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

Monday, 26 March 2018

BBC News

• Greater Manchester mayor unveils £240m 'Congestion Deal'More trams, investment in cycling lanes and an incentive for car-sharing are included in the plans.
• Heathrow rules out compensation for delayed disabled passengersThe BBC's Frank Gardner had criticised the airport for a delay because his wheelchair was misplaced.
• New car sales 'to fall 5.5% in 2018' amid consumer slowdownThe UK market will be the

Department for Transport

• Pothole fund boosted to repair roads after winter damageA further £100 million is being given to councils to help repair potholes and protect local roads from future severe weather.

Financial Times

• UK National Railway Museum embarks on £50m redevelopmentNew director aims to boost rail tourism before bicentenary of first steam line
• The gold-plated reason for Heathrow's bloated runway costsSystem allows owners to finance expansions with little equity capital

The Guardian

• Uber to sell south-east Asia business to competitor GrabUS ride-hailing firm will take 27.5% stake in Asia-based Grab and its CEO will join Grab’s boardRide-hailing firm Uber has agreed to sell its south-east Asian business to bigger regional rival Grab, marking the US company’s second retreat from an Asian market. The deal is the industry’s first big consolidation in south-east Asia, home to about 640 million people, and puts pressure on Indonesia’s Go-Jek, which is backed by Alphabet’s Google and China’s Tencent. Continue reading...
• Carillion bosses displayed 'greed on stilts', MPs claimMPs’ committee reveals new evidence showing how bosses sought to boost and protect bonuses despite dire financesCarillion bosses have been accused of demonstrating “greed on stiltsâ€� by worrying more about “fat pay and bonusesâ€� for bosses than looking out for signs of trouble before the company collapsed.MPs investigating the failure of the government contractor released reams of fresh evidence on Monday showing how Carillion sought to boost and protect the rewards for its top executives despite the dire state of its finances. Continue reading...

The Scotsman

• Greens press MSPs to join drive to increase bus usageScottish Greens are pressing ministers to introduce a new legally-binding target to reverse the decline in bus use.

The Telegraph

• European cities consider making public transport free to tackle air pollution 
• One in ten cars which had free VW fix have experienced 'limp mode' at high speed, lawyers claim 

Times Online

• Heathrow loses BBC reporter Frank Gardner’s wheelchair [Subscription]A BBC journalist met with the chief executive of Heathrow yesterday after claiming that the airport had a “casual disregard for disabled people”.
• Crumbling roads cost councils £43m in compensation claims [Subscription]Councils have spent more than £43 million in five years to settle legal claims brought by cyclists and motorists injured on Britain’s deteriorating roads.
• Congestion charge increases diesel pollution levels [Subscription]London’s congestion charge has increased diesel pollution by a fifth, putting people at a higher risk of severe lung and respiratory problems, scientists say.

City AM

• Bankrupt, jailed, £100m: Confessions of AirX CEO, John Matthews - the least popular man in private jet charteringOUR QUIET table at Dover Street’s Arts Club is becoming a de facto confession box. A gin and tonic replacing the grill between priest and penitent, John Matthews peers through his glass – for he hath sinned.

Daily Express

• Another year of delay for Scotland's 'bullet trains'SCOTLAND’S new fleet of electric trains could be delayed for at least another year amid safety fears. A whistleblower yesterday warned the small number of ScotRail’s Class 385s remain “grounded” over concerns about their curved windscreens.

Daily Record

• Crisis-hit Police Scotland spent £400k on consultants for scrapped transport merger despite service cutsThe force has spent an astonishing £6.6million on outside consultants since July 2014, the Sunday Mail can reveal. 

The Mirror

• Tory vow to repair Britain's potholes slammed as Chris Grayling pledges £100million to tackle £9billion crisis The Transport Secretary admitted that an 'unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather' had caused damage to local roads in England

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• District's MPs meet to discuss major investment projects ALL five of the Bradford district’s MPs attended a cross-party event to discuss major investment projects this weekend.

London Evening Standard

• BBC journalist Frank Gardner criticises Heathrow for 'mistreating disabled customers'Journalist Frank Gardner has hit out at Heathrow airport after being kept on a plane for nearly two hours after staff claimed to have lost his wheelchair.

Northern Echo

• 'Keyless' car thefts on riseMOTORISTS are being advised to take extra precautions after a spate of thefts of keyless vehicles in Cleveland.

Wales Online

• What you said about plans for a 'congestion charge' in Cardiff The plans are aimed at improving the city's air quality

Other Regional Press

• Luton London Airport reveals its community givingLondon Luton Airport (LLA) has contributed more than £370,000 to 121 groups in the local community over the last five years.
• Rail strike again tomorrow - here are the updated timetables Reduced services on the trains as union members go back on the picket line
• "Keep up the momentum": Residents urged to stay supportive of western relief road schemeAN EXECUTIVE at the helm of plans to build a western relief road linking Wyke Regis and Chickerell is urging residents to continue support for the scheme and “keep up the momentum.â€�

Bus and Coach Buyer

• London red route scheme starts MondayCPT has reminded the industry that a pilot scheme to allow coaches to pick up on London red routes will commence on Monday 26 March. The project is to run until the end of June.
• ArrivaClick over first year markArriva has completed its first year operating ArrivaClick, its demand-responsive public transport service.

Coach and Bus Week

• Mellor is the choice for Vale of Glamorgan Council’s new SprinterA Mercedes-Benz Sprinter from Mellor has been commissioned by the Vale of Glamorgan Council to carry passengers to and from the Adult Day Centre and various day trips arranged by the council.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• What do passengers want?Congestion, drivers’ attitude, waiting times and more – do you know what your passengers want from their bus? The results are in from Autumn 2017’s Bus Passenger Survey
• A clear directionOptare is carving a distinctive niche with its electric and lightweight vehicle strategy
• Glasgow sets out plans for low emission zoneGlasgow City Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee has released details of its proposals for Scotland’s first Low Emission Zone (LEZ), planned to start on 31 December.
• Nexus’ biggest transport surveyNexus is to conduct its biggest ever survey to find out how people get around in Tyne and Wear.
• Councils need to look beyond price for safety and sustainability of serviceChris Owens, MD of Llandudno based Alpine Travel, has hit out at councils for awarding lowest price tenders, without looking at what they are getting.

Other News Sources

• Scotrail’s £5 ticket apology branded ‘a very poor gesture’Rail bosses have been told their £5 discount ticket apology to fed-up Fife commuters isn’t good enough.
• Government encourages private investment for new southern rail link to Heathrow AirportPrivate investment into the rail network has been encouraged by the Government to help deliver a new southern rail link to Heathrow Airport.
• Battery-powered train to run on rail networkVivarail (www.vivarail.co.uk), the company giving a new lease of life to former London Underground trains in County Durham, intends to run its first production battery-powered unit on the national railway network this summer; it will have full approval to carry passengers.
• Potholes in Surrey: New £2 million fund to tackle road damage caused by 'unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather'“People rely on good roads to get to work and to see friends or family," said transport secretary and MP for Epsom and Ewell, Chris Grayling