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

Thursday, 20 May 2021

BBC News

• 'Levelling up' must be more targeted, say peersLords warn Boris Johnson's pledge will leave deprived areas
• Electric car owners ditch vehicles over lack of charging pointsAn industry body says the state of the recharging network is pushing people back to petrol and diesel.
• Croydon tram crash inquest: Driver may have had micro-sleepSurvivors of the crash described it as
• Qantas accelerates cost cuts as $1.5bn loss loomsThe Australian flag carrier also said its debts had peaked as domestic travel returns to near-normal.
• Rail services to come under unified state controlA new public body, Great British Railways, will lead the biggest rail shake-up since privatisation.

Department for Transport

• Great British Railways: for the passengerNew public body Great British Railways to integrate the railways and deliver passenger-focused travel with simpler, modern fares and reliable services.

Financial Times

• Ryanair scores first wins in EU court against state-propped flag carriersAirline boss Michael O'Leary has criticised funding that he says suppresses competition
• UK rail looks to private sector in biggest shake-up since 1990sReforms to mark the end of problematic franchise system brought in under privatisation
• Qantas makes plea for border reopening as it warns of $1.5bn lossAirline cautions Australia will be left behind with mid-2022 border reopening target

The Guardian

• UK railways to be simplified but still substantially privatisedGovernment sets out ˜bold new vision for Great British Railways that includes focus on efficiency. The rail industry will be simplified but still substantially privatised as a rebranded Great British Railways, the government will pledge when it publishes long-awaited overhaul on Thursday.A white paper will place control of rail infrastructure and services under the new arm's-length public body, with franchises replaced by contracts that will incentivise private firms on punctuality and efficiency rather than raising revenue.

The Scotsman

• Great British Railways body has been announced to run industry – but what about Scotland?A major shake-up of Britain’s railways has been condemned by the Scottish Government for failing to respect devolved control of the network north of the Border.

The Telegraph

• 'British Rail' returns as Government tightens its grip on the trains [subscription]Flexible season passes for workers travelling two to three days a week to be launched next month amid push to end paper tickets
• Network Rail set to slash thousands of jobs [subscription]Debt-burdened rail body faces spectre of industrial action as it seeks to overhaul working practices and introduce more technology

Times Online

• Fears chaos over Covid holiday rules could leave thousands out of pocket [subscription]Seven out of the ten biggest holiday companies in the UK are selling breaks to “amber” destinations despite government warnings against travelling to such countries.
• Electric cars: ‘Huge challenge’ to switch all new cars to zero emissions by 2035 [subscription]The government is facing a “huge challenge” to switch all new cars to zero-emission models in the next 14 years because of high costs and a shortage of roadside chargers, according to MPs.
• E-scooter research uncovers scale of accidents and lawlessness [subscription]The legalisation of electric scooters has led to hundreds of injuries and complaints, with warnings over antisocial behaviour and “drink riding”, according to research.
• Rail commuters to get flexible season tickets [subscription]Flexible rail season tickets will be introduced next month under the biggest reform of the railways in almost 30 years.

City AM

• First Group signs new deals for South Western Railways and Transpennine ExpressFirst Group has this morning agreed new contracts to continue running South Western Railway and the Transpennine Express.
• Flexible season tickets on sale from 21 June under new rail planFlexible season tickets will go on sale from 21 June as part of newly announced reforms that represent the most comprehensive overhaul of the UK’s railways in decades.

Network Rail

• Network Rail responds to Williams-Shapps Plan for RailCommenting on the publication of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said: “Passengers deserve a reliable, affordable and sustainable railway, focussed on them. Today’s announcement will help us deliver that by simplifying the railway, paving the way to dismantle the legacy of complexity and fragmentation. Passengers and freight users will once more be put front and centre of a service designed and run for their needs.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham Clean Air Zone 'just first step' in pollution battle to clean up cityFriends of the Earth campaigners say improvements are also needed to walking and cycling infrastructure as well as public transport in order to create a cleaner, greener Brum
• It's farewell to West Midlands Railway, CrossCountry and Avanti, as Boris announces rail changesA new publicly-owned body called Great British Railways will manage the entire rail network, in radical reforms announced by Boris Johnson

Birmingham Post

• Airports group CEO blasts ministers over 'own interpretations' of travel rulesThe group is behind Manchester, East Midlands and Stansted airports
• Rail system to go back into public handsThe new body will oversee trains and track but will contract private firms to run services

Daily Post (North Wales)

• What TUI, easyJet and Ryanair say about refunds for 'amber list' holidaysThe UK Government has warned against amber destination holidays despite flights are currently still going ahead

Liverpool Echo

• Footage shows how Kirkby's new train station could lookThe new Headbolt Lane station is expected to be ready by 2023 and could look something like this

Manchester Evening News

• 'Simply unacceptable': Manchester Airport boss slams government's travel adviceBoris Johnson said people shouldn't be travelling to amber list countries for holiday
• New 'standard premium' class for West Coast Mainline rail passengers launches todayRail passengers travelling from Manchester to London will now be able to enjoy a new ‘standard premium’ class.

The York Press

• FlixBus adds York to its network - with journeys from 99p COACH journeys costing as little as 99pence will be linking York to other destinations as a major intercity coach travel provider adds the city to its network of UK routes.

Yorkshire Post

• "Leave levelling up to us" says new West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin as she met with "old mate" Sadiq Khan to tour bus factoryThe new mayor of West Yorkshire vowed yesterday to lobby the government to “leave levelling up to us,” as she met with Sadiq Khan, mayor of London to showcase how the capital's fleet of electric buses are manufactured in North Yorkshire.

Doncaster Free Press

• Council boss ‘delighted’ as University of Birmingham take on the running of Doncaster’s HS2 collegeA flagship Doncaster railway college is now in the hands of a major university and council bosses say this is positive for their education ambitions.

Other Regional Press

• Yorkshire company hailed for making 'the finest buses in the world'Sadiq Khan visited Switch Mobility, which makes dozens of electric buses for Transport for London

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• CILT responds to the Williams-Shapps plan for railThe Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) welcomes a more coherent structure for the rail industry, with a strong guiding mind. The creation of a single accountable leadership is critical for improving the efficiency and cost of the railway, which the current industry structure has failed to do.  Kevin Richardson, Chief Executive, CILT(UK), says:

Rail Business Daily

• Williams-Shapps Plan – Ten outcomes laid out in the White PaperThe biggest change the rail industry has seen for 25 years will see the creation of a new public body Great British Railways – a single familiar brand with united, accountable leadership.
• Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail to reform Britain’s railways and launch new era for passengersA quarter-century of fragmentation on the railways will end as they come under single, accountable national leadership, as the Government unveils a new plan for rail which prioritises passengers and freight.

Railway Gazette

• GB Railfreight calls for a ‘Freight Evangelist’ to follow the Williams ReviewUK: GB Railfreight has called for the appointment of a ‘Freight Evangelist’ who would act as dedicated ‘guiding mind’ to help steer the rail freight sector through recovery from the coronavirus crisis as well as the wider rail industry reforms which are to be announced this week.
• Great British Railways to provide ‘united, accountable leadership’ for the rail sectorUK: Replacing ‘a quarter-century of fragmentation’ with ‘single, accountable national leadership’ is at the core of the government’s Williams-Shapps Plan for reform of the railways in Great Britain, with passenger services to be provided by private sector concessionaires under contract to a new public body Great British Railways.

Railway Technology

• First new trams for West Midlands Metro expansion deliveredWest Midlands Metro have taken delivery of the first of eight new state-of-the-art trams, which are due to arrive this year ahead of the planned expansion of the region’s light rail network.
• Network Rail reintroduces lineside natural habitats in NorfolkFollowing work to remove lineside vegetation on the Cromer branch line in Norfolk, Network Rail has worked with a specialist charity to create natural habitats for the displaced wildlife.

Other News Sources

• Northern introduces bi-mode FLEX trainsNorthern has, this week, welcomed eight innovative FLEX trains onto its network.
• Hundreds more electric vehicles registered in Brighton and Hove last year THE number of electric vehicles in Brighton and Hove surged last year, figures show.