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

Saturday, 19 August 2023

BBC News

• Train strikes: Aslef drivers announce new dateTrain drivers at more than a dozen companies will strike on Friday, 1 September and refuse to work overtime on Saturday, 2 September, their union Aslef has said.
• Public transport: Should all over-60s keep their free bus passes?Should everyone in Northern Ireland be entitled to free bus and train travel when they reach their 60th birthday?
• Santander Cycles: Number of hires at lowest level for 10 yearsThe recent bad weather has been blamed by Transport for London as a possible reason for the drop.
• Blind man says Easyjet staff 'refused to help' him buy flightsMartin Conway says airline staff told him he must use an app to buy a flight but did not offer any help.

Financial Times

• Here come the driverless taxis San Francisco finally permits a 24/7 service despite local resistance. Can autonomous carmakers now win over the world?
• Train drivers union sets new strike dates in EnglandAslef announces September walkout and overtime ban, extending long-running dispute with operators
• Hoteliers take to high seas and railroads in hunt for ultra-luxury travellers Groups including Accor and Marriott launch vessels and opulent trains as sector booms

The Guardian

• Train drivers to strike on 1 September and not work overtime a day later, says AslefPassengers face disruption as second date coincides with action by RMT members

The Herald

• Corran Ferry: Businesses closing due to ferry disruptionPeople are leaving Lochaber in the north west highlands and businesses won't re-open next year because of long-running ferry disruption, a community councillor has warned.

The Telegraph

• Bus driver quits mid-route and leaves passengers locked in by Angel of the NorthGo North East driver left the vehicle by the famous Angel of the North sculpture, with travellers stuck inside

Times Online

• Train drivers confirm new strike in final days of school holidaysWalkouts by Aslef members followed by a day of banned overtime are set to cause further havoc
• Sadiq Khan urged to give 4x4s scrapped for Ulez to Ukraine. [subscription]Ukrainian army could convert them to serve as ambulances or armoured vehicles

City AM

• Fresh train strikes and overtime ban to cause more rail havoc on 1 and 2 SeptemberTrain drivers are to stage a fresh strike in the long-running dispute over pay, threatening more travel chaos for passengers.
• ULEZ camera vandalism ’will not stop’ London expansion despite 300 incidents this month Transport for London (TfL) vowed that vandalism of ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) cameras will not stop the scheme as expansion. The transport body issued the statement after the Metropolitan Police said it had recorded 288 crimes relating to the cameras as of August 1, and released an image of a suspect.

The Mirror

• Rail chief warns ticket machines can't sell 1 in 4 tickets amid station office cullMick Whelan raised fears that safety is being taken for granted as he suggested rail workers and passengers will be more at risk in empty and unstaffed stations

Network Rail

• New managing director for Network Rail's Eastern regionJake Kelly, currently the company’s system operator director, has been appointed as the new managing director of its Eastern region, starting the role on 4 September.
• Ground-breaking immersive £2.7m training centre to increase safety for rail workersThe first purpose-built rail safety centre of its kind in the North of England, has been officially opened by the Minister for Rail Huw Merriman MP in Huddersfield, as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).

Sky News

• Full list of train companies affected by September train driver strikes around UKASLEF train driver are to go on strike and stage an overtime ban in a dispute going on since June 2022.

Birmingham Mail

• I visited the hidden part of Birmingham Airport passengers never get to seeIt was fascinating, and felt like we were at the epi-centre of operations

Birmingham Post

• Rail Minister Huw Merriman visits Siemens Mobility's Goole rail villageRail Minister Huw Merriman visits Siemens Mobility's Goole rail village

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Every North Wales council has now published 20mph maps and drivers can see full listGwynedd council has highlighted where roads will change to 20mph and the planned 'exceptions'

Northern Echo

• Pictures show Durham's new bus station taking shapeNew photographs of the building on the city’s North Road show significant progress on the new facility, which is due to open in November.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Cost of new internal ferry fleet could be over £800 million, Orkney council claimsMore detailed specification will be needed according to Transport Scotland.
• Broken engine cancels Cromarty ferry ’until further notice’The Cromarty to Nigg ferry has been cancelled until at least the middle of next week.

Yorkshire Post

• Rail Minister confident £11.5bn rail upgrade can be completed in 10 yearsRail Minister Huw Merriman said he is confident the multi-billion pound project to improve the rail line between York and Manchester can be delivered within 10 years and on budget.

South Wales Argus

• Newport to Gloucester rail work completed - cost revealedTHE railway line between Newport and Gloucester has reopened today after weeks of 24/7 work on landslip-prone cliffs.

Other Regional Press

• Raging Edinburgh residents 'left stranded' by suspension of only bus serviceEdinburgh’s former Lord Provost has criticised Lothian Buses for implementing a diversion that will cut off communities and Edinburgh City Council for not properly notifying residents.
• Frustration as Gloucestershire rail users face hour long wait with new bus link'The bus arrives at the station at 08:55, just after the 08:53 for Bristol has left'
• Bus passenger anger after four-hour trip between Somerset townsBus passengers from Portishead are facing a four hour round trip to get to Weston-super-Mare and back as part of changes to a service. North Somerset Council is to re-route the X5 service from September 4 to call at Yatton.
• Isle of Wight ferry prices are too expensive says touristWe live in Yorkshire and have been holidaying (on and off) on the Island for over 50 years. We love the Island and even though it's a long drive for us, we would holiday there more often if the cost of the ferries wasn't so high.
• Ryanair Takes Aim At Spanish Airport Fee IncreaseEurope's largest (and most outspoken) low-cost carrier Ryanair has filed a formal appeal against attempts by the Spanish airport operator, Aena, to raise airport charges.
• North Devon bus service linking rural communities to town centre, rail and tourist attractions sees major upliftThe Stagecoach 301 bus service has received a frequency uplift to hourly following additional support from us, through our Bus Services Improvement Plan funding from the Department for Transport.

Business Live

• Siemens Mobility looking to create 250 more jobs in Goole as it aims to widen rail village operationsA total of 250 more jobs could be coming to Goole’s rail village as Siemens Mobility looks to further expand operations in the town.

New Civil Engineer

• A38 Derby Junction scheme given go ahead but expected to face a second legal challengePlanning approval for an upgrade of the A38 in Derby to remove three bottlenecks on the network has overcome legal challenges and a redetermination process with the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the scheme granted yesterday.
• Tyne river charity benefits from £55,000 Costain donation following A19 upgrade pollution incidentCostain is to donate £55,000 to the Tyne Rivers Trust environmental charity following an investigation into a pollution incident triggered by the contractor during its work to upgrade the A19 Testo’s roundabout.

Rail Business Daily

• ’The first innovators on site’ – Major rail innovation competition moves into second phaseThe £7.4m ’Innovation in Railway Construction’ competition moved into its second phase this week as teams were briefed on the next stage of the programme.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Craig Hampton-Stone named Cardiff Bus Managing DirectorCardiff Bus has named former military man Craig Hampton-Stone as its incoming Manager Director. He will succeed Paul Dyer, who is to retire from the municipal business at the end of September.
• Third London Superloop route to start as X26 becomes SL7The Transport for London (TfL) Superloop network will continue its growth on 19 August when Go-Ahead London service X26 between Heathrow and West Croydon is rebranded and renumbered SL7.

Other News Sources

• Ryanair sparks row over rise in Spanish airport feesSpanish airport operator Aena has defended plans to raise airport charges next year in the face of an attack by Ryanair.
• Network Rail announce new Managing Director for Eastern regionNetwork Rail have announced the appointment of Jake Kelly as the new Managing Director of its Eastern region.