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

Thursday, 19 May 2016

BBC News

• Metro 'not silver bullet' for economyThe proposed Metro transport system is not a
• What AI can learn from Tube passengersNeuroscientists find that when we navigate a train network, our brains split the task into a hierarchy of different jobs - a strategy that AI developers want to mimic.
• Sadiq Khan backs Garden Bridge plansSadiq Khan lends his support to London's planned Garden Bridge providing it is more accessible to
• VIDEO: Drones, driverless cars and space tripsOne of the cornerstones of the Queen's Speech has been new legislation to shape the future of travel. The BBC looks at how technology and transport are set to change.
• VIDEO: Investing in transport technologyInvestment funds hunting for the best technology trends in the transport industry, and that ranges across everything from new apps to greener, cleaner cars.
• Thailand suspends Uber motorcycle taxisThailand suspends motorcycle taxi-hailing services run by Uber and its regional rival Grab after claims the are clashing with registered transport companies.

Department for Transport

• We need a sustainable railwayRail minister Claire Perry sets out her vision for a sustainable railway.

The Guardian

• Mitsubishi president steps down over test-fixing scandalTetsuro Aikawa resigns as rival Suzuki says it has also found discrepancies in its fuel economy testingThe president of Mitsubishi Motors is to step down to take responsibility for the Japanese carmaker’s test-fixing scandal. Tetsuro Aikawa, who became the company’s president and chief operating officer in June 2014, has denied any personal involvement in the scandal – which involved 625,000 cars over 25 years – but has apologised to customers and shareholders. Continue reading...
• Sadiq Khan offers conditional support to garden bridge projectNew London mayor demands footbridge is closed fewer days for fundraising events as he vows not to spend more tax money on it Sadiq Khan has offered support to the proposed garden bridge in London on condition that the trust behind the controversial �175m project agree to a list of demands.The mayor of London said the Thames footbridge must be a genuinely public and open space as he told the Garden Bridge Trust (GBT) that its plans must be amended. Continue reading...
• Google patents 'sticky' layer to protect pedestrians in self-driving car accidentsAdhesive technology on the front of a vehicle would aim to reduce the damage caused when a pedestrian hit by a car is flung into other vehicles or objectsGoogle has patented a new “sticky” technology to protect pedestrians if – or when – they get struck by the company’s self-driving cars.The patent, which was granted on 17 May, is for a sticky adhesive layer on the front end of a vehicle, which would aim to reduce the damage caused when a pedestrian hit by a car is flung into other vehicles or scenery. Continue reading...
• EgyptAir flight MS804 disappears from radar between Paris and Cairo – live updatesAirline says plane, which took off from France’s Charles de Gaulle airport late on Wednesday night, has gone missing with 66 people on boardFears for missing EgyptAir flight 804 with 66 people on board 7.02am BST The French government will hold an emergency meeting in around half an hour to discuss the plane’s disappearance, the French president’s office has said.President François Hollande has already spoken to his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Hollande’s office said, and the two countries would be cooperating to establish the circumstances of the plane’s disappearance. 6.57am B...

The Herald

• ScotRail guards to vote on strike action - as bosses brand ballot 'inexplicable'SCOTRAIL conductors will be balloted on industrial action in a dispute over safety.
• Oil price rises but North Sea jobs gloom deepensOIL firms expect to have shed almost one in three of their North Sea jobs since 2014, a major report has revealed.

The Scotsman

• Scottish airbase ‘runway-ready’ to be UK’s first spaceportSCOTLAND’S Discover Space UK, one of the front runners to host the country’s first spaceport, says it is ‘runway-ready’ to support the Government’s ambitions following the Queen’s speech.

Times Online

• Spaceport given lift-off to help Britain drive transport’s future [Subscription]The development of Britain’s first commercial spaceport formed part of a Queen’s Speech designed to pitch the UK as a pioneer for futuristic transport.

The Mirror

• Missing Egyptair plane MS804: What we know so farThe Airbus A320 aircraft, carrying at least 66 people, is feared to have crashed into the sea after disappearing from radar

Birmingham Mail

• Queen's Speech: Mayor will run Greater Birmingham bus servicesWest Midlands mayor to be elected in 2017 will run the buses under new laws.

Liverpool Echo

• Crowdfunding drive aims to provide bus service for 'isolated' people in LiverpoolCommunity campaigner Will Thompson has launched a £15,000 crowdfunding campaign to improve bus services for disadvantaged people in Liverpool.

London Evening Standard

• How the Tube map will look when the Elizabeth line is included on itThis is how the Tube Map when the Elizabeth Line is included on it.
• Heavily pregnant woman's fury as commuters 'refuse to give up seats on two hour train journey'A heavily pregnant woman today claimed "selfish" commuters forced her to stand for nearly two hours amid rush hour chaos during a train strike.
• Paddington train passenger 'punched man in face after hurling anti-Muslim insults'A passenger was subjected to Islamophobic insults before being punched in the face by a fellow train traveller in London, police say.

Manchester Evening News

• Is agenda to energise the north still powering ahead? Business Week teamed up with Manchester Airports Group, Hainan Airlines, TransPennine Express and Aon to discuss where we are with the Northern Powerhouse vision.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Newcastle Airport hits back after being named as fifth worst for damaged luggage Newcastle Airport say they have only received nine complaints about damage in over four years

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield’s tram train project delayed againPlans for a new tram-train link between Sheffield and Rotherham have been hit by another delay.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• New bus services for Aberdeen approvedAberdeen residents have been warned they must “use or lose” a new council bus service.

Yorkshire Post

• Powers over buses to be given to mayorsSWATHES of Yorkshire could miss out on the Government’s offer of London-style powers to control local bus services.
• Northern Powerhouse is not ‘short-term branding’ - Sajid JavidBUSINESS Secretary Sajid Javid has acknowledged the growing political “cynicism” over the Northern Powerhouse – and challenged the policy’s critics to be more patient.

Get West London

• World's first airport cycle officer hired at Heathrow Airport to get staff on their bikesAli Jafarey, the first ever cycling officer, will be leading a one year partnership between Heathrow and a cycling charity

North Wales Live

• Delays on runway decision is an 'economic ticking timebomb' Liverpool business community warns Government over Heathrow expansion

Other Regional Press

• “Multihog” on mission to eliminate pot holesA new beast is being unleashed on the roads of Bedford to tackle the problem of pot holes.

Rail Magazine

• ORR Chief Inspector: Improving health and safety on our railwaysFor the first time ever, a busy year on the railways passed without a railway worker losing his or her life. But we should not be complacent
• Government considers new East West Rail franchise The Department for Transport is considering a new franchise to operate services on the east-west rail link from Cambridge to Oxford.
• RMT conductors hold latest action on SouthernSouthern Railway conductors in the RMT strike today, as the dispute continues over extension of Driver Only Operation (DOO) and changes to their roles.
• Flying Scotsman: Network Rail issues trespass warningSpectators told trespassing could lead to prosecution and a fine of up to �1,000 - and they could even risk electrocution

Rail Technology Magazine

• KEYMILE Solutions for Secure Communications in Mission-Critical Networks at CommunicAsia 2016 KEYMILE will present its XMC20 product range, including end-to-end encryption, at CommunicAsia 2016 from 31 May to 2 June in Singapore. Operators of mission-critical telecommunications networks are the target group. Based on technology made in German…
• WEGH Group-Plants and Equipment for the Railway Industry WEGH Group is a leader in the design and construction of solutions for the railway industry with more than 470 customers in over 40 countries around the world.
• Midland Metro extension introduction delayed over safety concernsBirmingham’s Midland Metro extension is facing further delays after testing identified safety concerns. Trams were scheduled to run from Bull Street to Stephenson Street from 22 May, but the service has now been put on hold indefinitely. Extensive safety checks have already been carried...
• TES becomes full member of RSSBTES Ltd has successfully attained full membership of the Rail Safety and Systems Board (RSSB).  John Abbott, RSSB external engagement director, and his colleagues Mike Carr and Alan Tordoff visited TES headquarters in Colchester to induct TES into membership and to introduce the TES...
• Extra evening services added on London OvergroundEvening services on the London Overground have been expanded to cope with growing demand. The East London line has been increased from two trains to four an hour between 10.00 and 11.30pm on the routes from Dalston Junction to New Cross and Clapham Junction and from Highbury & Islington to...
• RMT accused of 'scaremongering' as DOO strikes threaten to expand to ScotRailThe dispute over driver-operated only (DOO) trains has worsened following another round of strikes on the Southern routes, as RMT announced it is also balloting ScotRail conductors. Southern conductors went on strike yesterday, after changing the date twice, leading to train delays all day. The...
• Franchises must put passenger comfort at the heart of rolling stock - PerryRail franchises will be required to modernise their rolling stock in order to improve passenger comfort, the DfT has said in its new rolling stock perspective. The government will require bidders on new franchises such as West Midlands Rail to include improving rolling stock in their bid, and...

Railnews

• No trams to New Street just yet The launch of Midland Metro services to Birmingham New Street has been postponed. Trams had been due to start carrying passengers through central Birmingham to the city's largest station on Sunday, and a Centro manager has admitted that he is 'bitterly disappointed'. The project to extend the line from Snow Hill to New Street is already running late, and the latest delay has been attributed to 'minor anomalies in some of the track alignment'.
• Disruption as Southern conductors strike for third day Southern services are being widely disrupted as conductors belonging to the RMT stage their third one day strike in the dispute over driver-only operation. The RMT has claimed that safety is put at risk by DOO, and is opposing Southern's plans to replace conductors on many trains by 'on-board supervisors', who would deal with revenue protection and assist passengers, but take no part in operating the train. Southern denies that there are any safety implications.

Railway Gazette

• Android Pay for pay-as-you-go travel in LondonUK: Transport for London announced it had become ‘the first transport organisation in the world to...
• Four bids for high speed fleetSPAIN: National operator RENFE announced on May 18 that it had received four bids to supply up to...
• LDC backs TXM Plant management buy-outUK: Road-rail equipment provider TXM Plant has completed a management buy-out, backed by mid-market...

Aviation Industry

• DOJ asks for more information on Alaska-Virgin mergerThe US Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust division has requested Alaska Airlines and Virgin America to provide additional information regarding their merger proposal. read more
• US airlines earn $4.8 billion 1Q pre-tax profit; revenue flatThe 10 publicly traded mainline US airlines reported a collective first-quarter pre-tax profit of $4.8 billion, according to Airlines for America (A4A). read more
• Russia names 11 airlines for Crimea subsidy programRussia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, has authorized 11 airlines to operate subsidized flights to Crimea, from June 1-Nov. 30, 2016. read more
• Business class fares drop to five-year lowResearch shows top long-haul destinations are on average 20% cheaper than 2011
• Flybe expands Avis Budget dealAirline’s customers can now book cars direct through its website

Other News Sources

• GTMC 2016: business travel driving economic growthStudy unveiled at annual conference shows importance of travel to ‘UK plc’