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

Saturday, 23 May 2015

BBC News

• Swansea council's free faith school bus cut overruledA council's decision to cut free school transport for some faith school pupils in Swansea has been quashed by the high court.
• Coach fall driver found guiltyA coach driver is found guilty of dangerous driving after a boy fell out of his vehicle on a motorway.
• Mazda and Mitsubishi recall more carsTwo more Japanese car giants - Mazda and Mitsubishi - are recalling 630,000 cars to replace faulty airbag inflators made by Takata.
• Train Overcrowding - BBC Radio 4 - You and Yours ProgrammeAudio clip re: train overcrowding. From 35 minutes and 10 seconds from the start of the programme.

The Herald

• Sparks fly: electric car owner says 'ban hybrid cars from charge points' A SURGE in the number of plug-in vehicles on Scotland's roads is creating a bitter turf war over charging points, with some electric car owners demanding that hybrid drivers be banned from the free bays.

The Scotsman

• Quintinshill rail disaster centenary rememberedROYALTY, politicians, military veterans and relatives of the victims have marked the 100th anniversary of Britain’s worst rail disaster.

The Telegraph

• Driverless cars will shave '£265' off insurance premiums in five yearsCars will 'eliminate bad driving' and halve insurance costs, according to industry experts

City AM

• Kings Cross station re-opened after Fire Brigade investigates smokeThere were delays of up to 30 minutes to trains in and out of Kings Cross Station, after the station was re-opened after it was evacuated just as the evening rush hour began.Earlier this afternoon, the London Fire Brigade said it was investigating reports of smoke coming from the building, but crews left shortly after their arrival.However, National Rail said disruption to First Hull, Grand Central, Great Northern and Virgin East Coast trains were likely to continue until "at least" 5pm - just as the great Bank Holiday getaway began."There is no firm estimate of how long disrupt...

Mail Online

• Chevrolet release concept models of yesterday's cars of future While the cars included useful features such as keyless entry and driverless technology, they also had bizarre elements, such as jet engines and a joystick instead of a steering wheel.
• Dutch pilots attacking ISIS should be armed with sub-machine guns if jets go down Dutch air force heads have requested the issuing of the Brugger & Thommet MP9 sub machine-gun so that if their pilots are gunned down they will be able to hold off the enemy for longer.
• Airbus engineer killed himself over 'irrational' idea he caused AirAsia disaster Gavin Price Jones, of Saltney, Cheshire, had worked on Airbus A320 aircraft like that involved in AirAsia disaster (pictured in file photo) but he 'played no part' in the crash, his inquest heard

Bolton News

• Car clamping up 20 per cent in Bolton after tax disc changes introduced last year THE number of cars in Bolton being clamped because they have not been taxed has gone up by more than 20 per cent since changes to the law were introduced.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Derbyshire drivers warned as Bank Holiday exodus gets under wayDRIVERS are being warned to leave plenty of time as 3.8 million head on to the roads today.The A38 south of Kingsway island in both directions has been flagged as a potential hotspot for traffic by Highways England.The M1 and A52 have also been highlighted as possible trouble points. However, Monday will be the busiest day to travel on the UK's road network, with more than four million drivers expected to embark on journeys.To find out where to go for the best of the Bank Holiday weather,...

Liverpool Echo

• Maghull students recreate Formula One cars with 3D printersPupils learn about engineering at five day event

London Evening Standard

• Cyclist invents handlebar lights to signal safer future on roads A cyclist who felt at risk in London traffic has designed indicators for  bikes to make them more visible to motorists.
• King's Cross pool: Huge public swimming pond opens on doorstep of major rail hub A huge outdoor pool in the heart of London opened to the public today.
• Bank Holiday travel chaos at Paddington station 'like scene from The Hunger Games' A rail company has apologised after train cancellations and delays sparked scenes of “panicâ€� at Paddington station this evening.
• Boris Johnson warned: 'Ban Uber or you will kill London’s black cab trade' Boris Johnson has been warned the death of London’s black cab trade will take place “on his watchâ€� unless he revokes the licence of controversial car-booking app Uber.
• King's Cross evacuated: Passengers cleared of station as Bank Holiday getaway begins King's Cross station was evacuated as the Bank Holiday getaway began today.
• Bank Holiday travel: Great getaway gets off to a slow start as passengers are hit by station closures and cancellations The great Bank Holiday getaway got off to a chaotic start today as service cancellations and engineering works hit the transport network.

Manchester Evening News

• Mum's fury as giant scary clown advert on side of bus leaves four-year-old twins terrified and unable to sleepAdvertising Standards Authority looking into a string of complaints over marketing campaign for remake of Poltergeist film

Northern Echo

• A67 finally set to re-open - after three years COUNCIL chiefs say long-running works to repair a landslip on a major North-East road are reaching completion.
• Dozens of off-duty police officers caught speeding DOZENS of off-duty police officers caught speeding in the region have been criticised by road safety officers for undermining traffic laws.

Sheffield Star

• M1 crash near Chesterfield causes big delays across DerbyshireTwo lorries which were involved in a collision on the M1 motorway near Chesterfield have caused big delays for motorists.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Bikes to be repaired for free in Sheffield this summerCyclists in Sheffield can get their bikes repaired for free this summer as part of The Big Bike Revival campaign to get more people cycling.

Wales Online

• Transport plea from developers behind 1,200-home Churchlands development in CardiffA planning inquiry is being held into plans by South Wales Land Developments for more than 1,000 homes in north Cardiff
• Swansea council's decision to scrap free buses for faith school pupils was discrimination, rules judge

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Celebrating ton-up for Leeds-built locomotive at bank holiday eventThe inspirational story of how locomotives built in Hunslet a century ago are helping kickstart an economic recovery in ebola-hit Sierra Leone is being brought to life in Leeds this bank holiday weekend.

Yorkshire Post

• Uncovered: £100 taxi bills of South Yorkshire fire chiefsHOTEL bills of between £7,000 and nearly £17,000 paid for on South Yorkshire Fire Service credit cards included taxi bills of up £100 and dinner bills of more than £40 per person.

Blackpool Gazette

• New buses are just the ticket!Passengers will be travelling in style when 10 new Mercedes buses, costing a total of £1.7m, begin operating in Blackpool.

Peterborough Telegraph

• £2 million costs for transportNearly £2 million was spent on passenger transport by Peterborough City Council in the past year.

Other Regional Press

• Network Rail defends railside tree clearance described as 'butchery' by angry residentsThe section of track behind Linden Avenue in Hartburn is being cleared to mitigate a number of safety issues, say Network Rail
• Hampshire police chief Simon Hayes rules out taking action over Portsmouth naked cycle rideHAMPSHIRE’S crime commissioner Simon Hayes says it is unlikely police will impose restrictions on Portsmouth’s naked cycle ride.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Illegal stowaways 'damaging future of cross-channel freight'The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has called on the authorities to do more to crack down on the influx of illegal immigrants attempting to stow away on trucks passing through the Calais Eurotunnel terminal and ferry port. According to the trade association, this is an issue that is causing increasing difficulties for businesses in the logistics sector and is potentially threatening the future of cross-channel trailer services. The presence of stowaways places the security of drivers, vehicles and customers' loads at risk, creates long delays to scheduled arrival times and ha...
• TfL launches night bus consultationTransport for London (TfL) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the night bus services offered across the capital. It wants to bring the bus network in line with the Night Tube, which launches this September, extending the opening hours of sections of the underground rail service. TFL has proposed introducing 20 new night bus services in addition to those already offered, with 17 running on Friday and Saturday nights and the remainder operating all week. It argues it will not be necessary to run as many night bus services at weekends across some of the current routes, as it expec...
• More commuter rail services transfer to TfLTransport for London (TfL) has announced that more commuter rail services will be transferred to the London Overground.  From May 31st, services currently operated by Abellio Greater Anglia, between Liverpool Street station and Enfield Town, Cheshunt, and Chingford, will become made part of the TfL service, along with routes between Romford and Upminster.  Stopping services between Liverpool Street and Shenfield will be run as TfL Rail from the same date - and this comes in preparation for the introduction of Crossrail branded services in 2017. As a result of the move, 80 per cent of pay as yo...

Aviation Industry

• Lobby groups call for wider disclosure of non-compliance with EU ETSUK-based environmental lobby groups Transport & Environment and Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) are calling on EU states to take action to ensure all airlines operating within the European Economic Area (EEA) comply with the region’s emissions trading system (ETS). read more
• British Airways tests new Heathrow approachBritish Airways (BA) is trialing new landing procedures at London Heathrow Airport as it seeks to minimize noise disturbance to residents on the glide path.
• Osborne makes UK infrastructure pledgeChancellor promises swift action on high speed rail and runway expansion

Other News Sources

• Southern Rail makes improved pay offer to drivers Southern Rail has made an improved pay offer to its strike-threatening drivers.
• FTA welcomes launch of new online DVA system in Northern IrelandThe Freight Transport Association has welcomed news that Northern Ireland transport operators will have access to a new online Driver and Vehicle ...
• Airports Commission reopens public consultation on Heathrow air qualityThe Airports Commissions previous report claimed that any expansion of Heathrow would not be in breach of EU air pollution regulations
• Rail strike: Southern train drivers suspend actionMembers of the Aslef Union had been threatening to strike over a row about pay but suspended the action after