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

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

BBC News

• Alun Cairns hails 'new era' for devolution to WalesAttempts to allow the assembly to award its rail franchise to a public sector operator, as well as getting control over fixed betting terminals, were also rejected during earlier proceedings in the Commons.
• Cardiff to London air link must continue - Alun CairnsWelsh Secretary Alun Cairns says he hopes a new air link between Cardiff and London will continue for the long term.
• Cats take over London tube stationA London Underground station is set to be taken over by cats - with all advertisements replaced with pictures of the furry felines.
• Solar tuk-tuk arrives in UK after road trip from IndiaAn engineer arrives in the UK in his solar-powered tuk-tuk seven months after setting off from India on a 6,200 mile (9,978 km) journey.
• 'Significant' delays for next phase of M8, M74 and M73 worksDrivers using the M8, M74 and M73 are warned to expect increased delays during the next phase of work to improve the motorway network.
• HS2 jittersBusinesses and communities want certainty about where the second phase of the HS2 rail route will go, but politics rarely provides certainty.
• Ford demonstrates its self-driving carHow will Ford's self-driving car actually work?

The Guardian

• Solar-powered tuk-tuk reaches UK after road trip from IndiaNaveen Rabelli belatedly crosses Channel after passport was stolen in France, and hopes to end journey at Buckingham PalaceAn engineer and his solar-powered tuk-tuk have arrived in Britain at the end of a seven-month, 6,200-mile overland adventure – despite a last-minute mishap.Naveen Rabelli, 35, who set off from India in February, reached Dover five days later than expected because of the theft of his passport and wallet in France. Continue reading...

The Telegraph

• Heathrow Airport suffers worst August traffic growth for four yearsHeathrow has suffered its worst August for four years, with traffic growth practically coming to a standstill at Britain’s biggest airport last month.

Reuters News

• London's Heathrow sets August record as runway ruling nears London's Heathrow Airport, which is battling Gatwick for government approval for an extra runway, said it handled a record 7.34 million passengers in August, with more flying to the Middle East and Latin America.

Mail Online

• Heathrow and Gatwick airports record busiest August ever as they battle for expansion contract Some 7.3million passengers used Heathrow last month with growth on last August driven by a 9.7% rise in travel to and from the Middle East. 4.8million flyers used Gatwick airport.
• The terrifying moment a lorry drives through a FLAMING roadblock in Calais erected by migrants hoping to stop it and jump in the back� Frightening dashcam footage from Calais shows lorries being forced to drive straight through a fire raging across the main road to prevent migrants having time to board their trucks.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham Airport expansion 'being considered' by Prime Minister Reports suggest Treasury Minister Jim O'Neill has urged Theresa May to look again at increasing city's airport as a way of tackling London's aviation congestion

London Evening Standard

• Zac Goldsmith’s vow over Heathrow threatens May’s slender majorityTheresa May's slender Commons majority risks being cut even further if she backs a third runway at Heathrow, it emerged today.
• London bus strike: Dozens of routes across the capital hit by industrial actionDozens of London bus routes were disrupted today as workers stage a 24-hour walkout in a row over roster changes.
• First electric buses in central London 'by end of year' as two routes announcedCentral London's first ever fully electric bus routes will be rolled out by the end of the year with USB sockets so passengers can charge their phones.
• Revealed: the worst Tube stations for pickpocketingKing's Cross St Pancras has emerged as the worst Tube station for pickpocketing in figures which show that passengers in London have suffered nearly 4,000 thefts in a year.
• London commuters 'spend more than 10 per cent of pay on train season tickets'London rail pasengers are spending more than ten per cent of their disposable income on season tickets into the capital, an investigation has revealed.
• Heathrow Airport strikes gold with record August passenger numbersTeam GB's triumphant Olympians arriving back home this summer were among a record 7.3 million passengers passing through Heathrow's terminals last month, Europe's biggest airport has said.
• Londoners welcome new hopper ticket for bus travelLondoners have welcomed the new 'Hopper' fare, introduced today, which allows passengers to take a second bus or tram journey within an hour of their first one free of charge.
• 'Two hours of hell': Hundreds of Southern Rail commuters stranded after train breaks downHundreds of rail passengers - including the deputy mayor for London's transport - were left stranded in south east London tonight after a broken down train caused travel chaos.

Northern Echo

• North-East MPs urge Heathrow Airport expansion to provide steel industry boost SEVERAL Labour MPs representing northern steel communities have urged the Government to support Heathrow Airport expansion.

Wales Online

• Plaid and Labour will attempt to secure new powers for AMsPlaid Cymru pushes for new wave of devolution Plaid Cymru Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts described the changes she wants to see the Wales Bill.
• New night bus service to be launched for revellers in CardiffCardiff Bus have announced the new services
• Kieron Stokes told ticket inspectors he had travelled from a different destination than his real oneA man who tried to dodge a £4.40 rail fare ended up with a £600 fine from the train company.
• Air passenger tax should be devolved to Wales so Cardiff Airport can get 'special treatment'The Plaid amendment to give the Assembly responsibility for taxing air passengers was defeated by 281 votes to 195
• Flybe flights from Cardiff Airport to London City launched as major rail works beginsThe flights have launched as the Severn Tunnel is closed for electrification work

Blackpool Gazette

• Aerospace firm welcomes interns to the FyldeBAE Systems has welcomed three students from the United Arab Emirates as they begin an 18 week internship at the company’s Warton and Samlesbury sites.

Other Regional Press

• Tunnel could be dug under Bicester London Road railway line to keep route open A MULTI-MILLION pound tunnel could be dug under the railway line on Bicester's London Road to replace a busy crossing.

C.N.N.

• MH370: Did a fire break out on doomed Malaysia airlines flight?He's the man who has already made a name for himself by finding parts of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 but has Blaine Gibson unveiled a brand new mystery?

Buying Business Travel

• Flybe launches Cardiff-London City routeAirline to offer three flights on weekdays and two day on weekends
• HS2 boss to join Rolls-RoyceStop HS2 campaign group says departure is a 'serious blow' to those that champion project
• Passengers face £5 charge to skip passport queuesUnions label scheme as a ‘gimmick’
• Emirates welcomes former Malaysia CEO to top digital roleChristoph Mueller appointed chief digital and innovation officer

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Fresh Logistics launches ‘Road to Class’ scheme to assist drivers become HGV qualified againFresh Logistics, a temperature controlled logistics company based at the EMLC Building in Derby, is putting together a scheme aimed at developing drivers who have passed their test prior to the 1st of January 1997. Drivers who hold this licence have what is known as ‘Grandfather rights’.  Since the new legislation with Digital Tacho’s, Digital cards and Drivers Certificate of Professional Competence has been launched, trying to become a class driver can become overwhelming. Even with having ‘Grandfather rights’ to drive a 7.5t lorry, you are also required to ...
• Eddie Stobart invests in new trailers and staff trainingEddie Stobart has added a fleet of brand new mechanical offload (MOL) trailers and curtainsiders to its manufacturing, industrial and bulk division. The new trailers have been designed to meet the future needs of the industry by including a demountable crane which can be operated from the vehicle of the ground, giving operators greater flexibility when choosing the most efficient and safe offload option. The crane is fitted with a positive rear steer and front axle lift to deliver maximum carrying capacity and on-site manoeuvrability. Meanwhile, the EN-XL-rated curtainsiders feature a safer se...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Arriva's Northern takeover could lead to some 'significantly' higher fares, CMA findsThere is a risk of higher fares on a number of rail routes in the north because of Arriva’s integration with Northern, the competition watchdog has said. Arriva pledged an £800m programme of improvements after it took over the franchise in April, but the merger was halted by the...
• Financial investigation casts doubt over TfL pledgesPledges to improve London’s transport services from the new mayor, Sadiq Khan, could be under threat because of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) straitened finances, a new report from the London Assembly Budget and Performance committee warned. Between 2014 and 2016, TfL’s...

Railnews

• Warnings as Severn Tunnel closes for electrification Trains between South Wales and London are being diverted via Gloucester from today, so that the Severn Tunnel can be electrified over the next six weeks. The closure means many more passenger and freight trains running through the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean via Stroud, Gloucester and Lydney, and the extra rail traffic means that a number of level crossings will be much busier, with an extra 44 passenger trains and 27 freight using the diversion from Swindon on an average day.
• HS2's Simon Kirby announces resignation The man who has been leading the first phase of HS2 has announced his resignation. Simon Kirby, who joined HS2 Ltd from Network Rail as chief executive construction, is moving on to join Rolls Royce. He said it had been a 'huge honour' to have 'been involved in creating a leadership team made up of the best talents from this country'.

Aviation Industry

• American Airlines, flight simulator engineers reach tentative accordFort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines and the union representing the airline’s flight simulator engineers have reached a tentative agreement on a new joint collective bargaining agreement, both parties announced Sept. 9. read more
• Aeroflot transfers 787 deal to Avia Capital ServicesRussia’s Aeroflot Airline will transfer all rights and obligations under the contract for 22 Boeing 787s to Avia Capital Services leasing company. read more
• Lufthansa signs five-year deal for sustainable ATJ fuelsustainable alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel over five years from Gevo, a commitment that allows the renewable chemicals and fuels producer to seek investment to build a commercial-scale refinery. read more

Other News Sources

• Scifi eye: driverless dream or autonomous nightmare?Novelist Jon Wallace considers the science fiction implications of engineering stories that have caught his eye. This month, the future pros and cons of driverless cars Since Mr Benz unveiled his patented motor-wagen, the car has helped define the way we imagine our future, as the most intimate expression of man’s relationship with engineering. Where […]
• Stansted Airport records busiest month for nine yearsLondon Stansted Airport welcomed 2.5 million passengers during August, its busiest month for nine years.