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

Saturday, 15 April 2023

BBC News

• London e-bikes hacked and used for free after viral videosUndocked bikes are being taken and dumped in busy London streets, Westminster council says.

Financial Times

• Britain's elusive high-speed rail dreamDespite the delays and spiralling costs, the UK still needs HS2

The Herald

• Fears heavy electric cars may cause multi-storey car parks to collapseFilling up at the petrol station is an exercise in guilt. The sound of fossil fuel pumping into the tank is sobering. How many millennia did it take to produce a liquid that will disappear in days or hours“ depending on how many trips I make?
• I bought an electric car - I'm trading it in for a dirty diesel motorTHE Scottish Government may be accused of many things but a lack of commitment to tackling climate change surely can't be one, can it?

The Independent

• Rail strikes could be over as RMT union ’considers’ improved offer from train firmsMonths of strike disruption on the railways could be approaching an end after the main rail union was handed an improved offer.

The Scotsman

• Electric scooters to be banned by ScotRail over fire riskThe temporary 12-month move, which is expected to be announced shortly, follows cases of e-scooters catching fire at stations in London.

The Telegraph

• Rail unions to be blocked from bringing country to a halt under pay deal. [subscription]New proposals to devolve responsibility to local operators and union branches

City AM

• UlLEZ row continues as Sadiq Khan brands challenge by Tory councils a waste of taxpayers’ cash Conservative councils who have launched a High Court challenge against Sadiq Khan's plan to expand London's ultra low emission zone (Ulez) are wasting taxpayers money, the capital's mayor has said. Mr Khan said London residents would prefer their payments to be invested in libraries instead. If it goes ahead,

Daily Express

• Smart motorways could be banned after coronor rules disabled man could've avoided deathRishi Sunak, who pledged to stop their construction during the Tory leadership race, has come under renewed pressure to announce a ban after a man died on a smart motorway section of the M1.

Mail Online

• Sunak under pressure to BAN smart motorways after ruling that hard shoulder could save disabled manDavid Levett, 53, who had cerebral palsy, was a rear seat passenger when his carer's stationary Seat Leon was smashed into from behind by a lorry on a stretch of the M1.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Motorway drivers can take hands off wheel as new self-driving system approvedFord said it has been given the go-ahead by the UK Government to switch on its BlueCruise self-driving technology

Edinburgh Evening News

• New sleeper train linking Edinburgh with Paris on overnight direct service proposed A new service connecting Edinburgh and Paris with an overnight, direct sleeper train has been proposed and the services will boast 'better privacy, quality catering and digital services'.

Wales Online

• All the price changes as Newport Bus announces first fare increase in three yearsFares across the city will increase at an average of 30p

Cambridge News

• Cambridge congestion charge: Where do political parties stand on controversial proposal?Parties standing candidates in May's local elections at Cambridge City Council have set out where they stand on the controversial charge

Get Surrey

• The dire state of Surrey's roads revealed as third in need of investigation or improvementSurrey County Council has had to pay out more than £800,000 in pothole compensation in recent years

Other Regional Press

• Aberdonian executive at troubled state-owned airport operator steps downInglis Lyon is set to leave the troubled firm in the summer, while board member Eric Hollanders also plans to step down amid boardroom turmoil after a loss of £3.357 million in the year to March 2022
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport latest news as council approves £3m rescue packageDoncaster Council has approved a £3.1 million initial package to get the ball rolling on an airport rescue deal.
• Letter: Link First Westham bus with a Southill serviceFriday's Dorset Echo headline is a further slight on the people of Weymouth by First Bus after they failed to respond to the recent petition from over 700 houses in Southill who have been campaigning for a bus for over 10 years now.

C.N.N.

• SpaceX's Starship rocket, the most powerful ever built, receives government approval for launchSpaceX has cleared the final regulatory hurdle standing before the inaugural launch of its Starship rocket — the most powerful rocket ever constructed.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Calling All Stations with Christian Wolmar, Episode 13Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker take a close look at the saga of the new ferries for island shipping services in Scotland [01:30], scrutinise promises of hands-free driving on Great Britain's motorways [11:15], reflect upon the renaissance of sleeper trains in Europe [17:00] and cheer on prospects for smoother boarding of flights from UK airports [23:45].

Railnews

• New hope in RMT dispute as RDG makes revised offer The Rail Delivery Group has made a new bid to end the industrial dispute with the RMT. The union had called off two strikes at the start of this month so that talks could continue, but there had been no progress until now. The RMT has yet to comment, but it was already known that it was opposed to changes to terms and conditions for staff, which could have involved the closure of most ticket offices.

The Business Desk

• £750m rail hub plans to move forward despite council objectionsPlans to create a major rail freight hub in Leicestershire which appeared to have hit the buffers last month have now been accepted by the Planning Inspectorate, enabling the colossal scheme to move into the pre-examination phase.

Aviation Industry

• Manchester Airport hits 92% of pre-pandemic levelsManchester Airport has recorded almost 2 million passenger movements for March 2023. This represents a 30% increase on the airport’s year-on-year figures, and also shows that Manchester is operating at more than 92% of pre-pandemic levels.

Other News Sources

• Train company recognised as menopause friendlyEstablished by industry experts Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, The Menopause Friendly Accreditation is the only accreditation that sets clear standards which must be met, recognising proven practices that embrace menopause in the workplace.
• What Happens if Russia Abandons UN-backed Grain Corridor?The Kremlin has said the outlook is
• Transport for Wales 'ignoring' dangers of overcrowded Hereford trainsTRANSPORT for Wales continues to ignore the dangers of overcrowding on the services between Manchester and Cardiff.
• Brexit pigeons coming home to roost at DoverHuge queues at Dover as the French authorities correctly apply passport controls to a country which decided to leave arrangements which ensured no passport controls, British people being deported from European countries with which Britain unilaterally severed its mutual arrangements.