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

Thursday, 05 January 2017

BBC News

• Fuel prices hit 18-month high, after Opec production cutsThe price of petrol and diesel in the UK rises to its highest since July 2015, according to the RAC.
• Northern rail workers to hold strike ballotA rail union is to hold a vote on industrial action in the north of England in a dispute over pay.
• What I've learned from my guide dog's 'spy cam'Amit Patel's guide dog, Kika, carries a camera which records the discrimination he can't see.
• Southern strike: Planned six-day strike split into twoA planned six-day strike by drivers on Southern rail is divided into two three-day stoppages, Aslef says.
• Dementia rates 'higher near busy roads'People who live near major roads have higher rates of dementia, research suggests.
• CES 2017: Hyundai's self-driving car deals with illegal movesHyundai's self-driving car is faced with motorists making illegal manoeuvres during a test drive with the BBC.

Financial Times

• UK has reached ‘peak car’, says industry body bossAfter record 2.69m auto sales last year, SMMT sees fall of 5% in 2017
• Southern rail strike dates reshuffledAslef union prepares for drawn-out dispute on role of train drivers

The Guardian

• Living near heavy traffic increases risk of dementia, say scientistsStudy tracking 6.6 million people estimates effect on one in 10 cases of Alzheimer’s while those living by busy roads are 12% are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia
• British car industry body warns of sales downturn as uncertainty kicks inHopes that Brexit vote would prompt patriotic desire to buy British cars appear to have been dashed, SMMT chief saysThe British car industry has warned of a sales downturn this year as the economic uncertainty that followed the Brexit vote kicks in.A fifth consecutive year of growth saw nearly 2.7m new car registrations in the UK last year, a rise of 2.2% on 2015. But the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said it expected growth to reverse, with a sales decline of 5-6%, as the cost of new cars rises due to sterling’s fall. An end to cheap financing deals would also hit sales, it said....

The Herald

• Living close to a busy road linked to increased risk of dementia, study findsPEOPLE living close to busy roads are more likely to develop dementia than those who live further away, according to a new study which identifies long-term exposure to traffic pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide as a potential trigger for the disease.

The Telegraph

• Private bus firms come to commuters' rescue as rail unions impose more strikes

Times Online

• Fake bomb on train missed by rail staff [Subscription]Strike-hobbled Southern Railway and its sister service Thameslink failed a security test in which undercover investigators planted a fake bomb on a busy service.
• Shorter rail strikes are a ‘cynical ploy’ [Subscription]Striking train drivers were accused yesterday of a “cynical ploy” to cause maximum chaos to commuters while minimising the impact on their own pay packets.

Mail Online

• Train bosses set inspectors targets to fine passengers travelling without tickets Great Western Railways demand that their inspectors issue 28 penalties every four weeks and at Abellio Greater Anglia, they must prosecute someone every two days.
• Southern Rail train drivers to strike for 3 more days at the end of January Commuter's rail strike misery will be dragged out until the end of the month in a ‘cynical ploy’ by unions to ease the impact on drivers’ pay.
• Live on a busy road? Then you're SIGNIFICANTLY more likely to develop dementia, shock study finds Scientists at the University of Toronto and Public Health Ontario found people exposed to traffic fumes and noise were up to 12 per cent more likely to develop the disease.

The Mirror

• Railway terror alert reignites train drivers' union row over safety staffTrain drivers' union ASLEF say the view from the cab is blurry and dark - vastly different from claims made by rail firms
• Railway terror alert reignites train drivers' union row over safety staffTrain drivers' union ASLEF say the view from the cab is blurry and dark - vastly different from claims made by rail firms

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham Airport named the most punctual on Earth New research says more than 90 per cent of arriving and departing flights at the transport hub operated on time

London Evening Standard

• Thameslink Rail fails security test after staff miss fake bomb planted on busy trainA rail operator failed a security test after a fake bomb was planted on a busy train by undercover investigators.
• Southern Rail strike: Walkout halved to three days, union announces A six-day Southern Railway strike due to take place next week has been cut to three days, it has been announced.
• Southern rail strike: Union accused of 'utter cynicism' over plan to stagger walkoutRail unions were accused of "utter cynicism" today for announcing they are cutting back next week's Southern strike while still inflicting massive chaos on 300,000 passengers.
• Tube strike: Talks held to prevent walkout on London UndergroundFurther talks to avert a Tube strike by thousands of Underground workers were being held on Wednesday.
• London City Airport ad cleared over claim it's the only airport 'actually in London'London City Airport's claim that it is the only airport "actually in London" has been upheld by the advertising watchdog.
• Brooklyn train crash: Rush hour train derails in New York injuring over 100 peoplePhotographs showed smoke billowing from the train which had crashed into a door at the station. Some people lay slumped on the ground as emergency crews moved in to help.
• Living near busy roads 'significantly increases risk of dementia'Living near a busy road significantly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, according to a major study.

Manchester Evening News

• British Airways suspends sale of flights from Manchester to London during strike Airline says suspension is 'temporary' while they figure out contingency plan

Sheffield Star

• Ecclesall Junction scheme’s £20 million new vision with flats in SheffieldFresh plans have been lodged to redevelop a former car showroom on Ecclesall Road - adding flats for more than 500 students to the scheme.

Wales Online

• Timelapse footage captures moment three Welsh bridges are demolished The work forms part of Network Rail's £2.8bn plans to run trains on electric routes by December 2018

Get West London

• Pro-expansion group refuses to reveal funding from Heathrow Airport after outing Hillingdon Council's campaign spendBack Heathrow has declined to release details of its funding after it revealed details of Hillingdon Council's anti-third runway campaign spending

North Wales Live

• Joe Anderson reveals plans to build train station close to new Everton stadium site Mayor Anderson said the Northern Line station will form part of the council's support for the North Docks project

Other Regional Press

• Plans for Daventry canal arm recommended for approvalPlans for the controversial canal arm into Daventry look set to be given approval next week.
• Campaigners take to the stations to protest against the "rip-off" rail fares PROTESTERS took to train stations in Weymouth and Dorchester as they campaigned against an increase in rail fares that came in to force this week.
• Ferry firm looks to Portland to run cross-Channel service to France as Weymouth port redeveloped A NEW cross-Channel ferry service could sail from Portland instead of Weymouth as plans progress to redevelop the Pavilion peninsula.
• Birmingham Airport has been named the most punctual in the world 91.28 per cent of arriving and departing flights operated on time at the airport last year

C.N.N.

• House Transportation chair: No infrastructure package in first 100 daysThe House Transportation Committee chairman said Wednesday there will be no infrastructure package in the first 100 days of Donald Trump's presidency, breaking from a campaign pledge that Trump made repeatedly last year.

Buying Business Travel

• British Airways cabin crew plan 48-hour strikeNew pay offer rejected and staff will walkout on January 10
• Uber and Lyft start pickups at Atlanta airportPassengers charged a $3.85 fee to use services
• Birmingham airport named ‘most punctual in the world’OAG ranking sees Midlands airport achieve highest on-time performance rating

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Ryanair announce major increase in December trafficRyanair released its December 2016 traffic statistics, announcing that traffic grew by 20% in December from the same month last year, to 9 million customers. Load factor also rose 3% points to 94%, and rolling annual traffic to December grew 15% to 117 million customers. Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said: “Ryanair’s December traffic grew by 20% to 9.0m customers, while our load factor jumped 3% points to 94%, on the back of lower fares in December and the continuing success of our “Always Getting Better” customer experience programme.
• CILT present ‘Driving the Future’ in collaboration with ITN ProductionsFor the fifth year running, CILT and ITN Productions are producing a news and current affairs-style programme that will discuss ideas, challenge perceptions and provide a professional voice to demonstrate how the work within and around the supply chain directly impacts people, society, the environment, business profitability and economic growth.     ‘Driving the Future’ will show examples of best practice as well as the exciting and dynamic innovations taking place across the UK and beyond. Behind every great business model and idea, is a supply chain and logistical infr...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Fully Automatic Part Washers for Cleaning Rail Components An insight into PROCECO's range of integrated cleaning solutions.
• Bombardier’s INNOVIA Metro 300 Enters Service in Kuala Lumpur Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation and partner Hartasuma today announced the launch of the latest INNOVIA Metro 300 train in the Asia Pacific region. The new train enters service on the extended Kelana Jaya Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line…
• 2017 Shortlist We would like to congratulate all our finalists on getting to this stage – the standard of entries has been higher than ever. Finalists wishing to book their tables can do so by clicking here or contacting a member of the team on: 0161 833 6320 Apprenticeship Development Scheme Alstom Transport UK – National Apprentices...
• Aslef cuts next week's Southern strike, but warns it is 'taking a longer-term view'The latest strike on Southern Railway, due to start next week, has been scaled down from six days to three. Aslef announced today that the drivers’ strike, originally meant to run from 9 to 14 January, would now only take place on 10, 11 and 13 January. However, Mick Whelan, general...
• RMT to ballot members on Northern Rail strike actionThe RMT union has announced today that it will be balloting its members working on Northern Rail whether they wish to take strike action over an “unacceptable” pay offer from Arriva Rail North. Arriva was awarded the Northern franchise in December 2015 after it committed to the...
• Vital Crossrail works delivered over Christmas The second ramp of the vast Stockley Flyover has now opened after Network Rail carried out its biggest programme of Crossrail engineering ever over Christmas. The works led to two new major structures entering service: the second ramp of the flyover at Heathrow junction, as well as a new...
• TfL commercial trading arm could generate 'tens of millions' Work is already underway for TfL to potentially establish a commercial trading arm, which could help the organisation achieve its ambitious savings targets. Under its business plan, the transport body aims to achieve £800m in efficiency savings a year for the next five years without...

Railnews

• Southern to deploy buses during strikes Strikes by drivers are set to go ahead on Southern during the second week of January in the continuing dispute over driver-only operation, but ASLEF has reduced the number of strike days from six to three, on 10, 11 and 13 January. However, a further three strikes have also been announced from 25 to 27 January, a decision immediately condemned by Southern as �a cynical ploy to minimise the impact on pay packets�. However, ASLEF responded that Southern �has not been prepared to move � it is simply going through the motions�.

Railway Gazette

• DB board changesRonald Pofalla, previously Board Member for Economic, Legal & Regulatory Affairs at DB AG,...

Aviation Industry

• Bombardier delivers first new freighter variantBombardier has delivered the first CRJ200 Special Freighter (CRJ200SF) to Waterford, Michigan-based Gulf & Caribbean Cargo. read more

Other News Sources

• Sixteen fare dodgers from Brighton and Worthing caught travelling on trains without tickets DOZENS of train ticket cheats have been caught riding the railway without paying.
• Former train employee wants to set up his own service to beat rail strikes WHETHER by taxi, bus, car or some team effort, commuters have undertaken all manner of means to beat the rail strikes and battle into work.