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

Friday, 19 June 2015

BBC News

• Manston Airport 'could reopen early next year'A closed Kent airport could open early next year and the Civil Aviation Authority is to be "put on standby" in case it happens, an MP has said.
• Many over-65s 'shun public transport'The public transport system is failing the oldest and most vulnerable in society in England, with many never using it, a report says.
• Options for trams extension revealedEdinburgh city council is looking into extending the tram network to Newhaven, Ocean Terminal or the foot of Leith Walk.
• Tube drivers vote for strike actionLondon Underground drivers vote to strike for 24 hours in a dispute over pay and the introduction of a new all-night service.

Financial Times

• London tube drivers vote to strikeAslef members due to walk out on July 8 over plans for all-night services
• Airbus outsells Boeing at Paris air showValue of orders at fair falls compared with last year’s Farnborough

The Guardian

• 'Everywhere he goes in London, Boris Johnson is abused by cab drivers' – videoThe general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, Steve McNamara, gives his response after a heated exchange between the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and a black-cab driver was captured on video. Johnson told the cabbie to 'fuck off and die' during an argument early on 5 June Continue reading...
• Suspend Uber from London, minicab firms say after claims of flawed driver checksLawyers for minicab firms tell Transport for London that Uber’s system for checking drivers’ documents puts the public at riskMinicab operators have called on Transport for London to immediately suspend upstart US rival Uber from operating in the capital, after a Guardian investigation raised questions about the robustness of its approval procedures for driver documents.Lawyers representing the Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA), representing companies that employ 15,000 drivers, argued that Uber’s checks on drivers’ insurance papers are “seriously flawedâ€� and put the public at risk...

The Herald

• Concern as Edinburgh tram line extension bill to reach £145mQUESTIONS have been raised over the funding of the Edinburgh tram extension that could cost up to £145 million.
• New hospital bus services BUS services to and from Scotland's newest hospital are under threat because vital infrastructure remains unfinished, transport bosses have warned.

The Telegraph

• Striking London Underground drivers to bring London to halt during WimbledonTube network faces shutdown when Aslef members walk out for 24 hours on day of men's singles quarter-final in row over pay and all-night service

Reuters News

• Rail union calls 24-hour London underground strike over night shiftsLONDON (Reuters) - Train drivers' union ASLEF said on Thursday it had called a 24-hour strike on the London underground network, raising the prospect of travel gridlock in the British capital next month.

City AM

• London facing travel misery as unions hit outLONDONERS face the threat of a summer of travel chaos as unions fight a long list of industrial grievances. London Underground drivers belonging to the Aslef union have voted for a 24-hour strike from 8 July over the introduction of a new Night Tube service at weekends. Around 80 per cent of drivers belong to the union and Aslef said 97.6 per cent of members – 1,771 – had voted in favour of striking over the new service, due to be introduced in September. However the number of staff involved in strikes – and the amount of industrial action taken – could soar if members of the giant RM...

Mail Online

• London Underground tube drivers to stage 24-hour strike next month Members of the Aslef union will walk out on July 8, the day of George Osborne's Summer Budget, with further strike dates in the capital expected to be announced
• Two Peterborough teenage girls use 125mph train lines as a playground A shocked eyewitness saw the girls running across tracks north of the Werrington junction in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire last Thursday and reported the incident to police.
• Cyclists in Lycra with GoPro's are the real menace​ on Britain's roads One member of the Cycle Stasi, David Williams, captured a picture on his helmet camera of a woman eating cereal while at the wheel of her car (pictured) and shopped her to the authorities.

The Mirror

• Soaring fuel prices forcing low-paid workers off roads - especially diesel car driversThe average price has jumped 11p a litre in four months and the Tories are expected to announce a rise in fuel duty in the Budget

Birmingham Post

• Range Rover celebrates 45 years Now in its fourth generation the vehicle proved a ground-breaker for Land Rover when it was launched in 1970

London Evening Standard

• Tube strike: Drivers vote for walk out London Underground drivers have voted to strike in a row over pay and the introduction of a new all-night Tube service.
• Evening Standard Comment: Oxford Street will be transformed by Crossrail One effect of Crossrail, the east-west rail link opening in 2018, will be to transform Oxford Street. As a result, Transport Commissioner Sir Peter Hendy is now considering the previously unthinkable: banning buses from the shopping thoroughfare. With Crossrail, people will be able to get swiftly from Paddington, Farringdon and points east to Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road in a matter of minutes, easing pressure on buses. This, as Sir Peter observes, will be a “game-changerâ€�. Transport for London  is not committed to a ban on buses but it is a possibility that it is now able to contempl...

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink tram damaged by vandals 'throwing rocks' at windowsCommuters thought they heard a 'loud bang' as the the tram pulled into Northern Moor station

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Nissan invests £37m to extend Sunderland plant for increased capacityCar giant is building a new press line at the Wessington Way site to provide bonnets and roof panels for Qashqai, Note and Leaf

The York Press

• Caught on camera and fined: York driver who ignored red lights at level crossing A MOTORIST who was filmed ignoring a level crossing and driving over railway lines has been fined.

This Is Local London Network

• Rail commuters face two years of sub-standard service - Boris Mayor of London Boris Johnson has admitted there will be a sub-standard service on a line recently taken over by TfL for two more years, despite previous promises that efficiency would improve.
• Calls for safety review after second accident at junction where unicyclist was trapped under bus There are calls for a safety review of a 'dangerous' junction after another cyclist was seriously injured at the spot where people lifted a double decker bus off a unicyclist last month.
• The front carriage is locked because the driver doesn't want to sit near you plebs - Overground twitter 'announcer' reacts to rail line crisis An irreverent twitter account has been set up to mock the perceived incompetence of Transport for London (TfL), after repeated delays on a rail line recently integrated into the Overground network. 

Yorkshire Post

• MP brands Leeds trolleybus scheme ‘second best solution’LEEDS North West MP Greg Mulholland says the public should not forced into accepting the £250m Leeds trolleybus scheme as a “second best solution” as he prepares to meet Transport Minister Claire Perry over the issue.

Blackpool Gazette

• Station upgrade plans for festivalA Fylde coast railway station is set for an upgrade before thousands of music lovers visit the area for a major festival.

Daventry Express

• Cyclist who cracked open her bike helmet after fall urges others to sign up for Cycle 4 Cynthia...and be safeA 65-year-old cyclist who says her helmet saved her life in a fall at last year’s Cycle 4 Cynthia event is encouraging others to make sure they put safety first.

Doncaster Free Press

• Anger at plans to bring in charges at Doncaster interchange toiletsPlans have been drawn up to make people pay to use the toilets at Doncaster bus interchange.

North Wales Live

• Merseyrail project to improve passenger flows and journey experiences Specialist firm Royal HaskoningDHV using 3D technology to predict future service requirements

Peterborough Telegraph

• Girls seen running through train tracks were “playing a dangerous gameâ€�Two girls seen running across train tracks were “playing a dangerous game” according to a retired railway worker who has contacted British Transport Police about their actions.

Reading Evening Post

• Cycle lanes alongside parking bays in Reading are to go Cyclists

Other Regional Press

• Decision to be made in summer over direct rail link to London A decision on the proposal from Alliance Rail to provide a direct open access service between London and Cleethorpes should be made in the summer, the Prime Minister has said.
• Road budget to be slashed by £2.5 million THE amount of cash spent maintaining the town’s roads and paths has almost halved since last year, it has emerged.
• Tiverton CTA honoured at Devon County Council’s 16th annual Community Transport Awards THE Tiverton & District Community Transport Association was honoured at a special ceremony last week (June 11) to recognise the dedicated volunteers and staff who are the driving force behind Devon’s Community Transport schemes.
• Crawley News published New route launched by easyJet from Gatwick to CorsicaGATWICK Airport's largest airline launched a new route at the weekend.Budget airline easyJet started flying to Figari, in Corsica, and this new summer service will operate once a week on Sundays until September 20.The airline expects to carry 3,700 passengers on A319 planes in this first season.Neil Slaven, easyJet's commercial manager, said: "With the addition of this service we now fly to three airports in Corsica – Ajaccio, Bastia and Figari, from Gatwick."This new route will...
• South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay says nothing to stop Thanet council CPO of Manston after meeting with ministerAn MP has said councillors can press ahead with a compulsory purchase of the former airport following a meeting with ministers to discuss its future.
• Driver Richard Garrety fined £80 - for parking in 'free' parking bay at Huddersfield Railway StationMotorist paid to park at Huddersfield Railway Station - but left car in wrong space
• 'If a road is closed because of potholes it will put extra congestion and pressure onto the next available route' Possible closure of Coventry roads if potholes become too expensive to repair and young terrorists - Coventry Telegraph Letters for June 18

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• RHA calls for £150m to tackle driver shortageThe Road Haulage Association (RHA) has warned that a shortage of drivers threatens the economy of every region in the UK.  A plea has been delivered to prime minister David Cameron by the industry body, calling on the government to step in and commit funding to train more drivers.  Chief executive officer of the RHA Richard Burnett explained that he wants the Conservatives to act fast and pledge £150 million to driver training in chancellor George Osborne's July Budget statement.  The national driver shortage is estimated to be in the region of 45,000 - and the situation could deteriorate furt...
• DHL seeks to spur European medical device industry into action by addressing game-changing trendsA new white paper commissioned by DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, examines how changes in the European healthcare market are impacting supply chain models. The report, ‘Adding value and reducing costs: Transforming the European medical device supply chain,’ explains what modifications medical device supply chains must undergo in order to survive in today’s new healthcare environment and ensure first-class service for patient care. The European medical device industry is weathering a perfect storm which is shifting the business paradigm. Value-based healthca...
• New Highways England Chief Executive announcedJim will lead the government-owned company which is responsible for delivering £11 billion of improvements to England’s motorways and major A roads by 2020. Jim is an experienced engineer who will bring significant leadership experience to this key role. Jim has a broad range of experience working on safety critical transport projects, in the utilities industries and in world renowned businesses including British Airways and Heathrow Airport Holdings. Jim will take over the chief executive post from Graham Dalton who announced his departure in January after 7 years leading Highwa...

Rail Magazine

• Winner announced for TfL poetry contestJennifer Dart from Rayleigh, Essex won Transport for London’s passenger awareness poetry competition
• HS2 Bill amendments bring construction closerChanges to the HS2 route near Lichfield are among 120 amendments proposed by the Government to the new line’s Hybrid Bill
• Tube drivers vote to strike over Night Tube proposals97.6% of ASLEF union members vote to strike on 81% turnout
• Dobell and Hosty win freight awardsLondon Underground and Northern Rail staff are winners at Everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards.

Rail Technology Magazine

• CBTC Connectivity Solutions The overall performance of a rail rapid transit system depends largely on the performance of the automatic train control (ATC) system employed. A communication-based train control (CBTC) system is devised by adding modern communication technologies t…
• Compact PCI Serial Railway technology must meet the highest standards of safety, reliability and availability. The most commonly used technology; proven CompactPCI standard, with its parallel bus structure has now reached the limits of its performance. System specialis…
• Rail Depot Lifting and Handling Equipment By combining innovative ideas, technical expertise and traditional engineering skills, our products have pride of place in some of the world's most advanced maintenance facilities.
• Track Circuits Versus Wheel Detection Wheel detection and axle counting systems provide the basic information for track vacancy detection, for controlling level crossing systems and a range of switching tasks or trigger functions. This technology is established throughout the world for s…
• On-Train Fibre-Optic Connectivity Applications such as on-board internet, communication-based train control and passenger information or entertainment systems require the reliable transmission of ever greater data volumes in trains.

Aviation Industry

• Flying into trouble: London airport expansion would mean slashing growth at regional airports to meet UK climate targets Flying into trouble: London airport expansion would mean slashing growth at regional airports to meet UK climate targets Airports Commission set to hand Government an incomplete analysis with no convincing answers on how to limit …
• Airbus & Boeing both claim Paris Air Show winsAirbus claimed victory over rival Boeing at the Paris Air Show with orders and commitments totaling 421 aircraft announced through the week, but Boeing’s 331 commercial airplane sales included a far larger number of higher value widebodies. read more
• CEO: Air France accelerates Perform 2020 plan Air France will accelerate implementing its Perform 2020 strategic plan, following increased pressure on unit revenue since April. read more
• Southeast Asian regional airports set to spend $1.9 million on upgradesIndonesian and Myanmarese operators are set to spend millions of dollars on airport upgrades at regional airports in both countries. read more
• Study reveals airline access fears for disabled travellersCAA survey shows passengers with disabilities ‘fear’ things could go wrong when flying

Other News Sources

• ​JLR’s Mind Sense looks to monitor driver brainwaves for alertness Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has unveiled a new research project named Mind Sense that is exploring the possibility of using brainwaves to gauge driver concentration and improve vehicle safety.
• Arriva’s route towards a digital futureArriva has had much success with its apps, but the group is looking towards other new technologies   It’s now six years since Arriva introduced its m-ticketing service   Not that long ago to be a bus operator simply meant putting vehicles out on the road and running to a timetable with adequate resources in place to make that happen. However, the last decade has made the issue of technology an increasingly important part of that mix. 18 months ago, Arriva launched its Bus App, which aims to revolutionise customer service for the group’s customers at its UK bus division by placing jou...
• Catch the bus… and tell everyoneOver 160 bus operators, local authorities and transport groups are signed up for the third sector-wide Catch the Bus Week   Iain Stewart, MP for Milton Keynes South, showed his support in 2014   By CLAIRE HAIGH, Greener Journeys This summer, Catch the Bus Week is hitting the road once more. The sector-wide initiative sees passenger groups, bus operators and local authorities coming together to celebrate the value of the bus, and to inspire the British public to make the switch to the bus that week. This year’s campaign will run from June 29 until July 5, during which time supporters ...
• New FTA Drivers' Handbook now availableThe new edition of the Freight Transport Association’s Drivers’ Handbook is now available, containing key compliance information which must be ...
• Fears over planned schemes as Network Rail reviews projectsContractors are seeking urgent talks with Network Rail management over fears of project delays and axed schemes.
• New Highways England CEO revealedHighways England has announced that Jim O’Sullivan will join the government-owned company as chief executive.
• CAA research: Disabled passengers still have air travel concerns despite good special assistancePeople with a disability or a reduced mobility are significantly less likely to have flown in the last 12 months, with many fearing things will go wrong - CAA research reveals.