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

Monday, 05 December 2016

BBC News

• 'No plans' for free M6 Toll road, says governmentThe government says it has 'no plans' to spend about �1bn on buying the M6 Toll road in order to make it free for users.
• Dangerous drivers who kill could face life in prisonMotorists who cause death by dangerous or careless driving could get life in prison under new plans.
• Southern Rail and London Underground strikes 'chaos' warningCommuters are warned to brace themselves for travel
• Apple reveals self-driving car plansApple acknowledges plans to build a self-driving car for the first time in a letter to US transport regulators.

The Guardian

• Apple confirms it is working on self-driving carsFirm reveals secret project in statement to US highways regulator, two years after rumours of its interest began to circulateApple has said for the first time that it is working on technology to develop self-driving cars.The company, which has been rumoured to be interested in the automated car market for the past two years, confirmed its previously secret initiative in a statement to the US highways regulator. Continue reading...
• Campaigners welcome plan for killer drivers to face life sentencesMotorists who cause death by dangerous or careless driving could get longer prison terms under plans unveiled by ministersDangerous drivers who kill while using a mobile phone at the wheel could face life sentences under plans unveiled by ministers, bringing the punishment in line with those charged with manslaughter. Motorists who cause death by speeding or street racing, or through careless driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, could also be handed life sentences if proposals to increase the 14-year limit for the offence are adopted. Continue reading...

The Independent

• Eurostar gave the bluntest response when asked what the benefits of Brexit areThe operators of the famed channel tunnel train, the historic rail link between the British Isles and mainland Europe, aren't feel positive about Brexit.

The Scotsman

• Scottish Government ‘should set a date to scrap petrol cars’Scotland needs a “revolution” in zero-carbon transport on its roads if it is to meet demanding emissions targets, including a deadline for banning all petrol and diesel engines, environmentalists and businesses have said.
• Top doctors call for complete ban on smoking in carsDoctors’ leaders have called for an outright ban on smoking in cars as new laws are brought in today to protect children from second-hand smoke.

The Telegraph

• Virgin Galactic’s space programme moves forward as SpaceShipTwo carries out first successful glide test 
• Travel chaos on the way as Southern rail walkout coincides with tube strike�
• End of motorway roadworks misery: strict speed limits scrapped and works shortened in government crackdown

Times Online

• Apple comes clean on its self-drive car [subscription]It was the Silicon Valley secret everybody knew about. Now Apple has finally made public its ambitions to build self-driving cars.
• Blighted commuters have suffered enough [subscription]‘Gaily into Ruislip Gardens runs the red electric train . . . ” Betjeman captured commuting as a civilised thing; breadwinning heroes heading home with elbow room enough to read a broadsheet, chugging serenely through the suburbs, back in time for a gin and bitter lemon before dinner.

City AM

• House prices are already shooting up along the Elizabeth lineProperty prices along the much-anticipated Elizabeth line - also known as Crossrail - are already shooting up.

Daily Record

• ScotRail's 'new' fleet of trains are so old the engines have already appeared in railway museumDutch Firm Abellio is rolling out 26 refurbished trains in 2018 in a bid to increase passenger capacity with the InterCity 125's first introduced in 1976.

Mail Online

• This is your captain speaking, I'm not actually on the plane: Engineers developing pilotless aircraft that flies itself using computers while being monitored from the ground Engineers at BAE Systems have launched a series of test flights in which the high-tech prototype flies by itself using computers while being monitored by operators sitting 15,000ft below it.
• Now Apple invests in driverless cars: Firm finally admits spending 'heavily' on the technology following years of speculation Having made billions from bringing iPhones, iPods and iPads to the masses, Apple is racing to bring self-driving cars to the roads and has admitted it is investing 'heavily' in the project.
• Why December 5 is the most dangerous date on the roads: More accidents occur today than any other day of the year� Monday is the most dangerous day of the year to be on Britain's roads because more accidents occur on December 5 than any other day, according to a new study.

Birmingham Post

• Pledge for action on West Midlands rail fares after hike The pledge came as the rail industry announced that commuters faced an average price hike of 2.3 per cent from January 2 – despite major problems with delays, over crowded carriages and obscure pricing policies.
• Ryanair launches package holiday service and promises 'lowest prices' in UK Dublin-based airline said holidaymakers have been overcharged for years and promised to 'transform travel industry'

London Evening Standard

• London Underground fined £500k after engineer plunged 30ft down lift shaft at disused Tube stationLondon Underground has been fined £500,000 after a maintenance worker was left seriously injured when he plunged more than 30ft down a lift shaft at a disused Tube station.
• Last-ditch talks to avoid Tube strike on Piccadilly Line as Londoners face days of travel chaosLast ditch talks will be held on Monday to avoid a Tube strike which could cripple the Piccadilly Line as Londoners brace themselves for days of travel chaos.
• Revealed: Where in London you're most likely to have your bicycle stolenLondoners are most likely to have their bicycles stolen from the thronging square outside Westfield Stratford City, it has emerged.

Manchester Evening News

• Speeding tram driver sacked after taking bend at nearly three times the track limitThe tram swayed to such a degree that three passengers suffered minor injuries

Sheffield Star

• Faster speed limit through motorway roadworks trialled in South YorkshireFaster speed limits through motorway roadworks are being trialled in South Yorkshire in a bid to reduce delays while routes are improved and repaired.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Necessary or nuisance? Your views on Wolverhampton Railway Station road closure There has been a mixed reaction to the news that the main route to Wolverhampton’s busy railway station is set to close.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• New stations at airport and White Rose in Leeds’ £270m transport shake-upLandmark plans to build a new station serving Leeds Bradford Airport have been revealed as part of a £270m transport investment by city leaders.

Yorkshire Post

• Promise of better trains as Selby to Hull rail upgrade cancelledTHE RAIL Minister claims passengers on one of Yorkshire’s major railways will receive a better – and potentially faster – service after electrification plans were controversially dropped.
• New stations at airport and White Rose in Leeds’ £270m transport shake-upLandmark plans to build a new station serving Leeds Bradford Airport have been revealed as part of a £270m transport investment by city leaders.
• Paul Maynard: Why I will not electify Hull to Selby railway routeTHIS is an edited version of a letter sent by Rail Minister Paul Maynard to David Davis, Haltemprice and Howden MP, following a constituent’s complaint about the Government dropping plans to electrify the Selby to Hull route.

Kent Online

• Southeastern launches new Oyster card style scheme for travellersTrain passengers using Southeastern services will be able to swap their paper season ticket for an Oyster card-style pass from today.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Train operator announces delay compensation extension, but campaigners say sort service out firstAs passengers face a new round of fare rises, an East Anglia rail operator has pledged to extend its compensation scheme for late or cancelled services.

Other Regional Press

• Communicating with a bus driver can be a nightmare for disabled in GlasgowConfusion can ensue for both passenger and driver when someone visually impaired, deaf or with another disability boards a bus. Card scheme aims to tackle that.
• Derbyshire council chiefs pull funding for ‘lifeline’ bus serviceDerbyshire County Council has announced that the money it gives to Dial-a-Bus - currently £689,000 - will be withdrawn from October 2017.
• Electrifying work makes ‘noisy’ progressWork to electrify one of Waltham Forest’s key commuter routes is making steady progress, according to Network Rail.
• Southeastern launches Oyster Card-style pass called The KayKent commuters will today be able to use a new paperless ticket alternative.
• Cambridge branded bike theft capital and rail station ranked third worst cycle theft hotspotCriminals swiped 2,173 cycles in 12 months - streets within the city account for 13 of the top 100 bike theft hotspots

Bus and Coach.com

• Latest Live Edition 2 December 2016
• Backing for Glasgow TramTrain proposal
• DVSA reviews Driver CPC part 4 test
• Yellow Buses invests �1.3million on new double-decks
• Hydrogen fuel cell double-deck debut from Wrightbus
• Exchange rate fall leads to 18 per cent increase in operator financial standing requirements
• York scales back electric bus ambitions

Railway Gazette

• Sepura TETRA integrated with Siemens ETCSTETRA: Sepura Group business Teltronic has announced the successful completion of integration of...

The Business Desk

• New rail stations part of £270m Leeds transport plans New rail stations part of £270m Leeds transport plansA NEW parkway rail link for Leeds Bradford Airport and two new stations have been announced as part of "transformational" transport plans for Leeds.

Other News Sources

• Trains to Leeds Bradford Airport? New plans announcedA new parkway railway station could connect Leeds Bradford Airport to the Harrogate rail line as part of new multi-million pound transport plans.
• MP launches 'scathing attack' on HS2 about treatment of constituentsThe MP for Chesham and Amersham has been standing up to HS2 on behalf of her constituents.
• Train compensation scheme "does not go far enough" LONG-SUFFERING commuters have reacted with fury to news that train fares are to rise next year.