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

Monday, 24 May 2021

BBC News

• Climate change: Carwyn Jones defends his record as he leaves SeneddCarwyn Jones defends his record in power after being announced as chair of a climate charity.

Financial Times

• FirstGroup's biggest shareholder escalates attack on boardCoast Capital threatens legal action over sale of transport operator's US bus business

The Guardian

• On your bike! Ed Miliband on Britain’s much-needed cycling revolutionWhen it comes to tackling the really big challenges of our world, you might not immediately think of cycling and walking as solutions. But it’s time to recognise the potential of the humble bicycle and our own two feet.
• US joins global outcry at Belarus over seizure of blogger from Ryanair flightEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says hijacking must be sanctioned ahead of EU leaders meeting on MondayThe US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has joined European leaders in condemning Belarus for forcing a Ryanair flight carrying an opposition activist to land in the Belarusian capital Minsk.European leaders some of whom have already denounced the move to arrest blogger Roman Protasevich as an “act of state terror and kidnapping“ will meet on Monday to discuss what action could be taken against Belarus, for forcing the plane/s diversion during its flight from Athens

The Observer

• The Observer view on the launch of Great British RailwaysThe rebranding is a lost chance to transform and offer genuine public benefit

The Telegraph

• Video: Virgin Galactic launches flight to edge of atmosphere ahead of plans to take tourists next year

Times Online

• Anger after Ryanair flight ‘hijacked’ by Lukashenko to arrest dissident [subscription]Britain said that the dictator of Belarus faced “serious consequences” after he scrambled a fighter jet to force a Ryanair flight carrying a fugitive critic to land in the capital yesterday.

The Mirror

• HS2 Eastern Leg campaigners' video warning to Boris Johnson: "Promises matter"EXCLUSIVE: The Connecting Britain group has compiled a film of the Prime Minister's various pledges to build the high speed line

Sky News

• Ryanair plane diverted 'so blogger could be arrested': Who is Roman Protasevich?Roman Protasevich was flying from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, when the aircraft was forced to land in Minsk, where he was arrested.
• 'A brazen act': World leaders condemn Belarus after Ryanair flight is forced to land and journalist is arrestedEuropean leaders and the US have strongly condemned the arrest of a Belarusian dissident journalist after the Ryanair flight he was travelling on was forced to land in the Belarus capital Minsk.

Birmingham Post

• Electricity network's £53m capacity boost to aid green recoveryNorthern Powergrid reveals 14 projects across North East, Yorkshire and Humber

Bolton News

• Bolton's other railway that served Great Moor Street station Professor Paul Salveson is a historian and writer and lives in Bolton. He is visiting professor in ‘Worktown Studies’ at the University of Bolton and author of several books on Lancashire history

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Train fare dodgers in Bradford pay more than £9,000 in last six monthsTRAIN fare dodgers from Bradford or those using stations across the district have been ordered by the courts to pay more than £9,000 for fares worth £858.80 in the last six months.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• North Wales taxi boss tried to go green but bid ended in failure - this is whySteve Derby spent close to £50,000 on two MG5 electric cars for his taxi firm Busy Bee in Rhyl
• Work to protect A55 and rail line will shut prom for 18 months from today A £6 million project will begin to bolster coastal defences at Old Colwyn

The York Press

• "Make York's electric buses free to help environment" JIM Welsman (Letters, May 14) sees no need for the St George’s Field car park and no prospect of eliminating non-essential traffic from York by 2023.

Yorkshire Post

• Disbelief over Tracy Brabin bus plan for region – Yorkshire Post LettersI READ with disbelief our new Mayor Tracy Brabin’s article on bus travel (The Yorkshire Post, May 18). I find our buses very comfortable and easy to use. Transport Focus surveys show that a huge percentage of bus users are happy with their buses.

Other Regional Press

• Revamp set for A34 thanks to new multi-million-pound contract REPAIRS are set to be made to an Oxford road thanks to a multi-million-pound highways contract.

Christian Wolmar

• The Great British Railway is a fudge riding for a failWe all knew it was a mistake and we told them so. When the Tory government pushed through the privatisation of the railways a quarter of a century ago, it involved splitting up British Rail into more than 100 companies. At the time, everyone, from Tory backbenchers and the Labour party to British Rail managers, warned that it was a reckless plan that would cost money and do nothing to improve the railways. The title of the book I wrote about it at the time said it all: ‘On the Wrong Line’.

New Civil Engineer

• Lessons from over-budget Edinburgh tramway inform completion of lineConstruction lessons learnt from the over-budget Edinburgh tram network have informed successful work on the remainder of the line.

Other News Sources

• Improvements to Tarka Line celebrated by rail associationThe Tarka Rail Association has welcomed the easing of Covid restrictions this week providing an incentive for more passengers to return to Devon’s railways. 
• Rolls-Royce reveals new Director of Design Anders WarmingA LUXURY motor vehicle manufacturer has revealed the appointment of a new design chief to its team.