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

Tuesday, 25 April 2017

BBC News

• Can plastic roads help save the planet?Engineer Toby McCartney explains how his Scottish start-up MacRebur is persuading councils to use local waste plastic to build roads. Two English councils have already started building roads this way.
• Cardiff Airport unveils Qatar Airways flightsAttracting long-haul destinations has been one of the aims of the airport.
• Driverless cars trial set for UK motorways in 2019The project will include a journey between London and Oxford in 2019.
• Holyrood set for first vote on devolved air tax plansMSPs are to vote on the Air Departure Tax (Scotland) Bill amid calls for more detail on aviation tax policy.
• General Motors loses Supreme Court appeal over car faultsThe decision exposes the firm to more customer lawsuits over a defect that led to recalls in 2014.
• Peugeot Citroen investigated over diesel emissionsFrench prosecutors have started an investigation into diesel emissions by Peugeot and Citroen cars.
• Diesel vehicles important for UK economy, says industryCommercial vehicles - which are mainly diesel - are important for UK economy, says SMMT trade body.

The Herald

• Virgin Trains strike suspended after progress in talks with unionA planned 48-hour strike on Virgin Trains East Coast has been suspended following progress in talks.
• Massive Glasgow Airport security queues spark fear among passengersSecurity at Glasgow Airport was so overrun with thousands of passengers this morning, some feared they would miss their flights.

The Huffington Post

• This 'Flying Car' Might Be The Closest Thing To A Podracer Ever Built A ‘flying car’ firm has revealed footage of a futuristic vehicle that might be the closest thing to a podracer you’ll ever be able to buy. Kitty Hawk, which counts Google founder Larry Page as an investor, says a consumer version of the electric aircraft will go on sale this year. And because the Flyer is classified as an ultralight aircraft, pilots won’t require a license to fly it – at least not in the US. The Flyer, which is designed to be flown above water, is one of a number of flying vehicles set to be launched over the next few months. AeroMobi...

City AM

• Virgin and Stagecoach team up with French state-owned rail operator SNCF in bid for new HS2 franchiseVirgin and Stagecoach have teamed up with the French state-owned rail operator SNCF in their bid to run the first trains on the £56bn HS2 line.

This is Money

• Three quarters of drivers want the speed limit raised Three-quarters of drivers say that the motorway speed limit should be raised to 80mph, as new speeding fines come into force.

Birmingham Post

• Conservative Government won't scrap HS2 says mayor candidate Conservative mayoral candidate dismisses back bench calls to scrap HS2 

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bradford Labour MP calls on Tories to reiterate support for HS2 amid reports of 'pause' planA BRADFORD MP has demanded the Prime Minister give her unequivocal support to high-speed rail project HS2.

Liverpool Echo

• What is Walrus? Everything you need to know about Merseyside's public transport smart cardWalrus covers travel on buses, trains and ferries

London Evening Standard

• Black taxis could be banned under plans to pedestrianise Oxford StreetBlack taxis could be banned from Oxford Street under plans to pedestrianise the capital's busiest shopping street, it emerged today.
• Crossrail 2 will signal our optimism for London's post-EU future, writes Rohan SilvaTread carefully over the pavements of London for you are treading on skin, a skein of stone that covers rivers and labyrinths, tunnels and chambers, streams and caverns, pipes and cables, springs and passages, crypts and sewers, creeping things that will never see the light of day."
• Virgin Trains strike: Bank holiday walk-out suspended following talks with RMT unionA 48-hour strike on Virgin Trains East Coast on Friday and Saturday has been suspended following progress in talks between rail and union bosses.

Manchester Evening News

• 'No change to government policy' over HS2 rail project, says governmentOldham and Royton MP Jim McMahon quizzed a minister amid reports HS2 could be shelved to pay for Brexit

Yorkshire Post

• Transport Minister dismisses HS2 'cancelled' speculation TRANSPORT Minister Andrew Jones has rejected suggestions the planned high speed rail line to Yorkshire could be cancelled after the General Election....

Other Regional Press

• MP to answer HS2 questions at campaign group meetingErewash MP Maggie Throup is to hold an open question and answer session on the local impact of the HS2 rail project....
• Rail passengers can access free wi-fi and movies on London Midland trains to and from Stoke-on-Trent Rail passengers will now be able to watch movies and access free wi-fi on trains to and from Stoke-on-Trent.
• Scotrail free week of travel launches next week - here’s everything you need to knowIf you have a season ticket valid for at least one day in May then you qualify for a thank you from Scotrail - here's how to claim yours.
• 'Illegal parkers are threatening to drive businesses out of town'ILLEGAL parking problems are threatening to drive businesses out of town, business leaders have warned.

C.N.N.

• Malaysia Airlines CEO attempts 'greatest turnaround'Malaysia Airlines CEO Peter Bellew wants to drive down costs and turn its fleet of A380 superjumbo jets into charter planes for Muslim pilgrims.

Buying Business Travel

• Qatar Airways unveils Cardiff routeFirst regular direct long-haul flight linking Wales to major hub in Gulf region

Rail Technology Magazine

• Artesyn Extends ControlSafe SIL4 COTS Rail Computing Platform to Onboard Applications At the SafeRail Congress today, Artesyn Embedded Technologies has unveiled the latest in its portfolio of SIL4 COTS computing systems for rail safety applications, the ControlSafe™ Carborne Platform.
• Noise on the underground: Londoners cry foul London Underground is continuing to push forward with its ambitious plans for the Night Tube, with 24-hour services now running on the Victoria and Jubilee, and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines, on Fridays and Saturdays.
• London Midland launches new Motion entertainment service on trainsLondon Midland has today launched a service that provides customers with an entertainment package featuring films, TV programmes, games and magazines, plus wi-fi on its trains Using the service, called Motion, customers can for the first-time access content on their web browser without the need...
• Crossrail unveils striking ceiling images at Farringdon and Liverpool Street stationsCrossrail has this week completed work on the architectural ceilings at the Farringdon and Liverpool Street Elizabeth Line stations and released a number of striking images of the work that has been done to the two stations. At Farringdon, over 100 diamond-shaped concrete segments were pieced...

Railnews

• RMT urges �no interference� as Southern DCO talks restart Talks are set to take place today (Monday) and tomorrow between the RMT and Govia Thameslink Railway in the long-running dispute over the introduction of driver-controlled working on Southern. The union has called for �no interference� with the negotiations. The dispute has been running for a year, and has caused 31 strikes by the RMT alone.

Railway Gazette

• World rail freight news round-upUkrainian national railway UZ and Polish broad gauge line operator PKP LHS have agreed a 1bn hryvna...

Aviation Industry

• Etihad names new airline partners CEOAbu Dhabi-based Etihad Aviation Group named Robin Kamark as CEO-Airline Equity Partners on April 24. read more
• Russia’s passenger traffic up 19.4% in 1QRussian airlines carried a total of 19.7 million passengers in 1Q 2017, up 19.4% year-over-year (YOY). read more

Other News Sources

• Stagecoach And Virgin Join SNCF For UK West Coast Rail Franchise BidPARIS (Alliance News) - Stagecoach Group PLC and Virgin Group said they are joining forces with French high speed operator SNCF to bid for the West Coast Partnership rail franchise.