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

Saturday, 25 September 2021

BBC News

• HS2 not ready before 2041, MP Andrew Bridgen claims in CommonsBackbencher Andrew Bridgen says a whistleblower predicts the project will be delayed by a decade.
• Fuel shortage: Several petrol stations shut in WalesBut Tesco and Asda say they have good availability and can refill despite queues at some stations.
• Newspaper headlines: 'Petrol panic' as 'transport chaos spreads'Dominating Saturday's front pages is the ongoing supply chain crisis - and No 10's plans to tackle it.
• Petrol and driver shortages: 'The fuel is there, it can continue to flow'The transport secretary says there's no shortage of fuel and the public shouldn't rush to fill up tanks.
• Lorry driver shortage: Government working on temporary visa schemeA shortage of drivers has disrupted supply chains and fuel deliveries, with vehicles queuing for petrol.
• Transport union TSSA in talks over merger with US counterpartThe TSSA says amalgamating with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers would raise funds.
• Airport arrivals hit by passport gate failurePassengers arriving at UK airports suffer delays after an IT problem hits self-service passport gates.

Financial Times

• Johnson ready to relax UK visa regime to tackle driver shortageTemporary scheme for up to 10,000 foreign workers in transport and food in wake of fuel and supply disruption
• Passport gate failures leave UK passengers queueing for hoursTechnical problem hits vital automated border control system at airports across the country

The Guardian

• Delays at UK airports as IT failure hits biometric passport gatesProblems at Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and East Midlands now resolved, says Home OfficePassengers arriving at airports across the UK faced major queues on Friday after an IT failure hit the electronic passport gates operated by Border Force.Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh airports all reported problems with the gates, which allow travellers with biometric passports to pass through border control without a manual inspection. Continue reading...
• Supply chain crisis: Tories poised to U-turn on foreign worker visasBoris Johnson believed to have overruled ministers unwilling to compromise on post-Brexit immigration as forecourt queues mountMinisters are poised to agree an extraordinary post-Brexit U-turn that would allow foreign lorry drivers back into the UK to stave off shortages threatening fuel and food supplies.Boris Johnson ordered a rapid fix on Friday to prevent the crisis escalating. Ministers met in an attempt to agree a short-term visa scheme permitting potentially thousands more lorry drivers from abroad to come to the UK. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Nicola Sturgeon U-turn over Covid tests after travel industry outcry NICOLA Sturgeon has climbed down after a backlash from the tourism industry and abandoned plans for continued Covid tests for international travellers to Scotland.
• September weekend ferry fiasco: Ageing CalMac vessel out of action for third time in thre SCOTLAND'S lifeline island ferry network is suffering a new wave of disruption and cancellations over the September weekend - after it emerged one of its ageing fleet of vessels will be out of action for the third time in three weeks.

The Huffington Post

• UK Government Calmly Tells Motorists: 'There Is No Fuel Shortage!!!'
• Lorry Driver U-Turn? Boris Johnson Considers 'Temporary' Plan To Ease Shortages Amid Fuel Panic Buying

The Independent

• Visa scramble for HGV drivers is too late to stop Christmas disruption, government insiders warnMinisters scramble to solve crisis by easing visa requirements for lorry drivers

Times Online

• Covid in Scotland: U-turn means Scottish passengers no longer need PCR tests [Subscription]People will no longer have to pay for PCR tests before they fly abroad after the Scottish government brought its policy into line with England’s.
• Big queues at petrol stations as drivers told no need to panic [Subscription]Large queues formed at forecourts around Scotland in spite of pleas to avoid panic buying and repeated assurances there was no shortage of fuel.
• Rolls-Royce embraces spirit of electric innovation [Subscription]An air speed record attempt is a sign of things to come for the engineering giant
• Insulate Britain ordered to stop blockades at Dover port [Subscription]The High Court granted an interim injunction last night banning Insulate Britain activists from protesting on the A20 and other strategic routes to the Port of Dover.
• Chaos at Heathrow and other airports as electronic passport gates fail [Subscription]Passengers faced delays of up to four hours at Britain’s borders yesterday after electronic passport gates failed, causing chaos at airports.
• Panic buying at petrol stations: firm sets £30 limit [Subscription]Queues at the pumps despite appeal for calm

The Telegraph

• Friday evening UK news briefing: Boris Johnson poised to relax visa rules for lorry drivers

City AM

• Heathrow meltdown: Thousands of passengers including Louis Theroux unable to enter UKDocumentary maker Louis Theroux was among thousands of passengers unable to enter the country as a result of e-gate failures The post Heathrow meltdown: Thousands of passengers including Louis Theroux unable to enter UK appeared first on CityAM.

Mail Online

• Heathrow Airport CHAOS as 'thousands' of passengers are stuck in three-hour queuesPassengers arriving into Heathrow Airport this morning faced scenes of total chaos as travellers fumed over queues of people into the 'thousands', and three-hour wait times.
• Ministers hold urgent talks on HGV visas amid fuel panic buyingBoris Johnson is under pressure to deploy soldiers to drive petrol trucks as a major shortage of HGV drivers threatens to wreak havoc this winter.
• Supermarket food distributor goes BUST leaving 1,000 workers unemployed amid HGV driver chaosThe company had a number of major contracts for supermarkets and employed around 1,000 workers in warehousing and HGV driving roles and adds to concerns of severe food shortages.
• Boris Johnson set for U-turn on visas for 5,000 foreign truck drivers as panic-buying gridlocksIt came as Boris Johnson prepared to U-turn on demands to change visa rules to offer visas to 5,000 foreign lorry drivers in a bid to tackle the shortage and stop the economy grinding to a halt.

The Mirror

• Petrol stations announce £30 limit on fuel after 'unprecedented' customer demandTransport Secretary Grant Shapps has urged drivers not to panic buy petrol amid chaotic scenes at fuel stations across the country - but the plea has fallen on deaf ears

Sky News

• Temporary visas expected to allow foreign HGV drivers to help alleviate UK petrol queuesThe government is expected to clear the way for a visa change that would allow thousands of foreign lorry drivers to work in the UK.

Birmingham Post

• CMA probes Babcock's £10m sale of oil and gas helicopter businessWatchdog will look at CHC's acquisition of business which ferries oil and gas workers to North Sea rigs by chopper
• Shortlist announced for £240m HS2 civils contractGroup is bidding to win the tender to carry out preparatory work on 36-mile line between the West Midlands and Cheshire
• 'Just days left to avoid Christmas shortages', retailers warn as HGV driver shortage goes onTransport Secretary insists Brexit not to blame for driver numbers

Bolton News

• AA issue statement to drivers over petrol station queues at Asda, Tesco and moreBP revealed on Thursday that it has been forced to close a number of petrol stations across the UK amid the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers.
• Bolton: Petrol shortages hit as UK impacted by forecourt closuresPETROL shortages have hit Bolton while forecourts all across the country have been impacted by a shortage of lorry diver.
• Bolton: Metrolink expansion 'one step closer' says Mark Logan MPPLANS to bring Metrolink tram services to Bolton have come

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Pictures show chaos at North Wales petrol stations as scramble for fuel sees some forecourts closeIndustry leaders are warning motorists not to panic amid busy scenes across the region
• Sainsbury's petrol station among many to close amid surge in demand for fuel by panicked driversThere has been chaotic scenes at forecourts across the country as motorists fear petrol and diesel shortages

London Evening Standard

• 'Covid lottery' on Tube as face mask use fallsDitching the legal requirement is putting passengers at risk, says Sadiq Khan
• Protesters banned from blocking A20 and Port of Dover after High Court rulingThe order was granted on Friday after fresh action by Insulate Britain.
• Thousands stuck in huge queues at Heathrow as e-gates failThousands of passengers are stuck in huge queues at Heathrow airport after a systems failure at the e-gates operated by Border Force.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• City transport chief wants 'speedy resolution' to Newcastle bridge closures sagaLabour councillor Ged Bell, who is responsible for transport matters at the city council, says he wants to deliver a verdict "sooner rather than later"

Northern Echo

• Tesco CANCELS all charges at Trinity Square Gateshead after gridlockA SUPERMARKET chain will cancel all charges after shoppers were left trapped in a car park after scenes of
• First look inside Swiss plant where Metro fleet is being madeA team from Nexus has taken a first look at the Stadler factory in Switzerland where the Tyne and Wear Metro's new fleet of trains are being made.

The York Press

• Average speed cameras may be set for York and North Yorkshire roadsAVERAGE speed camera (ASC) checks could be introduced on rural roads and built-up areas across York and North Yorkshire, it has emerged.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• M6 shut again for bridge workDrivers are facing delays while a busy junction of the M6 if shut for a new bridge to be installed.

Other Regional Press

• Transport secretary urges drivers to carry on as normal as petrol station queues spottedThe Transport Secretary has tried to dissuade drivers from panic buying petrol, after BP was forced to close down a handful of its forecourts.
• Fuel panic buying plea from South Central Ambulance ServiceSouth Central ambulance service urged people to only buy fuel if they need to – after ambulance drivers had to join the queues at petrol stations.
• 'Don't be surprised if you can't get a cab home this weekend'The head of a taxi drivers' association says drivers face being out of work if the panic buying of fuel continues through the weekend.
• Car prices rising faster than earningsThe financial pressures on motorists continue as it is revealed the prices of some of our most popular cars are rising faster than wages.
• Petrol station firm EG announces £30 limit on fuel after 'unprecedented customer demand' over shortage fearsThe petrol station company owns several forecourts in Yorkshire and 389 across the UK

Railnews

• ScotRail ticket examiners vote to continue strikes FRIDAY BRIEFING: ScotRail ticket examiners vote to continue strikes ++ Helicopters assist with tunnel repairs ++ 'Finishing touches' complete on first section of higher Dawlish sea wall

Aviation Industry

• Government's proposals for delivering net zero aviation incoherent and inadequateA summary of our response is below. To read our written evidence in full, click here. The Government is proposing a trajectory for aviation emissions with regular policy reviews. Setting … The post Government's proposals for delivering net zero aviation incoherent and inadequate appeared first on Aviation Environment Federation.

Other News Sources

• M27 closures: Hampshire smart motorway works continueA STRETCH of busy motorway will be closed this weekend.
• Tesco sets 2050 net-zero target for supply chain Building on a commitment to reach net-zero operational emissions by 2035 and to cut supplier emissions by 35% within the same timeframe, Tesco ha updated its ambitions for decarbonising the supply chain.
• Shortage of UK lorry drivers critical, says Road Haulage AssociationWe spoke to Rod McKenzie from the Road Haulage Association and began by asking him how critical the situation is right now.
• Calls for Brighton's transport chief to resign over commentsHUNDREDS of people have signed a petition calling for the city's transport chief to resign over
• Panic buying almost causes 'punch up' as hundreds queue for fuelFRANTIC motorists eager to fill up on fuel almost came to blows yesterday as hundreds queued for petrol amid a national shortage.
• Residents celebrate removal of Old Shoreham Road cycle laneRESIDENTS have gathered to celebrate the removal of a controversial cycle lane just a year after it was first installed.

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