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

Saturday, 29 July 2023

BBC News

• Disabled flyers angry at airline 'double charging'Many carriers do not follow official guidance on reduced prices for care assistants, the BBC finds.
• British Airways owner IAG sees record profits as air travel recoversAirline group IAG reports bumper profits helped by higher fares and a rebound in leisure travel.
• Train strikes: When are they and why are they taking place?Members of the RMT union at 14 rail companies are walking out on Saturday over pay and conditions.

Financial Times

• MPs call for subsidy of UK's green aviation fuel producersMainly Tory group pushes for a 'price stability mechanism' to incentivise greater production
• Spain's curbs on Uber-style apps face probe over breach of EU law Ride-hailing groups fighting to unlock potential growth market complain over new rules protecting the taxi industry
• British Airways owner IAG and Air France-KLM report record profitsAirline earnings boosted by soaring demand for travel, higher fares and continued recovery from Covid-19 crisis
• National Express owner plans to launch Eurostar rivalMobico has been holding talks with Spanish Cosmen family about cross-Channel rail service
• Travellers hit the skies even as ticket prices and temperatures soarCompanies rely on 'resilient consumer' as post-pandemic cross-border spending jumps

The Guardian

• British Airways owner announces record profits for first half of 2023IAG expects flight capacity to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year, with fares up almost 10%International Airlines Group has announced record profits for the first half of 2023, with air fares up almost 10% on last year.The British Airways owner said it expected its flight capacity across the group to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year, with booming demand pushing it to a half-yearly operating profit of €1.3bn (£1.1bn) from losses of €446m (£383m) for the first six months of 2022. Continue reading...
• UK rail strikes: passengers face cancellation to services acrossRMT members embark on third 24-hour strike in nine days on Saturday, in long-running dispute over pay and conditionsPassengers face another day of disrupted trains around Britain today as thousands of rail workers in the RMT go on strike.About 20,000 staff employed by 14 mainline train operating companies contracted to the Department for Transport in England started their third 24-hour strike in nine days on Saturday morning, in the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. Continue reading...

The Huffington Post

• ULEZ Expansion To Outer London Ruled Legal By High Court
• Exclusive: Transport Secretary Mark Harper Has Not Met Rail Unions This Year

The Independent

• British Airways apologise to passengers for serving KFC after 'forgetting food' on 12 hour flight
• Rail passengers to be hit with disruption on Saturday as workers strikePeople have been warned to check before using rail services across the country.

Times Online

• IAG soars to record six-month profit of €1.26 billion [Subscription]Charging higher fares to travellers desperate to return to the skies after the pandemic has lifted the owner of British Airways to record half-year profits.
• Booking glitch lets men into women-only carriages on night trains [Subscription]French rail operator SNCF admits reservation system is flawed three years after journalist revealed problem
• EV charging stations 10 years behind schedule [Subscription]Lack of electric car charging points frustrates motor industry

City AM

• Rail passengers to suffer travel chaos on Saturday during RMT strike – here’s all you need to know Rail passengers will suffer fresh travel chaos on Saturday as thousands of workers strike in a long-running row over pay, jobs and conditions. Services will be disrupted when members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, including station staff and train managers, walk out. Passengers have been advised to check their travel arrangements because [...]

Mail Online

• Ford recalls 870,000 F-150 pick-ups in US over faulty parking brakes that can turn on unexpectedly, causing drivers to lose control and crashFord is recalling more than 870,000 newer F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electric parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly, causing drivers to lose control and crash.
• Even the POLICE are worried about the looming petrol car sales ban: Forces fear electric cars aren't up to chasing suspects or rushing to emergenciesThere are still no electric vehicles on the market that can be driven hard and fast enough for officers responding to emergencies or chasing suspects, senior officers say.
• Elon Musk 'rigged Teslas to show an inflated range they could travel before running out of charge'Elon Musk ordered Tesla to 'rig its electric cars' dashboards' to show an inflated range they could travel before running out of charge, it is alleged.

The Mirror

• Huge £1,000 fine warning for drivers on summer road trips over travel sickness lawWith millions expected to hit the road today and tomorrow for summer holidays, motorists are reminded of lesser-known driving laws including some that pose hefty fines

This is Money

• There are Teslas on the road in Britain with over 300,000 miles on the clockDVSA records show that there are over 700 Teslas on UK roads today with more than 100,000 miles on the clock - and the highest mileage example has more than three times that amount.

Sky News

• Train passengers face more disruption as rail workers strike againTrain passengers are facing more disruption on Saturday as workers strike once again over pay, jobs and conditions.

Birmingham Post

• Two National Express senior executives leave the businessTom Stables and David Bradford have gone from Birmingham-based transport group as company makes changes to structure

Bolton News

• M61: Motorists to be hit with delays as works to cause road closuresDrivers in and around Bolton will have four National Highways road closures to watch out for this week

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Rishi Sunak has say on 20mph limits and HS2 'benefit' during North Wales visitThe Prime Minister visited Net World Sports on Wrexham Industrial Estate on Friday morning

Wales Online

• Potential increases to parking costs and end to Christmas parking in Neath Port TalbotProposals could see parking costs increased by ten percent with similar increases set for parking permits
• Rishi Sunak claims England's HS2 rail project will benefit Wales The UK Prime Minister made the claim while on a visit to north Wales today

Cambridge News

• 13 Cambridgeshire areas where 20mph speed limits are being rolled outCambridgeshire County Council said the schemes are meant to make the roads safer
• Major Cambridge road will be closed this weekend while crane is brought inIt is hoped the work will be finished in time for Monday

Get Surrey

• ULEZ expansion will go ahead in weeks after High Court ruling - what it means for Surrey"The decision to expand the ULEZ was very difficult" and not something Mr Khan "took lightly"

Other Regional Press

• "ULEZ scrappage scheme should be in Herts" - Watford mayorSadiq Khan does not need to offer ULEZ scrappage support to home counties drivers, the High Court has ruled.
• 'Draft masterplan' for new railway station near WantageDevelopers Richborough have circulated a brochure which outlines plans for a major development called 'Grove Gateway' in the village near Wantage.
• Rail strikes July 29: Everything you need know and how it affects YorkshireThe RMT Union has announced their workers are heading out on strike again amid a continuing dispute over pay
• Government delay could hold up Dorset's Local Transport PlanDelays in Government guidance are likely to hold up Dorset's next Local Transport Plan.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• The Transport Committee, which heard evidence from CILT(UK), advises the DfT to prioritise strategic road maintenance over new enhancementsThe Transport Committee has published its report on the Department for Transport’s (DfT) strategic road investment portfolios. CILT(UK), which welcomes the Committee’s conclusions, appeared before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee and gave evidence on strategic road investment and whether major road projects are meeting country’s needs.  Given increasing costs of projects, net zero commitments and ageing strategic road assets the Committee’s report calls on the Government to ensure that future Road Investment Strategy portfolios are delivera...

Other News Sources

• Brighton Pride passengers to be stranded as all Southern trains to city cancelledSouthern rail pointed to 'serious safety concerns' caused by an overtime ban by train driver union ASLEF
• Brighton Pride: Government blames Aslef for rail disruptionThe government has accused a rail union of 'targeting major event' after rail services for part of Brighton Pride weekend were cancelled

EIN News Subscription

• Biometrics promises to shorten waiting times at airports … services for both travellers and airports themselves. Another notable advancement in … direct response from passengers. The fear of data and information security is not … . In Europe, for example, the protection of personal information and data privacy will …
• Airlines accused of 'double charging' disabled passengers … on EU law, maintained by the UK post-Brexit, urging airlines to … the cost. The European aviation regulations advise airlines to offer discounts for … Department for Transport said it was 'committed to ensuring accessible air travel …