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

Monday, 06 June 2016

BBC News

• No money for both M4 relief road and Metro, Labour AM warnsBorrowing allocated for the M4 relief road should be spent on the metro for south Wales as money is not there for both, a Labour AM has warned.
• Coltrane launches steamship appealActor Robbie Coltrane launches a fundraising campaign to restore the last remaining Clyde-built turbine steamship.

Financial Times

• Chief pans Air France pilots’ strike planAircraft may be grounded at start of Euro 2016 football championship
• Biggest US rail group slams trade politicsUnion Pacific chief hits at stance of presidential hopefuls

The Guardian

• London cannot afford a bus service slowdownRoad traffic congestion is damaging the capital’s most important form of public transport with a variety of ill-effects
• Union says it has proof Southern Railway lied about cancelled servicesRMT claims to have ‘conclusive evidence’ operator deliberately cancelled trains and blamed disruption on staff sicknessA fresh row over staffing on the railways has broken out after a union said it had “conclusive evidence” that a leading train operator was deliberately cancelling services and blaming staff sickness.The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has written to the managing director of Southern Railway accusing the company of “lying” to passengers over the reasons for a spate of cancellations in recent weeks. Continue reading...
• Virgin Trains to introduce free film and TV streaming appNetflix-style system will allow passengers to watch films and TV programmes using their own devicesVirgin Trains has launched a Netflix-style entertainment system allowing passengers to watch films and TV programmes on demand using their own devices. Travellers can stream a library of around 200 hours of content to their mobiles and tablets. Related: Streaming for joy: how to master internet TV Continue reading...
• In the age of HS2, the past teaches us there are far better ways to run our railways | Christian WolmarMinisters love the megaprojects. But, as newly reopened lines show, too many parts of Britain are badly served by the rail networkRailways are all the rage. Passenger numbers are at their highest level since the 1920s and there is no sign that recent growth, which has seen total annual number of journeys double over the past 20 years, is slowing. There is a real commitment among politicians to rail, as demonstrated by the all-party support for the new high-speed line linking London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Related: Modern rail travel is a slow-grinding nightmare of too many peopl...
• Dozens injured as turbulence hits Malaysia Airlines flight from LondonPassengers and crew treated for minor injuries after flight from London to Kuala Lumpur was hit by severe turbulence over Bay of BengalDozens of people have been injured when a Malaysia Airlines flight from London to Kuala Lumpur was hit by severe turbulence, as photos emerged showing a cabin strewn with debris and upended meal carts.Malaysia’s national carrier, which is still trying to shake the stigma of the double disasters of MH370 and MH17 two years ago, said “some passengers” were hurt aboard MH1 during a rough ride over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Bus lanes are a disgraceful money-making scam [Letter]YOUR report on bus lane fines (“Bus lane fine figures double for visitors to city than locals”, The Herald, May 31) states: that a spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said “it doesn't matter where you live. If a driver is found to be illegally driving in a bus lane a charge will be issued'. What she will not admit to is that this is the sole purpose for the introduction of bus lanes in the city.

The Independent

• Virgin Trains to launch entertainment app for passengersA number of airlines have introduced similar systems in recent years

The Telegraph

• Train operator 'caught red-handed' blaming cancelled services on non-existent staff absence, union claims

Times Online

• There is no room for one more on top, say bus companies [subscription]Legislation aimed at prompting a passenger transport revolution in big cities in England has led to mutiny on the buses.
• Whitehall increases pressure to approve Heathrow runway [Subscription]Whitehall officials have cleared all the hurdles for a third runway at Heathrow and are putting David Cameron under pressure to make a decision days after the EU referendum.

The Mirror

• Cyclists now have their own Highway Code full of rules of the road The AA Cyclist's Highway Code will cost £4.99 and has been welcomed by former Olympic gold medal winner Chris Boardman
• 'Three dead and 40 injured' in Belgium train crash after passenger train smashes into back of freight vehicle The horror unfolded when a passenger train smashed in to the back of a freight train in the town of Hermalle-sous-Huy at around 11pm last night

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Thousands of cyclists join the fun at Bradford Sky Ride MOUNTAIN bikes, tiny bikes, bikes with stabilisers, electric bikes, tandem road bikes and more bikes whizzed round sun-soaked Bradford at Britain's first Sky Ride of the summer.

Derby Telegraph

• Electrification of rail line from Derby to Bristol 'could take 15 years' THE electrification of the rail line between Derby and Bristol can be achieved within 15 years, says Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

London Evening Standard

• Passengers injured after Malaysia Airlines flight from Heathrow hits severe turbulenceDozens of passengers and airline crew were injured when a flight out of Heathrow hit severe turbulance, according to reports from those on board.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Netflix-style entertainment system to be introduced on Virgin TrainsPassengers will be able to stream films and TV shows to their own devices, including hits such as The Wolf of Wall Street and House of Cards

Sheffield Telegraph

• Jarvis Cocker records travel information for the tramTravel information has never sounded quite so blissful – after legend Jarvis Cocker landed the job.

Blackpool Gazette

• Tube bosses demand shop changes signA small electrical goods shop in South Shore has been ordered to change its logo – by transport bosses in London.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Essex bus users urged to respond to plans for increased faresBus users in Essex are being urged to share their views on proposed changes to travel fares.

North Wales Live

• 50p child bus fare promise could lead to 'rise in tunnel tolls' But Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson says his plan - if elected as metro mayor - 'would not require any subsidy'
• Android users more likely to lose phone at train station than iPhoneData from National Rail reveals what is lost and found at Lime St

Other Regional Press

• Warning over 'dangerous' rail thefts, which delayed trains across South West Wales at the weekend THE theft of railway cables between Llanelli and Llandeilo caused delays to train services over the weekend. Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Warning-dangerous-rail-thefts-delayed-trains/story-29362592-detail/story.html#ixzz4AmAeVkn4 Follow us: @SWEveningPost on Twitter | SWEveningPost on Facebook

Bus and Coach.com

• Continental appeal for Birmingham trams
• Mellor confirms new low-floor Strata
• Transport Focus warns against switch to demand-responsive services
• Congestion threat to viability of bus services

Rail Magazine

• RAIL ARCHIVE: TransPennine 185sIn Sept 2006, Siemens unveiled the first Class 185 for the TransPennine Express franchise. Ten years later, bigger trains with more capacity have been announced

Green Miscellany

• Who needs an electric car anyway?While governments plough millions into promoting�the electric car, a new generation of vehicle manufacturer aims to shake up the EV market by upsetting the way we think of personal transport. Unless you want to live in a city that places motorized traffic�above all else, the car isn’t working. There is little�space to park, time lost in traffic, not to mention… The post Who needs an electric car anyway? appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• Laura Shoaf new managing director of Transport for West MidlandsIn one of its final actions before being dissolved the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) has appointed Laura Shoaf to head up Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) – the body that will replace it.
• Nearly half of Oxfordshire’s subsidised bus routes to be axedForty-nine of Oxfordshire’s subsidised bus services are set to be scrapped in July after the County Council cut back funding.
• Transport Minister views MTR rail transport projects in Hong KongThe Minister of State for Transport visited infrastructure projects in Hong Long on 03 June, under the leadership if MTR Corporation.
• Rail firm offers onboard film app for passengersVIRGIN Trains has launched a Netflix-style entertainment system allowing passengers to watch films and TV programmes on demand using their own devices.
• Brighton Mainline train operators responsible for two thirds of all countrywide cancellations in one day UNDER fire Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) was responsible for almost two thirds of all cancelled or very late services across the whole of the country on Friday.