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

Monday, 03 April 2017

BBC News

• Southern Rail: Ballot result due in Aslef members' disputeThe deal is with drivers over driver-only operated trains but a dispute with guards continues.
• Ford recalls 52,000 F-250 pick-up trucks over park faultThe vehicle could roll in park mode unless the hand brake is on, the company warns.
• Tesla reports record car deliveriesThe electric car maker delivers a record 25,000 cars in the first quarter, up 70% on 2016.

ITV News

• Decision day for drivers on Southern RailThousands of Southern Rail commuters are to find out whether they face further disruption due to strike action. The result of a ballot among 950 train drivers is due later today and is said to be "too close to call"

Financial Times

• Legal thriller over Latin American airlineAvianca lawsuit reads like Grisham novel in fight over Colombia flag carrier
• Humber ports bet £50m on rising Brexit trafficABP delivers ‘vote of confidence in north’ with capacity expansion

The Guardian

• Drone complaints soar as concerns grow over snoopingComplaints to police include claims of burglary ‘scoping’, mid-air near-misses and the smuggling of contraband into prisonsThe number of incidents in the UK involving drones reported to police has increased more than twelve-fold over the past two years.Complaints, including allegations of snooping, burglary “scoping” exercises, mid-air near-misses and the smuggling of contraband into prisons, rose to almost 10 a day (3,456) last year, compared with 283 in 2014. Last year’s figure was almost three times higher than the 2015 total of 1,237 incidents. Continue reading...

The Telegraph

• Pilots' poor English skills putting passengers at risk�

Times Online

• BMW might go Dutch on the new Mini [Subscription]Even as we stride to secession, the big decisions won’t be made in Britain. In the coming months a meeting will close in a Munich boardroom, the conclusion of which will be totemic as we head towards Brexit.
• Drivers will pay more after European court ruling [Subscription]Drivers will have to pay up to £20 a year more to insure their cars because of a ruling by the European Court of Justice.
• Sleeping lorry drivers are set for £300 wake-up call [Subscription]The government will penalise foreign lorry drivers who spend weekends clogging up British lay-bys to dodge European rules on rest periods. Ministers will introduce £300 spot fines to deter drivers from sleeping for two consecutive nights in their cabs, blocking roadside parking spaces.
• Blueprint for the north is steaming up from London [subscription]The Great North Rail Project. Northern Powerhouse Rail. The Northern Hub. If anyone actually knows the difference between them, then answers via #whatthehecksgoingon. Meanwhile, Transport for the North, Rail North, the Northern Transport Strategy or even the Department for Transport (DfT) and Network Rail; does anyone know who’s actually in charge of the railways north of Derby?
• Work out cost of crossing M25 before runway plan, say airlines [Subscription]Heathrow’s expansion should be suspended until plans to build a runway over Britain’s busiest motorway have been assessed, ministers have been told. The owner of British Airways said that the development should not be confirmed until detailed plans for the M25, which will pass under the third runway, are finalised.

City AM

• We’re going to build Crossrail 2 and the private sector is going to pay for itPassengers crammed on to the Central, District, Circle and Piccadilly Lines are gasping for the opening of the Elizabeth Line, running from west to east, from Heathrow to Canary Wharf and beyond, late next year.

Daily Record

• ScotRail finally come clean over scale of overcrowding on trains after Sunday Mail campaignFrustrated passengers have hailed our campaign after Abellio bowed to pressure and published a list of their most crammed service and the number of people on them.

The Mirror

• Dramatic moment plane lands on MOTORWAY after suffering 'engine fault' in mid-air The drama unfolded metres away from motorists on a busy carriageway on the outskirts of Barcelona in Spain

Birmingham Post

• Jet2 boss admits future is uncertain - but is confident in Birmingham launch Chief executive Steve Heapy said he was confident the firm was robust enough to withstand any turbulence from Brexit

Bolton News

• 'Crumbling' road will be shut and rebuilt A ROAD linking Bury and Bolton will be closed and rebuilt after it emerged the lane is crumbling.
• UPDATED WITH NEW SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PICTURES: Steam trains blast off to a galaxy far far awaySCI-FI fans have had the�chance to ride the rails to a galaxy far far away.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• VIDEO & PICTURES: First trains in more than 50 years stop in Low Moor, Bradford, as new station opensTHE first trains in more than 50 years stopped at Low Moor, Bradford,�today.

London Evening Standard

• Half of rail journeys to be on foreign-owned services after South West Trains takeoverHalf of passenger journeys on Britain's rail network will be on services owned by foreign companies once a Chinese firm helps operate South West Trains.

Manchester Evening News

• Affordable housing and great transport links - why Bolton could be the perfect place to call home Whether you want a bustling town centre, a countryside retreat or a great family-home you won’t be short of choice in Bolton

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Drivers who use diesel cars could soon be hit with a �20 A DAY 'toxin tax'Reports suggest that Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom is to unveil the tax in a bid to reduce air pollution

Other Regional Press

• HS2 is a taxing issue whether it comes to Scotland or notThere have always been doubts around the financial case for building the HS2 high speed line. Critics say the £50 billion-plus budget could be better used upgrading existing lines and infrastructure.
• Strong support for campaign to bring HS2 contract to Scunthorpe THE TELEGRAPH'S campaign to bring the HS2 contract is going strong reaching nearly 700 signatures.
• HS2 Ltd: MP Cheryl Gillan calls for an inquiry after CH2M surrenders £170million contract following conflict of interest rowThe representative for Amersham and Chesham told the Commons that "billions of pounds of taxpayers money is at stake"

Railway Gazette

• Safety train on tourUSA: Norfolk Southern’s safety train has begun a 23-city tour to provide free emergency response...

Aviation Industry

• Boom Supersonic receives $33 million for passenger travelBoom Supersonic has received a new $33 million round of funding for its work to create supersonic passenger travel. read more
• AAPA: Asian airlines feel effect of cabin electronics banAsian carriers are being affected by the US and UK cabin electronics ban even though the new security rules do not target their home hubs or countries. read more

Other News Sources

• Is there any room for SWT to improve?I SEE the new company to run South West Trains from August has made some sweeping statements about the service it is hoping to provide.
• South West Trains franchise: Nearly 75% of UK rail routes now at least partly owned by foreign government-backed firms Our rail routes are part-owned by Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Singapore, China and Qatar