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

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

BBC News

• Giant clock will chime to the sound of the travelling publicPublic art project aims to help get HS2 travellers to their destinations in time
• Baidu to share self-drive car technologyThe Chinese internet giant says the move will accelerate the development of autonomous vehicles.

Department for Transport

• New Permanent Secretary at the Department for TransportBernadette Kelly is the new Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport.

Financial Times

• Flybe CFO departs in another setback for airlineStruggling group faces problems because of an oversupplied European aviation market
• Atlantia opens gate for Abertis tie-upDeal would create one of the world’s largest toll road groups
• United chief plays down brand hit from passenger fiascoMunoz says too early to assess whether backlash will hurt bookings in US or China

The Guardian

• United CEO: nobody will be fired after man was violently dragged from planeOscar Munoz promised more details after review of policies on overbooked flights, and executives said it was too soon to know if incident hurt ticket salesThe CEO of United Airlines says no one will be fired over the dragging of a man off a plane – including himself. The CEO, Oscar Munoz, said on Tuesday that he took full responsibility “for making this right” and promised more details later this month after United finishes a review of its policies on overbooked flights. Continue reading...
• Birmingham to get £2m singing clock at site of planned HS2 stationTurner Prize-winning artist Susan Philipsz will create work after being named winner of Birmingham Big Art Project contestA £2m singing clock is to be installed at the site of a planned high-speed railway station in Birmingham, with the new public artwork considered the most ambitious commission in the city’s history.The Turner Prize-winning artist Susan Philipsz was on Tuesday named winner of the Birmingham Big Art Project contest to place a major work at the centre of a city centre regeneration project. Continue reading...

The Herald

• No-one will be fired over passenger dragging incident, says United Airline bossThe chief executive of United Airlines has said no-one will be fired over the dragging of a man off a plane - including himself.

The Telegraph

• United CEO Oscar Munoz says no one will be fired for dragging man off plane incident

Birmingham Mail

• This is the Birmingham Art Project sculpture which will stand outside HS2 station The winner of the £2m public work of art has been announced

Birmingham Post

• BMW workers at Hams Hall to stage 24-walkout Members of trade union Unite plough on with plans to hold first of up to five days of industrial action in pensions row
• New rail apps aim to keep London Midland passengers on trackRail operator working with Birmingham tech companies to develop innovations and ideas which are set to improve passengers' journeys

London Evening Standard

• Brazen motorist caught in M25 tailbacks called 999 for police escort to avoid missing flightA frustrated motorist stuck in traffic after a crash on the M25 called 999 asking for a police escort to avoid missing his flight.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Chinese rail giant eyes £500m contract to new fleet on Tyne and Wear MetroCRRC is understood to have discussions about investment into the North East on a visit at the end of last week

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Jaguar Land Rover's £1 billion i54 centre marks production of revolutionary engine Jaguar Land Rover’s £1 billion Engine Manufacturing Centre has celebrated production of its first Ingenium petrol engine, which will debut in vehicles later in the summer.

Reading Evening Post

• Reading drivers urged to get on their bikes for rewards The new BikeSmart Reading scheme offers points to riders when they travel more than a mile

Other Regional Press

• Greater Anglia celebrates partnership deal with London’s O2Train operator Greater Anglia is set to become a preferred train partner of London music and entertainment venue The O2.
• Transport secretary Chris Grayling backs proposed A36/A46 link road in Bath Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has backed plans to build a major new road outside Bath after visiting the location of the proposed A36/A46 link road. Read more at http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/transport-secretary-chris-grayling-backs-proposed-a36-a46-link-road-in-bath/story-30278180-detail/story.html#MX1ZCqwaSdMX3iqS.99
• How will Crossrail 2 benefit residents in Cambridgeshire?Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council have called on the Government to back the rail project

Buying Business Travel

• Cross Country Trains reaches Advance ticketing milestoneInitiative allows purchase of discounted tickets up to 15 minutes before departure

Construction Enquirer

• Bechtel named for HS2 contract after CH2M rowHS2 has confirmed that Bechtel is preferred bidder for development partner for the second phase of the high speed rail line, taking over the role initially awarded to CH2M.

Global Rail News

• Researchers develop driverless freight train conceptTransport researchers from the German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft; DLR) have developed concepts for automated ‘freight trains of the future’.
• Wireless trams for Newcastle’s proposed light rail networkTransport for NSW has opted for wireless trams to operate on a new light rail system in Newcastle.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Energy Solutions for Rail Applications EnerSys is the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications with the leading market share positions in North America and Europe and fast growing ones in Asia and the Middle East.
• Setting the target: UK rail’s nine innovation priorities Last week, on 12 April, Panasonic revealed a list of nine innovation priorities for UK rail, as identified by a cross-industry forum.

Railnews

• Bechtel wins controversial HS2 contractBECHTEL has won the controversial HS2 Phase 2 contract which was relinquished by CH2M Hill in March after allegations of conflict of interest, but the House of Commons Transport Committee will be questioning transport secretary Chris Grayling and HS2 chairman David Higgins today (Wednesday).
• Glasgow Subway expansion plans unveiled A bold plan to add extensions to the circular Glasgow Subway has been unveiled by the Scottish National Party as the May elections approach. If the SNP wrests control of Glasgow City Council from Labour next month, control of the Subway is set to be transferred from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to the city council. A �288 million plan to upgrade the present system and replace its familiar orange trains is already under way.

Aviation Industry

• BOC Aviation transactions up 26% in 1Q 2017BOC Aviation leased, purchased and sold a total of 54 aircraft in the first quarter of 2017, up 25.6% compared to a total 43 leased, purchased and sold aircraft in the year-ago quarter. read more
• Zodiac blames Safran talks for results delayFrench aircraft equipment company Zodiac Aerospace has pushed back the publication of its interim results because of the extra workload created by an acquisition bid from high-technology group Safran. read more

Other News Sources

• Ryanair denies climate change because it doesn’t like the solutionsIt’s no mystery why Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary dismisses evidence of climate change as “rubbish”, writes Andrew Murphy.
• An investigation into the important matter of Chris Grayling’s secret adoration of the maglevDoes Chris Grayling have a secret adoration for maglevs? The futuristic train technology, where magnets are used in place of wheels to make the carriage levitate, has a rocky history in this country. But as talk stirs of plans to build a maglev line from Manchester to Leeds (no, really), it’s worth taking a look at what the now-transport secretary had to say in a speech back in March 2007.
• Failed your MOT? You should pay, not the whole sector, says FTAThe Freight Transport Association has called on the government to ensure the cost of enforcement against owners of dangerous or unroadworthy vans ...