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

Thursday, 29 March 2018

BBC News

• Cardiff bus station plans approved to begin next monthCouncillors have voted to approve the long-awaited bus station in Central Square.
• Firms appointed for Belfast - Derry road upgradeA consortium of construction firms in appointed to deliver the A6 dual carriageway scheme
• DLR 48-hour strike hits thousands of passengersA limited service is operating between Beckton and Poplar, and Canning Town and London City Airport.
• UK car production falls as domestic demand slumpsThe number of cars built in Britain fell as domestic demand dived 17%, the SMMT says.

The Guardian

• Uber settles with family of woman killed by self-driving carElaine Herzberg, 49, died after being hit by the automated Uber in Tempe, ArizonaThe family of the woman killed by an Uber self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle. Cristina Perez Hesano, attorney with the firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona, said “the matter has been resolvedâ€� between Uber and daughter and husband of Elaine Herzberg, 49, who died after being hit by an Uber self-driving SUV in Tempe earlier this month. Continue reading...
• Rail electrification plans cancelled purely for cost reasons, says NAOGovernment claims that hundreds of millions of pounds of rail investment were cancelled last July because there were other ways of delivering improvements have been rejected by the government spending watchdog.

The Herald

• Fears older passengers will be put off trains if ticket office axedOLDER passengers will put off travelling if one of Scotland’s busiest train stations switches to a self-service ticket system, it has been warned.

Times Online

• Transport minister Chris Grayling ‘delusional’ over rail plan [Subscription]The transport secretary has been called “delusional” as the public spending watchdog raised doubts over his plan to scrap the electrification of significant railway lines.

City AM

• Demand for cars in the UK declines while production slipsDomestic demand for UK cars fell for the seventh consecutive month in February as the industry struggles with declining sales and uncertainty around Brexit.

Mail Online

• Drivers paying an annual ‘loyalty tax’ of more than £650million by automatic policy renewals For years insurance companies kept drivers in the dark by refusing to show what they paid in the previous year - now that has been rectified they are still not noticing price increases, a report said.

The Mirror

• Tory Transport Secretary Chris Grayling accused of 'lying' over decision to scrap rail electrification plans The attack by a union boss came as a spending watchdog savaged the Minister's reasons for cancelling schemes on the Great Western Main Line
• Aircraft giant Boeing hit by 'WannaCry ransomware virus as chief engineer calls for "All hands on deck"' Boeing confirmed it had experienced "a limited intrusion of malware that affected a small number of systems"

Birmingham Mail

• Fresh hope for £50million rail tunnel to link Coventry and Leicester Initial bids for the cash were derailed but county council says new body is now leading the fight for funding

Edinburgh Evening News

• John McLellan: Why Edinburgh needs a new rail stationImagine the outcry if someone today proposed driving a railway line through historic streets, destroying a medieval church and a famous garden, and getting rid of a loch at the same time.

London Evening Standard

• Blind man 'reduced to tears' as commuters refuse to give up seats in disability priority sectionA blind man said he was reduced to tears after commuters on a rush-hour Southeastern train refused to give him a seat in the designated disabled section.
• Gatwick Airport incident: Emergency services descend after ground crew member 'struck by plane'Emergency services descended on Gatwick Airport after a ground crew member was reportedly struck by a plane.
• DLR strike latest: Commuters face second day of disruption as 48-hour walkout continuesCommuters are braced for another day of disruption as the 48-hour strike on the Docklands Light Railway continues.

Manchester Evening News

• How Manchester Airport's £1bn revamp looks - from the top of a 130ft crane Contractors are working on top of huge cranes - it's not a job for the faint-hearted

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• 750 Newcastle jobs safe as British Airways keeps call centre in-house There had been fears the call centre operations in Newcastle and Manchester would be outsourced to Capita

Northern Echo

• Ticket offices at Chester-le-Street and Eaglescliffe threatened with closure will remain openTWO rail companies have stepped in to keep ticket offices which were set for closure open.

The York Press

• Rail strike to hit Maundy Thursday services PASSENGERS in York and North Yorkshire are being warned of strike action tomorrow - one of the busiest travel days of the year - on Northern trains.

Wales Online

• Theresa May personally decided to cancel rail electrification between Cardiff and SwanseaPrime Minister Theresa May personally took the decision to cancel electrification between Cardiff and Swansea, it has been revealed. Her decision, revealed in a National Audit Office report, has been condemned as “indefensible” by a rail union and “incompetence” by a Swansea MP.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Transport Secretary accused of lying over scrapping of rail electrification schemes The Transport Secretary has been accused of “lying” over his controversial decision not to proceed with three major rail electrification projects following an investigation into the cancellation.

Other Regional Press

• Bridgwater would be an excellent location for Heathrow Hub, says MPBRIDGWATER would be an excellent location for a new Heathrow logistics hub as the country’s biggest airport prepares for expansion, says the area’s MP.
• Mayor James Palmer wants to reopen stations in Soham and Wisbech as he says it’s time to look beyond Network Rail to deliver ‘essential infrastructure’Cambridgeshire mayor James Palmer is campaigning to reopen stations in Soham and Wisbech to help provide better links from the north to the south of the county.

Buying Business Travel

• Arizona bans Uber from resuming self-driving car testsDecision by state’s governor follows death of pedestrian last week

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Greater Manchester mayor unveils £240m 'Congestion Deal' Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced funding for new trams and other measures to tackle congestion. The Congestion Deal includes £80m for 27 new trams and £160m to be spent on new cycling and walking lanes. Also included are employer incentives for flexible start and finish times, bus lane use for car-sharers and safe cycling routes to schools. Mr Burnham said congestion is a

Construction News

• HS2 confirms Fluor added to Bam-Ferrovial stations JVUS engineering giant Fluor has been formally added to Bam Nuttall and Ferrovial’s joint venture bidding for the contracts to build HS2’s London stations.

Global Rail News

• GWR announces plans to replace Class 332s as it takes over Heathrow Express serviceGreat Western Railway (GWR) is to take over the operation of the Heathrow Express rail service later this year.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Companies invited to submit bids for West Coast PartnershipWest Coast passengers will benefit from improved accessibility, simpler fares and improved compensation, transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced as he invited companies to bid for the brand-new franchise. Organisations have been invited to submit a bid to run the new West Coast...
• ORR: 'More to be done' to ensure passengers get best ticket for journey New easier to use machines and clearer language have helped more passengers buy the right ticket for their journey from station vending machines, according to research by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Mystery shopping research revealed that the proportion of users who would have bought the...

Railway Gazette

• GWR to manage Heathrow Express serviceUK: The Heathrow Express premium airport service between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport is to continue running until at least 2028 under a new agreement announced on March 28.

The Business Desk

• Waste management firm to expand rail hub network to LeedsIntegrated waste management company Biffa has entered a strategic partnership with GB Railfreight to expand its rail hub network for the transportation of inactive waste.

Aviation Industry

• LaudaMotion, Ryanair outline joint operations New Austrian carrier LaudaMotion and Irish LCC Ryanair have outlined details about their new partnership, which was announced March 20. LaudaMotion officially launched operations March 25. read more
• Finnair to accelerate A350 deliveriesFinnair is speeding up the arrival of two of its remaining Airbus A350s to support its continued growth push toward Asia. read more

Other News Sources

• Derbyshire County Council reveals plans to cut bus routes across the areaDerbyshire County Council has put forward plans to end its support for 26 bus services across the county.
• GWR to manage Heathrow Express operationsHEATHROW Express services between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 will continue to operate until at least 2028 under a management contract between Heathrow Airport and FirstGroup subsidiary Great Western Railway, which was confirmed on March 28.
• Hackney railway arches: Meg Hillier and council chief blast Network Rail over ‘unacceptable’ rent hikesRail bosses driving long-established traders out of Hackney with eye-watering rent hikes will be held to account, Meg Hillier has vowed.