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

Saturday, 18 March 2017

BBC News

• 'Unfair' National Express Powys to London fares cutSome passengers pay double the cost of a trip to London compared to people getting on the same coach 60 miles earlier.
• Edd Hawkes: How I started extreme mountain unicyclingMountain unicyclist Edd Hawkes says most people associate his sport with
• Could Brexit afffect EU-wide travel help for disabled people?Ian Hamilton examines how disabled people in Scotland who require assistance at airports, railway stations and ports could be affected by Brexit.
• RMT to stage fresh 24-hour strike on Southern railThe union says it will reconsider the strike if a date is given for talks with parent company GTR.
• Dashcam plea over car used in Stepps shootingPolice investigating a shooting near Glasgow want to hear from motorists who may have seen the getaway car on the M80.
• On your bikeWhat is key to the success of publicly-funded on-street cycle hire schemes in Scotland and what can put the brakes on them?
• BA owner IAG launches new long-haul airline LevelLevel will be based in Barcelona and fly to four destinations including Los Angeles and Buenos Aires.

Financial Times

• BA owner to launch low-cost long-haul airlineMove by IAG comes as Norwegian expands its cheap transatlantic services

The Guardian

• Police release helicopter footage of 'idiotic' driver in car pursuitClive Hill jailed for 14 months over chase in which he crashed into three carsPolice have released helicopter footage of an “idiotic” driver during a dangerous pursuit which landed him in prison.Clive Hill, 41, of Butchers Close, Radstock, Somerset, admitted several driving offences relating to the incident on 18 November 2016. Continue reading...
• Woman who halted racial abuse on subway: I promised myself I wouldIn a moment caught on viral video, Tracey Tong, 23, stepped in when an older woman in New York asked people why they were ‘in this country’A woman who intervened to stop racial abuse on a New York City subway train said she had previously “promised herself” she would step in if an abusive situation arose.Video of the incident, which has been widely shared on social media, showed 23-year-old Tracey Tong coming to the aid of a passenger being berated by an older woman. Continue reading...
• More than 40 Somali refugees killed in helicopter attack off Yemen coastBoat carrying refugees was travelling to Sudan when it was hit by airstrike from Apache helicopter, coastguard saysAt least 42 Somali refugees were killed off the coast of Yemen late on Thursday when a helicopter reportedly attacked the boat they were travelling in.Coastguard Mohamed al-Alay said the refugees, carrying official UN refugee agency (UNHCR) documents, were travelling from Yemen to Sudan when they were attacked by an Apache helicopter near the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Continue reading...
• Scrapping first-class train carriages leaves us all in thirdTransport minister Chris Grayling has proposed that overcrowding on trains should be eased by replacing first class with more standing room. Are the carriages relics of a bygone time, or do they have a present-day use?One of the smaller puzzles of a postwar childhood was the mystery of the missing class. Railway carriages had “1st” and “3rd” painted on their doors – first class and third class – but the second class was not to be found. Where had it gone? Where had they gone, all the second-class people who had used it? Refined people, probably, with first-class social ambitions thwarted by a ...

The Telegraph

• 31 Somali refugees killed in helicopter attack off the coast of Yemen
• 'Buffoon' who drove car with his knees while standing up to 'show off' walks free
• Israeli fighter jets escape missiles from pro-Assad forces during Syria mission
• Tornado twists across Brisbane Airport

Times Online

• Cross the Atlantic for £86 on new BA budget airline [Subscription]British Airways is to get a low-cost sister airline offering transatlantic flights from £86 this summer as the budget long-haul market takes off.
• Green drivers to be offered easier hydrogen fill-ups [Subscription]The number of hydrogen fuel stations is expected to rise dramatically under a government plan to offer motorists green alternatives to diesel and petrol.
• Rail pods aim to cross Britain in 12 minutes [Subscription]Britain is poised to be at the forefront of a 720mph rail system capable of carrying passengers east-to-west across the country in 12 minutes, according to the project’s leaders.

Mail Online

• Polar Airlines plane pack reindeer in for Siberia congress Dozens of animals were herded on to the back of a Polar Airlines plane in a remote part of Russia before flying to frozen Yakutsk in eastern Siberia.
• Reckless baggage handlers at Luton airport prompt outrage Two baggage handlers at London Luton airport were seen throwing suitcases from an EasyJet flight onto a truck to be transported to the terminal. The men work for a contractor called Menzies Aviation.
• Theresa May leaves her armoured car 'illegally' parked The Prime Minister's dark-green armoured Jaguar XJ Sentinel, with a chauffeur at the wheel, pulled up in a loading-only bay as Mrs May stopped off to do a spot of shopping in Henley-on-Thames.
• Somali refugees killed on boat as they escaped Yemen WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Shiite rebels accused the Saudi-led coalition of carrying out the attack. Most of the people in the boat were from Somalia. 75 men and 15 women survived.
• British Airways to launch �86 flights across the Atlantic British Airways' new airline Level will initially fly from Barcelona to Los Angeles and San Francisco, Buenos Aires, and Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, from June.
• Volkswagen dieselgate row 64,000 drivers plan to sue VW has refused so far to offer any compensation to motorists in the UK – although financial compensation has been offered to drivers in the US, Belgium and Spain.

The Mirror

• Warfare 'game changer' as US army chiefs prepare to take delivery of drone-busting laser weapon Weapon manufacturing giant Lockheed Martin says it has finished a 60-kilowatt laser system that will zap targets from the sky

Birmingham Mail

• This key city car park is set to almost TRIPLE the charge for Saturday shoppers Saturday car parking cost to jump from £3 to £8.50 for five hours - and a Sunday deal is axed, too
• Motorbike rampage suspects arrested in dawn raids across Birmingham Seven quizzed on suspicion of causing a public nuisance in latest police crackdown

Bolton News

• Stunning skylink bridge linking interchange with train station shapes up A STRIKING ‘skylink’ bridge connecting the £48 million interchange to the town’s railway station is taking shape.
• Thieves and vandals targetting vehicles in 3 areas VEHICLES in Farnworth, Kearsley, and Harper Green are being targeted by thieves and vandals.
• Busy town centre road to become one way A MAIN town centre road will become one way as a bus is lane is created as part of the multi-million interchange development.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Airport's £2.5m upgrade on schedule UPGRADES worth more than £2.5million at Leeds Bradford Airport’s terminal are on schedule to be completed in time for its summer season.
• Elderly female drivers to be on their guard in latest theft tactics WEST Yorkshire Police are warning elderly female drivers�to be extra vigilant after a number have been victims of the latest tactics to steal their belongings.
• Two weeks of rail disruption ahead as £100m track upgrade begins this weekend TRAIN passengers can expect two months of disruption as a £100m upgrade is made to one of the district’s main railway lines.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Axing vital Denbighshire bus routes will spark 'social emergency' Arriva Buses are planning to drop two services from Dyserth and locals are not happy

London Evening Standard

• Southern Rail strike 2017: Commuters face disruption as RMT union workers announce fresh strikeSouthern Rail passengers will face a fresh bout of travel disruption next month in another 24-hour strike.
• This incredible railway journey through Sweden is the most Instagrammable trip you can takeAll aboard!
• TfL releases new 'Walk the Tube' maps to get Londoners out on footTwo new walking maps of London were launched today by Transport for London in a bid to get more people using pedestrian routes between stations.
• Is this the future of personal transport in big cities?Airbus unveiled a flying car concept at this year's Geneva Motor Show, with cities such as London in mind

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink has stopped running trams to Rochdale town centre after cracks appeared in a building The road and the tram line will be shut over the weekend until an inspection can take place

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Labour promises new Metro trains in �1.4bn investment for North EastShadow Chancellor John McDonnell announces a Labour government would fund major transport improvements in the region
• Wylam classic car restorer appears in court accused of �21,000 fraud Alan Macintyre, of Macintyre's of Gosforth, is alleged to have ripped off four customers between 2012 and 2015

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Midland Metro numbers jump by a third after Birmingham extensionThe number of people using the Midland Metro has jumped by almost a third, hitting record levels after the tram system was extended into Birmingham city centre.

Daventry Express

• Remodelled Catthorpe Interchange officially openA £191 million remodelling of Catthorpe Interchange was officially opened yesterday (Thursday March 16).

East Anglian Daily Times

• Transport secretary of state Chris Grayling visits Elmswell to discuss relief road proposalThe Government’s transport secretary Chris Grayling visited Elmswell today to discuss the possibility of a relief road for one of Suffolk’s largest villages.
• British Airways owner IAG launches a new low cost longhaul airline called LevelBritish Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) has announced it is launching a new low cost longhaul airline called Level.
• �40m Sudbury relief road could cut number of HGVs in town by 60%An end to Sudbury’s ongoing traffic problems could be in sight after the business case for the long-awaited western relief road concluded that the benefits would far outweigh the costs, the EADT can reveal.

Other Regional Press

• Cyclists urge highways bosses "not to wait for a death" to improve a road Campaigners have urged highways bosses not to “wait for a death” on what they described as a dangerous Hampshire road.
• Are electric cars the future of transport in Stevenage? – find out by taking one out for a spinA fleet of electric cars is helping point the way towards the future of transport in Stevenage.
• Vital bus service receives lifeline for 2017 A MUCH-NEEDED bus service connecting the isolated and elderly to the rest of Oxford has received a �40,000 boost in its time of need.
• More road misery set to hit commuters in Huddersfield on MondayA three week project is taking place in Queensgate to replace gas mains
• Restrictions due to resurfacing work around a Weymouth housing estate A MAJOR programme of road surfacing work is underway around a Weymouth housing estate.

Bus and Coach.com

• ‘Transport deserts’ risk as council funding cuts bite, says CBT

Buying Business Travel

• BA owner to launch low-cost long-haul airlineFlights to operate out of Barcelona with plans to expand across Europe

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• FedEx introduces zero-emission all-electric Nissan e-NV200 vehicles in BelgiumMarking the first use of all-electric vehicles in Belgium, FedEx Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, has announced the introduction of new zero-emission all-electric Nissan e-NV200 vehicles for pickups and deliveries in the areas of Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp.  For FedEx, reducing the environmental impact of daily carbon dioxide emissions from delivery vehicles is central to the company’s commitment to connecting the world in more responsible and resourceful ways. Five years ahead of target, FedEx met its goal o...
• Reimagining railways: innovation funding announcedIn a message to the Railway Industry Association’s Innovation Conference, Rail Minister, Paul Maynard, announced up to £9 million to support UK businesses as part of a new innovation competition to develop solutions for national and international railways. The funding is being made available by the Department for Transport (DFT) through Innovate UK. Creating better railways The competition aims to help deliver the industry’s Rail Technical Strategy and its Rail Capability Delivery Plan for 2017, which outlines the joint industry vision for using technology to create better...
• TfL hosts major walking conferenceTransport for London (TfL), working with the Mayor, Bloomberg and Living Streets today held their first ever major walking conference – following the publication of the Healthy Streets for London vision last month. International experts, health professionals and representatives from London’s boroughs all joined together at ‘Healthy Streets for London – making a great city for walking’ to discuss how London can be made a better city for pedestrians.  To mark the conference, TfL has launched two extended versions of the popular Walking Tube map to help those ...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Unions agree on two days of Night Tube strikesMuch like RMT, members of Aslef union have voted unanimously in favour of a Night Tube strike, with 100% agreeing with the proposed industrial action on a major 75% turnout. The news comes just a couple of days after RMT announced its own members voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike...
• Unprepared rail bodies at risk of losing out over looming apprenticeship levy changesRail organisations could be hit hard by changes to the apprenticeship levy if they are unprepared for the changes that come in April, the chief executive of the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR), Neil Robertson, has warned. New regulations mean that employers with wage bills of more than...
• Aslef agrees revised Southern deal, but RMT announces new strikeFor the second time this year, Aslef union leaders have agreed new terms to settle their dispute with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), Southern’s parent company – but the deal has yet to be put to wider members. In a statement, Aslef said its executive committee will be recommending...
• Hendy calls on industry to get behind Hansford Review into rail contestabilitySir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail, has launched a consultation for the Hansford Review this week, calling on industry leaders to back the work of the review. The event, which took place on 15 March, was held at the Institute of Civil Engineering, where Sir Peter gave a keynote speech to...
• Grayling puts backing behind TfN sub-national proposalTransport secretary Chris Grayling has this week formally welcomed and supported Transport for the North’s (TfN’s) proposal to become England’s first sub-national transport body. Should the proposal be successful, it would see the organisation have legal powers and duties...
• Successful test run for world's first hydrogen-powered passenger trainAlstom has run the first successful test of the world’s only hydrogen fuel cell passenger train Coradia iLint at its test track in Salzgitter, in preparation for an extensive test campaign in Germany and Czech Republic in the coming months. The test runs, which will continue for the next...
• TfL admits liability over Croydon tram crashTransport for London (TfL) has today begun admitting liability for its part in the Croydon tram crash of 9 November 2016, in relation to compensation claims from families of the victims of the crash. The tram was found to be travelling at over three times the speed limit when it derailed going...

Railnews

• Dates announced for Night Tube walkouts Two strikes on London Underground�s 24-hour services have been announced by the RMT, following a ballot which resulted in a decisive vote in favour of action. The dispute concerns employment opportunities: the RMT claims that London Underground has blocked career progression for train operators who work through the night because they cannot move into vacant full time positions for at least 18 months. Operators also do not qualify for overtime rates until they work more than 35 hours in a week. The RMT is describing the situation as �outrageous�, but London Underground said terms had been agr...

Aviation Industry

• US airlines post record passenger levels in 2016US airlines carried a record 823 million passengers systemwide in 2016, up 3.1% from the previous record high of 798.2 million recorded in 2015, according to US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released March 16. read more
• Air France to ride out cabin crew strikeAir France expects few disruptions to its flights March 18, despite a strike of almost 30% of its cabin crew members. read more

Other News Sources

• India Upgrades Standards of Major PortsSignificant improvement in efficiency has been achieved by India's Major Ports in the last two years, said the Minister of State for Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan. With a view to improve further the efficiency and productivity of the major ports and make it comparable internationally…
• New bus station up for major architectural award
• A3 average speed check: Everything you need to know about the new cameras The new cameras on the northbound carriageway of the A3 are due to go live in the coming weeks
• M25 overnight closures set to continue as Highways England announces fresh wave of improvement works The closures will be enacted to carry out works to maintain safety and improve journeys said Highways England, starting on Monday (March 20)