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

Tuesday, 20 February 2024

BBC News

• Heathrow Airport eyes summer for switch to new security scannersHeathrow Airport aims to have high-tech security scanners in all terminals by summer, allowing passengers to carry liquids of more than 100ml in hand luggage.
• HS2 could boost West Midlands economy by £10bn - reportThe HS2 railway linking London to Birmingham could boost the West Midlands economy by £10bn during the next 10 years, according to research.
• Somerset community groups asked to design public transportCommunity groups are being invited to design and run their own public transport.

Department for Transport

• Rail Update Statement - Mark Harper MPI am pleased to lay the government’s response to the consultation on legislation required to deliver rail reform today. I am also publishing the draft Rail Reform Bill today, ahead of pre-legislative scrutiny which will be carried out by the Transport Select Committee. I have deposited copies of both of these documents in the libraries of both Houses.
• Draft Rail Reform BillThe draft Rail Reform Bill brings together the primary legislative measures, which form a key part of delivering rail reform envisaged by the Plan for Rail. These measures and policy intent were publicly consulted on in June 2022 in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail: legislative changes to implement rail reform. Given the scale and complexity of the changes being made to the sector, the draft bill will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny to provide parliamentarians and experts across industry the opportunity to review and test the legislation in draft.
• Transport Secretary announces Sir Gareth Rhys Williams as new National Highways ChairThe Chair will oversee the delivery of the government’s £24 billion investment into roads across the country.

Financial Times

• Carlyle in talks with London airport owner to resolve loan rowEsken considers new funding deal for struggling Southend airport in exchange for giving up control
• Container lines struggling with port congestion and ship shortagesCarriers are turning up on the wrong days because of scheduling problems arising from Red Sea crisis, says sector chief

The Guardian

• London Overground rebrand is a fitting tribute to British history - LettersReaders react to TfL’s new names for rail lines in response to an article by Jonn Elledge

The Independent

• Midweek rail engineering work on East Coast main line sends air fares soaring to over £650With some journey times doubled, British Airways is selling flights from Newcastle to London Heathrow for £656 one way

Times Online

• Security failings ’let high-risk private jet passengers into UK’. [subscription]Checks were made on 20 per cent of high-risk travellers arriving at London City airport instead of 100 per cent, the chief inspector of borders and immigration said
• Stonehenge campaigners lose legal challenge over road tunnel. [subscription]The group Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site wanted to overturn a development consent order issued last July by Mark Harper, the transport secretary

Network Rail

• Final phase of Devon and Cornwall signalling upgrade set to bring a more reliable railwayPassengers are being urged to check before they travel ahead of Network Rail’s final phase of work to modernise signals in Devon and Cornwall and improve the resilience of the railway in the South West.

London Evening Standard

• HS2 will boost West Midlands economy by £10bn in next 10 years – reportEconomic analysis of the impact from the impending arrival in the region of the high-speed railway was commissioned by HS2 Ltd.

Manchester Evening News

• Mayor 'aware of' bus tickets which will COST MORE in Bee NetworkSome tickets will be replaced by costlier passes more when the Bee Network gets rolled out

Wales Online

• The one reason an aviation expert says Cardiff Airport just doesn't workAn expert has claimed Cardiff Airport "doesn't have a USP [unique selling proposition]", as the company continues to suffer losses. In the year to March 2023, the Welsh Government-owned airport lost £4.5m, after receiving a £5.3m grant from the government.
• Plans for return of railway station in St Athan take big step forwardTrains will stop in the community for the first time in 60 years if the plans get the go-ahead

Yorkshire Post

• Martin Lewis slams train operator as ’500’ passenger service heading to Sheffield ’with only one toilet’Money Saving Expert's Martin Lewis has slammed a train operator after the service he was travelling on had only one toilet for ’500’ passengers onboard.

Bucks Free Press

• Villagers 'frightened' of HS2 sinkholes near homesSinkholes caused by the drilling of tunnels for HS2 are ’frightening and disgraceful’, residents in South Heath have said.

Other Regional Press

• East West Railway Company ’kept no notes’ from drop-in sessionsThe East West Railway Company (EWRCo) has been accused of “having no real interest” in the public’s views over the proposed multi-billion pound route.
• East West Railway Company ’kept no notes’ from drop-in sessionsThe East West Railway Company (EWRCo) has been accused of “having no real interest” in the public’s views over the proposed multi-billion pound route.
• Some York bus services are to be reduced as transport costs riseBus services in York are set to be cut as costs rise and passenger numbers fall.
• Transport adviser appointed to new division of Edinburgh consultancySLR CONSULTING has appointed experienced transport advisor Iain Lamb to its Edinburgh-based team as the consultancy launches a new service offering for transport planning in Scotland.
• Managing transport demand and the needs of a growing populationIn the modern world, transportation plays a pivotal role in the growth and functioning of societies by connecting people, goods, and services across our villages, towns, cities and regions.
• Inter-island transport network ’maxed out’SHETLAND’s inter-island transport network is “maxed out”, a meeting heard on Monday. ZetTrans lead officer Michael Craigie said the inter-island network has “reached as much as it can achieve” with the frequency of sailings and the length of the operating day.
• Minister visits former Ironbridge Power Station to see how rail link could benefit countyThe Rail Minister has visited the site of the demolished Ironbridge Power Station to discuss how a new rail link could be created.
• 'Transform Wrexham General station into a local transport hub' - Lesley Griffiths MSTransport for Wales are a key partner in the Wrexham Gateway Project, which will regenerate the area of the city centred around the Mold Road. Working alongside Wrexham Council, Wrexham University and the Welsh Government – which pledged £25m towards the project in 2021 – the aim of the scheme is to transform Wrexham General station into a local transport hub.
• Wokingham rail work completedNetwork Rail and South Western Railway have switched on new signalling equipment which is expected to bring more reliable journeys to customers travelling between Reading, London and Guildford.

Rail Advent

• Porterbrook takes stake in Scottish train refurbishment companyPorterbrook, a leading rail financier and leaser, has agreed a deal with Kilmarnock based Brodie Engineering.
• WATCH: See the interior of East Midlands Railway’s new trainsEast Midlands Railway (EMR) has released a 13-minute video showing what the interiors of its new Aurora fleet will look like and highlighting all the features that the company has worked so hard to refine.

Rail Business Daily

• Porterbrook agrees deal to take stake in Brodie EngineeringLeading rolling stock financier and asset management company Porterbrook has today (Tuesday 16 Feruary) agreed a deal to take a 49 per cent stake in Brodie Engineering.

Rail Industry Association

• Government should seize opportunity to grow passenger railNew research by consultancy Steer for the Railway Industry Association has found that rail passenger numbers could double by 2050.

Rail Magazine

• Rail passenger growth report highlights critical need for investmentNew research by consultancy Steer for the Railway Industry Association (RIA) has found that rail passenger numbers could double by 2050.

Rail UK

• Porterbrook takes stake in Brodie EngineeringRolling stock financier and asset management company Porterbrook has agreed a deal to take a 49% stake in Brodie Engineering.

Other News Sources

• Porterbrook takes stake in Brodie EngineeringToday, Tuesday 20th February 2024, the UK’s leading rolling stock financier and asset management company Porterbrook has agreed a deal to take a 49% stake in Brodie Engineering.
• University of Birmingham on track with Japan rail partnershipRailways experts forge partnership to create innovative technology for Japan’s railways.
• EU transport emissions “have not fallen” since 2011CO2 emissions from transport in the EU have not fallen since 2011, says the European Court of Auditors (ECA). This despite reduction targets for new cars set in 2010. Engines have become cleaner, but this has been compensated by cars getting bigger and engines more powerful.
• Bee Network: Pledge to reinstate 'lost bus services' in BuryGreater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has pledged to reinstate Bury’s "lost bus services" with the region's public transport model set to roll into the borough.
• New research shows HS2 will drive £10billion economic uplift in the West Midlands in the next 10 yearsNew research shows that the future arrival of HS2 in the West Midlands is already driving huge investor confidence in the region, with data pointing to an economic uplift of £10billion over the next 10 years.
• TfL wants to take on National Rail lines and turn them into London Overground routesSadiq Khan says he would like to see those key commuter routes devolved to TfL's control
• First glimpse inside new London trains with details to make them 'as comfortable as possible'The trains will also include features that customers have said they want to see - including air conditioning