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

Friday, 24 March 2017

BBC News

• Bus Eireann strike: Cross-border services may be hitSome cross-border bus services are expected to be affected by industrial action in the Republic of Ireland.
• Higher fuel prices take toll on retail salesSales rose more than expected last month, but the underlying trend suggests fuel costs are starting to bite.
• Eddie Stobart: Lorry firm targets £550m stock market listingThe haulage firm, known for its green and red lorries, plans to list its shares in London next month.

ITV News

• One of the East's busiest rail junctions gets funding boostMajor improvements to one of Anglia region's busiest rail junctions has moved a step closer.

Financial Times

• US and UK disparity on laptop curbs baffles expertsSudden announcement about restrictions on electronic devices has added to confusion
• China Southern/AA: stakes on a planeA tie-up would displease some domestic rivals more than others
• Eddie Stobart gears up for return to London marketTrucking and logistics company looks to raise �130m on junior Aim market

The Scotsman

• Alastair Dalton: Expertise in dealing with rail suicides will be ever more vitalThey are both tragic incidents and the cause of one of the biggest disruptions for train passengers.

Times Online

• Skid risk grows on the UK’s crumbling roads [subscription]Motorists may be at risk of skidding on a quarter of roads amid an alarming deterioration in the highways network.

City AM

• Complaints about Govia Thameslink Railway surge 347.1 per cent in a year after months of Southern rail troublesComplaints about Southern rail's parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) rocketed over 300 per cent in the third quarter of last year and accounted for nearly a fifth of all complaints made nationally.

Birmingham Post

• Why Birmingham cabbies will get 200 electric charging points Birmingham City Council has been given a £2.9 million Department for Transport grant to install the charging points on main routes and hubs

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Take a look at what rundown Denbighshire railway shed will look like after £1.2m revampThe Grade II listed Meliden Goods Shed will be transformed into a community hub with a café, heritage centre, bike hire facility and more

London Evening Standard

• Electric flights from London to Paris could be a reality in 10 years' timeEasyJet has already expressed interest in the technology

The York Press

• Who says we don’t need train guards? (letter)TRAIN drivers in charge of the doors? Never. On a very crowded train, totally unable to get to my pre-booked seat, I was standing by the luggage racks.
• Action call to bus companies on disabled access BUS companies are being encouraged to continue their efforts to help disabled people in York.

Wales Online

• New Cardiff link road is set to be ready within weeks The road, which will provide a more direct route between the A4232 and Rover Way, should help ease congestion on the day of the Champions League final

Bus and Coach.com

• Finalists for UK Coach Awards 2017
• New transport app for East Kent
• Two million -mark for Leigh busway
• Coach operators urged to support new CPT North West chair
• Overall satisfaction up, but congestion impacts on punctuality ratings
• Air pollution action to be considered in joint inquiry by four select committees
• Midland Metro to be run by new publicly-owned operating company

Buying Business Travel

• Jet Airways partners with UberTravellers will be able to request their Uber when booking a ticket on the Jet Airways app
• Norwegian launches Expedia hotel partnershipAirline’s customers can gain access to exclusive hotel rates if booking direct
• Emirates responds to ‘laptop ban’ with handling serviceAirline is allowing passengers to use their device until boarding

Rail Technology Magazine

• Alstom delivers Smartlock 400 interlocking technology to Serbian Railway Alstom has delivered its new Smartlock 400 signalling interlocking technology to the Serbian Railway Company in collaboration with the Serbian Mihajlo Pupin Institute.
• UK’s TfWM to take over Midland Metro trams operations The UK's Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is set to take over day-to-day operations of its Midland Metro trams when the existing concession held by National Express expires next year.
• US ConnDOT to upgrade Noroton Heights Railroad Station platforms The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) in the US has announced plans to replace the Noroton Heights Railroad Station platforms in Darien.
• What can California learn from European HSR hubs? San Francisco-based urban designer Luca Giaramidaro has travelled through many of Europe’s best high-speed rail hubs on a fact-finding mission to see what California can learn to support its own high-speed project.
• Kitcher Risk Solutions Wins Second Award of the Year The Best Risk Management Consultancy Award announced today gives Kitcher Risk Solutions its second accolade of 2017. This success adds to winning the Railway Employee Performance Consultant of the Year award in February.
• TetraFlex for Rail and Metro Communications Simplifying advanced communications for Public Transport. Meet the increased demands on safety and operational efficiency within large public transport systems with the TetraFlex TETRA radio infrastructure.
• CBTC Connectivity Solutions The overall performance of a rail rapid transit system depends largely on the performance of the automatic train control (ATC) system employed. A communication-based train control (CBTC) system is devised by adding modern communication technologies t…
• Modern Wheel Detection and Axle Counting Growing conurbations, increasing car park prices and not least rising fuel prices are pushing trams and underground railways increasingly to the forefront of urban and suburban rail transportation infrastructures.
• A digital railway: is it cyber secure? Railways are becoming ‘connected’, as operators and infrastructure managers move forward with a number of digital projects, designed to bring the industry into the 21st century. However, does this leave rail exposed to cyber-attacks?
• Threefold increase to GTR complaints rate pulls up national average for Q3Continued disruption to Southern services has led to complaints lodged against Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) rocketing by 347.1% in Q3, compared to the same period last year, the ORR has revealed. The ‘Passenger rail service complaints statistical release 2016-17 Q3’ report found...
• Strong National Systems Operator needed to counter route devo risksEngagement between Network Rail (NR), train operators and passengers must be “hardwired” into the periodic review process so that NR’s future business planning with regards to route devolution is driven by passenger concerns, Joanna Whittington, chief executive of the ORR, has...
• Bolton platform works start ahead of electric train introductionImprovements to Bolton station that will accommodate for the new electrified railway will be started next week by Network Rail (NR). The works will begin on Sunday 26 March and are the latest in plans to provide quicker services through the station when electric trains are rolled out in Bolton...

Railnews

• Midland Metro concession not to be awarded again The concession to operate trams in Birmingham and Wolverhampton will not be awarded again when the present contract with National Express Group ends in October next year. Instead, control of Midland Metro will pass to Transport for West Midlands, which said the change to public control will save taxpayers �millions of pounds�. Metro staff will be transferred to TfWM. National Express said it was �disappointed� but promised a smooth handover.

Railway Gazette

• Transdev wins Rhein-Ruhr ticketing contractGERMANY: Following a European tender, Rhein-Ruhr transport authority VRR has awarded Transdev a...
• Almaty – Toshkent wide-bodied Talgo service to launchASIA: The national railways of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have agreed to launch a passenger service...
• European Commission sees Rail Baltica as a priority projectEUROPE: Lithuania’s Minister of Transport & Communications Rokas Masiulis met European...
• Swedish national operator to bid for Norwegian contractsNORWAY: Swedish national passenger operator SJ has established local subsidiary SJ Norge to bid for...

Aviation Industry

• Reports: American Airlines to buy stake in China Southern American Airlines is in negotiations to buy a stake in China Southern Airlines in an effort to strengthen both carriers’ position on Sino-US routes, two industry sources told ATW. read more
• SWISS to begin CS100 operations from GenevaLufthansa subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is set to renew its Geneva-based aircraft allocation from Airbus A320s to an all-Bombardier CSeries 100/300 fleet. read more
• SAS Scandinavian Airlines finds new capacity providerScandinavian Airlines (SAS) has concluded an agreement with Estonia’s Regional Jet OÜ, to partly replace short-haul capacity being lost by the downsizing of current provider Jet Time Regional Jet OÜ will fly four ATR 72-600 turboprops on behalf of SAS from August. read more
• Major makeover for Greek regional airportsGermany airport management company Fraport has detailed plans to modernize and develop 14 Greek airports. read more

Other News Sources

• Siemens restructuresSiemens Rail Automation is re-organising its UK structure to better develop the rail industry’s digital revolution while at the same time maintaining focus on main line and light rail work.
• Faster rail links to and from East Cambridgeshire to bring 'significant economic growth'Ely's long awaited rail improvements are now on track to boost the local economy