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

Sunday, 17 October 2021

BBC News

• M1-A6 link road: Government to pay £32.7 towards £60.34m costA new £60.3m link road is to be built after the Department for Transport approved £32.7m in funding. Central Bedfordshire Council approved the M1 to A6 Link Road on green belt land north of Luton in April.

Financial Times

• Courier boss says UK Christmas shopping has started earlyYodel CEO says shoppers are heeding the warnings from retailers and logistics companies to buy in advance
• Lex-in-depth: does Uber deserve its $91bn valuation? The company has streamlined operations in an effort to make it profitable but still faces legal challenges

The Scotsman

• Transport minister has 'no idea' why rail workers are set to strike during COP26Threats to cripple Scotland’s railway during COP26 are not “valid”, the transport secretary has said as the prospect of widespread strike action in Glasgow continues to grow.

The Telegraph

• Railways at risk of ‘master-slave dynamic’ [subscription]One of Grant Shapps’ top civil servants has said that the Government’s decision to axe rail franchising will create a “master-slave” relationship with train companies in thrall to the state.
• Elon Musk says UK space rival is trying to slow satellite launches [subscription]Elon Musk’s space company has accused its taxpayer-backed rival OneWeb of seeking to slow down the launch of satellite internet services designed to fix broadband blackspots.
• UK must act now to kick start the hydrogen economy [subscription]Hydrogen is the dream fuel, but UK authorities have yet to get out of the starting blocks

Times Online

• The city that pays drivers £3,000 to give up their cars [subscription]A scheme that offers a cash incentive to use public transport (or Uber) may be a blueprint for the future, says Nicholas Hellen

City AM

• Shapps echoes Sunak saying Christmas gifts will be availableTransport secretary Grant Shapps has echoed Chancellor Rishi Sunak and said that Christmas gifts will be available despite the backlogs The post Shapps echoes Sunak saying Christmas gifts will be available appeared first on CityAM.
• Goodbye Alitalia: Italy's new carrier to join airline allianceAlitalia’s successor ITA Airways will join the Skyteam alliance from next year, reported Reuters. ITA Airways’ chairman said yesterday that The post Goodbye Alitalia: Italy's new carrier to join airline alliance appeared first on CityAM.

Mail Online

• Nice flowers, but where do I put my luggage? Heathrow Express turns carriage into 'tranquil train' to host live YOGA class and meditation to calm passengersA train operator is making travel more tranquil - by hosting live yoga classes during journeys.
• Heathrow Airport's price hikes to airlines 'could put £100 on the price of a family break'Ex-British Airways boss Willie Walsh's warning comes as Heathrow wants to increase the charges airlines pay to use the airport by more than 90 per cent from January - from £19.36 to £37.63.

The Mirror

• HS2 rail's eastern leg to finally be killed off in Tory 'levelling up' betrayalLabour slammed Boris Johnson's all-talk government for betraying and leaving behind communities who have suffered a poor transport connectivity for a decade and were promised a levelling-up of the country

Bristol Live

• The village near Bristol Airport hit by pollution and parking painLocals say the airport has a big impact on their life and some are opposed to its expansion

Manchester Evening News

• Andy Burnham's mask plea to Greater Manchester as region's infection rates soarAndy Burnham and Greater Manchester health leaders have urged people to 'keep their discipline'

Northern Echo

• Teesside Airport: Station unlikely to have more services until 2024Teesside Airport station has been promised a £6m boost to revamp its tired facilities

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Glory at last for George the cat in 'World Cup'The wait is finally over for a Black Country railway station as it became the nation's favourite station.

Yorkshire Post

• New £5.5m bridge for iPort in South Yorkshire given the go aheadA new £5.5 million bridge for Doncaster has been given the go ahead.

Kent Online

• Disabled campaigners rejoice as Herne Bay railway station to have step-free accessLong-awaited plans for step-free access at Herne Bay railway station have been given the go-ahead.

Reading Evening Post

• New M4 smart motorway cameras could fine you £100Work is underway to turn the M4 into a smart motorway

Wrexham.com

• Wrexham MS teams up with charity to help local schools promote active travelWrexham’s Member of the Senedd is backing a charity aiming to get pupils and parents in Wrexham more active on their journey to school.

Other Regional Press

• £175,000 FUNDING BOOST FOR LOCAL ACTIVE TRAVELProjects encouraging green travel across the Isle of Wight will receive a £175,662 government investment boost.
• Campaign group Cyclox runs Dr Bike repair workshops to support cyclistsKathryn McNicoll, a trustee for Cyclox, gives a progress report on the Dr Bike sessions, part of a package of support measures for key workers cycling during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Letter: Why won't they talk about the airport?THERE has been plenty of Echo coverage in recent days of ‘Go! Southampton’ and the successful bid for City of Culture short list status, creating a wonderful vision of the Southampton of the future.
• Saltburn to get direct rail service to York, Leeds and Manchester as Transpennine route is extendedThe extended service will run from spring next year
• Why you may have seen a huge tree being carried through the city centre this weekendIt was part of a protest against HS2

Rail Advent

• Transport for London completes work at Osterley – which becomes the 89th step-free stationStep-free access from street to platform is now available at Osterley Underground station following the installation of brand new lifts
• Work starts on a new ticket office at Ipswich stationDuring the coming weeks, Greater Anglia will carry out work to relocate the ticket office at Ipswich railway station.

Other News Sources

• Major Coventry ring road improvements a step closer after funding securedCoventry City Council has been given around £50,000 to fully assess improvement between junctions 5 and 9
• Jaguar Land Rover launches blockchain trials to source low-carbon leather Transport giant Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has trialled blockchain technology to trace the carbon impacts of its leather supply chain, as part of its overarching net-zero commitment.