Breaking News
Inquiry launched into double debacle of Leeds Supertram and trolleybus schemes
A MAJOR inquiry is set to be launched into the chain of decisions stretching back across three decades which saw TWO major transport schemes for Leeds scrapped – and tens of millions of pounds in taxpayer cash wasted in the process.
Further rail improvements planned in Essex - meaning East Anglia will have been cut off from London for half of 2016
Rail services between London and East Anglia will be cancelled again for eight weekends between September and November – and there will be a total shutdown on the southern end of the route for 10 days over the festive period.
Nothing done to simplify rail since 2009
Rail companies do not appear to have done anything to simplify the train ticketing system for at least seven years, the Transport Select Committee has claimed.
Moving towards a right-time railway
David Sidebottom, passenger director at Transport Focus, on how being honest about the quality of service passengers can expect is a key part of building trust between the railway and its customers.
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
BBC News
- Ken Skates: Mid Wales should forge Midlands economic linksClose economic links should be forged between mid and west Wales and the West Midlands, according to Wales' economy secretary.
- Eurostar storing bikes in disabled toiletsBicycles are being stored in disabled toilets on some of Eurostar's international services to and from France, the BBC learns.
- Train game parodies 'shambolic' railwayWeb developers create an online game where players cancel Southern Rail trains and take profits from passengers.
- Multiple buses in Glasgow city centre crashPolice are attending the scene of a bus crash in the centre of Glasgow.
- RMT announces new strike dates in ScotRail disputeThe RMT rail union announces two new days of strike action in July in an ongoing dispute with ScotRail over driver-only trains.
- BA apologises for check-in delays at Heathrow and GatwickBritish Airways apologises to passengers who faced long delays at check-in at Heathrow and Gatwick airports on Sunday.
- US regulators investigate Fiat Chrysler sales reportsFiat Chrysler said it is being investigated by US regulators over its reporting of quarterly and annual results.
Financial Times
- Turkish Airlines: a gulf to bridgeCoup attempt is the latest brake on the company’s rapid expansion
- Fury at Italy’s fatal train crashNotebook: Tragedy is a psychological blow to a region that feels abandoned, writes James Politi
The Guardian
- Southern is a story of rail failure. But the real agenda is to crush the unionsYou work in an office, study at a further education college, want to visit your nan in her care home. Whoever you are, wherever you go, you rely on the trains to take you there. Except you can’t rely on them – not at all.
- South London sinkhole causes rail misery in evening rush hourNetwork Rail moves more than 50 tonnes of ballast to shore up track but warns travel problems could last until end of MondayA four-metre-deep sinkhole opened up underneath railway lines in south London on Monday, causing travel chaos for commuters, who were advised to avoid one of the capital’s busiest stations just as the evening rush hour was getting under way.Network Rail said it was moving more than 50 tonnes of ballast to the scene in Forest Hill to try and shore up the track, but said travel problems could last until the end of the day. Continue reading...
The Herald
- Glasgow bus crash driver suspended amid claims he left bus without securing handbrakeEyewitnesses described seeing the driver chasing after the “runaway” First Bus as it hurtled down the city’s Renfield Street yesterday afternoon, minutes after he stopped to buy a drink at a nearby shop.
The Telegraph
Times Online
- If you’re going to do it at all, do it with conviction [Subscription]Sir Nigel Rudd has just stood down as chairman of Heathrow, but retirement has made him no mellower
- Make reservations compulsory on peak trains [Subscription]Virgin trains wants to ban passengers from boarding the busiest long-distance trains without a reservation.
Daily Express
- ‘The tracks are MELTING’ Outrage as commuter trains delayed by summer sunshineCOMMUTERS have slammed Network Rail after rush hour trains tonight faced lengthy delays over speed restrictions due to “melting tracks”.
- Pilots 'impaired through alcohol' arrested at Glasgow airport 'as they prepared flight'TWO pilots have been arrested on suspicion of being
The Mirror
- Germany train axe attack: Chilling image inside blood-splattered carriages show the horror endured by victims fighting for life Armed police swarmed the area soon after receiving reports that a man hacked at passengers on board a train close to Wurzburg in southern Germany, shooting the suspect dead
Birmingham Mail
- Fresh Paradise road closures make Birmingham commuter headache worse Busy area for bars is now closed to all traffic until next month as work continues on traffic element of £500m Paradise scheme
Bradford Telegraph & Argus
- Cyclists given the knowledge by new Rotary Club-sponsored board AN information board has been placed to help cyclists riding the Great Northern Railway Trail, after it was sponsored by members of the Rotary Club of Bradford West.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle
- Newcastle Airport has been named the best in Britain - and here's why Newcastle was ranked top out of 15 airports, with high satisfaction in every possible category - from wi-fi to security
Wolverhampton Express and Star
- HS2: New Transport Secretary Chris Grayling pledges to push project aheadThe new Transport Secretary has backed the high-speed HS2 rail project.
Yorkshire Evening Post
- Work set to start on ‘vital’ Leeds link road which is key to success of 7,000 homes and jobsCampaigners have welcomed the start of work on an “almost forgotten” piece of key infrastructure in east Leeds which it was claimed had been languishing in development limbo - and which campaigners say is vital to the success of a sprawling wider masterplan for the area.
Yorkshire Post
- Inquiry launched into double debacle of Leeds Supertram and trolleybus schemesA MAJOR inquiry is set to be launched into the chain of decisions stretching back across three decades which saw TWO major transport schemes for Leeds scrapped – and tens of millions of pounds in taxpayer cash wasted in the process.
Burnley Express
- Use your loaf and catch the bus to reduce pollutionLeading Burnley companies Warburtons and Transdev teamed up to promote Catch the Bus Week.
East Anglian Daily Times
- Further rail improvements planned in Essex - meaning East Anglia will have been cut off from London for half of 2016Rail services between London and East Anglia will be cancelled again for eight weekends between September and November – and there will be a total shutdown on the southern end of the route for 10 days over the festive period.
North Wales Live
- Stagecoach steps in to operate Kirkby bus services facing the axe 19 routes have been affected in a major shakeup by Merseytravel
Other Regional Press
- Nothing done to simplify rail since 2009Rail companies do not appear to have done anything to simplify the train ticketing system for at least seven years, the Transport Select Committee has claimed.
- Don't cut our trains! Business leaders blast plans to reduce the service from Coventry to London Coventry has been classed as an "intermediate" station as the future of the West Coast mainline is decided
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
- New transport secretary comments on HS2 and runway capacityThe new transport secretary, Chris Grayling, says he does not intend to scrap the high-speed HS2 rail project. The initial plan is for a new line from London to Birmingham, with later extensions to Manchester and Leeds. Mr Grayling told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend:
Rail Technology Magazine
- NR carries out Class 800 test runs on Great WesternNetwork Rail carried out two test runs of a new Class 800 Intercity Express train over the weekend on the recently energised section of the route from Reading to Didcot. During a series of exercises, designed to test the overhead electric power system, the Class 800 was driven from Reading to...
- Moving towards a right-time railwayDavid Sidebottom, passenger director at Transport Focus, on how being honest about the quality of service passengers can expect is a key part of building trust between the railway and its customers.
- Digital signalling: the biggest game changer since conversion from steam to dieselPeter Wilkinson, managing director, Passenger Services, DfT, Rail Executive, writes for RTM about the digital future of the railway and how it will contribute to the sustainability of the sector.
- Perry resigns after admitting Southern 'feels like a failure'Claire Perry has resigned as the rail minister after telling MPs that she had been considering it over the ‘failure’ of the Southern franchise. Southern was recently forced to cancel 341 services a day in order to try and control the unexpected delays that have blighted the franchise...
- No plans to back away from HS2, says GraylingChris Grayling, the newly appointed transport secretary, has confirmed the new government is still committed to building HS2. In an interview with Radio 4’s The World This Weekend, Grayling said: “I have no plans to back away from the HS2 project. And the thing that’s important...
- Warnings of service disruption as RMT announces two new ScotRail strikesRMT announced today that it is leading two further strikes on ScotRail services in protest at the introduction of driver-operated only (DOO) services. The 24-hour strikes will take place on 24 and 31 July and follow six previous strikes, which finished on Sunday. ScotRail said they will only be...
- Lines into London Bridge closed after hole found under tracksTwo lines into London Bridge have closed after a 4m deep hole was found under the railway tracks at Forest Hill. The hole means that the already troubled Southern services will face even more disruption tonight as Southern and Thameslink passengers are advised to use Victoria or Blackfriars...
- Candfield retires as RIA director general Jeremy Candfield is to retire as director general of the Railway Industry Association (RIA) due to health reasons. Candfield, who has held the position since 1998, has not been well for a while with Parkinson’s disease, and he has reluctantly decided to step down from his role and focus on...
Railnews
- London Bridge disruption continues Network Rail is warning that train services through London Bridge will continue to be seriously disrupted today, after a sink hole appeared under the railway at Forest Hill. The 15m hole is linked to a sewer, and Network Rail is working with Thames Water to make repairs. Network Rail rushed repair teams to the site last night, but hopes that the problem could be resolved by pouring up to 50 tonnes of ballast into the gap appear to have been dashed, and it is now clear that the work will take longer.
Aviation Industry
- Turkish Airlines offers free flight cancellations after coup attemptFCO updates Turkey travel advice
- Delta to cut capacity on US-UK routesAirline blames fall in pound and economic uncertainty
- New transport secretary backs HS2 rail projectChris Grayling says government has no plans to scrap �56bn link
Other News Sources
- Southern Rail chaos as sinkhole blocks line between East Croydon and London BridgeDelays and cancellations are expected to last for the rest on Monday as engineers carry out essential repair work to the line
- Gatwick Airport rogue parking operation in 'disgusting' muddy field sees couple fined nearly �5,000 More than 500 vehicles were left unguarded in a boggy Horley field belonging to David and Eliza Fritton as part of an unofficial parking operation
- Travellers fear they will lose their rail station as services scrapped THERE are fears a town will lose its rail connection after seeing 80 per cent of its trains scrapped in Southern's emergency reduced timetable
- Bring in smart parking success from San Francisco and LA to Brighton and Hove, says city councillor SMART parking systems with varying charges should be brought into Brighton and Hove as soon as possible, a councillor has claimed.
- Expedia to offer rail booking serviceGlobal OTA strikes deal with Silverrail
- Gatwick Express revealed as UK’s most delayed rail routeDirect airport service operated more than 8,000 late journeys in the past six months
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