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

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

BBC News

• Bus network plans announced in LeedsPlans to double the number of bus journeys made in Leeds in the next 10 years have been announced by the city council.
• Manchester event helps to get disabled people cyclingMore than 300 specially adapted bikes are available for attendees to use.
• Metrolink problems: Mayor demands answers after tram chaosGreater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has called for an urgent report on Monday's problems.
• Signal problems resolved after major disruption to Glasgow servicesTwo signalling faults caused cancellations and delays to rail services in and out of Glasgow.
• Carillion: Regulator was warned over pension deficitThe Pensions Regulators was alerted in 2010 and 2013 over the size of Carillion's pension deficit.

Financial Times

• Citymapper drops bus plans, looks to take on UberPopular mapping app granted licence by London transport authority
• Driverless cars: mapping the trouble aheadCompetition between companies is putting a brake on the highly complex 3D maps autonomous vehicles need to function

The Guardian

• Airlines sound alarm over 'blank cheque' for Heathrow third runwayThe true cost of Heathrow expansion is likely to be “grossly” higher than the £14.3bn the airport has cited, airlines have told MPs, adding that transparency and guarantees should be supplied ahead of a crucial vote.

The Herald

• It is hard to come to terms with the farce that is Abellio ScotRailAbellio ScotRail (ASR) operates trains it doesn’t own, over track it doesn’t own, between stations it doesn’t own.

The Independent

• Heathrow: airlines demand guarantee on expansion costsThe UK’s leading airlines have demanded a guarantee that passenger fees will not increase at an expanded Heathrow.

The Scotsman

• Kath Murray: SNP decision to delay police merger is right oneFor the most part, discussion about the integration of British Transport Police (BTP) in Scotland into Police Scotland has focused on the sizeable practical obstacles: on terms and conditions for transferring officers, the costs and risks, and whether seamless cross-border railway policing can be achieved under a dual command structure.
• ScotRail passengers hit by major signalling disruption Thousands of ScotRail passengers suffered major disruption today after more than 100 trains were cancelled because of four faults across the Central Belt.
• Controversial rail policing merger is thrown into doubtControversial plans to integrate railway policing into Police Scotland have been thrown into doubt after the scheduled start date was delayed.

The Telegraph

• Southern rail operator Go-Ahead changes track with first foray outside bus and railhe operator of the Southern rail franchise has moved to add a new line to its business, with its first investment beyond trains and buses into a German car sharing company.

Times Online

• Hail flying taxi in next decade, predicts Uber [Subscription]Flying taxis could be a common feature in the skies over cities in five years’ time, according to the chief executive of Uber.
• Driverless technology ‘will fuel rise of car-sharing’ [Subscription]Self-driving electric cars will be a “game-changer” for global transport by slashing the costs of taxis, BP has forecast.
• Transport police merger hits bump in road [Subscription]A controversial merger of Police Scotland and the British Transport Police has been put on hold, the Scottish government has said.
• Strike-hit owner of Southern Railway moves into car sharing [Subscription]There will have been days during the months of strikes on Southern Railway when commuters would have given much for a nice little car-share to get them home.

Reuters News

• UK should demand cost pledge for new runway - airline bosses- British lawmakers should force Heathrow to promise not to raise passenger charges before they give the airport the green light to build a new runway, airline bosses said on Tuesday

City AM

• Ford to set up German bank in second half of the year as it gears up for BrexitFord confirmed today that it plans to set up a bank in Germany in the second half of this year as it looks to firm up its post-Brexit planning.
• Boss of British Airways owner IAG Willie Walsh has The outspoken boss of British Airways owner IAG, Willie Walsh, said today his confidence that Heathrow would ensure its expansion was on time and on budget "is zero".
• Deputy mayor slams government for abandoning London's transport network as TfL faces near £1bn deficitLondon's deputy mayor for transport will issue a rebuke of government today for abandoning the capital's transport network as Transport for London (TfL) faces a near £1bn operational deficit next year.

Daily Record

• ScotRail fined £3m in penalties for poor services The train operator has forked out £3m over the last night months for skipping stops, delays and cancelling services.
• Rush hour chaos as two of Scotland's busiest rail lines hit by disruption Passengers travelling on Newton and Croy lines are being affected by delays or cancellations following a signalling issue.

Network Rail

• Thousands of UK companies are set to benefit from £multi-billion work-bankThousands of UK companies are set to benefit as Network Rail starts its advanced procurement for a multi-billion pound investment programme for its next five-year funding period, 2019-2024, Control Period 6 (CP6)
• What the railway could look like in 30 years’ timeImagine the railway of the future. Research and development teams across the rail industry are doing just that, thinking about the needs of passengers and businesses in 30 years’ time and even further ahead, and considering how the railway can adapt through innovation to meet these requirements.

Belfast Telegraph

• MPs urged not to trust Heathrow planIAG chief executive Willie Walsh claimed the third runway scheme should not be approved unless the airport guarantees that landing charges will not be increased.
• MPs urged not to trust Heathrow planIAG chief executive Willie Walsh claimed the third runway scheme should not be approved unless the airport guarantees that landing charges will not be increased.

Birmingham Post

• All you need to know about new ‘cycle highway’ in Perry Barr Building work has commenced on the A34 Birchfield Road

London Evening Standard

• BA pilot shares amazing footage of plane coming into land at Vancouver airport A British Airways pilot has shared amazing footage of his plane coming into land at Vancouver airport, giving passengers a glimpse of the impressive view they don't often get to see.
• Probe after Tube passenger dragged along platform and into tunnel after getting handbag trapped in train doorsAn investigation has been launched after an elderly woman was dragged along a London Undergound station platform and into a tunnel after becoming trapped in a train door.
• TfL Tube delays: Commuters face travel chaos as District, Circle, Hammersmith and City and Victoria lines hit by delaysTube commuters were braced for travel chaos as four lines were hit by delays ahead of the evening rush hour.
• First Elizabeth line trains run from Paddington for testing ahead of Crossrail launchThe first Elizabeth line trains have started running from Paddington ahead of the launch of Crossrail later this year.

Manchester Evening News

• Passengers caught up in Metrolink chaos 'could get compensation', says Mayor Andy Burnham Mayor calls for thorough investigation and 'more resilient system' in future as trams get moving again
• Mayor Andy Burnham vows to investigate after public outcry over loss of vital number 88 bus service "Some operators are suiting themselves, not the travelling public."

Northern Echo

• 'Bring East Coast into public ownership now', petition statesA PETITION has been handed into the Government renewing calls for the East Coast Mainline franchise to be brought back into public ownership.

The York Press

• Second man claims he was trapped in bus doors ANOTHER passenger has claimed he was trapped by the door as he was trying to get off a bus in North Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Post

• YP Letters: Heathrow PR overblows value of third runwayHEATHROW’S latest PR exercise, launching a tour of ‘potential’ sites that are on a long list to become ‘logistic’ hubs for construction of a third runway, is yet another plain attempt to secure support for its project, whilst back down in London, many are beginning to doubt its actual benefits.

North Wales Live

• Horror film of schoolkids in gas masks to try and stop new road being built Campaign group use shock tactics to try and protect Rimrose Valley park
• Horror film of schoolkids in gas masks to try and stop new road being built Campaign group use shock tactics to try and protect Rimrose Valley park

Other Regional Press

• Spalding gridlock fears over freight train plansSpalding’s level crossings could halt road traffic for 24 minutes in every hour once work is completed on a freight train “underpass” at Werrington.
• Railway subway plans set to include CCTV and two-way mirrors NEWPORT City Council (NCC) has said it plans to install CCTV, repair lights and reinstall a two way mirror in a graffitied subway.
• Parents and commuters call for cycle safety measures promised two years agoCYCLISTS scared to brave the ‘dangerous’ layout on one of Oxford’s main roads want to fast-track plans to boost safety.
• Changes to M40 service station plan after traffic concerns CHANGES will be made to a planned huge new motorway service station off the M40 in an attempt to satisfy concerns about its impact on traffic.
• This is why MPs think the Virgin Trains collapse could pave the way for direct rail from Grimsby to LondonPrevious bids to run trains from London to Cleethorpes were blocked because it could hit Virgin Trains' profits

New Civil Engineer

• TfL reviewing 1,800 engineering rolesUp to 1,799 engineering jobs at Transport for London (TfL) are under threat as part of the body’s continuing cost-cutting drive, New Civil Engineer has learned.
• Starting gun fired for bidders in £326M Highways England dealHighways England has published the tender documents for a maintenance and response contractor deal worth £326M in north west England.
• India hyperloop route gets green light for developmentIndia is a step closer to getting a hyperloop route after plans were revealed to construct a test track between two major cities.

Rail Technology Magazine

• First direct London-Amsterdam service marks 'exciting new chapter' for EurostarThe first ever direct Eurostar service from London to Amsterdam left London St Pancras International today, marking a landmark moment for rail travel between the UK and mainland Europe. A service left at 08.31 this morning, and will take just over three hours to get to Rotterdam, and three hours...
• Alstom: Industry must start work bringing hydrogen trains to UK immediatelyAlstom, the supplier who are leading the race to put hydrogen-powered rolling stock on track in Europe, has said that Jo Johnson’s ambition to get rid of diesel-only trains by 2040 will work as motivation for the industry to work towards delivering greener trains.   In an exclusive...
• Grayling granted injunction to stop protestors trespassing on HS2 construction siteChris Grayling has this week been granted an injunction to stop campaigners protesting the construction of HS2 on site. DfT demanded the injunction to prevent eight protestors demonstrating on site where the high-speed line in the Colne Valley, Hillingdon. The project has faced regular protests...
• TfL completes biggest test of Tube's signalling upgrade Transport for London (TfL) has completed a weekend of testing on a brand new signalling system set to transform the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines. More trains ran between Hammersmith and Edgware Road this weekend than any other weekend of testing. TfL says that...

Railway Gazette

• Greater Anglia Aventra EMUs under construction in DerbyUK: Bombardier Transportation’s Derby plant has begun production of the first of 111 Class 720...
• Greater Anglia Aventra EMUs under construction in DerbyUK: Bombardier Transportation’s Derby plant has begun production of the first of 111 Class 720...
• Eurostar runs Amsterdam preview service to mark start of ticket salesEUROPE: Cross-Channel high speed train operator Eurostar ran a preview service between London St...

The Business Desk

• £30m Centre of Excellence in Rolling Stock gets the backing of Rail MinisterThe University of Huddersfield’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR) has been announced as a Centre of Excellence for the new £90m UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN).

Aviation Industry

• Eurowings to expand Dusseldorf base Eurowings will expand services from its Dusseldorf base by 30%—to 1 million available seats per month—from summer 2018 when the Lufthansa LCC subsidiary will increase its based aircraft from 26 to 40. read more
• SunExpress reports strong 2017 on traffic growthSunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, reported a €1.2 billion turnover ($1.4 billion) for 2017, the highest turnover in its history. read more

Other News Sources

• Lord Paul Deighton Chairman, London Heathrow Airport letter to the editorLord Paul Deighton, Chairman, London Heathrow Airport wrote this letter to our editor on expansion:
• London Heathrow Airport chairman outlines expansion policyLondon Heathrow Airport chairman Paul Deighton outlined (20-Feb-2018) the airport's expansion policy ahead of the UK Parliament's Transport Select Committee inquiry into the draft Airports National Policy Statement. Highlights include: