Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Wednesday, 22 June 2016

BBC News

• Wolverhampton tram extension gets green lightPlans for an �18m extension of the tram service in Wolverhampton are given the go-ahead by the government.
• Commuter disruption as ScotRail workers out on strikeCommuters face disruption as ScotRail workers begin the first of a series of planned one-day strikes.
• FP McCann wins case over A8 motorway tenderThe Department for Regional Development breached public contract regulations in rejecting a tender for a motorway contract worth up to �100m, a High Court judge rules.
• Rail strike prompts disruption warningRail passengers face cancellations and disruption during a day of strikes across Scotland and south-east England.
• Overcrowded Tube station incidents rise 3% in a yearThe number of times passengers are stopped from entering London Underground stations because of overcrowding rises 3% in a year.
• New average speed cameras for A77 in AyrshireThe first average speed cameras used in Scotland are being updated - 11 years after they were introduced and hailed for cutting road deaths.
• Boeing and Iran Air reach landmark $25bn dealUS aircraft maker Boeing announces that it has reached a deal with Iran Air that could be worth up to $25bn (�17bn).
• Tesla makes offer to buy SolarCityElectric carmaker Tesla offers to buy solar panel company SolarCity in a bid to expand its clean energy business.
• Diesels more polluting below 18C, research suggestsPollution from many popular diesel cars is much worse when it is colder than 18C outside, new research suggests.
• Mitsubishi forecasts huge loss in wake of fuel scandalMitsubishi Motors forecasts a huge net loss for the current business year in the wake of its fuel efficiency scandal.

Financial Times

• Musk uses Tesla to buy SolarCityElectric carmaker shares fall 13% on bid for related solar power company

The Guardian

• Moscow to explore high-speed Hyperloop commuter transport systemThe Hyperloop, first envisioned by Tesla Motors’ Elon Musk, involves using magnets to levitate pods to shuttle people and cargo inside an airless tube
• Amazon and Google's drone delivery plans hit snag with new US regulationsThe Obama administration has green-lit commercial drones so long as they stay within sight of a pilot – which isn’t exactly what companies had in mindIn the not-too-distant future, Amazon could use a drone to deliver a package from a country warehouse all the way to … a nearby farm.And that, the government said on Tuesday, is about it. Continue reading...
• Road signs could warn Londoners of air pollution episodes, says Sadiq KhanLondon mayor has told TfL to develop system of alerts and signs to increase awareness of air quality blackspots, BusinessGreen reports Roadside signposts and online alerts could be used to inform Londoners of air pollution hotspots and periods of poor air quality, under proposals announced today by the capital’s new Mayor Sadiq Kahn.Londoners should be much better informed when air pollution reaches dangerous levels in the UK capital, Kahn said, announcing he has directed Transport for London (TfL) to “urgently” develop a package of public alerts and signs aimed at increasing awareness of poor...
• Southern and ScotRail train strikes hit tens of thousands of passengersDelays and cancellations across two franchises’ networks as staff stage 24-hour walkouts over role of guards on trainsTens of thousands of railway passengers at opposite ends of the country were hit by delays and cancellations on Tuesday as staff walked out in a bitter dispute over the role of guards.The two franchises affected, Southern and ScotRail, said they had cancelled 40% and 30% of services respectively. There were no services at all on 10 Southern routes and 15 ScotRail routes. Many of the services that were running were severely affected, forcing customers to queue at a number of sta...

The Independent

• Rail fares will rise more than £100 a year after Brexit, Remain campaigners sayRail far rises are currently capped by inflation, but Remain campaigners have warned that this would be loosened after a vote to leave the EU

The Scotsman

• RMT slams ScotRail over ‘union busting’ memoTENSIONS in the ScotRail dispute further increased today after an internal memo said removing conductors from trains and switching door control to drivers would mean “fewer cancellations and greater resilience to industrial action”.

The Telegraph

• London photographer turns Tube commuters into 16th-century-style portraits�

Times Online

• Empty lorries are making bad congestion even worseLevels of congestion on Britain’s roads are rising fast because almost a third of lorries are being driven empty, according to research.

Daily Express

• British car industry will 'thrive' outside EU, say Leave campaignersCAR makers will still trade with the UK if voters opt to leave the EU tomorrow, according to Brexit campaigners.

Daily Record

• Dozens of train routes affected by ScotRail strike as union accuses rail operator of 'sabotaging' peace talks MANY train routes will be cancelled or run as a reduced service during the strikes, which begin tomorrow, as staff row with rail bosses over driver-only trains.

The Mirror

• 'You could be killed' cops warn teen girls posing for photos on train tracks British Transport Police, investigating the photos, said: With the school summer holidays almost upon us, I would urge all parents and responsible adults to emphasise these dangers"

London Evening Standard

• Southern rail strike: Furious commuters say bad service is 'putting passengers' mental health at risk'Exasperated commuters today accused rail operator Southern of putting their mental health at risk as strike action crippled services.

Sheffield Star

• Six taxis taken off the road in ChesterfieldSix taxis have been taken off the road in Chesterfield amid safety concerns, it has been revealed.

The York Press

• Big bus cuts loom for York and East YorkshireSubsidised bus services in the East Riding, including some that run to and from York, could be cut or scaled back under budget cutting proposals

Wales Online

• Admiral staff in Newport can now travel cheaply on busesThe motor insurance giant is discounting bus travel for its staff following an agreement with Newport Bus

Other Regional Press

• £200,000 to be slashed from transport budget amid new hubs plan FUNDING for public transport is to be slashed as Swindon Borough Council announces plans to save £200,000 from its transport budget.
• How much will Kirklees make from bus gates? An "unbelievable" amount, says one traderFine levels higher than expected
• Armed police called to Huddersfield railway station - live updates Man said to be in a tunnel with a gun
• 104 fare-dodgers caught by London Midland trains104 railway fare-dodgers were caught at London Euston this morning, in one of the biggest-ever stings of its kind at the station.

Rail Magazine

• EU vote: What will the result mean for the rail industry? - See more at: http://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/2016/06/20/eu-vote-what-will-the-result-mean-for-the-rail-industry#sthash.npsQDdwr.dpufAs things stood on May 3, the EU referendum was a dead heat - 50/50 - based on the average of the last six polls. Of course, polls cannot be considered reliable on these matters (think Scottish Independence vote, 2014), and there are many in the ‘don’t know’ or even ‘don’t care’ camp. Others say they want more information.
• EU vote: Hitachi's Alistair Dormer's viewIn recent years, Hitachi Ltd has made significant investments in the UK across many of its businesses. The UK is now the centre for Hitachi’s two largest overseas infrastructure projects, in rail and new nuclear power.
• EU vote: ESG Rail Elaine Greenwood's viewWhile I am personally conflicted about the EU Referendum, and am still unclear as to which way I will be voting, professionally I believe that being part of the EU makes sense for our business and for the UK rail industry.

The Business Desk

• Network Rail to create 88 jobs in DerbyAs many as 88 jobs are set to be created by Network Rail in Derby as part of the organisation’s Railway Upgrade Plan in the East Midlands.
• Stagecoach invests £6.5m in bus fleetSTAGECOACH Merseyside and South Lancashire is growing and upgrading its fleet of buses with a multi-million pound investment.

Aviation Industry

• Ethiopian Airlines acquires Africa’s first A350See pictures of the aircraft being made

Green Miscellany

• Hidden GPS tracker for bicyclesSherlock is a hidden GPS tracker for bicycles that allows you to locate your bike at any time. Tipping the scales at 50 grams, Sherlock is small enough to be installed easily and securely within the handlebars of your bicycle. Hidden behind plain handlebar plugs, the tracker is invisible to the thief who doesn’t know what he’s looking for. The device matches itself… The post Hidden GPS tracker for bicycles appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• DB Cargo UK and CEMEX introduce ‘pop-up’ rail depotDB Cargo UK and CEMEX have opened a ‘pop up’ rail depot to serve the growing North West construction market and reduce the number of HGVs transporting materials from the picturesque High Peak countryside.