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

Friday, 03 February 2017

BBC News

• Preferred site for Skelmersdale's first railway station revealedThe preferred location for a town's first railway station has been revealed. Lancashire County Council has earmarked land on the former Glenburn Sports College and Skelmersdale College.
• Cardiff Airport praised by Transport Secretary GraylingCardiff Airport - owned by the Welsh Government - is a great success, says UK transport secretary.
• Google's driverless cars make progressDriverless cars being tested in California by Google company Waymo needed less human action in 2016.
• Scottish ferry services 'could be nationalised'Ferry services in Scotland should be brought under government control if EU rules allow it, the transport minister says
• Motor insurance premiums hit record high, as cars go hi techComplex technology making repairs more expensive is contributing to the rise, insurers say.
• Brexit and falling pound boost UK luxury car salesMany of the world's wealthy are taking advantage of the fall in the value of the pound since the Brexit vote by buying luxury cars in the UK.
• Heathrow's third runway will mean 'more domestic airport links'More UK airports will have connecting flights to Heathrow if a new runway is built, the government says.

Financial Times

• Uber chief Kalanick quits Trump business councilCriticism grows from passengers and drivers angry at president’s immigration order
• Consultation starts over third Heathrow runwayCampaign group urges ministers to reject plan if downsides ‘too high’
• Southern agrees deal to end train drivers’ strikeRelief for commuters as Aslef settles long-running dispute over expanded role for drivers

The Guardian

• Southern rail and union agree deal to end strikes over driver-only trainsTrain operator reaches agreement with Aslef to end disruption, TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady announcesA deal has been agreed between Southern rail and the Aslef union to end their dispute over driver-only operated (DOO) trains, the TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, has announced.Details of the agreement reached in negotiations held at the TUC between operating company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and drivers’ union Aslef have yet to be announced, but Aslef appears to have conceded a key principle that a train can run in certain circumstances with only a driver on board. It is ...

The Huffington Post

• Southern Rail Strikes Could Be Over As Deal Struck With Drivers' Union Aslef A deal to end a bitter dispute between Southern Railway and Aslef over driver-only trains has been agreed. The two sides have been holding lengthy talks in a bid to resolve a long-running row which sparked a series of strikes. Around 1,000 drivers will now vote on the deal, bringing some relief to passengers who have suffered months of disruption because of industrial action and staff shortages. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union is still in dispute with Southern over changes to the role of conductors. The RMT announced it is to ballot workers on Merseyrail for industrial action over the ...

The Scotsman

• Heathrow expansion to give opportunities to Scottish airportsThe expansion of Heathrow will benefit airports across Scotland, Chris Grayling has said.
• Ferries may be taken back into public handsAll of Scotland’s £1 billion ferry services could be taken into public hands after a review into the current deal was announced by transport minister Humza Yousaf yesterday.

Times Online

• Thatcher was wrong: it’s the age of the train [subscription]Rail links rebuilt in response to demand boost growth, so why is the SNP focussing on roads?
• Heathrow growth depends on fewer cars and less noise [subscription]Heathrow will not be allowed to build a third runway unless it meets new targets on car journeys, aircraft noise and pollution under a government blueprint being published today.
• Airport extension could destroy 21 listed buildings [subscription]Expanding Heathrow would wreak havoc on the cultural landscape surrounding the airport, according to a Department of Transport report.
• Heathrow’s third runway may raise risk of a stroke [subscription]A third runway at Heathrow could harm the health of thousands of people while breaking air pollution limits for years, according to government analysis.

Reuters News

• Train drivers reach deal with Southern rail in long-running disputeLONDON (Reuters) - One of Britain's longest and most damaging rail strikes since the industry was privatised in the 1990s appeared to be heading for resolution on Thursday as management at Southern Rail and its drivers reached provisional agreement.

City AM

• We can’t wait for a new runway: Let's fast-track better rail connections to our airports - Sophie Dekkers (EasyJet)The government has already taken a crucial decision on future airport capacity by opting for a new runway at Heathrow. But it won’t be built for 15 years and so the shorter-term focus should be on how we maximise existing capacity.

Mail Online

• UK airports could help enforce Trump's 'Muslim ban' The US government is in talks with UK authorities to introduce what is known as 'pre-clearance' at Manchester, Edinburgh, and London Heathrow airports.
• Car insurance at a record high due to Osborne’s tax hike The average price paid in the final three months of last year for comprehensive cover was £462, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said – a jump of £22 on the previous quarter.
• The app that turns us all into parking informants The UK Car Park Management (CPM) app allows people to anonymously take a picture of the car and its number plate, send it to the company then collect the fee when it is paid.

Birmingham Post

• London Midland strike threat halted Trade union withdraws ballot of members after concerns were raised about external security contractors being placed on trains

Daily Post (North Wales)

• U-turn over Wrexham A483 roadworks as Welsh Government bow to pressure Economy Secretary Ken Skates confirms resurfacing will now only be carried out overnight because of  'traffic chaos' fears

London Evening Standard

• Children at risk from toxic air 'if Heathrow expansion goes ahead without curbs'Children will be particularly vulnerable to more toxic air generated by Heathrow expansion if mitigation measures are not put in place, a Government study said today.
• Relief for hundreds of thousands of commuters as Southern rail reaches deal with unionSouthern rail has agreed a deal with the Aslef union preventing any further strikes by train drivers, bringing desperately needed relief to more than 300,000 commuters.
• Letters to the editor: Mayor gets it right on Tube staffingWhile I, like many thousands of Londoners, have been greatly inconvenienced by the Tube strikes,
• Transport Secretary Chris Grayling says Heathrow expansion will be good for ScotlandThe Transport Secretary has said the expansion of Heathrow will benefit airports in Scotland.
• British Airways vows all customers will be able to fly to destinations from London despite cabin crew strikeBritish Airways has promised all customers will be able to fly to their destinations from London during a second wave of cabin crew strikes planned for next week.

Wales Online

• New design shows how Cardiff’s multi-million pound Central Square could now look when it's finished... Arriva Trains Wales has also raised concerns about the removal of 42 spaces at the Saunders Road car park. Those spaces will be relocated.
• Network Rail is moving to a larger headquarters building in WalesThe organisation, which is responsible for maintaining and upgrading the UK's rail network on behalf of the Westminster Government, has signed up to the refurbished 51,000 sq ft St Patrick's House in the centre of the city.

Blackpool Gazette

• ‘I’ve never been so embarrassed’ Steve Morrissey thought he’d landed a great deal booking a train ticket from Lancaster to London for £93 - when the price from Preston was £350. Read more at: http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/i-ve-never-been-so-embarrassed-1-8368722

East Anglian Daily Times

• Multi-million pound funding boost for Essex transport and education projectsTwo education schemes in Colchester have been awarded £7million of Government cash.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Aslef and GTR provisionally agree to end Southern rowRail drivers’ union Aslef and Southern owners Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) have reached a provisional agreement which could potentially end the pair’s long-running dispute and relieve pressure on the beleaguered franchise. Aslef, alongside fellow rail union RMT, have spent recent...

Railway Gazette

• Vivarail releases report into D-Train fireUK: On February 2 Vivarail released a report into a fire on its prototype Class 230 D-Train diesel...

Aviation Industry

• US carriers ask incoming cabinet to review Open Skies policyThe three US network carriers wasted no time after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s confirmation before asking him to review the Open Skies policy and the subsidies they allege Gulf carriers illegally get from their national governments. read more
• Icelandair to hit top end of 2016 guidanceIcelandair is expecting to report a full-year EBITDA at the top end of its $210-$220 million revised guidance, but has warned that EBITDA will drop to $140-$150 million in 2017 because of volatile market conditions. read more
• IATA: Air passenger traffic rebounded in 2H 2016; up 6.3% overallWorldwide air passenger traffic increased an overall 6.3% in 2016, as passengers wary of traveling in the first half of the year pushed demand to a nearly 9% annual growth pace between June and December, according to IATA’s full-year Air Passenger Market Analysis. read more
• Mitsubishi Aircraft changes leadership following latest MRJ delayMitsubishi Aircraft Corp. parent company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has installed two of its executives at the top of the leadership structure of its subsidiary producing the MRJ, the Japanese regional jet that has been beset by multiple program delays. read more
• ANALYSIS: Etihad-Lufthansa relationship spurred by market conditionsThe new commercial partnership announced this week between Etihad and Lufthansa is seen by senior executives of both groups as a first-step towards a deeper relationship. How it gets there will depend on several factors, including the market environment, attitudes towards open skies and the Gulf carriers, and who replaces James Hogan as head of the Etihad Group. read more

Green Miscellany

• Future rail travel: ‘broadband for transportation’As the debate in Britain over the high-speed rail project HS2 continues to simmer, in America, the billionaire inventor and entrepreneur Elon Musk has turned his attention to rail travel of the near future and a high-speed connection between Los Angeles and San Francisco code-named Hyperloop One – a 800 mph-concept referred to as “a cross between a Concorde, a… The post Future rail travel: ‘broadband for transportation’ appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• Southern Rail strikes: Union comes to agreement with operator over driver-only trainsThe train drivers' union came to an agreement with Southern operator Govia-Thameslink Railway on Thursday, which will be put to a referendum
• British Airways cabin crew strike: Airline vows ALL passengers will get to destinations during second wave of industrial actionCabin staff will walkout over February 9-11 in a row over pay - but BA says it will get all passengers to their destinations
• Eastbourne MP on Southern agreement: ‘We’re not out the woods yet’ Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell has praised the deal today (Thursday, February 2) between the train driver’s union and Southern Rail, calling it ‘real progress’ – but she says ‘we are not quite out of the woods yet’.