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

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

BBC News

• Train effluent risk to workers claimRail workers' health is being put at risk by sewage flushed from older coaches onto the tracks, a union claims.
• Cardiff bus fleet gets 4G wi-fiFree 4G wi-fi will be available on more than 200 buses operating in Cardiff.
• Rise in Scottish airport passengersPassenger numbers at Scotland's three biggest airports soared last year, according to new figures.
• Bus drivers start strike in LondonBus drivers in London are taking industrial action campaigning for a single agreement covering pay and conditions for drivers on more than 670 routes in the city.
• Car mounts barrier on M8 motorwayDrivers on the M8 in Glasgow have faced delays after a car mounted a central motorway barrier and became lodged on the top.
• 'Bad planning' led to rail disruptionEquipment failure and bad planning for delays caused the disruption to rail travellers over Christmas, a report by Network Rail has said.

Financial Times

• Railway report rekindles row over break-upProbe into disruption criticises performance by private contractors
• Hitachi to open £82m train plant in DurhamJapanese group builds on local heritage with plant to supply Britain’s expanding railway network
• Crash upsets AirAsia’s Indonesia ambitionFresh setback for carrier in a key market where it already faces powerful incumbents
• Dubai replaces Heathrow as busiest airportHeathrow loses traffic to Gulf airport amid capacity restrictions
• Politics cloud bidding for Aer LingusIAG chief Walsh will have to win over the Irish carrier’s board and then the Irish government

The Guardian

• East Coast Trains says sorry for 27 December in a ‘phishing’-style emailIt was a genuine offer of compensation but looked like a scam
• Network Rail report into Christmas rail chaos finds poor planning to blameReport says there was insufficient contingency in project plan to ensure engineering work would finish in time for 27 December
• Young foe of HS2 cannot be railroaded by committee on Whovian timescaleWhilst it was right to hear from someone who might be alive when HS2 is operating, some arguments seemed familiar
• Washington DC Metro passenger dies as smoke fills train and stationDozens more people taken to hospital after enduring long wait for rescue in choking conditionsA woman died when smoke poured through a subway train on the Washington DC Metro, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people from a station just before afternoon rush hour. Dozens more people were injured, authorities said.Hundreds of passengers had to flee the L’Enfant Plaza station, one of the subway system’s busiest, about 3.30pm, said District of Columbia fire and emergency spokesman Timothy Wilson. Continue reading...

The Independent

• Southern Rail commuter service from Brighton to Victoria was late every single time last year Platform 6 at Brighton’s magnificent rail terminus is the starting place for a daily commuting gamble.
• London bus strike: Which routes are affected and why are drivers taking action? Millions of commuters in London face travel chaos today, as some 27,000 bus drivers are staging a strike across the capital.

The Telegraph

• Quiz: How good is your maths?A nine-year-old has said High Speed Two bosses are
• Christmas rail chaos caused by lack of train driversNetwork Rail reveals that railways were plunged into chaos over Christmas period because it 'ran out' of train drivers
• Rail delays hit worst level for four yearsNetwork Rail reveals that a third of trains failed to arrive on time last year including one commuter service which was late every day
• Watch: Nine-year-old HS2 protester Alex Rukin appears before ParliamentNine-year-old Alex Rukin offers to help HS2 with their maths as he becomes the youngest person ever to appear before Parliament
• London braces for bus strike chaos - which routes are affected?As London prepares for the worst disruption on the buses in years, we profile the worst affected routes and what you can do to avoid them
• Millions could get cheaper summer holidays and bus travel after Treasury intervenes to demand price cutsDanny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, writes to holiday and travel companies calling for 'every penny' of falling oil price to be passed on to consumers
• Why our trains are going nowhereUnlike the train companies, who interact with passengers on a daily basis, Network Rail is adept at hiding from wider scrutiny, says Adrian Quine
• The train can't take the strainTelegraph View: Network Rail is inefficient, unaccountable and indifferent to the customer - it must sort its act out

Mail Online

• HS2 would mess fings up, warned Just William: QUENTIN LETTS on the day a Cub aged 9 gave MPs a talking to  By giving evidence to the committee about HS2’s plans to run its track past his two homes in the West Midland, Alex Rukin became the youngest person to appear at a parliamentary hearing.

Network Rail

• Members of the public warned they could face prosecution if they misuse Furze Platt level crossingLocal residents and other users of Furze Platt level crossing will be learning to stay safe on the railway this week during a campaign organised by Network Rail, British Transport Police (BTP) and First Great Western. A key element of the campaign will be to inform the public that those who misuse the crossing could face prosecution.
• Network Rail publishes Christmas passenger disruption investigation reportOn 27 December thousands of passengers using King's Cross and Paddington services, many of whom were travelling home after visiting friends and family, suffered severe delays and disruption. Network Rail launched an immediate investigation into what went wrong and today publishes its findings.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• New bus routes could ease school-run parking problems in Baildon NEW bus routes may be created in Baildon to help ease school-run parking problems depending on the results of two online surveys now taking place.

London Evening Standard

• Poor planning led to Christmas travel chaos at Finsbury Park, Network Rail report reveals Communication breakdowns and poor planning contributed to Christmas rail disruption which saw chaotic scenes at three London stations, Network Rail (NR) has admitted.
• Heathrow and Gatwick passenger numbers surge reigniting runway battle Both Heathrow and Gatwick had a record number of passengers pass through their arrivals and departures lounges last year, with the former packing in 73.4 million fliers during the 12 months.
• London bus strike 2015: millions face travel chaos as drivers walk-out in on-going pay row Millions of London bus users face a day of travel chaos tomorrow as bus drivers prepare to go on strike over pay.
• Simon Calder says: When will the airline tax cut show up in fares? I read with great excitement that airline departure tax for children is to be abolished. I’m looking to fly in the summer and have four children under 12. However, none of these reductions appears to be showing on the fare-comparison websites. I don’t want to book flights and then have to chase up a refund. Why aren’t the reductions showing yet for flights after the start date of the new tax regime? — John Vidler
• London bus strike 2015: TfL offers advice ahead of driver strike, but admits it doesn't know which routes will be affected Transport for London has offered advice to millions of Londoners facing a day of travel chaos tomorrow as bus drivers prepare to strike, but travel bosses have admitted they don’t know which of the capital’s 700 routes will be affected.

Sheffield Star

• North ‘needs one voice on transport’ says Transport SecretaryYorkshire must unite with the rest of the North to produce a single plan for transport investment over the next 15 years, the Transport Secretary said today.
• Faster trains plan changedPlans to run faster trains between Sheffield and Manchester have been downsized by transport bosses.

Yorkshire Post

• North "needs one voice on transport" - McLoughlinYORKSHIRE must unite with the rest of the North to produce a single plan for transport investment over the next 15 years, the Transport Secretary said today.
• Call to build Yorkshire HS2 line earlierTHE Government is to be asked to bring forward the proposed high speed rail line connecting Leeds and Sheffield as part of a wider plan to transform transport in the North.

Blackpool Gazette

• Train bosses buoyed by rail link numbersEarly signs are that Virgin’s direct rail service from Blackpool to London has got off to a good start, according to train bosses.

Bucks Free Press

• Gillan claims HS2 land plans won't be published until after General Election Details of how much more land will be needed for the HS2 railway line will not be made public until after the General Election, a south Bucks MP has said.

Doncaster Free Press

• North ‘needs one voice on transport’ says Transport SecretaryYorkshire must unite with the rest of the North to produce a single plan for transport investment over the next 15 years, the Transport Secretary said today.

East Anglian Daily Times

• No road crossing closures in rail safety drive – rail bossesAs the campaign against level crossing closures in Suffolk gathers momentum, Network Rail (NR) has produced new figures showing no public road crossings have been shut in the last five years.
• Last trains from Ipswich will not wait for supporters if FA Cup third round goes into extra timeTrains will not wait for passengers if Ipswich Town’s football match against Southampton on Wednesday goes into extra time and penalties.

Northamptonshire Telegraph

• Transport Minister visits Chowns Mill roundabout to talk about A45 duallingTransport Minister Patrick McLoughlin MP visited the Chowns Mill roundabout near Higham Ferrers this morning to talk about a project to improve it and dual the A45.

Peterborough Telegraph

• New Peterborough cycle club on lookout for membersA new cycling club has been launched in Peterborough - Thorpe Ventures Community Cycling Club are affiliated to British Cycling as a Go-Ride club.

Reading Evening Post

• Con-cat-ulations: Mr Pinky receives a bus pass from Reading BusesReading's favourite feline can 'meow' travel anywhere he likes on Reading Buses

Sleaford Standard

• Rail disruption between Sleaford and Spalding over Easter weekendRail users travelling between Sleaford and Spalding are to face disruption at Easter.

Other Regional Press

• Controversial contracts banned for A465 road workers CONTROVERSIAL contracts used on an £800m Welsh Government road scheme which claimed to penalise its workers have been banned, after their plight was raised by Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies.
• Harley-Davidson boss now tells Oxfordshire County Council: ‘Plan these roadworks better’ A DIRECTOR of motorcycle firm Harley-Davidson has hit out at the handling of £10m roadworks starting near Didcot.
• Chocks away for plan to turn old airfield into cycle heaven A FORMER Second World War airfield in Oxford will be transformed into a play paradise for bike fans this month.
• ‘Northampton has a railway station to be proud of’The new Northampton Railway station is something the whole town can be proud of, MP Brian Binley said.
• Tram plans for Preston stalled againPlans for the first phase of a project to build a tram line have been stalled yet again.
• Thanet council says that Manston could still be an airport as it unveils draft local planA strategic masterplan has incorporated the site as an airport, despite councillors voting not to try to buy it last year.
• Look: Anti-HS2 campaigner, 9, appears before Parliament and says: 'It looks a lot like Hogwarts'Alex Rukin tells MPs that he thinks HS2 is a “stupidâ€� idea
• Jaguar Land Rover's new 'sensing' technology to beat drowsy drivingCoventry car giant showcases the new Driver Monitor System which can interpret eyes and faces and even alerts the driver when they aren't looking at the road

Rail Magazine

• Christmas overrun report published todayNetwork Rail to publish findings into King’s Cross and Paddington overruns at 1400 today (January 12).
• Network Rail releases report into Christmas engineering overrunA report into the problems that caused the effective closure of King's Cross and Paddington stations on December 27 has been released.
• Tottenham Court Road ticket hall opensNew entrance and additional escalators opened at station.
• Northern Line signalling upgrade completeExtra 11,000 passengers per hour (20% increase) can use Northern Line following upgrade
• Regulator rejects Alliance’s WCML open access applicationAlliance Rail’s bid to run on West Coast Main Line rejected by Office of Rail Regulation

Railnews

• HS2 costs to come under spotlight A House of Lords Committee is set to question HS2 chairman David Higgins over the cost of HS2. The Economic Affairs Committee will be asking him to explain why HS2 is predicted to cost around ten times more for each kilometre than the French high speed network.
• Tilted phone mast halted main line trains Trains on the Midland Main Line were disrupted on Saturday after a communications mast near Harpenden was reported to be tilting. It is thought that high winds could have dislodged the mast, which was leaning towards the railway. Trains through the area were stopped as a precaution until the evening. Further disruption is being reported on the West Coast Main Line today (Monday).
• Christmas disruption caused by multiple failings A report from Network Rail has revealed that the Christmas overrun at King's Cross on 27 December was caused a multiplying catalogue of errors which was worsened by 'mutual failings' of communication between Network Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway, which manages nearby Finsbury Park station. This became overwhelmed with King's Cross passengers and had to close for a while during the day. Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne said:

Aviation Industry

• Danger in throwing open door to foreign airlinesNothing unusual in that these days. For many, an annual overseas holiday - or two - has become as common as a trip to a campsite on the coast for the summer holidays.
• Etihad extends immigration pre-clearance to all US-bound flightsFrom January 15 all Etihad passengers to US from Abu Dhabi can use pre-clearance
• Aer Lingus rejects raised offer from IAGIrish carrier turns down renewed €2.40 a share deal
• Heathrow posts record passenger traffic for 201473 million passengers made journeys through Heathrow last year
• Easyjet appoints new TMC partnership managerIain Withers joins from BCD Travel

Other News Sources

• Rail users alliance wants big changes to the Hereford-Shrewsbury line Overcrowding, service imbalance, and poor connections amongst issues to be raised at government and Welsh Assembly level.
• FTA Industry Summit on Driver Crisis – hundreds sign up to attendWith road transport operators facing a chronic shortage of qualified professional drivers the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has announced a ...