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

Monday, 28 March 2022

BBC News

• West Midlands to run 'largest hydrogen bus fleet' due to new fundingThe West Midlands is getting 124 new buses after securing £30m of government money.
• Gatwick Airport's South Terminal reopens after pandemic closureThe South Terminal has not been used by passengers since 15 June 2020.

Financial Times

• Europe battles to secure specialised ships to boost LNG importsPlan to rapidly reduce reliance on Russian gas hangs on ability to acquire scarce storage and vessels to convert fuel
• Shapps to call on P&O Ferries to reinstate 800 sacked UK workersTransport secretary will warn ferry company that law will wipe out savings from cheaper labour

The Herald

• New ferry fiasco: Scots island firms demand new vessels in Northern Isles freight crisisSHETLAND'S seafood and haulage companies have called for urgent action over a new 'ferry fiasco' which is causing a freight transport crisis in the Northern Isles.

Times Online

• Sturgeon accused of misleading MSPs over who signed ferry deal [Subscription]Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of misleading parliament after a cabinet secretary confirmed that she was wrong to suggest that Derek Mackay, a disgraced former minister, signed off the deal for two new island ferries, the construction of which has been beset by delays and ballooning costs.
• Fix the ferries and our economy will bloom, say jaded islanders [Subscription]An upbeat assessment of Scotland’s “world leading” National Islands Plan has been derided by the people it is meant to serve: those at the mercy of a failing ferry service.
• Removal of polluting trains is running late, industry says [Subscription]The government is already falling behind on its commitments to get rid of dirty diesel trains, with the industry warning that Britain has no chance of hitting a net-zero target by 2050 unless ministers start making decarbonisation decisions and funding pledges.

City AM

• P&O found staff consultations would cost it £309m before sudden sackingsBeleaguered ferry firm P&O found that it would cost £309m to run the business while while consulting with staff over job losses, as it mulled options to keep the company afloat. The post P&O found staff consultations would cost it £309m before sudden sackings appeared first on CityAM.

Mail Online

• Grant Shapps issues ultimatum to P&O Ferries ordering firm's bosses to ditch 'sweatshop pay' policy In a letter to the firm's boss, Peter Hebblethwaite, the Transport Secretary will warn of new measures to close a 'loophole' exploited by P&O to circumvent national minimum wage rates.

The Mirror

• Grant Shapps preparing to ban P&O from using UK routes unless workers paid minimum wageTransport Secretary Grant Shapps has written the head of P&O Ferries to shame the boss into reversing the firm's bombshell decision about workers and to urge him to reverse cuts and pay staff minimum wage

This is Money

• Will an electric car save you money? A look at the figuresFor an increasing number of drivers it may now make financial sense to stump up the higher upfront cost of an electric car in return for lower day-to-day running costs.

Sky News

• Bosses from P&O's rivals to meet government officials following worker sacking scandalBosses from ferry companies DFDS and Stena Lines will meet government officials later today following rival P&O's decision to sack 800 staff.

Birmingham Post

• Specialist car group Motorfinity takes new HQ in NewarkThe company specialises in providing discounted vehicles to frontline workers

Bolton News

• 12 driving hacks to make a tank of fuel go furtherThe cost of filling up is at an all-time high, so here are a few driving hacks to make your fuel go further.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bradford passengers could use app to request 'flexibus' if pilot scheme proves successfulA SCHEME where people can use an app to book a
• Cuts to Bradford rail services are 'short term measure' according to rail bossA NORTHERN Rail boss has assured passengers that cuts to key servies in Bradford will only be temporary.
• £450,000 raised in fines for drivers wrongly in disabled spacesALMOST £450,000 has been raised from fines for drivers caught wrongly parking in disabled parking spaces in the Bradford district over the last four years, the Telegraph & Argus can reveal.

Bristol Live

• Bristol Bridge bus gate fines cancelled on appeal for one quarter of casesBut the scheme has raised more than £4.5m so far
• Key road closures today force First Bus to divert multiple servicesFirst Bus has announced a huge number of changes in response to roadworks in key areas

Northern Echo

• Major plans for new Teesside Airport aircraft hangar submittedUP TO 30 new jobs could be created if a proposal for a new aircraft hangar able to house up to eight planes at Teesside Airport is approved.

Wales Online

• Major train delays in services in and out of Cardiff due to 'shortage of staff'There are delays of around 40 minutes on some services

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• P&O predicted £309m cost to consult with staff ahead of surprise sackingsA source for the ferry company said months of consultations would have undermined the business.

Reading Evening Post

• Caversham Bridge roadworks 'driving people nuts' as area is gridlockedThe disruption is set to continue until mid-April, which is "driving people nuts" due to the amount of traffic in the area
• Heathrow Airport: London Underground stations and lines serving Terminals and how long journey takesThe tube offers frequent services between Heathrow Airport and Central London - here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions about the route

Other Regional Press

• 'Dangerous' Piccadilly roundabout bus stop relocation angers residentsA 'DANGEROUS' bus stop is causing concern after it was relocated as part of long-running roundabout improvements.
• Plan to improve Southampton's transport networkAMBITIOUS proposals to transform Southampton's transport network over the next three years have been agreed by the city council.
• Rivals to Eurostar in 'advanced talks'Could Eurostar be set to face its first rival train service since it launched in 1994?
• Pressure is on to complete £1m Weymouth rail station worksPRESSURE is on to get the £1m revamp of Weymouth railway station finished after completion of the project's main constructions works were delayed until some stage in April.

Other News Sources

• Heathrow Airport passengers facing queue chaos as 'hundreds' endure long waitsThe UK has now dropped all of its travel restrictions
• Passengers return as Gatwick's south terminal reopensThe Sussex airport had operated from just one terminal over the pandemic to save on costs.