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

Friday, 10 March 2017

BBC News

• East Coast Main Line 'normal' after power cable damageThere were lengthy delays on Thursday after overhead power cables were damaged.
• Passenger-carrying drone converts to carPlane-maker Airbus reveals a future travel concept that would fly people through cities.
• Transport and agriculture sectors 'should cut emissions'Some of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases have the lowest climate change targets, according to a report.
• London mayor Sadiq Khan launches low-emission bus zone‎Putney High Street exceeded hourly legal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on 1,248 occasions in 2016.

The Guardian

• East coast mainline passengers told to delay travel after service disruptionVirgin Trains East Coast and Grand Central services affected by damage to overhead electric wires between Retford and Newark North GateRail passengers using the east coast mainline have been advised to delay their journeys until Friday in the wake of major disruption to services.The problems were caused by damage to overhead electric wires between Retford and Newark North Gate early on Thursday afternoon. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Passengers stranded after ferry crew ‘fail breath tests’Paul Graham was among those waiting to board the 7am Caledonian MacBrayne vessel from Port Ellen, Islay, to Kennacraig on Tuesday when the sailing was cancelled.

The Huffington Post

• Could ‘Willy Wonka’ Services Help Future-Proof Our City Transport Systems?It’s 5.30pm and rush hour is in full swing on the London Underground. As we pile onto the escalator, battle to be one of the lucky few to get on the approaching train, and concertina ourselves into any small available space in the carriage, it’s hard to comprehend that this was once a first-class service

Times Online

• City slams the brakes on new 20mph zones [subscription]Councils were urged to suspend the national introduction of 20mph zones yesterday after research in one of Britain’s biggest cities found little evidence that lower speed limits greatly reduced accidents.
• HS2 delay feared after rival bidder fights award of work to US firm [subscription]Crucial High Speed Two design and planning could be delayed for months after it was confirmed that the recent appointment of an American consultancy to a key project management role has come under legal challenge.

Mail Online

• Italian bridge collapses onto highway killing two people An overpass has collapsed onto Italy's main Adriatic coast highway, crushing a car and killing Emidio "Mimmo" Diomedi, 60, and his wife Antonella Viviani, 54, an Italian couple married 36 years.

The Mirror

• British Airways pilot 'takes part in safety demo due to lack of cabin crew on board 747'Passengers reportedly watched on in horror as the pilot joined flight attendants as the flight taxied towards the runway

Birmingham Post

• Smart tickets available on all Midland rail services by next year Chancellor Philip Hammond says passengers will be able to use smart cards instead of traditional tickets on Midland rail lines by the end of 2018
• Midlands Connect launches 25-year vision to improve region's transport Report has been 18 months in the planning and highlights key projects which are aiming to boost connectivity across the Midlands

Bolton News

• Coach firm loses battle over depot that 'destroyed' residents' quality of life A COACH firm has been refused permission to retain the use of a site in Farnworth as a depot.

London Evening Standard

• Sadiq Khan attacks 'childish' Chris Grayling over rail devolutionSadiq Khan reignited his row with Chris Grayling today by accusing the Transport Secretary of "churlish, petty and childish" behaviour over the devolution of suburban rail.
• Crossrail 2 fears grow as it fails to get a mention from ChancellorThe Chancellor's failure to mention Crossrail 2 in his Budget has increased fears that ministers are going cold on the plans.

Northern Echo

• £30m transport plans branded ‘outrageous’ PLANS to improve North-East transport links represent an “outrageous” regional divide and do not match the area’s requirements, it was claimed.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Bus company offers passengers a say on Leeds service timetablesBus passengers in Leeds have been given the chance to say how their services can be made more reliable.

Other Regional Press

• If you thought Manchester Airport was hectic then here's the reason whyIt is continuing to break its own passenger records after more than 26 million passengers passed through the airport over the last 12 months.

Buying Business Travel

• Budget 2017: industry ‘disappointed’ over lack of action on APDConcerns from business travel leaders over 'post-Brexit' economy

Rail Technology Magazine

• Where next for the D-train?Adrian Shooter, chair of Vivarail and former chair of Chiltern Railways, discusses the future of the company's Class 230, after the recent fire incident during testing at Christmas.
• Smart ticketing available on Midland services by end of 2018The government has launched its Midlands Engine strategy that outlines plans to boost the transport infrastructure of the region with £392m worth of new funding aimed at growing the economy of the Midlands. The plan promised to make the most of the Midlands’ central location in the...
• Metrolink director Cushing steps down on high noteThe head of Manchester’s Metrolink, Peter Cushing, has stepped down from his role in the company, handing over leadership to his deputy Danny Vaughan. The news comes the week after work was completed on Metrolink’s Second City Crossing extension of the light rail network through...
• NSAR welcomes ambitious T-level plans for vocational educationFurther investment will be put into technical education with the introduction of ‘T-Levels’ that were announced yesterday in the Spring Budget. The new programme is designed as an alternative to the further education routes into technical careers like engineering, and will increase...

Railway Gazette

• Léman Express moves closerEUROPE: During a ‘summit’ between the two railways held in Paris on March 9, SBB CEO Andreas Meyer...
• UK railway news round-upOn March 3 the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee published its 'Modernising the Great...

Aviation Industry

• Rockwell Collins, B/E Aerospace shareholders approve mergerRockwell Collins and B/E Aerospace each said their respective shareholders had approved the companies’ merger. read more
• Embraer doubles net profit in 2016Embraer earned net income of $167.8 million in 2016, more than doubling a net profit of $80.8 million in 2015, as the company delivered seven more commercial aircraft in 2016 versus 2015. read more

Other News Sources

• WALES SIGNS HEATHROW PARTNERSHIP DEALThe Welsh Government has signed an agreement with Heathrow Airport designed to identify mutually beneficial commercial opportunities to support economic growth.
• Segro buys remaining stake in Heathrow property portfolio for £365mProperty developer Segro has bought the remaining 50% stake in the Airport Property Partnership (APP) joint venture it does not already own from Aviva Group Entities for £365m.
• Ban night flights at Heathrow airport, says MP Greg HandsChelsea and Fulham MP Greg Hands has urged transport chiefs to impose a ban on all night flights at Heathrow airport.
• Over 16s hit by huge 133% increase in school transport costs as council saves £150k a year SIXTH form students in Bedford borough will be hit with a massive 133 per cent increase in school transport costs from September - sparking claims there is a 'barrier to education' in the borough.
• Brexit sector focus: transportHow UK companies get goods to and from the Continent in the future will be a matter for the EU negotiations – and changes to border controls and customs could impact transport efficiency
• Transport for the North: international connectivity is key to our successThe Independent International Connectivity Commission Report says that better transport infrastructure in the north is a national necessity.