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

Monday, 10 April 2017

BBC News

• World's last ferry of its kind, Skye's Glenachulish, upgradedThe world's last sea-going, manually-operated, turntable ferry has undergone a major restoration programme.
• Bala Lake Railway boosted by lottery fundingA heritage railway project is to expand its operations in Gwynedd after receiving lottery funding.
• Latest Cardiff-Anglesey flight figures releasedLatest figures have been released for an under-threat air service between Cardiff and Anglesey.
• Newport Transporter Bridge: £8m fund bid to 'improve visit'There are hopes an £8m funding bid to improve Newport's Transporter Bridge could help double its annual visitor numbers.
• £200m Deeside congestion plans divide communitiesTwo options are on the table to tackle congestion on Deeside with a £200m roads project.
• First UK rail freight service to China to departThirty containers will carry British goods such as whisky, soft drinks, vitamins and baby products.
• Hijacked ship's crew rescued from pirates near SomaliaThe ship was hijacked off Yemen by Somali pirates on Saturday but those on board are now safe.

The Guardian

• Driving licences could be on phones by 2018Motorists could be allowed to have their driving licence on their phones by 2018, according to the government agency developing the plans.
• Diesel cars can improve air quality, claims motor industry groupCar makers’ group SMMT claims latest vehicles are the ‘cleanest ever’ and vital in fight against climate changeCar manufacturers have hit back at the recent spate of negative comments about diesel vehicles, saying that the latest incarnations are “the cleanest in history” and “light years away from their older counterparts”.The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said diesel cars could play an important role in helping improve air quality in towns and cities and in tackling climate change. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Highly polluting cars may face Glasgow city centre pollution chargeDRIVERS of the worst-polluting vehicles could be charged to go into parts of Glasgow city centre under plans from the SNP, the party’s leader on the city council said.
• Ryanair 'blames' Scottish Government over cut to Majorca winter serviceBUDGET airline Ryanair is cutting winter flights to Majorca for commercial reasons, pointing the finger at the Scottish Government for failing to cut Air Passenger Duty

The Huffington Post

• MPs' Children Cared For In Creches Just Yards From One Of The UK's Most Polluted Roads Children of MPs are being cared for within yards of some of the most polluted roads in the country, new analysis of the UK’s air quality has discovered. Crèches located in the heart of Westminster - used by MPs and other Parliamentary staff - are within 150meters of roads where the level of nitrogen dioxide in the air is more than 1.5 times above the legal limit. The analysis, carried out by Greenpeace, also shows that in Education Secretary Justine Greening’s Putney constituency 35 schools and nurseries are close to illegally polluted roads – making it one of the wor...

The Telegraph

• Pay of Southern rail boss almost doubles to �500k despite strikes and delays�

Times Online

• Strike-hit rail boss handed £215,000 rise [Subscription]The boss of Southern rail has had his salary nearly doubled, despite months of disruption that led to the operator filing a multimillion-pound loss and being voted Britain’s worst train company.
• Taxi for Uber: court rules app is unfair to Italian cabbies [subscription]Uber faces being expelled from Italy after a judge in Rome ordered a comprehensive ban on its services.

City AM

• JP Morgan has acquired Beacon Rail Leasing in a £855m deal giving it control of the future TransPennine Express franchiseJP Morgan Asset Management has acquired the company responsible for providing trains for Britain’s TransPennine Express franchise, in an £855m deal.
• HS2 suppliers call on the government to tap the potential of high speed rail as a major new export marketCompanies involved in the building of Britain's High Speed 2 (HS2) railway want the government to create a new body to tap into the potential of high speed rail as a major export market.

Mail Online

• Raise tax on supercars to pay for scrappage scheme says MP Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said vehicle excise duty should be raised on the top 5 per cent highest-emission cars to help to raise the �2billion needed to pay for the diesel scrappage scheme.
• BA threatens to axe free meals on long haul flights British Airways has already caused controversy by ditching free food on short-haul services in favour of sandwiches from Marks & Spencer, and long-haul flights could be next.
• Passengers face airport alcohol crackdown A House of Lords review has called for strict new rules on the sale of alcohol at UK airports to stop early-morning drinking and crackdown on drink-fuelled violence on flights.
• Speed bumps could vanish from roads in pollution crackdown Research conducted by Imperial College London found that diesel cars produce 98 per cent more nitrogen dioxide when driving over speed bumps as opposed to gentler 'road cushions'.

The Mirror

• Car owners face �75 fine for litter thrown out of window - even if they didn't chuck it The first national litter strategy, unveiled today, is aimed at slashing the near £800million annual bill to taxpayers of cleaning-up after thoughtless yobs
• Boss of Southern Railway almost DOUBLES his salary despite troubled network being plagued by strikes and late arrivalsCharles Horton's huge pay rise, from £263,000 to £478,000, was slammed as “absolutely outrageous” by Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake

Northern Echo

• Motoring misery as A1 roadworks project delayed by up to 6 months DRIVERS using the region's busiest road face an extra six months of motoring misery after officials admitted a �380m upgrade of the A1 won't be finished until the end of the year.

Wales Online

• Arriva Trains Wales passengers fined £7,000 in just 90 minutesMagistrates handed out over £7,000 in fines to Arriva Trains Wales passengers who failed to show a valid ticket – in just one 90 minute session last month.
• There could be battery-powered trains on the Valleys Lines instead of electrificationThe UK Government is refusing to guarantee it will give Wales a promised £125m contribution for electrifying the Valley Lines if alternative technology is chosen.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Matt Hancock writes to rail minister in last-ditch bid to block Newmarket level crossing closureThe Government’s rail minister is now being urged to intervene and block Network Rail’s planned closure of a level crossing in Newmarket.

Reading Evening Post

• Major roads in Reading will have fewer pothole inspectionsReading Borough Council has reduced staffing which mean pothole repairs will now be largely done on a request basis

Other Regional Press

• Fears HS2 route could damage four ancient woods in South Yorkshire Conservationists have raised concerns that four ancient woods in South Yorkshire could be destroyed or damaged by the high-speed rail route.
• 'New' ScotRail trains are English hand-me-downsA fleet of refurbished InterCity 125 trains will come into service on routes from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness and Aberdeen next year.
• Bid launched to get Government's backing for major transport improvements in OxfordA BID for major transport improvements worth hundred of millions of pounds could see projects including a new railway line for Oxford completed in the next four years.

Rail Magazine

• 250 staff to be employed at new �80m Doncaster depotHitachi Rail Europe targets local engineers to maintain trains
• The end is nigh for Chiltern’s ‘Bubble cars’Final first generation DMUs to be withdrawn.
• RAIL and Rail Alliance team up for Rail Live 2017RAIL and RailReview strike partnership with the Rail Alliance to stage Rail Live 2017 on June 21-22.

Railway Gazette

• Train operator sees the lightUK: Chiltern Railways estimates it will save around �10 000/year in lighting maintenance...

The Business Desk

• Leeds Bradford Airport plans to double passenger numbers by 2030Leeds Bradford Airport has ambitious plans to increase passenger numbers to 7.1m a year by 2030, according to its latest ‘masterplan’.

Other News Sources

• UK's 'most infrequent' bus service to launch in the DalesThe Upper Wharfedale Community Interest Company is to launch what is understood to be the most infrequent bus service in the county on Saturday 29 April, when the Wharfedale Packhorse starts a new route in the Dales.
• Infrastructure meeting for growing Port of London
• Surrey's most dangerous commuter town revealed Between 2010 and 2015, there were more than 4,000 accidents involving a driver, motorist or road user travelling to or from work, Department for Transport data has revealed
• MPs' damning verdict on rail electrificationThe electrification of the Great Western route was a “stark example of how not to run a major project” according to the chair of the influential Commons public accounts committee (PAC).
• £2m awarded to rural transport groupsDOZENS of community groups have been awarded a share of £2m to help keep rural people on the move.