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

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

BBC News

• Could microwaves rid rail lines of leaves?A UK company has come up with a new technique to remove leaf residue from railway lines. The new microwave technology is being trialled.
• City of Derry Airport: Ryanair flight to London axedLow cost airline Ryanair is to axe its Londonderry to London route - leaving the city without a direct flight to the English capital.
• HS2 'needs realistic timetable' say MPsThe HS2 rail link needs a

Financial Times

• Khan launches plan to boost black cabsFoI figures show rivals edging taxis out of the market

The Guardian

• HS2 project's costs and timetable in urgent need of clarity, MPs warnParliament and public ‘still in the dark’ about high-speed rail project’s future, public accounts committee report saysUrgent clarity is needed over the future of £55bn HS2 high-speed rail project, MPs have warned, criticising the “significant uncertainty” faced by local communities as the government deliberates.

The Herald

• Ministers fire warning over Glasgow Airport rail link costs and plans as project row intensifiesTHE row over the proposed rail link to Glasgow Airport has intensified with ministers accusing councils behind the project of failing to produce solid plans.

The Huffington Post

• Manchester Floods Sees Airport Affected And Champions League City Match Postponed Parts of Manchester have been flooded after a thunderstorm hit the city on what in some parts of the UK has been the hottest day of the year. Manchester is under water! pic.twitter.com/6OQxnypxlk— Kathy Murray (@KMJMurray) September 13, 2016 Photos on social media show the city’s airport and high street submerged in inches of water. Standard Manchester weather.... #Manchester #floods pic.twitter.com/IjCZlwUsBX— Rebecca Lamb (@Becca_Lamb) September 13, 2016 Stuck in primark #Manchester #foods pic.twitter.com/FqqKAtepar— Andy Howarth (@AndyHowarthPT) Sep...

The Telegraph

• HS2 rail link could slow down other trains on the line, MPs warn
• Heavy rain turns Manchester's tram line into canal

Mail Online

• New HS2 rail project is �7billion over budget and at least a year late Phase one from London to the West Midlands will not be finished until December 2027, while phase two from the West Midlands to Manchester and Leeds is over budget, the report said.
• Brunel-designed railway station among 10 most endangered historic buildings in UK This year is the first time that the list of endangered historic buildings, which includes Johnny Vegas's old school in Cheshire (pictured), does not feature any from London or the South East.

Birmingham Mail

• Major Midland Metro delays following "power outage" in storms Tram services between Wolverhampton and Grand Central were suspended earlier
• Birmingham on track with �1bn HS2-fuelled investment Prime Minister confirms bumper injection of capital in major regeneration project surrounding the future HS2 station in Birmingham's Eastside district
• Plan to open HS2 high speed rail service in 2026 'may not be realistic' The HS2 line between London and Birmingham could be delayed by a year - and the Department for Transport must make a decision, say MPs.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Airbus tests inspection drones to speed up production process The aerospace giant is testing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to perform visual inspections

London Evening Standard

• Sadiq Khan plans 100 new London taxi ranks to help black cab drivers compete with UberSadiq Khan has announced a raft of measures to help the capital's black cab trade compete against Uber, including increasing taxi ranks and opening up more bus lanes.
• Southern Rail commuters given boost as 50 trains return to serviceBeleaguered Southern Rail commuters were offered some relief today as the company announced it is reinstating 50 of the services axed two months ago.
• London weather: Commuters swelter in 'unbearable' 35C heat on rush hour trainsLondoners sweltered in temperatures hotter than Mexico today as soaring temperatures made rush hour buses and Tubes "unbearable".
• Charing Cross: Commuter chaos as Southeastern Rail services delayed and cancelled on hottest day of the yearSoutheastern Rail commuters faced chaos as trains through Charing Cross faced severe delays and cancellations on the hottest September day for 100 years.
• Delta Airlines plane forced to land at Heathrow an hour into flight after 'hitting a bird'A Delta Airlines flight from Heathrow Airport was forced to make an emergency landing an hour after take-off when it "hit a bird and started making a very loud metallic sound".

Wales Online

• Here's what it's like getting from Cardiff to Bristol by train when the Severn Tunnel is closed The closure means hundreds of commuters now face long delays  - I decided to see find out just how frustrating it can be
• Campaign launched to rename Cardiff Airport after Princess Diana A petition for the name change is being considered by the Welsh Government
• This Cardiff train station is one of Britain's most endangered historic buildingsThe Grade II-listed Old Bute Road Railway Station in Cardiff Bay was home to the first steam-powered train service in Wales

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Doubts over HS2 plans need to be settled, ministers toldMinisters must set out a realistic timetable for delivering the High Speed 2 rail project, MPs have warned.
• Leeds taxi and private hire firms ‘treat disabled people as second-class citizens’Disabled people in Leeds are being treated like “second-class citizens” by taxi and private hire firms, a campaigner has claimed.

Reading Evening Post

• Reading rail passengers face long delays due to signalling failure No trains are running between Reading station and Guildford today

C.N.N.

• Plane skids down runway, tears off landing gearAn Indonesian cargo plane slammed into the runway and skidded for just under a mile (1 kilometer) tearing off its landing gear, while attempting to land on Tuesday.

Buying Business Travel

• Emirates welcomes former Malaysia CEO to top digital roleChristoph Mueller appointed chief digital and innovation officer
• Gatwick calls Commission data ‘flawed’ as long-haul traffic soarsAirport passes 42 million annual passenger mark
• Special report: Airlines prioritise digital strategyAirline bosses have stressed the “crucial” importance of digital strategy for the health of their businesses

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• More minibuses to help elderly and disabled in isolated areasUp to �2 million will be pumped into providing more minibuses for schools and community groups. The minibuses will improve the everyday lives of people in rural communities by providing vital links to medical services, shops, and social events, often for elderly residents, people with disabilities or those who do not have access to commercial bus services. This money marks the second round of community minibus funding from the Department for Transport and comes from an overall funding pot of �25 million. The initial round of funding will pay for more than 350 minibuses, benefitting more than 3...

Rail Technology Magazine

• DfT eyes 'more generous' compensation for Southern usersRail minister Paul Maynard said he is “determined” to resolve the issues with Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR’s) beleaguered services alongside transport secretary Chris Grayling, and is expected to make a “timely announcement” on more generous compensation for...
• Rail freight sector must do more to 'sell its collective benefits'The rail freight industry must do more to ‘sell’ its benefits as it faces challenges such as a lack of network capacity, the DfT’s rail freight strategy has said. The report notes: “The rail freight industry has many potential benefits for customers and for the UK as a...

Railnews

• 'Passionate' DfT minister launches major railfreight strategy A new report from the Department for Transport has signalled an increasingly important role for railfreight, partly because of environmental concerns. It says the sector must also be ready to innovate, because its markets are changing rapidly, and improve its methods of communicating the advantages of rail.
• MPs voice fresh concerns about HS2 A new report from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee about HS2 concedes that some progress has been made since the Committee virtually condemned the project in 2013, when it had said a high speed line would simply attract more businesses to London at the expense of provincial cities, but concerns remain about the costs and construction timetable. The Committee highlights 'uncertainties' about the scheme, and questions whether Phase 1 will open as planned in 2026.

Aviation Industry

• Airlines say scheduling block time changes mask system inefficiencies The notion that US airline flight arrival times are becoming more reliable is misleading because carriers are increasing schedule block times to account for air traffic control (ATC) inefficiencies, the CEOs of American Airlines and JetBlue Airways said. read more
• Airline system complexity makes them uniquely vulnerable to IT meltdowns Major IT meltdowns like those that occurred this summer at Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, bringing down their entire reservations systems for days, are not indicative of underlying infrastructure problems, but are related to the necessary complexity of airline systems, the chairman and CEO of American Airlines said Tuesday. read more
• Southwest CEO: TSA has made ‘remarkable progress’ on checkpoint waits The crisis of extremely long lines at US airport security checkpoints has largely been alleviated, Southwest Airlines chairman, president and CEO Gary Kelly said. read more

Other News Sources

• Leaked documents show Heathrow third runway decision could be decided in free cabinet voteLeaked Whitehall document reveals Theresa May could allow MPs to vote as they please on the third runway decision - bit it has made campaigners angry
• Port Talbot transport hub moves forwardA £5.3 million integrated transport hub in Port Talbot has been given the green light by the Welsh Government. The hub, which will be a focal point for the area, will be located adjacent to the rebuilt Parkway station. It is jointly funded by £2.7 million from the Welsh Government and £2.5 million from the European Regional Development Fund.
• Petition launched against bus cuts after Abellio announced services would be withdrawn Nine services will be withdrawn by Abellio at the end of the year
• South West Trains delays: Disruption between Weybridge and Surbiton amid fears train tracks could buckleSouth West Trains were unable to call at Esher, Hersham and Walton while a safety inspection of the track was carried out
• FTA optimistic about rail freight futureThe Freight Transport Association (FTA) says it is optimistic that the Government’s new Rail Freight Strategy will incentivise the logistics ...
• Pyjama-clad families protest at railway station against Southern crisis PYJAMA-CLAD families protested to show how the poor train service makes them miss out on putting their children to bed.