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

Friday, 16 September 2016

BBC News

• Train derailed near Watford JunctionA train has derailed near Watford Junction, operator London Midland has confirmed.
• Northern Powerhouse: George Osborne to chair new think tankGeorge Osborne will
• Tesla criticised over Autopilot safetyTesla has been criticised by a former business partner for
• A5 road: Campaign group launch second legal challengeA campaign group opposed to the A5 road scheme linking Londonderry and Aughnacloy has launched a second legal challenge to the project.
• Dublin Bus strike: Notice served of 13 extra days of industrial actionTrade unions serve notice of an extra 13 days of strikes by Dublin Bus workers between now and the end of October.
• United Airlines bailout: MLAs told �9m rescue package 'irregular'A �9m rescue package to prevent US airline United ending its daily service between Belfast and New York has been described by a NI top civil servant as 'irregular'.
• City of Derry Airport: Stormont funding package agreedThe NI Executive agrees a multimillion funding package to support City of Derry airport.
• Tube drivers in 24-hour strike over 'heavy-handed' bossesTube drivers on London's Hammersmith & City and Circle lines begin a a 24-hour strike.
• Seven buses destroyed in Greenock depot fireSeven buses are destroyed in a deliberate fire at a depot in Greenock, Inverclyde.
• Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.9 million vehicles over air bag defectCar maker Fiat Chrysler is to recall 1.9 million vehicles over an air bag defect linked to three deaths and five injuries.
• Blackrock to sue VW over emissions scandalOne of the world's largest asset managers and a group of institutional investors are to sue car maker Volkswagen for €2bn over its emissions scandal.

The Guardian

• George Osborne to chair Northern Powerhouse PartnershipFormer chancellor could lobby old department on behalf of new government-backed body that will press for devolutionGeorge Osborne will continue his argument for devolution to Manchester and the surrounding area as he takes up a new job as chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.The new body, whose creation has been backed by the government, will bring together business and local politicians to commission research, share ideas, and lobby Whitehall to press ahead with devolution. Continue reading...
• The Tunnel Through Time by Gillian Tindall review – the treasures Crossrail has uncoveredFrom Tyburn to Smithfield, country houses to slums, with many burial grounds along the way … an energetic historian of the capital has described the marvels freshly revealedThe Crossrail project is proving to be quite an adventure. Even those of with little interest in engineering will have marvelled at the TV pictures of the irresistible monsters carving through London clay 30 metres deep, or the microsurgery in steel and concrete necessary to negotiate the jungle of tunnels while irreplaceable old buildings teetered on the edge of the Crossrail pit. A notable, solid achievement of the Blair ...
• Malaysia confirms debris found near Tanzania is from missing MH370 jetTransport minister says large outboard flap discovered on Pemba island in June belongs to Boeing 777 aircraftA large piece of debris discovered on the island of Pemba, off the coast of Tanzania, in June was from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370. A search of more than two years has turned up few traces of the Boeing 777 aircraft that disappeared in March 2014, with 239 passengers and crew on board, soon after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, bound for Beijing. Continue reading...
• Heathrow expansion must be consigned to dustbin, says Boris JohnsonThe foreign secretary has branded much-discussed Heathrow expansion a ‘fantasy’ destined for the ‘dustbin’The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has branded Heathrow expansion a “fantasy” destined for the “dustbin”.The remarks came after the former mayor of London was excluded from the key Cabinet committee that will decide on airport expansion in what was seen as a potential signal that Theresa May will approve a new runway at Heathrow. Continue reading...
• Going underground: Crossrail's tunnels open to public in Open House weekendSeven sites on rail project will be visited by 900 people as part of London architecture event which sees more than 750 buildings open for freeThe giant tunnels of the Crossrail project in London are already feats of global engineering history and, this weekend, the public will have the rare chance to see the subterranean spectacle before the service becomes operational in 2018.Seven different sites, including Canary Wharf, Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road will be open to 900 members of the public as part of the annual Open House architecture event. Continue reading...
• MH370: debris found in Madagascar in June still not collected by MalaysiaIndependent investigator Blaine Gibson says six pieces remain with island authorities and have not yet been analysed for links to missing aircraftDebris thought to be from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been languishing in storage for months awaiting collection by Malaysian authorities, prompting questions about the ongoing search effort. Related: Scorched debris could suggest missing MH370 plane suffered fire Continue reading...

The Herald

• Councils told to deliver on Glasgow Airport rail link proposalsThe councils promoting a rail link to Glasgow Airport should get on with delivering it, Economy Secretary Keith Brown has told MSPs.
• Wave of cabbies removed from the road over rape and attempted murder allegationsA TAXI driver accused of the attempted murder of a pedestrian by driving over them and a cabbie facing charges of raping a passenger after a fare dispute have been removed from the road.

The Scotsman

• Debris found in Tanzania confirmed as part of missing MH370A wing flap that washed ashore on an island off Tanzania has been identified as belonging to missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Australian officials said Thursday.

The Telegraph

• George Osborne launches Northern Powerhouse thinktank with support of Theresa May
• Under fire Southern Rail�shortlisted for 'Passengers Matter' award
• Hero bus driver saves 20 children from fire
• Four women thrown off Ibiza flight after 'shouting racist slurs and abusing passengers'
• Boris Johnson says Heathrow should be 'consigned to the dustbin' ahead of decision on airport expansion

Times Online

• Drivers add 13 strike days as dispute worsens [Subscription]Hundreds of thousands of commuters are facing weeks of disruption as Dublin Bus drivers step up their strike action in a deepening pay dispute.

Daily Record

• Dramatic scenes show chaos for drivers on busy M8 motorway after vehicle transporter catches fire FOOTAGE of the blazing vehicle has been captured by Twitter user Matt Tildesley.
• Seven buses destroyed after fire rips through bus depot in Inverclyde EMERGENCY services were called to the Baker Street depot at about 1am to find a number of vehicles ablaze.

Mail Online

• RMT union launches new 24-hour Tube strike in a row over toilet breaks Union leaders have said Transport for London has�a 'flagrant disregard' for the welfare of staff and�agreed policies and procedures on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines.
• Bali ferry carrying 40 passengers including British tourists explodes killing two foreigners and injuring 14 An Austrian woman has died and at least 14 foreigners are injured after a ferry exploded while travelling from East Bali to the Gili Islands.
• Terrifying moment passengers are trapped on a runaway double-decker bus as it rolls down a hill and crashes into a wall after the driver forgot to put the HANDBRAKE on� Helpless passengers were trapped on a runaway double-decker bus as it rolled down a hill in Torrington, north Devon, before ploughing into the wall of a residential property.
• Boris Johnson calls for return of Royal Yacht Britannia as floating embassy for trade deals The UK Foreign Secretary is considering plans to recommission the vessel and use it to host trade deals around the globe in a bid to boost the economy following Brexit.

The Mirror

• Motorists using mobile phones while driving face clampdown after public outcry Drivers making illegal calls or sending text messages while driving face tough penalties after Mirror launches campaign after shock findings of 'deadly epidemic' on our roads

This is Money

• Built in Britain — the car that could conquer America: Brexit boost as Honda makes UK its 'global hub'  Honda announced the plan to reduce its dependence on the Continent as it unveiled its new five-door Civic family hatchback with its Swindon factory as the global production hub.

Network Rail

• Apprenticeship boost as Network Rail offers 140 new opportunitiesNetwork Rail expands its award winning Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme and pledges to recruit 140 new apprentices to start training in March 2017.

Birmingham Post

• Prime Minister urged to support regional airport expansion Business and political leaders from across West Midlands signed letter to Theresa May ahead of landmark decision on whether to expand airport capacity in the South East

Bolton News

• Speed limit to be reduced on stretch of busy Bolton road A STRETCH of a busy Bolton road is to have its speed limit reduced.

London Evening Standard

• Commuters face strike chaos 'because Tube bosses are timing drivers' toilet breaks with a stopwatch'More than 600,000 Tube commuters face travel chaos with train drivers on two lines set to walk out in a dispute dubbed the toilet break strike.
• One in three trains run by operator of Southern were late in four week periodNearly one in three trains run by embattled operator of Southern failed to arrive on time in a month-long period this summer, new figures show.
• Sadiq Khan turns down captain's first class upgrade offer on flight to USSadiq Khan turned down an upgrade to first class on his British Airways flight to Montreal as he kicked off his six-day North American tour.
• British Airways plane bound for Heathrow makes emergency landing in France due to 'technical issue'A British Airways flight bound for Heathrow from Barcelona was forced to make an emergency stop in France this morning.
• Tube strike: Londoners react to 'toilet break' walk-outLondoners have reacted to the announcement Tube drivers are to walk out in a dispute dubbed the "toilet break" strike.

Manchester Evening News

• Car drives on to tram tracks - and into the entrance of Victoria Station The car got stuck on the tracks at the entrance to the station

The York Press

• Busy York road to close this Sunday and next A SECTION of Haxby Road will be closed for the next two Sundays, while it is resurfaced.
• Shoppers in one Yorkshire area to get free parking on 4 weekends SHOPPERS in East Yorkshire look set to be offered free parking in the run-up to Christmas once again this year to help give businesses a boost.

Wales Online

• No trains between Cardiff and Newport this weekend as rail line closes The line between Cardiff and Newport will be closed and a bus replacement will be in place
• Cardiff council are installing 50 new contactless payment machines for parking The authority says they are paying for them through bus lane fines

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Drivers warned to treat cyclists with respect or expect prosecutionDrivers have been warned to expect a ‘zero tolerance’ approach as details emerged of plans by West Midlands Police to improve the safety of cyclists.

Yorkshire Post

• Hammond ‘should give North £50bn for transport’CHANCELLOR PHILIP Hammond is under growing pressure to use his first Autumn Statement to announce major investment in better transport for the North.
• Questions for Network Rail over inaction on flood planA councillor has accused Network Rail of failing to deliver a project which would help the emergency services tackle flooding in a North Yorkshire town.
• Osborne launches think-tank for Northern PowerhouseFormer chancellor George Osborne will launch a new think-tank today amid fears his “Northern Powerhouse” project is losing steam.

Blackpool Gazette

• Jet2.com boss rules out planes ever returning to BlackpoolAirline Jet2.com has all but ruled out a return to Blackpool - even if the airport did reopen to commercial traffic.

Peterborough Telegraph

• East of England Ambulance service “at breaking point” following surge in serious incidentsThe number of serious incidents involving ambulance crews – including severe delays in responding to 999 calls and poor patient care – has soared by 20 per cent in just two years, prompting warnings that the service has reached “breaking-point”.

Other Regional Press

• Navy’s £6bn fleet of destroyers left stuck in UK portsBRITAIN’S £6bn fleet of naval destroyers is spending more time berthed in UK military ports than on active duty defending the nation, The News can reveal
• Flooding causes train delaysFlooding affected trains on the Portsmouth-Waterloo line today.
• Oxford college objects to bus turning plan in Queen Street pedestrianisation AN OXFORD college has objected to plans for a bus turning circle outside its Grade II-listed buildings.
• Still time to show your support during National Air Ambulance Week People are being urged to get involved and show their support during National Air Ambulance Week.
• Wigan roads a ‘hole’ lot betterMotorists needn’t expect such a bumpy ride on Wigan borough’s thoroughfares these days.
• Plans to axe gritting of widely-used roads are 'dangerous' and 'devastating' Cost-cutting plans to reduce gritting routes across Hertfordshire are “dangerous” and “devastating”, a councillor has warned.
• Rail replacement bus services to make a return to Swindon this weekend PASSENGERS hoping to travel by train this weekend will be in for a surprise as many services will be replaced by buses.
• Council investigating road condition at Bilbrook accident blackspot SOMERSET County Council says it is investigating the number of collisions occurring on the bends between Bilbrook and Withycombe Straight.
• Girl, aged 8, denied free bus seat forced to walk 2.7 miles to school AN eight-year-old girl is expected to trudge through lanes and across steep farmland, negotiating several blind spots, for more than an hour to get to and from school after being denied a free bus place.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Weekend services closed in Wales for mainline electrification workServices from Cardiff to Bristol will be disrupted this weekend by electrification work on the South Wales Main Line. The line between Cardiff and Newport will close from 17 September to the early hours of 19 September as Network Rail engineers demolish four bridges. Beresford Road Bridge in...

Other News Sources

• Five additional Abellio ScotRail fleets to offer high-quality Icomera Wi-FiIcomera is delighted to announce that more passengers and staff travelling with Abellio ScotRail will be able to take advantage of its Wi-Fi service from autumn this year.
• Bus speeds in decline as road congestion risesReport by David Begg warns that congestion could ‘destroy’ bus sector and calls for Bus Services Bill to respond with targets for average bus speeds   The report was commissioned by industry campaign group Greener Journeys   Buses are under threat from a growing congestion crisis on Britain’s roads as journey times rise and passengers are forced to seek alternative transport, a new analysis of local networks reveals. The findings are included in an updated report on congestion and its impact on bus services across the UK commissioned by industry campaign group Greener Journeys, which...
• Flood alerts in place as heavy rain and thunderstorms expected across SurreyFive alerts are in place across the county with the possibility of flooding of low lying areas, roads and surface water flooding
• Tube strike: Drivers to stage 24-hour walkout causing huge disruption for commuters Drivers on the Hammersmith and City line and Circle line will take industrial action on Friday over working conditions
• One-third of delays on Southern unaccounted for, MP reveals RAIL bosses cannot agree on or find the cause of one-third of delays on the Southern network.
• Economy Secretary outlines plan to support bus industryThe Economy and Infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates has today announced a five point plan to support the bus industry in Wales.