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

Friday, 13 October 2017

BBC News

• Public buses allowed back on Forth Road BridgeThe Forth Road Bridge has been closed for roadworks to allow it to be used for public transport.
• Rail fund allocation leaves £600m gap, says transport ministerTransport Minister Humza Yousaf says the £3.6bn allocated by the UK government is not enough.
• Branson's Virgin Group invests in Hyperloop OneSir Richard is joining the board of the pod-based US transport company.
• Shell plugs into electric car charging companyNewmotion has 30,000 recharging points in the Netherlands, Germany, France and the UK.
• Ryanair to challenge Lufthansa's Air Berlin dealThe Irish airline says it will take the €210m deal to European competition authorities.

Financial Times

• Electric cars: China's highly charged power playBeijing bets on battery vehicles in state-backed push to become a high-tech industrial power
• Ryanair puts pressure on pilots to accept pay offerAirline fights to overcome crisis over cancellations of more than 20,000 flights
• Lufthansa to sign deal to buy half of Air BerlinGerman carrier expects to take 81 of collapsed airline’s 140 planes, and 3,000 staff
• Sir Richard Branson invests in futuristic hyperloop trainBillionaire backs US company developing vehicles that will run at supersonic speeds

The Guardian

• New airplane biofuels plan would 'destroy rainforests', warn campaignersPlan to accelerate production of biofuels for passenger planes would lead to clearing of rainforests to produce vast amount of necessary cropsA new plan to accelerate production of biofuels for passenger planes has drawn stinging criticism from environmentalists who argue that most of the world's rainforests might have to be cleared to produce the necessary crops.Aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, with an 8% leap reported in Europe last year and a global fourfold increase in CO2 pollution expected by 2050.

The Herald

• Scottish ministers demand fair funding deal for railwaysScottish ministers have called for a fair funding deal for Scotland's railways after the UK Government announced billions of pounds worth of funding for future years.
• Buses returning to Forth Road Bridge in first phase of reopeningBuses will be able to use the Forth Road Bridge from Friday as part of a phased reopening.
• Sir Richard Branson claims hyper-loop will take passengers from Scotland to London in just 45 minutesSir Richard Branson has invested in a Hyperloop firm which he claims will transport passengers between Scotland and London in 45 minutes.

Times Online

• ‘Pedantry and poor teamwork’ derailed Edinburgh trams [Subscription]The Edinburgh trams project was hampered by unrealistic expectations, poor teamwork and a culture of pedantry, an inquiry has been told.

Reuters News

• Ryanair resists pilot call for new industrial relations approachDUBLIN (Reuters) - Ryanair resisted moves by pilots to unionise on Thursday, after one demanded the Irish airline adopts a new approach to industrial relations.

City AM

• Transport for London could cash in on open data expertise through new consulting armTransport for London (TfL) has shed more light on the role of its consultancy arm in the works, saying today that it is exploring new commercial avenues through releasing open data.
• There’s a solution to the airport capacity problem in the UK, and it isn’t HeathrowThe call for evidence to form a new aviation strategy for the UK closes today. Glyn Jones is chief executive of Stobart Aviation, the owner of London Southend Airport.

Daily Record

• Sir Richard Branson to build futuristic train line that will carry passengers from Edinburgh to London in 45 minutesVirgin has described Hyperloop One as the 'world's most revolutionary train service' which will have 'operational systems' ready by 2021.
• Forth Road Bridge back in business as it reopens to buses today The bridge has been closed for roadworks since the opening of the new £1.3billion Queensferry Crossing.

Mail Online

• Ryanair pilot blasts managers in extraordinary letter Captain Imelda Comer is the first pilot to use her name when criticising the airline and penned the letter to CEO Michael O'Leary (pictured) which she delivered to their headquarters in Dublin.
• Court paves way for airline passengers to make claims More than one million passengers who endured tortuous delays after missing their connecting flight could be in line for compensation after a crushing legal blow against the airline industry.

London Evening Standard

• Sadiq Khan reveals he has never used Uber as he hints deal could mean the company's license is restoredMayor Sadiq Khan today revealed he has never taken an Uber as he hinted at a deal that could lead to a restoration of the cab-hailing app's licence.
• WH Smith airport and rail stores eclipse High StreetWH Smith today hit a landmark point in its 225-year history with its stores in train stations and airports now larger than its High Street arm.
• 'London to Scotland in 45 mins': Richard Branson invests in new Hyperloop transport serviceSir Richard Branson has invested in a new high-speed transport system which he claims can take passengers from London to Scotland in 45 minutes.
• Deadline day for Uber to appeal TfL's decision to not renew their licenceUber is expected to start the appeal process against TfL's decision to deny it of a new London licence.

Northern Echo

• Hitachi 'will expand further' if orders continue to come - bosses claim BOSSES of a trainbuilder have said they are ready to expand to challenge for significant new projects after unveiling their latest North-East creation yesterday.

Wales Online

• Commuters 'face daily major-event-style queues at Cardiff Central Station' The number of people using the station every year is expected to grow by 3.5 million over the next five years

North Wales Live

• Merseyrail making changes to Wirral train journeys after admitting service has not been good enough Passengers angry at delays and disruption blamed on Lime Street closure and leaves on the line

Other Regional Press

• The future in is electric thanks to automotive centreAN INNOVATION centre focusing on race cars has opened in Abingdon.
• Calls for fines from bus gates to be reinvested in town centre Tory challenges council to use fines to improve Huddersfield with business owners labelling probe into them a 'whitewash'

Buying Business Travel

• Gatwick reports record SeptemberPassenger numbers up 2.7% year on year
• Simplification the way forward for travel industryBut barriers hinder progress
• Air France and Vietnam Airlines sign joint venturePartnership designed to 'optimise services'

Rail Magazine

• Scotland's new rail championNew ScotRail Alliance Managing Director ALEX HYNES talks about why he moved north of the border in June, and the challenges he faces in his new role
• Hitachi unveils first complete Scottish Class 385Hitachi Rail Europe unveils first completed Class 385 for ScotRail.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Specialist trains keep Wales moving through autumnSpecialist ‘railhead treatment’ trains are in use across the railway in Wales and the Borders as Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales step-up their plans for autumn. The railhead treatment trains are designed to use high pressured water jets to clear the top of the track, improving...
• Councillors consider £500m Leeds station upgradeProposals to make £500m worth of changes to Leeds Station to build a central hub for HS2 have been discussed by councillors this week. The plans, which relate to both the high-speed rail and Northern Powerhouse projects, include an increase in the number of entrances and the creation of a...
• NR launches first multi-site land package for homesNetwork Rail has launched the first in a planned series of multi-site land packages as part of its land for homes programme. The multi-site packages will streamline the process of unlocking land for homes. The first package includes two sites in Bermondsey, south-east London, a residential and...
• DfT allots £48bn for CP6 alongside new major upgrade funding processTransport secretary Chris Grayling has announced £48bn spending on railways from 2019 to 2024 including more maintenance and the promised increase in renewals. The figure, quoted in the Statement of Funds Available (SoFA), is £10bn greater than the previous control period and has...

Railway Gazette

• Railway supply industry news round-upGE Transportation announced on October 7 that Chief Executive Officer Jamie Miller is to become...

Aviation Industry

• Clean Growth Strategy fails to address aviation policy gapThe long-awaited Clean Growth Strategy was published today, setting out how the Government plans to increase the pace of action needed to deliver the Climate Change Act. The Government's webpage boldly claims that This strategy sets out our proposals for …
• Lufthansa signs deal for large portion of airberlin assetsLufthansa has signed a €210 million ($249 million) deal to take over a large part of bankrupt airberlin's assets, including NIKI and regional carrier LGW, in a move that will give its low-cost Eurowings affiliate a boost. read more

Other News Sources

• 'Stalinist' £150 million Guildford railway station development would prevent chance to alleviate town centre traffic, campaigners say Guildford Vision Group is not happy about developer Solum's radical proposals for the town’s main transport hub