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

Thursday, 27 August 2015

BBC News

• London children 'face north-south transport divide'Five to 10-year-olds travel free on Transport for London (TfL) services, principally north of the Thames, but in the south most services are not TFL-run and require tickets to be bought.
• 'Manspreading' added to online dictionaryThe act of "manspreading", or sitting with legs wide apart on public transport, is among 1,000 new words to enter the online Oxford dictionary.

Department for Transport

• Rail Minister tours Great Western electrification worksRail Minister Claire Perry visited Bath today, Wednesday 26 August 2015, to see how improvement work to electrify the railway and provide better journeys between London and the south west is progressing.

Financial Times

• Experts dubious on women-only carriagesCorbyn’s concept branded as backward, difficult to introduce and a magnet for sex pests
• Attack puts railway security into EU arenaNew checks suggested after passengers foil gunman

The Guardian

• Virgin scraps railcard loophole on West Coast trainsVirgin has scrapped a loophole that allowed railcard users to buy cheap West Coast train tickets in a move which that will result in at least one fare rising from £54 to £217. Others will triple in price.
• I belong on the road as much as any man. Male rage won’t scare me off my bike | Nell FrizzellVideo of a woman being pushed off her bicycle by an angry pedestrian has inflamed social media. But while the abuse female cyclists get is real, the freedom bikes offer more than makes up for it“Please don’t try and knock me off.â€� It’s not exactly the rallying cry of Henry V. And yet, a video released yesterday by London Metropolitan police showing a woman getting pushed off her bike by a pedestrian in a grey hoodie after uttering these words has acted as a balefire to cyclists and their would-be murderers across the internet.“Not justifying violence but as a London pedestrian who sees ignoran...
• Corbyn's women-only carriages idea shouldn't just be dismissedFeminism must sometimes embrace concessions to protect women – while at the same time fighting to change the culture that makes us unsafeReturning home late at night this week, I sat in a women-only carriage on the train. Not one of those that may spring into being if Jeremy Corbyn’s controversial suggestion were to become reality, but one that I and half a dozen other women silently agreed to colonise.I chose this carriage after walking past two others that were populated solely by men and rejecting them on that basis. It wasn’t that any of the men I glimpsed through the carriage windows look...
• The world’s worst airline: fasten your seatbelts (if you can) for a flight on Air KoryoThe North Korean carrier has come bottom of an annual league table for world airlines for the fourth time. No wonder it’s banned in the EUName: Air Koryo.Age: Pensionable – the airline is 65 years old this year. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Corbyn's women-only train carriages idea hits the buffers with leadership rivals JEREMY Corbyn's suggestion that women-only train carriages could be introduced at night to guard against sexual attacks has been roundly condemned by his rival Labour leadership contenders as well as anti-sexism campaigners.

The Scotsman

• Stagecoach buses hit by bad weatherUnseasonable weather during the summer has dented demand across Stagecoach’s bus operations, the transport giant said today.

The Telegraph

• When I was groped on the bus, it was men who stepped inJeremy Corbyn row: Segregating women on British trains and buses is the stuff of dystopian nightmare, writes Emma Barnett, who's experienced sexual harassment on public transport
• Motorists adopting One in six drivers broke down last year after running out of fuel, which has trebled since 2011

Mail Online

• Teenagers dice with death as they play on a Southampton train line The youths were caught on CCTV cavorting on the electrical rail, which usually has a 740 volt current running through it, shortly after a train passed through Woolston station near Southampton.

The Mirror

• More than 800,000 British motorists break down every year - because their vehicle runs out of fuel The surprising number for 2014, up from 777,000 in the previous year, was established in a study commissioned by roadside assistance service LV= Road Rescue

Network Rail

• Chief Executive sees railway upgrades in Northamptonshire first-handNetwork Rail's High Output Track Renewals team has been busy again overnight.

Bolton News

• Top cop Sir Peter Fahy emails Bolton cyclist 'at 10.30pm on a Friday' to explain why police did not investigate road smash GREATER Manchester's chief constable Sir Peter Fahy has personally written to a Bolton cyclist to explain why police did not investigate when he was knocked off his bike.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Workmen are all aboard to keep Low Moor station plans on track for spring 2016 opening CONSTRUCTION work on the long-awaited new train station at Low Moor has finally begun, with the scheme set to bring

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Bid to stop changes to Deeside shuttle bus service Cash-strapped Flintshire council to end pre-book, door-to-door service in favour of designated stops from September 1
• First picture released of what Caernarfon's new £2m railway station could look like Work on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway's two floor building, which is expected to create two new full time jobs, could be open by early 2017

Liverpool Echo

• Virgin Trains partner Stagecoach confident for full yearTransport group Stagecoach saw like-for-like revenue growth in all its divisions over the past three months, apart from its US operations.

London Evening Standard

• Gatwick oil find: Report boosts UK Oil & Gas' prospects at Horse HillHopes for millions of barrels of oil gushing from the South Downs around Gatwick airport came a very small step closer to reality today.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Durham congestion scheme delayed after problems discovered with Elvet BridgeWork on the Scoot project will now start early next year in what Durham County Council describe as a bid to minimise congestion caused by road works

Wales Online

• Cardiff Bus drivers are to go on strike in a row over pay - here's what we know so far Cardiff Bus drivers are to go on strike in a row over pay which follows 10 months of discussions
• Bank Holiday strike by First Great Western staff will go ahead after talks break downMembers of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at First Great Western are due to walk out for three days from Saturday

East Anglian Daily Times

• Rail campaign puts its case to biddersCampaigners seeking to improve rail services across East Anglia underlined the need for new trains at a series of meetings with bidders for the new franchise for the region.

Other Regional Press

• Town goes yellow crazy for cycle extravaganzaThere’s a yellow glow spreading around Longridge as more and more bikes hit the heights on houses, shops and businesses heralding the Tour of Britain race through the town in 12 days time.
• Paramount resort chairman Steven Norris calls for Crossrail to be linked to Ebbsfleet garden cityThe chairman of the future Paramount resort has called for the new Crossrail line under London to be extended to a new garden city in Kent.

Airportwatch

• The giant airships that could carry 66 tonnesThe airship could be set to quite literally make a big comeback. The Aeros Corporation, based near San Diego, has developed the Dragon Dream - an airship that is 90m (295ft) long and 27m wide.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Clyde shipyard in running for £80m CalMac orderThe last commercial shipyard on the Clyde is competing for the largest CalMac ferry contract for decades. Ferguson Marine, which was saved from closure last year and is the only yard left on the lower Clyde, is bidding to build two 1,000-passenger vessels that together are thought to be worth £50-80 million. The Port Glasgow firm is believed to be up against the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead on Merseyside and one in Poland. The winner is due to be chosen in about a week and announced early next month. The 100 metre-long ferries, which can carry 127 cars, will serve CalMac’s ma...
• App launch for RATP’s Yellow BusesRATP-owned Yellow Buses has launched an app for smart devices which enables passengers to buy tickets on the move. The technology means people can buy a one-, three- or seven-day ticket and a new three day family pass using their smartphone or tablet.  After purchasing, the passenger shows the bus driver the code displayed on the screen. The Move app runs alongside the company’s Glo card that has a strong user base with thousands of regular passengers across the Bournemouth-Poole conurbation. With more people expecting to be able to make purchases on their phones and devices, the...
• Rail worker academy will boost Northampton’s economy when it opens next month, says ministerAn academy for train engineers in Northampton will attract highly-skilled people from across the country, the secretary of state for transport has said.  The National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR) in Kings Heath is five weeks from officially opening and was visited by Patrick McLoughlin MP today. He said the benefits to the town and wider UK would become apparent in short order. Mr McLoughlin said: “I think Northampton might just be saying, gosh, we have a brand new railway station state-of-the-art, which looked terrible for a very long time and was not acceptable. Now we&rsq...
• Hitachi Rail Europe to open new train manufacturing plant in SeptemberHitachi Rail Europe is set to open its new rolling stock manufacturing and assembly plant in the UK on 3rd September. The new £82m plant in Newton Aycliffe is the first European train factory of Hitachi Rail, according to Railway Technology. The new facility will initially be used to build Super Express Trains for the Great Western Main Line and the East Coast Main Line. Hitachi will manufacture a total of 866 Class 800/801 train carriages destined to run on the Great Western Main Line from 2017 and East Coast Main Line from 2018. In addition, the new facility will support UK's Intercity...
• Worcestershire Parkway rail station given go aheadWork can begin on a £22m rail station in Worcestershire after planning permission was granted. The Worcestershire Parkway, near junction 7 of the M5 for Worcester, will join the Cotswolds and Birmingham to Bristol lines. Construction of the station, near Norton, will now start in spring, the county council said. The station, Worcester's third, is due to open to the first passengers in autumn 2017. Work on the station, will have a single platform on the Cotswold Line and two on the Birmingham to Bristol Line, is being paid for by both the county council and the Worcestershire Local En...
• TfL issues tender for Boris bike redesignSantander Boris bikes as we know them could be a thing of the past after TfL issued a tender for their redesign. The London Cycle Hire Scheme is looking to find someone to take on the “operation, management and maintenance” of the existing fleet and to take on the design contract for the next generation of its bicycles. They will be responsible for designing, building, testing and commissioning the new bikes which are currently sponsored by Santander.  Other duties include maintaining the fleet and preventing damage, tagging bikes and retrieving abandoned and found bicycles. T...
• Stagecoach on track to meet annual expectations, as like-for-like revenues growPublic transport operator Stagecoach saw an increase in like-for-like revenues in the July quarter as a strong performance in the UK offset challenging market conditions in the US. In the three months to 25 July, the group posted a 1% year-on-year increase in like-for-like revenues from UK regional bus operations, while revenue growth in its UK London bus business was 1.5%, boosted by an increase in contract prices. The FTSE 250 company said like-for-like revenue in its UK rail arm increased 5.5% year-on-year excluding the Virgin Train East Coast venture, while Virgin Rail Group like-for-like...
• Highways England Stakeholder Engagement StudyHighways England is seeking to gain an understanding of how best to engage with stake holders and customers.   Highways England has now launched a survey to seek the views from those working in logistics planning, ‘on the road’ planning, operations, drivers and end customers.  CILT is working with Highways England to support this process and to give members an opportunity to guide the company’s development.  There is a particular focus on what information and intelligence is needed from Highways England to help drivers, operators and logistics planners' as w...
• Transport for London offers £10,000 grant for cycling safety programmesCycling enthusiasts can apply for up to £10,000 in funding from Transport for London (TfL), under a new scheme announced today. TfL said it will give community groups and not-for-profit organisations money for cycle safety training, bike maintenance and guided rides throughout the capital. Applications for grants will close on 21 September. Ben Plowden, TfL’s director of surface strategy and planning, said today: “London is experiencing phenomenal growth in cycling, and we are committed to helping everyone learn how to cycle safely through our Cycling Grants London program...

London TravelWatch

• Join in the discussions about London's interchanges on our new Interchange Matters blogIt has been a few weeks since we published our report, Interchange Matters, which gives a passenger perspective on the importance of interchanges to London’s transport network and we have had lots of good feedback from industry colleagues and the passengers we represent.
• London boroughs must use new powers to attach traffic signs and street lights to buildingsLondon TravelWatch has welcomed guidance produced for London local highways authorities by London Councils on using new legislation to attach traffic signs and street lights to buildings without necessarily seeking the owner’s permission. The guidance should help reduce street clutter and make streets safer for pedestrians.

Rail Magazine

• Stagecoach rail revenue increasesStagecoach Group rail revenues increase
• Test trams in St Peter’s SquareTest trams run through St Peter’s Square ahead of tram link reconnections

Rail Technology Magazine

• Siemens Commissions First Trackguard Westrace Mk2 in Scandinavia Following the successful completion of the final stage of signalling work by Siemens, Norway's metro transport infrastructure owner, Sporveien Oslo AS, has now commissioned into full service all four sheds for the new Avløs rail depot for Oslo's Kols…
• Inter-Vehicle Jumper Systems Today's inter-vehicle jumper systems must be capable of withstanding a diverse array of electrical, mechanical and climatic conditions. The design of the inter-vehicle jumper systems must consider the influence from: flow of current and the resulting…

Railway Gazette

• Beth Caruso to lead AREMA Elizabeth S Caruso has been appointed as Executive Director & CEO of the American Railway...
• First train arrives at Rotterdam World GatewayNETHERLANDS: The first commercial freight train arrived at the Rotterdam World Gateway container...
• Freight line passenger revivalGERMANY: Local freight railway Bentheimer Eisenbahn has called tenders for a contract to provide...

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair to appeal UK complaints-time allowance decisionRyanair will contest a ruling by a UK court that extends the time in which passengers can submit a compensation claim for a delayed or canceled flight from two to six years. read more
• Flights resume at Dublin airport after fire'Knock on delays' expected
• Ryanair agrees Cartrawler deal as Hertz replacementRyanair Car Hire will provide access to 1,500 car rental agents
• Air New Zealand profits soarLow fuel prices, cheaper fares and strong demand sees airline post record annual results

Other News Sources

• New guidelines to guard against street clutter in LondonCouncils will have new powers to reduce street clutter and make the pavements safer for people with impaired mobility following new guidelines published today by London Councils
• Heathrow’s 1st class service for NECC celebrationThe North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) has revealed Heathrow Airport is a key sponsor of its prestigious 200th anniversary gala dinner.
• It's time to move beyond open accessThe Office of Rail and Road’s approval of Alliance Rail’s application to run six return trains per day between Blackpool and London from 2018 has been portrayed in many quarters as a breakthrough for greater open access competition on the railways and a real illustration of the benefits competition can bring.
• A model for National Parks public transportWith a lack of concessions, Go South Coast’s summertime New Forest Tour three-route network has proven both commercial and sustainable   Alliance Rail wants to run new ‘GNER’ services on the ECML   VISITED: 3rd and 20th August 2015 SERVICE: The three-route New Forest Tour bus network offers “an open-top safariâ€� through the New Forest National Park during the summer FARES: A one-day ticket is £15 for adults, £8 for children, £12 for concessions and £36 for groups OWNER: Go South Coast (part of the Go-Ahead Group) WHO’S IN CHARGE?: Andrew Wickham is managing director of Go South Coast ...
• Good news fare freeze fails to silence criticsThe DfT's announcement of the lowest rail fare increase for six years has failed to prevent criticism in the media and from campaign groups     The Conservatives’ election pledge to freeze fare increases at inflation will mean regulated fares rise by 1% in January. As well as being the lowest increase since 2009, the Department for Transport said last week that it would be the first time since 2003 that increases in average earnings outstrip rises in rail ticket prices. The DfT also calculated that over the government’s five-year term, the freeze would save season ticket holders £425...
• Arriva partners with BMW for car sharingCopenhagen scheme ties together public transport and car club   Arriva has introduced 400 BMW I3 electric cars for the DriveNow scheme   Arriva has partnered with BMW to bring the German motor manufacturer’s DriveNow car sharing concept to the Danish capital of Copenhagen. To support the scheme, which is the first time that BMW has worked with a partner to franchise the DriveNow concept, Arriva has introduced 400 BMW I3 electric cars. Arriva is being supported by The Danish Energy Agency and The Capital Region of Denmark to introduce the scheme, which is already operating successfull...
• Parking levy pays for council's new tram linesNottingham extends system on proceeds of country’s only workplace parking charge
• Jeremy Corbyn criticised over women-only train carriage ideaLabour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn is criticised over a proposal to introduce women-only train carriages to protect women from harassment.