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

Thursday, 04 March 2021

BBC News

• London Euston cat-astrophe averted for train-surfing pussA cat narrowly avoided disaster after being spotted on the roof of a train as it prepared to depart. The tabby was seen on an Avanti West Coast train at London Euston, about half an hour before it was due to leave for Manchester at 21:00 GMT on Tuesday.

Times Online

• Moscow metro: Your face is your ticket to ride [subscription]Moscow is introducing facial recognition technology that will automatically charge metro passengers for journeys as they approach ticket offices.
• Freeports get green light to ‘turbocharge’ nationwide recovery [subscription]Eight freeports have been given the go-ahead in an attempt to “turbocharge” Britain’s recovery post-Brexit and post-Covid and provide “an unprecedented economic boost across the United Kingdom”.
• Britain is second best in the world at cutting carbon emissions [subscription]Britain has one of the world’s best records on cutting emissions since the Paris agreement on climate change five years ago but reductions globally must increase tenfold to meet the treaty’s targets, a study has found.
• British Airways to let passengers do their own Covid tests [subscription]Airline passengers will be able to administer their own coronavirus tests under plans to open international travel in time for the peak summer season.
• Budget 2021: Aviation complains of ‘slap in the face’ [subscription]The budget was condemned as a “massive slap in the face” for airlines and airports after the chancellor failed even to mention the stricken aviation industry.
• Plans to move away from oil boom come with costs of their own [subscription]When he rises in the Commons today to deliver his delayed budget, we know chancellor Rishi Sunak will be committing nearly £58 million to what the UK Treasury calls “green growth” in Scotland and the jobs that stimulus can deliver. More than half the total — £32 million — is destined for Scotland’s northeast, centred on Aberdeen, a city already embarked on a painful reorientation from its hydrocarbon heyday as the capital of North Sea oil and gas exploration and production.

The Telegraph

• Ryanair chief attacks Johnson’s plans to reopen skiesWith the vaccination programme being rolled out, restrictions on flying within Europe should be removed, according to Michael O'Leary
• Motorists to be hit by inflation-linked increase in car tax [subscription]Motorists received a Budget boost as fuel duty has been frozen for the 11th year in succession – but they will be hit by an inflation-linked increase in car tax.

Belfast Telegraph

• SpaceX Starship completes landing but then explodes in latest testSpaceX’s futuristic Starship looked to have performed a perfect touchdown on Wednesday before exploding with so much force that it was hurled into the air.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Northern Rail give stations makeover costing over £800,000NORTHERN Rail have said 35 stations, including Shipley, Skipton, Horsforth, Guiseley, Hebden Bridge and Halifax have all been provided with a makeover.
• Transport funding in budget is welcomed in West Yorkshire - but concern over no mention of Northern Powerhouse RailNEWS that the Chancellor's Budget announcements today includes millions for West Yorkshire transport plans have been welcomed - although concerns have been raised that it did not include spending on Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Doncaster Free Post

• Doncaster MPs criticise Budget for 'lack of investment' in the boroughDoncaster and South Yorkshire were also snubbed in its bid for a freeport. An economic tax-incentive zone backed by councils, cross-party MPs and big business such as Doncaster Sheffield Airport, McLaren and Forgemasters.

Leeds Live

• Leeds transport hopes rise with new government body set to move to the cityA new national infrastructure bank being in Leeds could create jobs and give the city a “sympathetic ear” from Government when it comes to its own spending plans for big projects.

Other Regional Press

• Transport secretary forced to apologise over Highland Main Line claimsThe Scottish Government's cabinet secretary for transport, Michael Matheson, has written to Highland MSP Rhoda Grant to apologise for inaccurate responses to written Parliamentary Questions about investment in the Highland mainline and claims over reduced journey times between Inverness and the central belt.
• Public rallies to support of debt-laden Llangollen RailwayNews that the Llangollen Railway has called in the receiver has sparked been met with overwhelming shock and calls for an appeal to help save it.
• Dunfermline to Alloa train link proposal to be highlighted at virtual public meetingTHE benefits of reopening the Dunfermline to Alloa train line will be highlighted at a virtual public meeting tomorrow (Thursday).

New Civil Engineer

• Skills shortage concerns go way beyond CrossrailA large majority of construction and engineering firms have reported serious concerns about a lack of skilled workers.
• NIC to study maximising infrastructure investment in townsHigh level ambitions to use infrastructure to support levelling up and regeneration were set out in last year’s National Infrastructure Strategy but plans on how this is to be progressed were revealed following yesterday’s budget.
• Budget lacks detail on roads, rail, airports and sustainabilityAs expected, Covid impact and recovery took centre stage in chancellor Rishi Sunak’s second Budget statement yesterday but there was plenty of reason for the civil engineering industry to be positive about in the announcements, particularly with confirmation of the UK Infrastructure Bank.
• HS2 | £50M pledged to link Birmingham Interchange Station with other transport schemesThe government has pledged £50M to develop proposals for transport improvements around the High Speed 2 (HS2) Birmingham Interchange Station.

Railnews

• Mixed response from rail to Budget speechTHE railway industry has given a mixed response to the Budget. There has been a welcome for confirmation of £50 million to help pay for five new stations in the West Midlands and another £50 million for transport improvements around the future HS2 station at Birmingham Interchange. The chancellor Rishi Sunak also said his budget would ‘unlock’ funding worth more than £40 million to reinstate passenger services between Okehampton and Exeter St David’s, subject to final approval of costs and contracts.

Railway Technology

• UK’s Network Rail to upgrade Chiltern main lineThe UK's Network Rail has invested more than £2.2m for the renewal of the Chiltern main line between London Marylebone and Bicester.

The Business Desk

• Government commits to intra-city transport plansThe Budget announced a range of transport measures to support regions across the UK.

Transport Network

• Eight new freeport sites namedNew freeports in England will be launched at East Midlands Airport, Liverpool, Felixstowe, Humber, Plymouth, Thames, Teesside, and Solent.
• BUDGET 2021 spends on transport and highways groundworkThe 2021 Budget announced a range of small to medium-sized transport and highways spending measures, including £135m 'development funding' for the A66 Trans-Pennine upgrade.

Other News Sources

• Oxford-Cambridge Arc: How will East-West rail impact Bedford?In the fourth of a series of articles on the Oxford-Cambridge Arc (OxCam Arc), the Bedford Independent looks at East-West Rail.
• £40m funding for Okehampton to Exeter rail lineMore than £40 million of funding has been announced in today’s Budget to reinstate passenger services on the Okehampton to Exeter rail line.
• Budget 2021: ‘Green industrial revolution’ targeted via infrastructure bankLocated in Leeds, Sunak said the bank will be able to invest in public and private projects from the spring.
• Budget 2021: Fuel duty remains frozen to reduce transport costsThe UK government will freeze the fuel duty rate for the coming year, chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced in the 2021 Budget.