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

Saturday, 13 August 2016

BBC News

• Daily charge for utility firms 'would cut roadwork delays', say councilsCouncils should be given more powers to charge utility companies for time spent carrying out work on busy roads, the Local Government Association says.
• 100-tonne landslide shuts Highlands road and lineTravel by rail and road in parts of the Highlands is being disrupted following a landslide carrying 100 tonnes of material.
• RMT workers on Virgin East Coast services to strikeVirgin East Coast will use management staff on trains to cover striking rail workers.
• Crash victim's son to launch road safety campaignThe son of a man who died in a car crash near Claudy is to launch a road safety campaign in memory of his father.
• New PSNI petrol 'drive-off' pilot scheme postponedA controversial new PSNI pilot scheme to deal with people who leave petrol stations without paying for petrol is postponed.
• Game of Thrones: Dark Hedges road could have traffic bannedPlans are announced to ban vehicles from the Dark Hedges road made famous by Game of Thrones.
• United Airlines: Rescue deal agreed to save Belfast to New York serviceA rescue deal, thought to be worth �9m, is agreed to prevent US airline United ending its daily service between Belfast and New York.
• #BeLikePip: meet Tube worker who sparked social media frenzyThe
• 'Boris bikes' celebrate six years with free weekendTransport for London (TfL) is celebrating six years since the launch of
• London Mayor urges takeover of 'failing' Southern railThe Mayor of London repeats his offer to put Transport for London (TfL) in charge of
• Clapham Common Tube station to be taken over by cat picturesA London Underground station is set to be taken over by cats as all the advertisements are replaced with pictures of the animals.
• 'Millions' of Volkswagen cars can be unlocked via hackA sizeable proportion of 100 million Volkswagen cars sold since 1995 can be unlocked remotely by hackers, a team of researchers says.
• Virgin Trains East Coast strikes to be held in AugustWorkers on Virgin Trains East Coast are to stage three 24-hour strikes this month, including one on Bank Holiday Monday, the RMT union says.
• Eurostar strikes by RMT and TSSA suspended for talksStrikes by Eurostar workers at the RMT and TSSA unions will be suspended from midnight to allow further talks, they have said.

The Guardian

• (Iron) Maiden flight: Bruce Dickinson lands first passenger jet in DjiboutiSinger relaunches Air Djibouti, 14 years after it shut down operations, flying Boeing 737 from Wales to nation on Horn of AfricaAir Djibouti’s first passenger flight in 14 years landed in the small nation on Thursday with Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson at the controls.The airline, one of Africa’s oldest, shut down all operations in 2002 but partially relaunched in August 2015 with a cargo service as the continent’s aviation industry became increasingly competitive. Continue reading...
• Budget airlines stand accused over credit card feesConsumer group wants pressure on airlines, saying they should not charge more for using credit card than it costs to process paymentRyanair, Flybe and Monarch are overcharging customers who pay by credit card, according to claims made by consumer group Fairer Finance.As millions of travellers jet off for summer holidays and city breaks, some airlines charge customers fees of up to 3% of ticket prices. Continue reading...
• Virgin Trains East Coast staff to strike in row over jobsMembers of RMT union will hold three 24-hour strikes this month in dispute over 200 jobs said to be under threatRail staff at Virgin Trains East Coast will strike on two weekends in August in a row over jobs and working conditions following a vote for industrial action announced earlier this week.Members of the RMT union will hold three 24-hour strikes, on 19 August and around the bank holiday weekend on 26 and 29 August. They will also ban overtime for 48 hours from 27 August. Continue reading...
• Millions of cars at risk as keyless entry systems can be hacked, report saysCars that use Volkswagen’s remote keyless entry system are vulnerable to theft using equipment costing £30, researchers claimTens of millions of cars are made vulnerable to theft by their keyless entry systems, according to a report by computer security experts. The paper claims many of the 100m Volkswagen vehicles sold over the past 20 years are vulnerable and can be hacked using cheap tools. Audi, Seat and Skoda models sold since 1995 are also said to be affected as they share Volkswagen’s remote keyless entry system. Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, and Peugeot mod...
• Eurostar strike to be suspended at midnight for further talksIndustrial action over rosters and work-life balance was due to continue for four days but had caused minimal disruptionStrikes by Eurostar workers will be suspended from midnight to allow further talks, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said.Industrial action had started on Friday in a row over rosters and work-life balance at the cross-Channel train company. Continue reading...
• Has the RMT union's moderate Mick Cash turned militant?Strikes and disputes have led to crisis in the railways. But the RMT says a fluke of timing is to blame as fights come to a head at onceEven for a union that has never been shy of a fight, it has been a busy week. As a conductors’ strike on Southern rail left hundreds of thousands of commuters struggling, the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers’ union announced that its members on Virgin Trains East Coast had also voted to strike. It followed up by calling a walkout by train managers on Eurostar.General secretary Mick Cash, elected to succeed Bob Crow after the union’s leader died suddenly in...
• Large cruise ship voyage through Arctic ice rekindles rowsCampaigners say Crystal Serenity trip puts at risk very environment tourists are travelling to see in Northwest PassageA decision to proceed with plans to sail the first huge cruise liner through the Northwest Passage on Tuesday with 1,000 passengers on board has rekindled rows with environmentalists about the Arctic.The wildlife charity WWF has accused Crystal Cruises of putting at risk “the very thing that tourists would come to see” – a pristine wilderness and home to endangered species such as polar bears and walrus. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Eurostar strike suspended from midnight for talks to resumeA strike by Eurostar workers will be suspended from midnight to allow further talks.
• Highland rail line hit by landslide closed for second nightA railway line will remain closed for a second night after a landslide brought 100 tonnes of debris on to the track and nearby road.

The Telegraph

• Bank Holiday train chaos: Virgin staff announce�strike over August weekend at same time as�Eurostar workers' action
• Motorist banned for driving six miles on the motorway in the wrong direction�
• Turkish sailors jailed for 42 years over record UK cocaine bust
• Ministers urged to give councils the power to charge utility companies �2,000 a day for road works�

Times Online

• Rail commuters to pay more despite overcrowding and disruption [Subscription]More than £40 will be added to the cost of the average annual rail season ticket next year as the government prepares to increase fares despite serious overcrowding and chaos caused by striking unions.

Daily Record

• Drug smugglers jailed for total of 42 years after �500m ship cocaine bustTWO men have been jailed for Britain's biggest cocaine bust after their boat was found off the Aberdeenshire coast with more than three tonnes of the drug on board.
• Landslides bring chaos for commuters in the Highlands as rail and road journeys are brought to a halt LOCALS are being warned to expect delays on via rail and road this morning after the landslides blocked rail lines between Fort William and Mallaig and part of the A30.

Mail Online

• Briton held over van packed with 18 migrants in Dunkirk The van, which had a British number plate, was stopped on Wednesday by the Grand-Synthe camp (pictured), near the Channel port of Dunkirk, and found to contain 18 illegal migrants.
• Birmingham gridlock caused after FIVE Lamborghinis and Ferraris are left in street The five supercars, each worth some �200,000 each, caused major problems for drivers after they were left parked in the middle of a road in central Birmingham.
• Train staff on the east coast plot three days of strike action to ruin Bank Holiday Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out from 3am on August 19, 26 and 29, and will ban overtime for 48 hours from August 27.
• Two Turkish sailors jailed over �500million drugs bust Mumin Sahin and Emin Ozmen were jailed after three tonnes of the Class A drug were discovered inside the MV Hamal about 100 miles off the coast of Aberdeen.
• Black cab driver uses a MAGNIFYING GLASS to read a map while driving in central London A shocked cyclist couldn't believe his eyes when he spotted a taxi driver using a magnifying glass to read a map as he took a passenger down the busy Whitehall in central London.
• Man fighting for his life as a train hits a car on the tracks between Cambridge and Ely� The wife of a farmer in nearby�Stretham�said she heard a 'huge bang' from the crash,�which threw the 4x4 (pictured) down the bank and onto its roof. The driver was taken to Addenbroke's Hospital.
• Pyrenees water-bombing plane flies past just feet above the ground and pedestrians heads Tourists in the Pyrenees in the south of France were in for a shock when a Bombardier 415 'water bomber' zoomed past them just a few feet above the ground after fighting forest fires.
• British bus driver 'is refused a job interview in Watford because he's not ROMANIAN'� Bus driver Peter Kennedy, 45, of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, applied for a job in Watford with bus firm Arriva - but was allegedly refused an interview because he is not Romanian.

The Mirror

• Six people die in airplane crash at US airport The small aircraft caught on fire after a landing was aborted

Bolton News

• Drivers in Bolton admit using their phone at wheel ONE in three drivers in Bolton see another motorist using their phone every day, a new survey has revealed.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Arriva stops passengers boarding North Wales train amid crowded conditions People waiting at Flint were told they couldn't get on the train, which already had passengers standing in the aisles
• More of North Wales' worst parking car-tastrophes Readers have been out in force documenting some of the worst parking disasters to be found in the region

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Carrier ships left anchored off Tynemouth coast as company goes bustThe unidentified firm behind 'eyesore' vessels is believed to have filed for bankruptcy as residents are told ships are awaiting sale

Northern Echo

• RMT union announce three days of strike action on Virgin East Coast trains WORKERS on Virgin Trains East Coast are to stage three 24-hour strikes, including one on Bank Holiday Monday, in a row over jobs, working conditions and safety.
• Car ban on busy road to be lifted ONE of York’s busiest roads will re-open on Saturday afternoon after a week-long closure.

The York Press

• The Sky’s the limit for city’s cyclists YORK will host the last-ever Sky Ride next month as the television giant comes to the end of its sponsorship of British Cycling.
• RMT announces strike dates for Virgin East Coast staff WORKERS on Virgin Trains East Coast are to stage three 24-hour strikes, including one on Bank Holiday Monday, in a row over jobs, working conditions and safety.
• Busy Knaresborough junction to shut for 3 days DRIVERS have been warned that a main junction in a North Yorkshire town will be closed from Monday for three days.
• Shake-up on busy York road to be approved YORK'S transport boss will be asked this autumn to approve major traffic changes on one of the busiest roads into the city.

Wales Online

• Cardiff is second in the UK for having the highest number of drivers on the road with 12 points or more on their licenceThe study revealed there are thousands of drivers across the UK with 12 points or more on their licence – the number of which normally lands you a six-month ban
• Jail for young driver who admitted causing the deaths of three passengersJohn Spencer Graham, 21, was driving a car which crashed, killing Ryan Paul Gibbons, 20, Gethin Rhys Jones, 18, and Joe Louis Daniels, 18

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• It can cost you 8p every minute to short-stay park at Birmingham AirportMotorists dropping off friends and relatives at airports this summer could be stung by sky-high charges, the RAC has warned.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Motorway roadworks in West YorkshireMotorists could face disruption when Highways England carries out planned roadworks on motorways across the region next week.

Yorkshire Post

• Virgin train strike confirmed for Bank Holiday Monday and two other daysWORKERS on Virgin Trains East Coast are to stage three 24-hour strikes, including one on Bank Holiday Monday, in a row over jobs, working conditions and safety.
• Councils attempt to curb traffic disruptionPowers to make it easier to charge utility companies for every day they spend digging up roads causing traffic disruption are being demanded by councils.

Blackpool Gazette

• Motorway to close in both directions for Heysham M6 Link workThe M6 will close overnight in both directions next weekend between junctions 33 and 34 as part of work on the Heysham M6 Link.
• Motorway closures planned for bridge worksWORK gets underway from Monday on the motorway bridge on the M55 at the Broughton Interchange.

Bucks Free Press

• PICTURES: Roadworks cause traffic 'chaos' Roadworks are causing traffic misery for drivers in Hazlemere at weekends – with the “chaos” set to continue for another 11 weeks. 

North Wales Live

• Liverpool's new radical roads plan - your questions answered City council responds to concerns raised by ECHO readers

Peterborough Telegraph

• UPDATE: Dates announced for Virgin Trains East Coast staff to go on strike this monthStaff on Virgin Trains East Coast will go on strike this month over a threat to jobs, working conditions and safety, the rail union RMT has announced today, Friday August 12.

Sunderland Echo

• Motorists warned of road closures during maintenance work in County DurhamMotorists are advised of overnight road closures as Durham County Council carry out essential maintenance work starting next week.

Other Regional Press

• Network Rail plans to abandon noise reductions in North Oxford branded an 'absolute scandal' by residents TRACKSIDE residents in North Oxford have hit out at Network Rail's plans to abandoned promised noise mitigation as an
• Authorities say this bumpy road is 'serviceable' - but pensioner says it's "just rocks and potholes"Patricia Smith, 73, uses her mobility scooter on the road behind her home and says it is 'only a matter of time' before she has an accident
• Motorway closures planned for bridge worksWORK gets underway from Monday on the motorway bridge on the M55 at the Broughton Interchange.
• Union seeks independent decision over bus driver dispute - which it claims has cost First £250,000 A ROW over bus drivers’ pay is set to go to an independent service in an attempt to find a solution.
• Holt Road to finally re-open on Tuesday THE LONG awaited re-opening of Bradford on Avon's Holt Road will come into effect on Tuesday, August 16.
• Have your say on �22.9 million Taunton Railway Station redevelopment PROPOSALS for a �22.9 million redevelopment of Taunton Railway Station are gathering pace - and you're being invited to give your view.
• Board the bus to 'catch em all' in Pokemon GO OXFORD Bus Company is encouraging Pokemon GO hunters to board the buses to help them 'catch 'em all'.
• Uncertainty over 'eco-friendly' electric hire cars UNCERTAINTY surrounds the future of an award-winning attempt to persuade people to explore the New Forest in a fleet of electric cars.
• Legendary boat which sailed the world open to the public in Hampshire today IT IS a rare opportunity to step aboard a record breaker.
• Parents fork out �22bn helping kids learn to driveUK parents are collectively spending £22 billion to help get their children on the road and three quarters of mums and dads in the South East admit paying for their child’s driving lessons.

Railnews

• RMT announces Bank Holiday strike on VT East Coast The RMT has named strike days on Virgin Trains East Coast in a dispute over jobs, working conditions and safety. All VTEC RMT members, except those working on maintenance at depots, are now set to walk out for 24 hours by not booking on for duty between 03.00 on 19, 26 and 29 August until 02.59 the following day. The union claims that nearly 200 jobs are threatened by staffing cuts.

Other News Sources

• Operation Stack plans must solve future road problems in KentAs the consultation for plans to build a major new lorry area in Kent to tackle disruption caused by Operation Stack was launched today, the ...
• Hundreds respond to Cambridge congestion planExpress city bus services from villages, late night Park & Ride and free work breakfasts for cyclists - these are just some of the ideas being put forward to help tackle congestion in Cambridge.
• Stansted Airport welcomes over 2.3 million passengers in JulyThe Balearics, Dublin, Edinburgh and Rome top the favourite destinations list as Stansted Airport welcomes over 2.3 million passengers in July, up 6.6% on the same month last year.