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

Monday, 17 July 2017

BBC News

• HS2 reveals winners of building contractsThe winners of £6.6bn worth of contracts to build the first phase of HS2 between London and Birmingham have been announced by the government.

ITV News

• HS2: Final route of Manchester and Leeds branch to be announcedThe final route of the Manchester and Leeds arms of the HS2 high-speed railway will be announced on Monday.
• Extra train carriages for Wales' most crowded services to be announcedExtra train carriages for Wales' most crowded services will be announced today by the Welsh Government.

Department for Transport

• Main civil engineering works contracts for Stage 1 of HS2 Phase OneAnnouncing bidders who have won contracts to design and construct bridges, tunnels, embankments and viaducts for HS2 Phase One.
• First big HS2 contracts to build Britain’s new railway will support 16,000 jobsWinners of £6.6 billion worth of first stage major construction contracts for HS2 Phase One announced.

Financial Times

• HS2 cost concerns mar major contract awardsIndependent expert says initial section will be world’s most expensive rail line
• Delays to electrify UK railways ‘will raise overall cost of network’Transport committee head attacks plans by government to scale back electrification
• EasyJet’s Carolyn McCall appointed chief executive at ITV

The Guardian

• HS2 contracts worth £6.6bn awarded by UK governmentConstruction work billed to start in 2018 with transport minister Chris Grayling expected to announce changes today to final Manchester and Leeds routes
• Rail firms that fail on disability should lose franchise – thinktankTory group sets out vision for human rights after Brexit, including call to remain in the European court of human rights

Times Online

• Rail agency proposal to ‘cure chaos’ [Subscription]Civil servants at the Department for Transport have put forward proposals to take much greater control of the running of the train operating companies, raising the spectre of the recreation of the defunct strategic rail authority.

This is Money

• EasyJet boss set to take the helm at ITV  EasyJet boss Dame Carolyn McCall looks set to be confirmed as the new ITV boss now that Direct Line’s Paul Geddes is reportedly out of the running.
• Airbus ditches UK president Paul Kahn in jobs shake-up Airbus UK president Paul Kahn, 51, is going as part of a group-wide restructuring that will see more than 1,000 positions cut.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Sudden closure of one of North Wales' oldest railways base The Penrhyn Quarry Railway has shut up shop in Felin Fawr for 'circumstances beyond its control'

Manchester Evening News

• What is it like to be a bag going through Manchester Airport?Video footage shows the journey taken by your luggage - just to get to the plane
• There could soon be twice as many seats on rush hour trains between Manchester and London Plans for the final leg of the HS2 high rail line between Manchester and Leeds will be announced on Monday.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• £12m for harbour expansion announced by First MinisterNicola Sturgeon will today announce a £12million boost towards Aberdeen Harbour’s £350m expansion.
• £1.6million Stornoway Airport job gets underway next monthWork on a £1.69million contract to resurface the taxiway at Stornoway Airport will commence next month.
• Is there a Brexit threat to new flights from Aberdeen?…Ryanair tells passengers not to worryNew flights from Aberdeen International Airport (ICA) face being grounded by Brexit because of strict rules governing airline ownership.

The York Press

• ON THE BUSES: Street scenes of York from 1960sMAXINE GORDON flicks through a York collector's album of buses from 50 years ago
• Bikes bring £99m in tourismTOURISM in Yorkshire has already brought in almost £100 million in the year’s first quarter.
• E Riding road closedMAJOR roadworks start on the Market Weighton to North Cave road today, and will take 20 weeks to complete.
• Dualling cost put at £100m-£150m DUALLING York’s outer ring road would cost between £100 million and £150 million, a council officer has revealed.

Wales Online

• Twenty new train coaches coming to Wales for most crowded servicesTwenty additional train coaches will arrive in Wales next year to provide relief at last for passengers on the most crowded services.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• HS2 ‘could double rush hour seats in Leeds’The long-awaited HS2 rail project could “double the number of rush hour seats” for Leeds commuters, it has been revealed today.

Plymouth Herald

• All the major transport schemes in Plymouth There's no doubt that getting about in Plymouth is a gruelling experience at times.

Other Regional Press

• New connections could take passengers in Huntingdonshire beyond capitalRailway passengers travelling from Huntingdon and St Neots could soon be able to travel beyond London if proposed changes are given the go-ahead.
• South West Trains commuter slams 'ridiculous' decision not to offer reduced fares during August Waterloo worksCommuters are angry South West Trains will charge full charge season ticket price for "half a service and increased journey times" during August works
• Five new trains will be on lines in Wales in 2018A SET of five brand new trains will be on the rails in Wales next year thanks to a £2.9 million investment by the Welsh Government and a rail firm.

Rail Technology Magazine

• A game changer for Wales and bordersAndy Thomas, managing director for Network Rail’s Wales route, describes how the infrastructure owner will work more collaboratively than ever with whoever is chosen to operate the next Wales & Borders franchise.
• Adaptable carriage offers new revenue opportunity for TOCsZane van Romunde, transport sector lead at 42 Technology, explains why Adaptable Carriage could be a game changer in encouraging more online deliveries to be transported by train rather than via the UK’s increasingly congested road network.

Railnews

• HS2 contractors named The Department for Transport has named the contractors who will carry out work worth �6.6 billion on Phase 1 of HS2 between London and Birmingham. Full construction is now set to start next year. Preparatory work has already started after �900 million worth of contracts were awarded in November last year. Meanwhile designs are also being prepared for the new Phase 1 stations. The DfT said the invitations to tender for the station design services contracts for Phase 1 and the �invitation to participate in dialogue� for the Euston Master Development Partner have been released to shortlisted bid...

Railway Gazette

• Govia Thameslink Railway renews ticket sales systemUK: Govia Thameslink Railway is to replace its current desktop ticketing issuing system with...

Other News Sources

• Heathrow Airport Introduces AR TechnologyAR app featuring children's book characters Mr Men and Little Miss launched at Heathrow Airport.
• Holidaymaker parking costs revealed in new survey of airport car parks Those flying from Heathrow terminals 2, 3 and 4 will pay £146 for two weeks, and £10 more at T5