 32% of total station users – almost 34 million people across Britain - visited a station retailer between 19 November and 24 December

• Edinburgh station sales up 41% on last Christmas
• Network Rail reports 9.5% sales growth across its managed stations over the festive period
• 32% of total station users – almost 34 million people across Britain - visited a station retailer between 19 November and 24 December