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

Friday, 21 October 2022

BBC News

• Leicestershire A5 delays cost £17,000 a day, transport body claimsDelays on a Leicestershire road are costing the economy more than £17,000 every day, a transport body has said.
• Whippet’s Cambridge Universal to go zero-emissionWhippet will convert the growing Universal bus service it operates on behalf of the University of Cambridge to zero-emission in 2023. 
• South Yorkshire: Bus and Supertram fares to be capped at £2Bus and tram fares in South Yorkshire will be capped at £2 from 1 November, it has been announced.
• New multimillion-pound bus lanes to be built in SomersetNew bus priority lanes will be implemented in two towns by 2025 as part of a multimillion-pound plan.
• TransPennine Express apologises over string of train cancellationsTransPennine Express (TPE) has apologised after a string of train cancellations left customers without key services across northern England.
• Call for night trams in Salford to be debated by councillorsA Liberal Democrat motion, adjourned at Salford City Council's meeting on Wednesday, suggested a three-month trial of the night tram on the Eccles via Media City to Ashton-under-Lyne services.
• Stansted Airport accepts £2m legal costs from Uttlesford councilStansted Airport has accepted an offer of £2.05m to cover its legal costs following a High Court battle.
• Warrington Council changes road safety plan after complaintsResidents in Warrington say the safety scheme led to increased speeds and problems accessing homes.

Department for Transport

• Transport Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill - Written statement to ParliamentThe government is introducing the Transport Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill. This meets the Prime Minister’s commitment to introduce this bill within her first 30 days of Parliament sitting and delivers on a commitment in the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto.

Financial Times

• Renault and Nissan close in on deal to save longtime allianceCarmakers want to reshape partnership they hoped would be industry blueprint for achieving scale and efficiency
• Wizz draws up ambitious plans for flights from UK to Middle East and AsiaEuropean short-haul airline sets sights on destinations to Israel and Saudi Arabia in drive for growth

Times Online

• Rail strikes and Queen’s death boost National Express [subscription]Rail strikes and the Queen’s funeral have improved the fortunes of National Express, the bus and coach operator, after it increased services to meet demand.
• Bigger ultra-low emission zone drove up Transport for London’s takings by £94m [subscription]The expansion of the low-emission zone boosted Transport for London’s coffers by almost £100 million in its first year, research has found.

City AM

• ULEZ 2021 expansion brings additional £100m to TfL coffers Last year's expansion of the ULEZ has brought an additional £100m into TfL's coffers, according to a research published today.  TfL data analysed by the RAC show that 1.9 million journeys were made into the ULEZ, following its expansion to encompass the North and South Circular roads in October 2021.

Birmingham Post

• Mandy Rail hails major maintenance contract across the UKThe deal means the maintainer of rail freight wagons will look after those leased by GB Railfreight and DB Cargo

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• First Bus Bradford depot apprentices win national awardTWO apprentice engineers at the First Bus depot in Bradford have won a national competition to decide the best technicians in the bus and coach industry.

Bristol Live

• Fears Bristol Clean Air Zone will 'trap' disabled people at homeCity council told how many can't afford the charges to enter the CAZ or the upgrades to their cars

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Plea for urgent safety measures on major North Wales road 'before someone is killed'Cllr Hugh Evans says vehicles are hurtling along a stretch of the road and something needs to be done about it

Derby Telegraph

• Derby expert hits out at 'ridiculous' bus at cemeteryA Derby expert has expressed his dismay over a double-decker bus that is parked at one of the city’s most historic sites. Maxwell Craven has labelled the Arriva bus at the Uttoxeter New Road cemetery as “ridiculous” and has called on council bosses to act swiftly to remove it.

The York Press

• easyJet flights cancelled: Thousands of British holiday plans under threatThousands of British holiday plans are under threat after air traffic control staff in Italy announced strike action on Friday, October 21.
• East Riding of Yorkshire ranked the road rage capital of UKEast Riding of Yorkshire has the highest amount of road rage in UK.
• First York drivers shown the challenges faced by blind peopleBLIND and partially sighted people have been demonstrating the challenges posed by their poor eyesight to York bus drivers and managers.

Doncaster Free Press

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Tory MP secures Parliamentary debate on baseDoncaster Conservative MP Nick Fletcher says he is ’delighted’ after managing to secure a parliamentary debate on Doncaster Sheffield Airport – just days before it is due to close.

Hull Daily Mail

• Chaos as Transpennine Express cancels dozens of rail services in and out of Hull at short noticeFrustrated rail passengers in Hull have voiced their fury during days of late-notice cancellations by TransPennine Express.

Other Regional Press

• £1 million proposal for Aviemore level crossing is 'bonkers'An Aviemore councillor has described part of a development proposal which will see an upgrade to the steam railway's level crossing as "bonkers".

C.N.N.

• Railroads reject latest proposal from third largest union, as strike date loomsUS freight railroads rejected a new sick leave proposal from a union of track maintenance workers that is threatening to go on strike in less than 30 days without a new labor deal.

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Oxford Bus Company ups bonus scheme to attract driversOxford Bus Company is enhancing its driver signing-on bonus to boost its on-going recruitment campaign.
• Drivers are UK’s most thanked workers – CPT researchResearch commissioned by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) reveals bus and coach drivers as the UK’s most thanked workers.
• ShuttleID launches staff shuttle ticketing platformShuttleID, the school bus pass and ticketing platform, has expanded its system to support staff shuttle services. The launch is accompanied by an exclusive offer of short term one-month contracts, which ShuttleID says will help operators confirm service viability and get new routes off the ground.

New Civil Engineer

• Transport and skills named as top levelling up priorities for North of EnglandSkills and transport have been identified as the immediate and future levelling up priorities for the North of England by senior decision makers, officials and counsellors.

Rail Advent

• Government reveals new bill to ensure transport strikes do not bring the country to a haltSteps have now been taken by the government to keep the country on the move in the event of transport-based industrial action

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Rail strikes cited as Nat Ex revenue up further 33%National Express (Nat Ex) has reported growth in revenues of 33% for the period 1 July to 30 September, putting it ahead of 2019 levels, citing strong growth in its UK and Spanish markets.
• Operators warned of Birmingham CAZ scam charge siteCoach and bus operators whose vehicles are impacted by the Birmingham Clean Air Zone (CAZ) have been warned of a scam payment website. It presents the charge for entry at £75 per day for all coaches and buses, not the £50 set by Birmingham City Council that applies only to those that do not meet Euro VI standards or better.
• Competition sees Scottish Citylink enhance timetablesIncreasing competition in Scotland’s scheduled coach market will see Scottish Citylink improve some timetables on 7 November. It includes the introduction of 24/7 provision on the operator’s route between Glasgow and Aberdeen via Dundee.
• Zero Emission Zone makes Euro Bus Expo debut in NovemberThe Zero Emission Zone will make its Euro Bus Expo debut in November, where manufacturers will showcase a range of battery-electric coaches, buses and minibuses.

Other News Sources

• Tram network to be brought under public controlSouth Yorkshire's tram network is set to be brought under public ownership from 2024, following the approval of plans for the system's future by regional leaders.
• Heathrow Airport takes off with Oracle Fusion appsThe UK’s largest airport, Heathrow, decided to adopt Oracle Fusion applications for HCM and ERP - where out of the box processes are now the priority.