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

Thursday, 13 October 2016

Government

• All roads lead to Wales for business, says Alun CairnsThe Secretary of State is to visit the latest work at the Severn Tunnel before speaking to the Institute of Directors in Wales

BBC News

• Rail electrification still a top priority, Cairns saysElectrifying the main rail line between south Wales and London remains a
• Heathrow accused by cleaners over living wage dealCleaners at Heathrow have written to the airport's boss saying they are not getting a living wage agreed in plans for a third runway.
• Heathrow is top business rate payer in England and WalesLondon's Heathrow airport will continue to pay the highest rate bill of any business in England and Wales when the new rateable values are applied in 2017.
• Rail delays: New plans to compensate passengersRail passengers will be able to claim compensation for delays of more than 15 minutes under plans being announced.

ITV News

• Rail disruption will be worth it promises Welsh SecretaryThe Welsh Secretary will tell business leaders that electrifying the main railway line from London to South Wales continues to be one of the UK Government's biggest priorities.

Department for Transport

• Government announces improved compensation scheme for rail passengersTransport Secretary announces improved compensation scheme for passengers if their train is more than 15 minutes late.

Financial Times

• Monarch secures new funds and licenceControlling shareholder Greybull Capital agrees to inject cash into UK budget airline
• Airline resists paying for bigger HeathrowLeading carrier threatens to divert resources elsewhere if there were immediate price rises

The Guardian

• How would you be affected by a third runway at Heathrow?Do you live near the proposed runway? Would your job or business benefit from the plans? Share your views with usThere is growing expectation that Theresa May will accept the recommendation of Sir Howard Davies’s airports commission to expand Heathrow rather than Gatwick, with cabinet ministers telling the Guardian that the west London plans offered much higher-value returns than the alternative.A government committee chaired by the prime minister is understood to be on the verge of deciding whether new runway capacity will be added at Gatwick or Heathrow, and industry insiders expect a verdic...
• Electric car sales set to pass 2m landmark globally by end of 2016China leads EU and US in market size, with Nissan Leaf taking the top spot for best-selling model followed by Tesla’s Model S and two Chinese-made modelsThe number of plug-in electric cars on the world’s roads is set to pass the landmark of two million vehicles by the end of 2016, with industry observers saying the electric car revolution is finally underway. A surging market in China is leading the way and Chinese-made models have pushed into the top five best-selling models. Europe is the second biggest market, followed by the US, but their traditional car manufacturers face a stern challeng...

The Herald

• North v South as Ayrshire ports fight for Arran ferryProposals to move Arran’s lifeline ferry link from the north of Ayrshire to its south have been branded as “nothing short of cataclysmic”.
• Aviation chiefs urge passengers not to use Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphonesIreland's aviation chiefs have urged plane passengers not to use Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones on flights.
• Secret shoppers to ride the railsSCOTRAIL is to spend £100,000 on undercover ‘mystery shoppers’ to ride its trains amid growing criticism of the services being provided by the Dutch operator of the franchise.

The Telegraph

• Millions of rail travelers to be eligible for compensation if trains are 15 minutes late - but new terms will not be UK-wide until as late as 2025

Times Online

• Create jobs or miss out on HS2, foreign engineers told [subscription]Foreign construction companies chasing nearly £9 billion of HS2 contracts have been warned by the government that unless they create thousands of local jobs and invest in a legacy of high-speed rail-building skills they will not be welcome in Britain.
• Slow down to speed up the commute [subscription]The typical road commuter in a busy British city spends more than 120 hours a year stuck in traffic. Instruct him to let other cars barge in front as they please and you are liable to be told to whizz off, or something to that effect.
• Money back if your train is 15 minutes late [subscription]Southern passengers will be able to claim compensation if their train is more than 15 minutes late under an improved compensation scheme announced today.
• Passengers ‘shouldn’t pay for third runway’ [subscription]With days to go before the expected announcement of a third runway at Heathrow, British Airways has said that it would be “totally unacceptable” for carriers and passengers to bear the construction cost.

Reuters News

• British Airways opposed to any expansion-driven hike in Heathrow fees - CEOThe chief executive of British Airways said the airline would oppose any move by its main airport, Heathrow, to raise its charges if the London hub is given permission to expand.

Mail Online

• BMW presents its self-balancing motorcycle of the future The German automaker, headquartered in Munich, unveiled its Motorrad Vision Next 100, a sleek, self-balancing prototype the company released as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations.
• UK passengers will be able to claim compensation if their trains are more than 15 minutes late Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will announce a Delay Repay scheme which will be trialled on a number of services, including troubled Southern Rail, before being rolled out across the country
• Opponents brand HS2 line a 'vanity project' and dismiss money as a 'drop in the ocean'� In an effort to appease local authorities, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said they could apply for �70million of Government grants - but critics say this is not nearly enough.

The Mirror

• Train driver caught almost NINE times over drink limit spared jail - and still allowed to driveColin Chapman, 54, was preparing to drive a passenger train from Edinburgh to Glasgow when he was busted with a bottle of vodka

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Dilapidated rail station won't be repaired until 2019 after costs spiral to more than £1 million KEIGHLEY’S dilapidated mainline railway station faces major delays its refurbishment, with the forecasted renovation budget of £370,000 ballooning to more than £1 million.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Lives at risk on 'dangerous' Anglesey road where council can't afford pavement An application to fund the £60k work in Llansadwrn was rejected and residents fear it is 'only a matter of time' until a serious accident takes place
• These rail giants want to run YOUR trains in North Wales from 2018The list of bidders for Welsh rail services includes a Hong Kong based train firm and current provider Arriva Trains Wales

London Evening Standard

• Southern Rail strike: Peace talks to avoid more walkouts collapse in just 40 minutesPeace talks to try and prevent yet more strikes on beleaguered Southern Rail collapsed in acrimony after just 40 minutes today.
• Evening Standard comment: Airport expansion: there's another solutionAt last the Government is set to make a decision on airport expansion in the South East. Theresa May has made it clear that she wants to take important decisions on the basis of the evidence; well, in the case of airport expansion there is a superabundance of evidence, notably the report written by Sir Howard Davies which unambiguously recommended expansion at Heathrow. That conclusion has been vigorously contested, not least on the basis that he did not sufficiently take into account the effect on pollution of construction of a new runway and traffic to a bigger hub.
• Hair-raising moment cyclists are thrown off bikes in central London cycle-superhighway pile-up A hair-raising video shows the moment two cyclists are thrown off their bikes in a dangerous pile-up crash on a narrow London cycle-superhighway.

Manchester Evening News

• Flying Scotsman will be in Greater Manchester today - here's where you can see it The famous steam locomotive will officially open the East Lancashire Railway's seventh calling point

The York Press

• York warned its air pollution efforts are threatened by Park&Ride woes YORK’S air quality improvement plan could fail if a decent deal cannot be struck over Park&Ride buses, it has been warned.

Wales Online

• Government insists the HS2 rail link is going to happenThe first phase of the railway is planned between London and Birmingham by 2026.
• What next for the South Wales Metro are four bidders to build it are revealed?The winning bidder will also run the next Wales and Borders rail franchise from October 2018
• What next for the South Wales Metro are four bidders to build it are revealed?The winning bidder will also run the next Wales and Borders rail franchise from October 2018
• Minister for Infrastructure Ken Skates on how a ‘not for profit' Wales and Borders rail franchise could workThe winning bidder for the next rail franchise from 2018 will also deliver the Metro project
• Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns says Brexit will be good for WalesHe will argue Wales needs more projects like the South Wales Metro that can drive the economy forward.

Reading Evening Post

• Government insists the HS2 rail link is going to happen The first phase of the railway is planned between London and Birmingham by 2026.

Other Regional Press

• Driverless car developed in Oxford tested for the first time on UK roads DRIVERLESS cars were wheeled out for their first public trial in the UK in a “ground-breaking moment” yesterday.
• Oxford bike-sharing scheme so successful it will expand across the UK. A OXFORD bike-sharing scheme has been so successful, with more than 1,000 regular users, it is set to be launched in five more cities across the UK.
• 'Network Rail must install more Silent Track' say council bosses COUNCIL bosses have voted to force Network Rail to install Silent Track along a further stretch of railway in North Oxford.
• Careers could take off at London Luton Airport!Ambitious job seekers had access to over 32 employers as London Luton Airport hosted an inspiring careers fair.
• South Wales Metro Project Moves ForwardThe planned South Wales Metro project has taken a step forward after the Welsh Government named the four companies bidding to run the scheme

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Huddersfield railway researchers win top IMechE award Dr Yann Bezin and Dr Gareth Tucker were awarded the George Stephenson Gold Medal for their paper Track loading limits and cross-acceptance of vehicle approvals RESEARCH that could lead to big efficiency gains and cost savings for rail vehicle manufacturers has earned University of Huddersfield experts a share in a prestigious award that commemorates one of Britain’s most famous engineers. The George Stephenson Gold Medal is bestowed by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) to authors of the best original paper that it has published over the past year.  In 2016, the judges...
• A fresh approach to the roads that matter most – designating a Major Road Network for EnglandThe effectiveness of thousands of miles of England’s most important ‘A’ roads risks being undermined because they fall outside the Strategic Road Network. Currently 4,200 miles of England’s motorways and ‘A’ roads – the Strategic Road Network managed by Highways England - are benefitting from a £15bn five-year improvement programme and a new regime for long-term planning. However, a new independent study for the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund identifies another 3,800 miles of council-controlled ‘A’ roads in England that also deserve specia...

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch claims an important success for passengers with the introduction of 15 minute compensationLondon’s independent passenger watchdog has welcomed the Government’s announcement today that rail passengers suffering from delays of between 15 and 29 minutes will soon be able to benefit from delay repay compensation of 25% of the cost of their fare.

Rail Magazine

• Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council to give speech at RAIL's National Rail ConferenceLeader of Manchester City Council will speak at the NRC in Manchester on November 1

Rail Technology Magazine

• One year on: catching up with the UK’s National Training Academy for Rail Last October, the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR) opened its doors for the first time. With an ageing workforce making its way for the door, the academy is a significant part of efforts to train the next generation of rail engineers. Rod Ja…
• Bombardier Rail Control Certifies Four Vendors and Offers 4G LTE Wireless Technology Bombardier Transportation has successfully completed tests to operate its range of mass transit and mainline rail control solutions with the latest Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard for wireless data communications, commonly known as 4G.
• DfT urged to end 'worrying' lack of communication on Southeastern devolutionTransport authorities in London are seeking clarification from Chris Grayling on whether the government supports the capital’s bid for devolution of more rail services, including the Southeastern franchise. Ahead of a London Assembly transport committee meeting yesterday, Caroline Pidgeon...
• New scaffolding measure saves NR �9.5m and prevents Liverpool service closuresA new scaffolding method will allow Network Rail to restore the ceiling of the Victoria tunnel at Liverpool Central station more cheaply and without services being cancelled. The infrastructure owner will install an access platform secured to the tunnel walls, 15m above the track, to allow...

Railnews

• 'Second person' argument derails Southern talks The new peace talks in the Southern DOO dispute have broken down, as the RMT accused Govia Thameslink Railway of refusing 'to adhere to assurances on second person on the train'. The issue is whether a train could run with only a driver on board in 'exceptional circumstances', and came to the fore yesterday morning while GTR chief executive Charles Horton was being interviewed on BBC radio.
• �Customers come first � not the union� Govia Thameslink Railway chief executive Charles Horton has accused the RMT of having its 'head in the sand', following today's breakdown of talks in the driver-only operation dispute, which had been requested by the union. The RMT's move had followed a radio interview early yesterday, in which Mr Horton spoke of 'guarantees' that no train would run with only a driver. However, GTR later explained that Mr Horton had been referring to rostering arrangements, and the list of 'exceptional circumstances' when just a driver would be allowed was still part of the proposed deal.

The Business Desk

• HS2 faces disruption due to delays over Compulsory Purchase OrdersMAJOR infrastructure projects in the Midlands such as HS2 could be disrupted due to delays over Compulsory Purchase Orders, a new study has said.

Aviation Industry

• ATR CEO de Castelbajac to become Airbus chief of staff ATR CEO Patrick de Castelbajac is to become Airbus corporate secretary and chief of staff after he hands over his current role to Christian Scherer in November. read more
• Aircraft Leasing News-Oct. 12, 2016Aircraft Leasing News-Oct. 12, 2016 read more
• American, flight instructors reach tentative agreementAmerican Airlines has reached a tentative agreement with its 300 flight crew training and simulator instructors on a new labor contract. read more

Other News Sources

• NOMAD DIGITAL EXTENDS AUSTRALIAN AGREEMENTNewcastle-headquartered Nomad Digital, which provides passenger and fleet connectivity services to the rail industry, is extending its partnership with an Australian rail operator for an additional three years.
• Southern Rail strike: Talks break down between RMT Union and operator in midst of three-day strike The two sides, Southern Rail and the RMT union, met for fresh talks on Wednesday but could not reach an agreement
• Hong Kong, Dutch, German and French companies revealed as preferred bidders to run Welsh rail servicesEconomy and Infrastructure Secretary Ken Skates has today revealed the preferred bidders for services on the new Wales and Borders franchise and Metro.