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

Monday, 20 March 2017

BBC News

• Merseyrail strikes: Bosses to meet RMT in bid to avert actionTalks to avoid further strikes by Merseyrail workers over driver-only trains are due to be held later.
• Transport for Wales to be headquartered in PontypriddThe organisation that will oversee the next Welsh rail franchise and the South Wales Metro is to be based in Pontypridd, economy secretary Ken Skates has announced.
• Rail industry promises 6,400 extra trainsThe Rail Delivery Group says the UK network will see an 11% rise in weekly services by 2021.

Financial Times

• New roads ‘cause traffic not economic growth’Study of 80 UK road schemes by CPRE finds falls in local congestion are shortlived
• China’s bike-sharing boom in chartsShanghai leads world in bike-sharing, but authorities are cracking down on the industry
• Uber loses two more top executives as turmoil swirlsPresident of ride-sharing and a key engineer in self-driving efforts latest to depart

The Scotsman

• Stephen Hawking plans space travel on Virgin GalacticProfessor Stephen Hawking has said he is planning to travel into space on Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.

Daily Record

• 'Ghost ships' in Scottish waters spark smuggling fears The ghosting practice is associated with vessels unloading illicit cargo such as drugs and guns – and even human trafficking.
• ScotRail bosses under fire for keeping results of �100,000 customer survey a secret Research carried out following complaints of overcrowding and delays is being kept under wraps.
• Concerns raised that Network Rail are quids in every time that a railway bridge in Cleland is struck by a vehicleCommunity councillors demand answers from Network Rail

Mail Online

• Stephen Hawking offered a seat on Virgin Galactic flight Prof Stephen Hawking told Good Morning Britain he was offered a seat on Virgin Atlantic by Sir Richard Branson and 'accepted immediately' as 'travelling in space would make him happy'.
• Fare dodgers could skip court shame by paying fines online Plans to move the bulk of rail and tram fare evasion cases out of courts will be put before MPs today. It is believed an online system could spare magistrates from having to hear thousands of cases a year.
• BA cut back on further frills causing dismay among staff Staff at British Airways have hit out at the latest round of cutbacks, after it was revealed that in addition to the slashing of complimentary snacks and drinks, fresh flowers have now also been binned.

The Mirror

• New tube map reveals how long it takes to walk between underground stations in LondonThe map includes Zone 3 and National Rail stations for the first time

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Final stop for the North's hated Pacer trains revealedIT’S one rail timetable commuters will be particularly pleased to see - the dates the hated Pacer trains will be removed from service.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Thousands of rail passengers complain about tardy trains ... now they have to wait SIX MONTHS for compensation paymentsArriva Trains Wales take on extra staff to deal with around 9,000 complaints from fed-up customers

Liverpool Echo

• Merseyside's nine best bus routes - by the people who use themIt's time to salute the commuters who say it's better by bus
• Could a new 'Sergeant Pepper' rail line serve thousands in north Liverpool?The proposed new line would also link up with the Liverpool Waters development and a new Everton stadium
• Crunch rail strike talks to be held tomorrow - as fears grow over possible Grand National strikeMerseyrail will meet union chiefs tomorrow in a bid to end the ongoing dispute

London Evening Standard

• Oxygen masks deployed as flight from Stansted Airport forced to make emergency landingA flight travelling from London to Poland was forced to make an emergency landing when it dramatically lost air pressure.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Councillors welcome protections for north-east rail infrastructureA section of a former north-east railway ha been granted special protection as the campaign to reopen the line steams ahead.

Wales Online

• Pontypridd to receive major jobs boost with announcement of new Transport for Wales headquartersThe HQ for the next rail franchise and South Wales Metro operator will bring hundreds of jobs to the town

Yorkshire Evening Post

• New Leeds train station smashes its annual target in just five months A new Leeds railway station is proving just the ticket for people keen to avoid the city’s traffic-choked roads.

East Anglian Daily Times

• �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

• Heathrow expansion: Council brands decision to exclude Surrey Heath and Elmbridge boroughs from third runway consultation 'utterly perverse'Surrey County Council has called for Surrey Heath and Elmbridge boroughs to be included in the public consultation on expanding the airport
• Could Daimler brand be revived by Jaguar Land Rover in the UK?Relaunching a famous brand could help the car maker achieve the growth it desires

Bus and Coach.com

• Call for passenger consultation over West Coast acquisition
• Euro 6 stop-start technology for new Stagecoach East park-and-ride fleet

Other News Sources

• Heathrow expansion: Council brands decision to exclude Surrey Heath and Elmbridge boroughs from third runway consultation 'utterly perverse'Surrey County Council has called for Surrey Heath and Elmbridge boroughs to be included in the public consultation on expanding the airport
• Record orders for Spanish rail firmCAF (www.caf.net/en) (the Spanish supplier of rolling stock, infrastructure, signalling and services) has reported a record order intake for 2016 — a year in which it “consolidated a new growth cycle” and strengthened its financial position.
• Royal Assent granted to the HS2 BillTowards the end of last month, Royal Assent was granted to the HS2 Bill; this covers the first phase of the planned line (from London to Birmingham), which is scheduled to open in 2026.
• New Sheffield HS2 route £1bn saving 'illusory'Labour MP Ed Miliband has dismissed as “simply illusory” claims that rerouting High Speed 2 (HS2) away from the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield would save £1bn.
• Could Woking really get a flyover for trains?Network Rail is looking into building a flyover for trains in Woking. The radical idea is being looked at in a bid to increase capacity on the railway.
• Japanese low-cost carriers (LCCs) need to better understand the benefits of high-speed railJapanese low cost carriers (LCCs) need to better understand the benefits of high-speed rail if they are to gain a firm foothold in the country’s aviation market.