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

Wednesday, 22 November 2017

BBC News

• Reality Check: When is a train on time?A Japanese railway company made headlines after it apologised for sending a train off 20 seconds early.
• Northampton rail freight depot to go before councillorsA multimillion-pound rail freight interchange supporting up to 7,500 jobs will be considered by councillors.
• Broken wheels may have damaged Carmarthenshire railwayDamage to a Carmarthenshire railway line may have been caused when a set of wheels stopped turning on a train.
• 'Reckless and stupid' teenagers caught train surfingThe two teenagers filmed themselves riding between the carriages of a high-speed train.
• Tube stations: Broken promises and a lack of staffA 10-year-old boy was separated from his mother at an unattended Tube station.
• Under 30s railcard gets mixed reaction from millennialsThe discounted train travel option is set to be announced in Wednesday's Budget.
• Chinese carmaker Trumpchi mulls less political nameThe Chinese carmaker hopes to start selling to the US by 2019, but possibly under a different name.
• EasyJet profits fall after 'difficult year' for aviationThe airline's full-year profits are also hit by the effect of Brexit on the pound.

ITV News

• Extra Sunday services trains for Cynon ValleyMore trains will be laid on between the Cynon Valley and Cardiff this Christmas.

Financial Times

• Can autonomous cars pass their driving test?The self-driving car felt like being on a roller coaster, one that could end up killing you
• Opening Quote: EasyJet – last call for McCall
• EasyJet aims to be among the last airlines standingBudget carrier forecasts first rise in revenue per seat in two years
• Uber hid massive data breach from passengers and regulatorsCompany paid $100,000 to hackers who stole details on 50m users and 7m drivers

The Guardian

• Uber covered up massive hack that exposed data of 57m drivers and usersFirm paid hackers $100,000 to delete data and keep breach quiet. Chief security officer Joe Sullivan fired for concealing October 2016 breach. Uber concealed a massive global breach of the personal information of 57 million customers and drivers in October 2016, failing to notify the individuals and regulators, the company acknowledged on Tuesday.

The Herald

• Cost of Edinburgh tram inquiry 'increasing by £100,000 a month'THE cost of Edinburgh's controversial tram inquiry is rising at a rate of around £100,000 a month, according to the latest figures.

The Scotsman

• ScotRail punctuality down for third month in a rowThe ScotRail Alliance’s punctuality has slipped for the third month in a row, increasing the prospect of further potential remedial action.

Times Online

• Edinburgh Tram Inquiry: I didn’t have a gentleman’s agreement with tram contractor, insists executive [subscription]A senior executive at a council company has denied striking a “gentleman’s agreement” with a contractor which led to the price of the Edinburgh tram project soaring by millions of pounds.

City AM

• "Google, how's my commute?" Now you can get train info without even typing as Trainline adds Google Assistant voice supportTravellers can now get information about their commute just by asking their phone or smart speaker, saving valuable time from typing on screen and sorting through search results.
• EasyJet plans Brexit shake-up which could force UK investors to sell sharesEasyJet has set out plans which could force UK shareholders to sell their stakes after Brexit, as it prepares to comply with foreign ownership rules.
• Here are the six London routes Ford's Chariot commuter shuttle is planning to start next yearEarlier this month, Ford confirmed it was eyeing plans to take its Chariot commuter shuttle bus service to the capital, and today, the London routes it is plotting have been revealed.
• Citymapper runs into Transport for London's Uber innovation buffer in private hire licence applicationOne of the UK’s top startups is the latest to have its ambitions thwarted by London’s transport regulator, which has been accused of dragging its heels when it comes to supporting innovative new companies in the wake of its row with Uber.
• Thomas Cook boosted by recovery of Condor airline but feels the heat on UK margins amid tough competition for Spanish holidaysThomas Cook said a "strong recovery" at its German airline Condor helped the travel firm fly to rising profits for the year.
• Uber admits failing to notify customers or authorities of 2016 hack compromising 57m accountsUber has revealed that hackers gained access to the information of 57m customers late last year.

Daily Express

• Train compensation: Passengers should be reimbursed AUTOMATICALLY, MPs hearCOMPENSATION should be automatically paid into passengers' bank accounts when a train, plane or other mode of public transport is delayed, MPs have heard.

Birmingham Mail

• Top team unveiled for new West Midlands rail franchise Directors who will oversee £1bn worth of investment into region's rail network have been appointed

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• VIDEO: Time flies! Watch company makes Yorkshire's first drone delivery to customer in Keighley A customer in Keighley has received what's thought to be Yorkshire's first drone delivery.
• Passengers without tickets to be hit with on-the-spot fines Passengers travelling without a ticket on two routes in the Bradford district could be hit with on-the-spot fines in a fresh crackdown on fare dodgers, a rail company has announced.

London Evening Standard

• Woolwich Ferry to get two new boats in multi-million-pound upgradeThe Woolwich Ferry is getting a multi-million-pound upgrade with two new vessels coming into service next year.

Wales Online

• There will soon be more Sunday trains between the Cynon Valley and CardiffIt comes after it was claimed a lack of services is costing job opportunities for those living in the area

North Wales Live

• Arriva bus strike: Drivers voting again on latest pay offer TEN more strikes set for coming weeks in bitter row over pay

Other Regional Press

• Council promises £6m to open Portishead railway ‘by 2021’The ‘long-drawn out saga’ of reopening Portishead’s train line has been promised an extra £6million to get it open within four years.
• The best bus driver in the UK works in ReadingIt's official - the best bus driver in the UK graces Reading's roads on a daily basis. Reading bus driver Maks Pruszewicz has been named the Top National Bus Driver at the UK Bus Awards 2017.
• Brighton and Hove buses named best bus company again
• Halt this study NOW warns MP Steve Barclay or rail link from Wisbech or March could be in jeopardyMP Steve Barclay claims a major study on the future transport needs of Wisbech is flawed and unless it is amended or withdrawn could jeopardise prospects for re-opening the rail link to March.
• Drivers to report pothole problems on social mediaDRIVERS will be asked to use social media to complain about the state of the roads in a new plan aimed a tackling potholes.
• Manston airport site plans outlined by Stone Hill Park and River Oak Strategic PartnersTwo companies battling for the Manston airport site have had their plans for it heard by councillors.
• First service cuts, now a price hike: Passengers 'fuming' over increase in bus faresBus passengers still reeling from service cuts are now being hit with a price hike.
• This new scheme has been launched for pregnant women on public transport Badges are available on the Network West Midlands website and local travel centres

Buying Business Travel

• Easyjet suffers ‘difficult year’Pre-tax profit down 17.3 per cent

Global Rail News

• Siemens and Stadler begin assembly of pre-series S-Bahn trainsTechnicians have begun work on the new pre-series S-Bahn trains in Germany. The bodyshell of the first of 30 pre-series cars has been manufactured at Stadler’s plant in Hungary and transported to Berlin, where Siemens’ workers can now begin installing the technical and interior equipment alongside Stadler colleagues at the Swiss firm’s Berlin plant.
• Siemens and Stadler begin assembly of pre-series S-Bahn trainsTechnicians have begun work on the new pre-series S-Bahn trains in Germany. The bodyshell of the first of 30 pre-series cars has been manufactured at Stadler’s plant in Hungary and transported to Berlin, where Siemens’ workers can now begin installing the technical and interior equipment alongside Stadler colleagues at the Swiss firm’s Berlin plant.
• Progress Rail to buy Downer’s rail freight divisionAmerican locomotive manufacturer Progress Rail has agreed to buy the rail freight division of Australian firm Downer for $109 million.

New Civil Engineer

• East west rail and road projects 'key to unlocking growth'The East West Rail and Oxford to Cambridge expressway schemes must be built as quickly as possible to unlock growth, according to a new report published by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC).

Rail Magazine

• Listen to your passengers, Gibb urges operatorsChris Gibb doubts any passengers pay attention to posters displayed at stations detailing operator performance. “They’re only interested in their train.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Government to extend railcard travel to 25-30-year-oldsChancellor Philip Hammond will announce an extension of the 16-25 railcard to cover people up to 30 years old. The plan is set to be revealed at Wednesday’s Autumn Budget, after successful trials in East Anglia. It is expected to cost £30 and work in the same way as the current...
• Night Tube to start across Overground services in time for ChristmasLondon Overground night services will begin in east London on Friday 15 December 2017, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced. The 24-hour service will run between New Cross and Dalston Junction, extending to Highbury and Islington sometime next year. The launch follows the success of...
• TfL opens bidding for 43 new DLR trainsTransport for London (TfL) has taken a step forward in its search for a manufacturer to provide 43 new trains for Docklands Light Railway (DLR). Plans will see the capacity on the line increase by as much as 30%, with new walk-through trains replacing stock that could be as much as 25 years...
• Keep up, we're moving onThere has never been a more exciting time to write about rail: technology is improving, ways of working are changing and pan-industry collaboration is at its peak, all in an effort to keep up with unprecedented levels of demand. I am therefore thrilled to present you my first-ever edition as...

Aviation Industry

• Airbus A350-1000 gains EASA & FAA certificationsThe Airbus A350-1000 has gained both EASA and FAA type certifications, the manufacturer announced Tuesday. read more
• EasyJet sees only positives from Monarch slot dispersalUK LCC easyJet is closely monitoring a legal case over the slots previously held by UK leisure carrier Monarch Airlines, although it expects to benefit regardless of the result. read more
• Boeing appoints former 777X engineer to NMA leadership teamIn a further indication of growing preparations for the expected launch of the new mid-market airplane (NMA) in 2018, Boeing has appointed former 777X chief project engineer Terry Beezhold to an unspecified senior leadership role on the embryonic small twin-aisle program. read more
• Cabins, Interiors & Connectivity Briefs-Nov. 21, 2017Panasonic Avionics introduced a major advance in inflight connectivity with the entry into service of its first High Throughput Satellite (HTS) capacity over the Pacific Ocean. The EUTELSAT 172B satellite, which launched in June, is operated by Eutelsat Communications.

Other News Sources

• Funding for East-West Rail through Aylesbury to be unveiledRail bosses in charge of the proposed new route between Aylesbury and Bedford will be keeping an eye on today's budget (22/11).
• New A14 pictures show first bridge beams lifted over major railway lineNew photos of giant bridge beams being lifted over one of the country's main railway lines have been released by Highways England, as the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme successfully reaches yet another milestone.