Breaking News
Councils 'face funding gap' to fix roads
Authorities say they do not receive enough money for road repairs, with one in six in poor condition.
Chinese firm MTR to help operate UK's South West trains franchise
The Hong Kong state-owned metro operator MTR and FirstGroup are to take over the running of South West Trains, one of the Britain’s biggest commuter networks, in a seven-year deal that trade unions denounced for handing another franchise to a state-controlled foreign operator.
North East transport giant Arriva boost sales to £4.32bn after launch of new rail franchise
The Sunderland firm started the Northern rail franchise last April and also invested heavily in bus improvements
Tuesday, 28 March 2017
BBC News
- Damaged roads in Wales 'would take nine years to fix'It would cost nearly £600m and take nine years to get Wales' roads into a reasonable condition, a study says.
- Cycle rage in Manchester investigated by policeFootage of a cyclist smashing a car windscreen with a bike is filmed on a driver's dashboard camera.
- South West Trains: Hong Kong firm MTR to help run rail franchiseMTR will run one of the UK's biggest franchises, along with majority stakeholder First Group.
- Cheaper flightsA new budget airline from the owner of British Airways may not make reaching distant destinations cheaper.
- Councils 'face funding gap' to fix roadsAuthorities say they do not receive enough money for road repairs, with one in six in poor condition.
- American Airlines tie up partnership with China SouthernThe deal will allow the US carrier to tap into China's growing aviation market.
ITV News
- £3.4m funding boost for transport projects in CarmarthenshireAround £3.4m is to be invested in major transport infrastructure projects in Carmarthenshire. The investment has come from the Welsh Government which has made £20m available through its Local Transport Fund to benefit local communities across Wales.
Financial Times
- Cameron ‘lobbied on behalf of Uber’ in LondonEx-PM said to have urged Boris Johnson, then London mayor, to drop tough regulations
- Firstgroup: hot line blingInvestors seem sceptical about increased returns
- UberEats to expand to 40 UK citiesMore than 1m people have downloaded app in nine months since launch
- Stagecoach loses South West franchise to FirstGroup/MTRNew operator will replace old rolling stock on suburban services after August
- IAG retreats on advice to ditch long-haul airlinesMiners lead UK stocks lower as dollar weakness amplifies sell-off for metals
- Avianca files counter suit in bitter airline battleLatest round in legal duel between Latin American tycoons for control of carrier
- Airlines warned on post-Brexit flight restrictionsEasyJet and BMI face loss of intra-EU routes and Ryanair’s UK routes at risk
The Guardian
- Chinese firm MTR to help operate UK's South West trains franchiseThe Hong Kong state-owned metro operator MTR and FirstGroup are to take over the running of South West Trains, one of the Britain’s biggest commuter networks, in a seven-year deal that trade unions denounced for handing another franchise to a state-controlled foreign operator.
- Too many cyclists are injured and killed on UK’s roadsYour correspondent (Letters, 25 March) says 50 cyclists are killed or seriously injured every year in the UK when the actual figure is over 3,300. Having diminished the tragedy faced by thousands of people, he uses the opportunity to condemn cyclists’ behaviour, judge people’s choice of cycle model and accuse them of feeling “entitled to the road”.
The Telegraph
Times Online
- Bobbies on the bus catch motorists using mobiles [Subscription]Police have fined dozens of drivers after commandeering a double-decker bus to spot them using their mobile phones.
- More trains promised as Stagecoach loses South West franchise [subscription]One of the enduring fixtures of the privatised rail industry, Stagecoach’s operation of South West Trains, is to end. Instead, services in and out of London Waterloo are to be run by a joint venture between FirstGroup and the Hong Kong Chinese company MTR.
- Foreign firms control 75% of Britain’s railways [Subscription]Three quarters of Britain’s rail companies are now in foreign hands after the government gave partial control of the busiest network to an operator based in Hong Kong.
- One in six local roads faces closure amid pothole plague [subscription]Up to a sixth of local roads could be closed to cars within a few years unless their potholes are filled in, a report has warned.
- Transport strike may spread as ballots planned [Subscription]The threat of an all-out national transport strike was raised last night.
The Mirror
- Outrage as Chinese firm gets green light to run UK railway but they promise Wi-Fi and more seats MTR, whose metro trains in Hong Kong are 99% on time, will be on charge of South West Trains from August
Belfast Telegraph
- Bombardier orders set to take off with 35 jets planned for yearBombardier could be set to deliver up to 35 of its commercial aircraft this year, an industry body has predicted.
Birmingham Mail
- How West Midlands councils are paying millions in pothole compensation In 2016/17, councils across the West Midlands said they paid out £7.9 in compensation to road users due to poor road conditions
Bolton News
Bradford Telegraph & Argus
- Road users speak out over potholes 'nightmare' as Council resorts to short-term fixes CYCLISTS and motorists have spoken out about the road network’s “crazy” potholes as a new report reveals Yorkshire’s repairs backlog stands at £1.63bn.
London Evening Standard
- 'Praise Jesus': Commuters react as South West Trains operator loses franchise to Hong Kong firmBeleaguered commuters have welcomed the announcement that South West Trains will be part-run by a Hong Kong firm.
- Works to improve pedestrian and cycle safety on Westminster Bridge postponed after attackWorks aimed at making Westminster Bridge safer for pedestrians and cyclists have been postponed after last week's terror attack.
- Siemens 'committed to London' whatever the outcome of Brexit talks
Newcastle Evening Chronicle
- North East transport giant Arriva boost sales to £4.32bn after launch of new rail franchiseThe Sunderland firm started the Northern rail franchise last April and also invested heavily in bus improvements
Peterborough Telegraph
- More traffic lights for Bourges BoulevardA new right-turn on Bourges Boulevard for motorists to get into the station’s long-stay car park will soon be introduced.
Other Regional Press
- Passengers to enjoy 'faster journey times and more comfortable trains' under new rail franchise as Stagecoach lose out PASSENGERS can expect faster journey times from Weymouth to London under a new rail franchise.
Buying Business Travel
- Hong Kong firm to run South West Trains franchiseStagecoach ‘disappointed’ to lose contract
- Laptop ban: home secretary can’t rule out extending to all flightsAmber Rudd hints that ruling could be expanded from the current eight countries
- United: leggings welcome on our flightsAirline says it has a dress code for ‘special pass’ employees
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
- First MTR South Western Trains Limited wins South Western franchiseFirst MTR South Western Trains Limited will use the experience of one of its major shareholders MTR, who operate the busy Hong Kong metro, to deliver smooth and rapid journeys for passengers travelling around London’s suburban network. Faster journeys will be delivered through a consistent fleet of new suburban trains offering a regular, metro-style service. Passengers can look forward to more space, ensuring that the railway can support London’s growth. Passengers travelling across the South Western network will also benefit from more space and faster rail services as the new seve...
Rail Magazine
- First/MTR partnership awarded South Western franchiseSeven-year deal beginning in August includes �1.2bn investment programme
Rail Technology Magazine
- First MTR joint venture awarded South Western franchise First MTR South Western Trains Limited (First MTR) has been awarded the new South Western franchise by the government, which will see the introduction of 750 new train carriages to the network by 2020. Pending the successful completion of a 10-day standstill period, the 70:30 joint venture will...
- Southern completes Class 377 modifications for extreme winter weatherSouthern’s Class 377 fleet has been given a major upgrade to make it more resilient to frost and snowy weather this winter. Engineers have finished work upgrading the 1.5-tonne line inductors that sit beneath the 377s, which smooth out spikes from the electric third rail current to protect...
- Almost 1.5 million eTickets sold six months after introduction Newly released figures of eTicket sales have shown that over one million have been sold since the modern system was first implemented last year. The eTicket scheme, which was first offered to customers by Virgin Trains West Coast in August 2016, in partnership with Trainline, allows passengers...
Railnews
- First, MTR beat Stagecoach to win South West Trains The South West Trains franchise has been won by a consortium of FirstGroup and MTR. The new contract will start on 20 August and run for �at least� seven years, and in that time premiums worth a total of �2.6 billion at present values will be paid to the government. The decision by the Department for Transport ends more than 20 years of control by Stagecoach Group, which ran the first franchised train in Britain early on 4 February 1996. Stagecoach Group said it was �disappointed� to have lost the bid, although it had failed to come to terms with the DfT over the details of a Direct Award whi...
Railway Gazette
- Israel Railways Traxx locomotive on testISRAEL: The first of 62 Traxx AC electric locomotives being built for Israel Railways has been...
- World rail freight news round-upRussian Railways expects to launch an electronic trading platform for freight services during...
- First MTR joint venture wins South Western franchiseUK: The First MTR South Western Trains Ltd joint venture of the UK's FirstGroup (70%) and Hong...
Aviation Industry
- Bombardier completes CS100 flight between London City, New York JFKBombardier capped a series of CS100 tests at London City Airport (LCY) with a nonstop transatlantic flight to New York JFK on March 25, demonstrating the range capability of the smallest CSeries airliner from the airport closest to central London. read more
- SAS raises $75 million from Heathrow slot saleScandinavian Airlines (SAS) has sold two pairs of London Heathrow slots to an undisclosed buyer, raising $75 million from the transaction. read more
- Rolls-Royce unveils new maintenance systemEngine manufacturer Rolls-Royce is to introduce a new maintenance system for users of its TotalCare aftermarket maintenance and support program. read more
- BOC Aviation posts $418 million net profit for 2016Singapore-based lessor BOC Aviation posted a 2016 net profit of $418 million, up 21.9% from the company’s $343 million in net profit for 2015. read more
- Embraer moves into major certification phase of E190-E2 flight testingEmbraer said it has completed the aerodynamic freeze of the E190-E2 and is moving to the major certification portion of the next-generation E-Jet’s flight testing program. read more
- Russia requests 747 autopilot changes after Bishkek crashPilot error, controller oversight shortcomings and a potentially confusing or potentially dangerous autopilot mode are key takeaways from a preliminary report on the crash of an ACT Airlines Boeing 747-400 freighter crash following an error prone instrument approach to the Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on the morning of Jan. 16. read more
Other News Sources
- Transport for London takeover of South West Trains ruled out
- Millions to be pumped into Flintshire Council's transport upgradesAs part of a £31.4m grant programme launched by Ken Skates, AM for Clwyd South and cabinet secretary for economy and infrastructure, Flintshire will benefit from more than £2m investment to improve transport schemes.
- South West Trains operator to lose rail franchise from AugustFirst MTR South Western Trains Ltd has been awarded the seven-year contract by the Department for Transport
- South West Trains franchise: Meet new operator FirstGroup plc and MTR - but are they any good?First MTR South Western Trains Ltd is taking over from South West Trains in August - but who exactly are they, and are they any good?
- South West Trains franchise: New operator promises �1.2bn investment including earlier and later trains to LondonThe Department for Transport has detailed improvements to the network, including more trains and new smart payment cards
- Network Rail completes three weekends of track replacement work at London WaterlooLarge sections of the switches and crossings have now been replaced at London Waterloo
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