A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
London Underground
TfL bids for luxury flats on top of Covent Garden tube WestEndExtra
Friday’s 24-hour Tube strike has been called off, but further industrial action remains in place, including a walkout during this year’s London Marathon. TheWeek
A look at TfL’s “fit for the future” tube station changes DiamondGeezer
Crossrail
Celebrities are joining a campaign against Crossrail 2 as the new tunnels could make their basement extensions uninhabitable. LDC
Mainline/Overground
Lewisham rail passengers are demanding action on overcrowded and late-running commuter trains into the heart of the city. EastLondonLine
Commuters forking out £9,000 a year for season tickets have been left furious after discovering their reserved seat is in a “phantom” train carriage. Standard
Campaigners claim ‘dangerous’ level crossing in Barnes is putting children’s lives at risk Local Times
Making the case to protect ancient woodland to the HS2 Bill Committee PoliticsHome
Murphy signs £60m London Overground electrification project ConstructionIndex
A second round of consultations on the preferred option for the Western Rail Link to Heathrow are due to begin on February 23. GetWestLondon
Flying Scotsman to come to London IanVisits
Miscellaneous
Dodging fares on trains is now “normal” because people have learnt to “play the system”, a watchdog has claimed. Standard
Kew Gardens station is of “international importance” and should not have its ticket office closed, says the Kew Society. Local Guardian
A Tube driver has been jailed for the rape and attempted rape of two women in north-west London in 1994. BBC News
A fares freeze is the worst thing that could happen to London’s transport CityMetric
Attracted by the low rent and industrial aesthetics, entrepreneurs are flocking to disused railway arches to start their own ventures. The Guardian
TfL Social Media – Adapting to Twitter’s Changes TfL Blog
And finally, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani launched plans to electrify a railway line in front of a poster showing a train suspiciously similar to Crossrail. Independent
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The image above is from Sept 2014: Passengers evacuated from Heathrow Express train
