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

Tuesday, 14 April 2020

BBC News

• Coronavirus: Cycling numbers in Scotland jump during lockdownAutomatic cycle counters found in some places have calculated that the numbers had more than doubled.
• Coronavirus: London bus driver 'frightened to die'A London bus driver says she is scared of Covid-19 and wants buses to be made safer.

ITV News

• London Mayor confirms 21 transport workers have died after testing positive for coronavirusSadiq Khan confirmed 21 transport workers have died after testing positive for coronavirus. They include 15 bus workers.

Financial Times

• Hitachi anticipates wave of Chinese infrastructure spendingJapanese conglomerate expects rebound in construction industry as cities end lockdowns
• Qantas employees quarantined in coronavirus clusterMore than 750 workers forced to self-isolate highlighting vulnerability of aviation sector
• Qantas employees quarantined in coronavirus clusterMore than 750 workers forced to self-isolate highlighting vulnerability of aviation sector
• Poland’s Lot airline pulls out of Condor dealCollapse of tie-up renews questions about future of German charter carrier

The Guardian

• The underground in London during coronavirus lockdown – photo essayTfL gave the Guardian access over two days to document its reduced tube service, which is still running during the Covid-19 crisis

Times Online

• Cycling numbers soar as Scots enjoy quieter roads [subscription]Quieter roads have led to a boom in cycling as Scots enjoy their once a day exercise on two wheels.
• Coronavirus: ’Scary’ drivers endangering key workers [subscription]Key workers who travel by bicycle have warned of increasing numbers of near-misses with reckless drivers treating empty roads as a “grand-prix circuit”.
• Scrap the £200m Edinburgh tram extension, say Scots Tories [subscription]A £207m extension to Edinburgh’s tram network should be scrapped, according to Scottish Conservative councillors.
• Trainline sets out a plan to cushion blow from virus [subscription]The one hole in the business model of what had been one of the more successful digital tech floats of recent years was what might happen if everybody stopped using the train. Trainline, a business which earns commission from selling tickets for train operators on its mobile app and running apps for some of those rail companies, yesterday said that it was cutting almost all of its spending.

Reuters News

• UK's Heathrow Airport sees passenger demand down by 90% in AprilHeathrow Airport, traditionally the busiest in Europe, forecast that passenger demand would plunge by over 90% in April, as coronavirus restrictions stop most people from travelling.

City AM

• National Express pulls dividend and secures £800m in new cash facilitiesTransport group National Express said today it was scrapping its dividend and keeping future dividends under review as it said it had secured £800m in new cash facilities.

Bristol Live

• Bristol Airport plan could see summer night flights increasedThe Department for Transport has agreed to extend a consultation on the plans

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Mystery as plane carves strange flight path in the sky above North WalesThe Beech 200T Super King Air plane was spotted zig-zagging across the Llyn Peninusla
• Inside the plane ‘cocoon’ where Airbus A380s have been parked up by British AirwaysThe airline has placed the giant planes into storage through the coronavirus crisis

London Evening Standard

• 'Proud' London bus driver begs Government to do more to protect transport workers amid coronavirus outbreakRead our live coronavirus updates HERE
• 'Heartbroken' Sadiq Khan confirms 21 London transport workers have now died from Covid-19Follow our live Covid-19 updates HERE

Northern Echo

• Durham Bus Station revamp plans submittedPLANS have been lodged to demolish Durham Bus Station to make way for a new transport hub.

Nottingham Evening Post

• City council steps in to transport key workers after bus firm suspended all its servicesCT4N has suspended its services after a second man has been admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• National Express maintains bus serviceBus, coach and rail group National Express has reported revenue growth of 9.4 per cent for the first three months of this year despite the impact of coronavirus.

Cambridge News

• Ridiculous speeds recorded as M11 drivers use abandoned road as race trackWith many roads a lot quieter than usual some drivers decided to try and take advantage

Kent Online

• Kent Community Rail Partnership given accredited status from the Department for TransportA rail group which supports the continued operation of trains on two lines has had its work recognised by Whitehall.

Other Regional Press

• Chris Packham to appeal HS2 decisionTELEVISION presenter Chris Packham has announced he is seeking permission to appeal a High Court decision.
• Coronavirus: Brighton and Hove Buses furloughs staffA “SIGNIFICANT number” of bus drivers have been furloughed after the number of passengers plummeted during the UK lockdown.
• Coronavirus leads to further 'stay of execution' for Caddington bus shelterA bus shelter in a Bedfordshire village has received a further stay of execution because of the coronavirus crisis.
• The latest travel updates from Jet2, Ryanair, easyjet, British Airways and TUI ALL non-essential flights to and from the UK have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Construction Enquirer

• HS2 Euston works to restart next weekHS2 has said contractors will restart construction work at the London Euston site in a week’s time.

Rail Advent

• Greater Anglia punctuality ’very good’ in March as passenger numbers tumbleGreater Anglia has announced that performance figures have shown that the operator has delivered very good punctuality results in March.
• Dean of Newcastle sends out special message to transport workersNexus has announced that Tyneside’s senior clergyman has sent out a special message for the workers who are keeping the line open for all the keyworkers and to say thank you during the lockdown.

Railway Gazette

• Multi-legend driver’s cab alarm indicatorPANEL: EAO now offers a customisable multi-legend alarm indicator for train cabs, which can include features such as dimmable illumination and a lamp test switch.

Other News Sources

• Devon's plan for 110 major transport improvements by 2030 backedPark-and-ride stations, new cycling and walking routes, and road improvements are all included in the plan setting out 110 different planned investments in transport infrastructure across Devon by 2030.
• Coachbuilder working to deliver buses from Camelon to Cornwall for new transport networkAlexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) has announced it is providing 92 new buses for a new transport network down in Cornwall.
• Exminster railway station plans 'almost impossible', councillors toldThe station closed in 1964 but campaigners have hoped a new station could be built to serve the growing town
• Keyworker feedback leads to Chiltern timetable changeAnother change has been made to train services in Buckinghamshire.
• Transport for London selects Baringa for strategic workBaringa Partners has announced that it has been appointed as the Strategic Energy Advisor to Transport for London. The news will see Baringa help the transport organisation develop a new strategy for the phased procurement of renewable energy to be used in its systems.
• Government support for ’open access’ rail’Open access’ rail operators are in trouble across Europe. Here in the UK as we reported recently both Hull Trains and Grand Central suspended services at very short notice owing to a steep decline in passengers during the COVID-19 travel restrictions.
• Transport Focus poem for transport heroesTransport user watchdog has commissioned a poem to show appreciation for transport colleagues     Explaining its decision to commission a poem for transport workers in a blog post last week, Transport Focus said: “We can see those on the transport front line out there day after day ensuring that essential workers get to work. “Bus drivers across the country continue to provide a vital service, whether getting nurses to their shift at hospital or the supermarket checkout assistant to their till. Train drivers, conductors and ticket office staff continue to ensure that much...