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

Thursday, 20 July 2017

BBC News

• Rhondda railway tunnel survey work gets under waySurvey work has begun at a disused Rhondda railway tunnel, with plans to reopen it to walkers and cyclists.
• Rail electrification between Cardiff and Swansea scrappedPlans to electrify the Great Western Railway line between Cardiff and Swansea have been scrapped, the UK's transport secretary has said.
• Rhondda railway tunnel survey work gets under wayWork starts on the tunnel which runs from Blaencwm to Blaengwynfi in Neath Port Talbot.
• Sexual offences on trains and tubes double in five yearsThe number of sexual offences reported on trains has doubled in five years, police say.
• Noise concern over Edinburgh Airport flight path changesMore than half of all respondents say they disagree with Edinburgh Airport's new proposed flight paths.

ITV News

• Swansea rail electrification plans scrappedPlans for electrification between Cardiff and Swansea have been scrapped, the UK Government has said.
• Swansea rail electrification plan scrappedThe electrification of the railway line between Cardiff and Swansea has been scrapped, the UK Government has announced.

Department for Transport

• New improvements for rail passengers in Wales, the midlands and the northThe Department for Transport announces plans for new bi-mode trains for passengers with more seats and better on-board facilities.
• Rail infrastructure funding: 2019 to 2024Announces publication of the high level output specification (HLOS) and initial statement of funds available (SOFA) for control period 6.
• Rail update: bi-mode train technologyModernising rail services and infrastructure on the Great Western Main Line, Midland Main Line and in the north.

Financial Times

• Shares in airlines and takeaway companies fall on card fee ban
• EasyJet accelerates hunt for new chief executiveStart date for Royal Mail boss brought forward as airline steps up search
• Wizz Air boss accelerates contingencies for BrexitAirline to secure operating certificate that allows flying to continue to and from UK
• Coal has no future, says US railroad bossCSX will not buy locomotives to haul the fuel despite Trump pledge to revive industry

The Guardian

• How have you been affected by end of term 'travel chaos'?As schools break up for the summer holiday around England and Wales we’d like to know how travel issues past and present have affected you
• HS2 cost concerns as NAO uncovers £2.7m in redundancy payoutsWatchdog’s chief says HS2 ‘fell short of the behaviour required’ with payments that breached civil service cap
• Trainy McTrainface: Swedish railway keeps Boaty's legacy aliveWinner of public vote to name new engine on Stockholm-Gothenburg line echoes UK poll choice for polar research shipIt’s happened again. A public vote to name four trains running between the Swedish cities of Stockholm and Gothenburg has resulted in one of the four being called Trainy McTrainface in an echo of the name chosen by the British public for the new polar research vessel.Trainy McTrainface received 49% of the votes in a poll, jointly run by Swedish rail company MTR Express and Swedish newspaper Metro. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Edinburgh's most polluted street to see low-emission busesLow-emission buses are being introduced for journeys along one of Scotland's most polluted streets.

Times Online

• Runway delay hurts Ireland’s growth, says Ryanair chief [Subscription]Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, has called on the attorney-general to speed up noise pollution legislation needed to build the delayed second runway at Dublin airport.
• Network Rail chief Mark Carne heads for £50,000 bonus even as trains get later [Subscription]The boss of Network Rail is set to receive a £50,000 bonus, despite overseeing a sharp rise in the number of trains cancelled or running late over the past 12 months.
• CitiPark is to lower fees for electric vehicles [Subscription]Drivers of petrol and diesel cars will face higher charges to use private car parks under a plan to tackle pollution.

Mail Online

• HS2 has already cost �2.3bn The annual report showed the company building the railway (artist's impression of Euston HS2 station, pictured) spent �500mn in the year to 31 March- up almost 30 per cent from the previous year.
• Southern Rail strikes called off for talks Transport secretary, Chris Grayling, has stepped in and agreed to speak to both unions and Southern Rail bosses in an attempt to finally find a solution to the 16-month stalemate.

Birmingham Mail

• Ryanair passenger fury after ALL plane's luggage left behind at Birmingham Airport Anger after claims the Ryanair flight landed at Malta without 150 suitcases

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Uber drivers from Bradford 'sleep in their cars' to pick up trade in YorkUBER drivers licensed in Bradford are ‘sleeping out’ in York to get trade.

Bristol Live

• Rail operator's #GWRAdventures hashtag backfires when angry passengers start using it to complainPeople flocked to show their 'adventures' on GWR services. But they weren't the kind that the company wanted everyone else to know about.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Rail bosses put new Waverley taxi rank plan on hold PLANS for a taxi rank in New Street car park next to Waverley station have been put on hold because rail bosses want to explore the potential for commercial development of the site.

London Evening Standard

• Commuters will be able to top up Oyster cards using smartphonesTube passengers will be able to top-up their Oyster cards on their smartphones after Transport for London today announced the launch of an official app.
• Southern Railway strike action suspended for talks with transport secretaryPlanned strikes by Southern Railway guards and drivers in the RMT union have been suspended to allow talks with the Transport Secretary.
• New British Airways 'safety video' includes hysterical celebrity cameosWatch as Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor auditions for his 'big break' and Gordon Ramsay fills in for legendary actress Joanna Lumley

Wales Online

• New £25m rail station for South Wales with 10,000 new job business park on track for 2020 openingA new £25m rail station in South Wales has been given UK Government backing. The aim is for it to be at the heart of a huge business, retail and leisure development that could create 10,000 new jobs.
• Transport Secretary Chris Grayling explains why rail electrification is not going beyond CardiffNew diesel-electric trains will shave 15 minutes off journey times and provide extra seats
• Rail electrification to Swansea from Cardiff has been ditched by UK GovernmentElectrification of the Great Western Mainline from Paddington to Swansea was promised by David Cameron in 2012
• Rail electrification between Cardiff and Swansea is in doubtThe UK Government is warned a u-turn would be an 'absolute disgrace'

Yorkshire Post

• Jayne Dowle: HS2 on wrong track if it fails to spread the benefit Am I the only one missing a connection? In all the arguments I’ve had on the subject of HS2, the major plus-point I’ve accepted is that we would end up with a new station here in South Yorkshire to whizz us directly to London in super-fast time. And of course, to whizz London directly to us, so that we can all enjoy mutual economic, employment, social and cultural opportunities.

Get West London

• Cross-party MPs form new group to question the case for Heathrow third runwayMPs claim there is a growing number of political support against the expansion of Heathrow Airport

Other Regional Press

• Rail operator warned timetable changes could break franchise pledges A RAIL firm has been warned proposed changes to services in Calderdale and the county could break promises it made to secure its franchise.
• Confirmed HS2 route will have 'devastating' impact on Winsford, says MPTHE confirmed route for the Phase 2b of HS2 will have a ‘devastating’ impact on Winsford, according to Antoinette Sandbach MP.
• County-wide light railway plan unveiled by new mayorProposals for a light railway to connect Cambridgeshire’s market towns with the county’s cities have been unveiled by the mayor.

Airportwatch

• Building a sustainable future for rail services in WalesGeoff Ogden, interim managing director at Transport for Wales (TfW), talks to RTM about how the organisation is putting sustainable development at the heart of its services.

Buying Business Travel

• Wizz Air’s profits up as passenger traffic soarsLow-cost carrier plans further expansion and an end to cabin bag fees
• BA cabin crew begin new two-week strikeAirline says that it will be able to operate 99.5 per cent of flights

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Update on the Airports NPS and a decision on night flights In October 2016, the government selected a new north-west runway at Heathrow as its preferred scheme for delivering new airport capacity in the south-east. In February a consultation on a draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) was launched, which set out the reasons for this preference, along with the mitigation and compensation measures the government expects the promoter to put in place if planning permission is to be granted. The consultation closed on 25 May and the work to analyse the over 70,000 responses is progressing well. I would like to thank all of those who contributed...

London TravelWatch

• New report by passenger watchdog highlights the vital role played by small stations as the capital grows – they must not be neglectedA report published today by London’s independent passenger watchdog highlights the need for improvements at small stations in and around the capital. Passengers make almost 100 million journeys to and from small stations in and around London every year but these stations are more likely to be neglected than larger ones, despite their growing importance. Annual usage at these stations ranges from almost 5,000 to almost 1 million

Rail Technology Magazine

• RSG launches group to promote UK rail exportsThe Rail Supply Group (RSG) has today announced that the organisation it set up to develop strategies to promote UK rail abroad, the Exports Leadership Group (ELG), has met for the first time.

Aviation Industry

• Wizz Air names three new senior management staffCentral and Eastern European low-cost carrier (LCC) Wizz Air has announced three new appointments to the roles of deputy CEO, CFO and CTO. read more
• JetBlue pilots request federal mediationJetBlue Airways pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), requested mediation services from the National Mediation Board (NMB) July 18 to assist with contract negotiations. read more

Other News Sources

• Cardiff to Swansea rail electrification scrappedPlans for the electrification of the rail network between Cardiff and Swansea have been cancelled, according to the UK Government's transport secretary Chris Grayling.
• Amey chief leads rail industry export driveAmey chief executive Andy Milner is leading a government-backed drive to increase UK exports of rail industry goods and services.
• West Midlands Mayor welcomes confirmation of north of England HS2 routesAndy Street welcomes the economic benefits and "huge opportunities" that HS2 is bringing to the West Midlands.
• Proposal for A27 upgrade not a ‘longer-term fix’HIGHWAYS bosses behind plans to upgrade the A27 insist there is one feasible £69 million option to reduce congestion – but it will not have significant longer-term benefits.