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

Wednesday, 09 October 2024

BBC News

• Airport parking fines 'may be unenforceable'A solicitor has warned hefty private car park fines incurred at an airport could be "unenforceable" after concerns were raised by a customer.
• Just 10% of bus drivers are women, minister saysMore women need to be recruited to work as bus drivers, a government minister has said.
• Sausage company launches free rural bus serviceA sausage company has launched a free bus service to help reduce isolation for people living in rural parts of North Yorkshire.
• Passengers quiz rail boss on 'shocking' overcrowdingCommuters have described train overcrowding as "shocking" during a public meeting with a rail boss. Campaign group Railfuture invited a senior manager from CrossCountry to answer questions at West Oxford Community Centre on Monday.
• U-turn urged over town centre car parking chargesParking charges in towns across Dudley borough must be reversed or businesses will fade, traders warn.
• Tube workers in strike ballot over pay offerSome Tube workers are being balloted on industrial action after a below-inflation pay offer.
• HS2 may now run to central London, minister saysThe Transport Secretary says it would make "no sense" to have the line terminate in west London.
• eBay to ban private e-bike sales over fire fearsThe platform will clamp down on the sale of e-bikes and e-bike batteries in the UK from 31 October.
• Boeing withdraws 30% pay rise offer to striking staffThe aviation giant accused the union of not giving its proposals serious consideration.

Financial Times

• HS2 rail link will run into central London, says ministerLouise Haigh says ‘it would never have made sense’ for controversial project to end in London suburbs

The Guardian

• Transport secretary ?seriously looking at? extending HS2 rail line to EustonLisa Nandy indicates Louise Haigh considering plan for high-speed trains to terminate in central London
• Go-Ahead transport group orders 1,200 green buses from WrightbusDeal for electric zero-emission vehicles worth £500m supports 500 jobs in Northern Ireland and 2,000 more across UK
• Boeing withdraws 30% pay rise offer as negotiation with striking workers reaches stalemateThe company has withdrawn its offer to US factory workers seeking a 40% pay rise, as the strike neared its fourth weekBoeing said on Tuesday that it had withdrawn its pay offer to about 33,000 US factory workers and no further negotiations were planned with their union representatives as a strike nears its fourth week.Boeing and the union held their latest round of negotiations with federal mediators on Monday and Tuesday, but talks collapsed and the sides were left locked in acrimonious stalemate showing no signs of being resolved anytime soon, a person briefed on the talks said.

The Independent

• HS2 rail line will run into London Euston, transport secretary Louise Haigh hintsThe government is expected to make an announcement around the time of the Budget

Times Online

• Now we know the true purpose of HS2, is the saga finally over? [subscription]Capacity, rather than speed, is the main motivation. So could a link to Euston and a northern alternative finally unlock the rest of the country's potential?
• 'HS2 light' may replace scrapped line after Birmingham [subscription]Cheaper link to Manchester would solve capacity crunch, say supporters

City AM

• Vertical Aerospace: Battersea to Heathrow in 10 minutes?Nothing fills the traveller with more dread than the early morning rush to the airport.
• Boeing deliveries fall as strikes impact output Boeing said on Tuesday it had delivered 33 planes in September, down from 40 in August, as it grapples with the impact of ongoing strikes.

Bolton News

• Public asked to put forward name for leaf-busting machine to keep the trains movingNetwork Rail is asking the public to name a new train that will help tackle leaves on the line this autumn.
• Shortening bus lane 'is going through' on crash plagued major roadShortening the bus lane on a major road that has become notorious for crashes and accidents “is going through.”

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Council's preferred tram route would re-open old rail lineA LONG-closed railway line between Bradford and Pudsey should be brought back into use as a state-of-the-art tram route as part of West Yorkshire's mass transit network, Council chiefs in Bradford believe.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Speeding fines spike on faster roads after 20mph comes in but road chiefs explain why North Wales Live obtained speeding figures to compare this summer with 2023

London Evening Standard

• London airport plans could add 'another Heathrow' to capital's aviation capacityIf all five London airports get the all-clear for their projects it will eventually create capacity for an extra 83.5 million passengers a year by the mid-2040s
• Pensioners will keep their free bus passes, says Cabinet minister Louise Haigh ahead of the BudgetPensioners will keep their free bus passes, a Cabinet minister confirmed ahead of the Budget.
• Train passengers spend billions at stores near stations reportSome 70% of respondents to a survey said having a train station helps local businesses in their area thrive.

Nation. Cymru

• Wales must not be short-changed on HS2 moneyWales is owed money by Westminster and a lot of it. We?re not talking a few thousand pounds or even a few million here. We are talking about billions ? sums that have the potential to have a transformative impact on our creaking and grossly underfunded rail network.

Northern Echo

• A19 named the best A-road in the country by transport watchdog - do you agree?The A19, which links Newcastle to Doncaster, has been named the best A-road in the country by a transport watchdog.

Wales Online

• First Minister Eluned Morgan will decide the fate of Cardiff Parkway projectEluned Morgan has confirmed she will make a planning decision on the project which the Welsh Government called in nearly two years ago

Yorkshire Post

• The North doesn't have enough people to warrant rail investment? Try telling that to those forced to stay in hotels overnightMisery is never far off for rail passengers in the North. Delays, cancellations, overcrowded platforms and trains. The daily commute is a never-ending trauma.

Other Regional Press

• Demolition of Bracknell bus station to be decided next weekControversial plans to demolish Bracknell's bus station and replace it with housing will be decided next week.
• On-demand bus service thriving across Malvern HillsAn on-demand bus service has seen a dramatic rise in usage across the Malvern Hills District.
• Vote over the future of bus managementA VOTE to bring under-fire bus services back under public control is set to be held later this month after county bosses agreed to fund a consultation.
• The Watercress Line collaborates with Treloar SchoolThe Watercress Line Heritage Railway has collaborated with Treloar School on an accessibility initiative.
• Bordon MP launches survey in minister push for return of Liphook rail linkA bid to re-establish a rail link between Bordon and Liphook could get back on track with the public's help.
• Wellington homes and station to be served by new roadPlans for a new spine road to serve 200 homes and Somerset's newest railway station have been put forward by a developer.
• New Thameslink fast trains for Welwyn and KnebworthIn a joint effort, the MPs for Stevenage and Welwyn Hatfield have announced new fast train services to London.
• Anger over train carriage cut to Nuneaton and Birmingham New Street serviceCommuters say they are faced with overcrowding with 'no seats'

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Half a billion-pound investment in electric buses announced to accelerate green growthBus manufacturing company, Go Ahead has today (October 8) announced a major £500 million investment to deliver 1,200 UK-made zero emission buses over the next three years. Go Ahead in partnership with Wrightbus will create 500 manufacturing jobs and the investment is also said to support an additional 2,000 jobs across the wider supply chain. The Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, said the announcement will see local communities across the country benefit from brand new greener buses that will deliver cleaner air and better journeys. Plans to cerate a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expe...

Construction Enquirer

• HS2 London tunnels chief joins Transpennine Route UpgradeNetwork Rail has poached Skanska?s James Richardson to become managing director of the vast Transpennine Route Upgrade.

New Civil Engineer

• Transport secretary to make announcement ?very soon? on HS2-Euston connectionAn announcement will be made ?very soon? by the transport secretary Louise Haigh about connecting HS2 to Euston, a decision which industry says could pay for itself.

Rail Magazine

• Second study backs new Midlands to North West lineA new cheaper alternative to the cancelled HS2 northern leg has been proposed by a consortium backed by the mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.
• Enhanced Design for Curzon StreetHS2 Ltd has revealed updated designs for its flagship station in Birmingham, driven by the need to enhance the passenger experience.
• Cleethorpes to London train plans on holdRAIL can reveal that a new direct train service linking Cleethorpes and Grimsby with London will not start as had been planned in December 2024.

Railnews

• Fate of HS2 to Euston could be known within weeks Transport secretary Louise Haigh has raised hopes that the high speed link between Old Oak Common and London Euston could be back on the agenda. An announcement about the Euston section could be included in the budget speech on 30 October.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• South Yorkshire bus franchising moves to consultation stageFranchising of bus services in South Yorkshire will move to public consultation after the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) board approved that step on 8 October.
• Go-Ahead agrees 1,200 zero-emission bus deal with WrightbusThe Go-Ahead Group will invest £500 million in 1,200 new Wrightbus zero-emission buses over the coming three years, it has announced.

Other News Sources

• Cheaper ?HS2-light? line beyond Birmingham considered by ministersMinisters are exploring plans to build a more cost-effective ?HS2-light? railway line between Birmingham and Manchester, after the original high-speed rail project beyond Birmingham was scrapped.
• Heathrow Express Appoints New Business LeadHeathrow Express, the fastest and most convenient way to travel between Heathrow Airport and Central London, is excited to announce the appointment of Aoife Considine, as their new Business Lead.
• MP Watching Developments at Whitby Mine and Scarborough Bus FirmScarborough and Whitby's MP says she is working on current issues at Anglo American and Alexander Dennis.
• Rail link between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham could create 3,000 jobsThe proposed rail link between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham would create 3,000 jobs during the lifetime of construction and in the supply chain, according to analysis by Midlands Connect.
• Drivers to benefit from new 10-minute grace period in private parking changesA new code has been launched in a bid to make car parks more consistent and penalties fair
• Bus route axed within months of starting as bosses blame low ticket salesA new bus route challenging an existing company's popular service between two tourist spots has been axed just six months after it started.

EIN News Subscription

• SkyTeam Partners with Trenitalia to Revolutionize Air+Rail Travel in ItalyPassengers flying from New York to Rome—or any origin served by SkyTeam members—can now seamlessly continue their journeys on a high-speed train to explore the scenic landscapes of Italy—all on a single ticket.

News from Europe

• Deutsche Telekom surpasses German railway connectivity targets 2 years earlyNinety-nine percent of German railway passengers on main routes can now access speeds of at least 200 Mbps