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

Tuesday, 16 April 2024

BBC News

• Colour palette artwork unveiled at rail stationA colourful, community-inspired art installation which celebrates a Warwickshire town's local heritage and history has been unveiled at a railway station.
• Former Midlands Metro tram gets sustainable revampA tram from the first fleet used on the Midland Metro network is repurposed for sustainable travel.
• Campaigners concern about A1 safety upgrade delaysMore than 40 people have been killed in crashes on the road in the past 20 years.
• Major overnight motorway closures beginResurfacing work will shut the M6 from Warrington to Wigan on scheduled dates, National Highways says.
• Flights cancelled after Iran's strike on IsraelEasyJet has suspended planes travelling to Tel Aviv until 21 April following Tehran's attack.
• Oil prices dip after Iran attack on IsraelPrices had already risen in expectation of action, with Brent crude near a six-month high last week.
• Rail attraction set for summer holiday openingWork is on schedule for a multi-million-pound rail heritage centre to open in time for the school summer holidays, a council has said.

Financial Times

• UK pothole crisis threatens Tories ahead of local electionsMotorists and cyclists are increasingly outraged by the state of the country's roads
• Boeing engineer rejects whistleblower claim of 787 safety risksPlane maker says testing found zero evidence of fatigue stress in composites used in wide-body jet

The Guardian

• The Guardian view on smart motorways: not so clever without a hard shoulder | EditorialThe latest call by the RAC to reinstate emergency lanes should be listened to and acted upon. Ten years ago this week on the M25, Britain's first stretch of all-lane running (ALR) smart motorway was introduced, with more to follow. Envisaged as a way to ease congestion without spending money on widening roads, ALR motorways function without a hard shoulder for drivers in difficulty. As they were rolled out, motorists were assured that the emergency lane would not be missed, as new technologies would be able to respond to breakdowns, and control traffic flow.

The Independent

• Boeing pushes back on whistleblower's allegations and details how airframes are put togetherBoeing is defending the integrity of the fuselages on two of its largest planes

Times Online

• Ministers scrap millions in funding for tackling air pollution [subscription]The air quality grant scheme has awarded more than £90m to councils since 1997 but has been dropped this year

City AM

• Sadiq Khan to review bringing London buses into public ownership Sadiq Khan has pledged to create a new London bus company which would look at bringing routes into public ownership.
• Susan Hall announces plan to extend Night Tube to Hammersmith & City line Susan Hall has unveiled her plan to extend the Night Tube to the Hammersmith & City line, if elected mayor of London.

Birmingham Mail

• Major Midland transport plans unveiled as Andy Street makes ‘fare-capping’ pledgeResidents in Birmingham and across the West Midlands could soon benefit from plans to introduce a 'seamless' transport network

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bus route in Bradford city centre causes mass confusionA NEW Bradford city centre bus route has caused mass confusion with many labelling the system an "absolute shambles".

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Airport terminal lets you check-in for flights in the city centre Holidaymakers would check-in before boarding a shuttle bus to the airport

Nation. Cymru

• Leading think tank highlights need to speed up sustainable transport delivery in WalesA new report by a leading think tank has recommended a raft of policies to help speed up sustainable and affordable transport delivery in Wales.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• 'Reprehensible' planned changes to East Coast mainline delayedNetwork Rail said there were too many issues to push ahead with the plans

Bucks Free Press

• Decline of Buckinghamshire bus services laid bare in figuresStark figures have laid bare the massive decline of Buckinghamshire' bus network.

Burnley Express

• Real-time bus information plans for East Lancashire stopsDigital displays are set to be installed at dozens of Lancashire bus stops telling passengers when the service they are waiting for is due to arrive.

Other Regional Press

• New type of train service could cut fares by 60% and end strikes at 3 London stationsA new type of train service that will operate out of three major London stations could cut fares by 60 per cent and end strikes. Millions of people across Britain will have access to new train services under rail industry plans. Open access services on seven routes are being developed in a bid to boost connectivity, increase competition and reduce fares, analysis by the PA news agency found.
• HS2 collapse stops A500 becoming 19-mile dual-carriagewayThe previous project had been 'undermined' due to the cancellation of the northern sections of HS2
• New London Bus Company to be established to bring routes back into public ownershipSadiq Khan has pledged to establish a new London Bus Company to bring the city's routes back into public ownership for the first time in 30 years.
• Residents urged to use First Bus' X51 trial bus serviceDorchester Transport Action Group is urging residents in Martinstown and Winterbourne Steepleton to use First Bus' trial X51 bus service.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• UPS establishes its first UK Cycle HubUPS has opened a micro hub in Cambridge, the hub, operating from a converted shipping container, will serve as a consolidation and dispatch point for packages destined for the city centre. The Cambridge cycle hub will be home to three electric-assisted quad cycles, known as eQuads. These innovative vehicles, developed by UK-based company Fernhay, will provide final-mile delivery to residential and commercial properties in the city with zero tailpipe emissions.

Rail UK

• New trains enter service on Birmingham’s Cross City LinePassengers on Birmingham’s iconic Cross City Line have been travelling on a brand new train fleet for the first time

Railway Technology

• Disneyland Hong Kong to upgrade rolling stock and signals – MTRHong Kong’s metro rail operator MTR has announced a “renewal plan” for its dedicated line serving the Disneyland Hong Kong resort.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Nottingham City Transport puts first Yutong electrics into serviceNottingham City Transport has placed into service the first of its initial delivery of 24 Yutong E10 and E12 buses in what Managing Director David Astill says is the commencement of a programme to replace diesel buses with battery-electrics as they come due for withdrawal.

Aviation Industry

• Civil aviation sees record highs in cargo and passenger transportBoth the volume of passenger transport volume and the cargo and mail transport volume in civil aviation in this year's first quarter reached their highest levels ever recorded for a first quarter in history, as announced by the Civil Aviation Administration on Tuesday.

Other News Sources

• Heathrow moves up global airport traffic rankingsLondon Heathrow was the fourth busiest airport in the world in 2023, according to figures from Airports Council International (ACI) World.
• Transport UK London Bus electrifies bus line in LondonA fleet of Wrightbus Electroliner electric buses has hit the street on London route 306. The route will now be served exclusively by Transport UK London Bus' electric buses.
• Transport for Wales announces train schedule changesTransport for Wales (TfW) has completed a major review aiming to meet new customer needs post-covid and strategize for future growth.