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

Monday, 16 February 2015

BBC News

• Bus and rail fare rises take effectTranslink bus and train fare increases come into effect, with prices rising by more than three times the rate of inflation.
• Canal cycle towpath work under wayWork begins to improve a Greater Manchester canal towpath as part of a £20m scheme to encourage cycling.
• SE rail passengers 'most delayed'Rail commuters travelling from the South East into London are least satisfied with their service, according to a report by consumer association Which?

Financial Times

• Government spend on railways fallsPassengers shoulder greatest burden of the £12.7bn needed to keep the country’s trains on track

The Guardian

• Passengers bearing greater share of rail travel costs as subsidy falls by a sixthRevenue from fares reaches £8.2bn, making up 61.5% of the industry’s income, with rest made up of state subsidyPassengers are bearing an ever greater share of the cost of train travel, with government subsidy falling by almost a sixth since 2011, according to figures from the rail regulator.In the fullest disclosure of the railway’s tangled finances, the Office for Rail Regulation figures showed that the taxpayer subsidy dropped a further 8% in real terms last year, while passenger numbers continued to grow. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Most delayed rail travellers not told about refundsRAIL operators are not doing enough to let delayed passengers know their rights on compensation, according to a consumer survey.
• Passengers foot bill for railwaysPASSENGERS are shouldering an increasing share of the cost of running the UK's railways compared to taxpayers, an industry study has found.

The Independent

• Five rail franchises in red as operators’ margins declineA quarter of franchised train operators are losing money, according to figures buried deep in a report released by the Office of Rail Regulation today.

The Scotsman

• Anger over rail compensation secrecyTHREE-quarters of rail passengers suffering serious delays say they are kept in the dark about their entitlement to compensation, a new survey has revealed.

The Telegraph

• Business rates costing jobs, says Heathrow bossJohn Holland-Kaye says business rates system is unfair and "punishes investment"

Belfast Telegraph

• Translink passengers facing a hike in faresPublic transport users will face increased fares from Monday.
• Does Translink really need CEO?With little improvement in public transport, the threat of reduced services and the lowest level of oil prices for years, Translink's proposal to raise fares needs to be examined by an independent body - eg. the Consumer Council.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham health expert's delight at ban on smoking in cars carrying children Pro-smoking campaigners Forest claim the legislation is excessive

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Eye-catching bamboo-framed bikes highlight cyclists' need for room on the road A BRADFORD artist has teamed up with an inclusive cycling club to highlight how much space riders need when out on the roads.
• Bradford cabbies call for re-think of wheelchair-access rule A GROUP of cabbies are calling for a re-think of the rule that all hackney carriages must be wheelchair-friendly.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• WATCH: Ffestiniog Railway workshop gives up its secrets to archaeology digOne of the oldest railway workshops in the world has begun yielding some of its archaeological secrets

London Evening Standard

• London 'Waterlove' to 'Gorgeous Guildford': Rail operator's stunt leaves passengers cold A rail operator has embraced the spirit of Valentine's Day - by 'romantically' renaming stations.

Yorkshire Post

• Unsatisfied passengers paying more and more for rail travelALMOST a third of rail passengers suffered a delay on their last journey, according to a new poll, as figures show that the rail industry is increasingly having to rely on passengers for investment.

Blackpool Gazette

• Resort ’forgotten by transport bosses’A string of blows to Blackpool’s railways have left the town’s passengers feeling like “second class citizens”, it was claimed today. Highways and transport chief Coun John Jones has written to the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, asking for urgent action to help get the resort’s trains back on track.

Lancashire Telegraph

• £3.5million bus station masterplan moves a step closerRAWTENSTALL’S £3.5million masterplan has moved a step closer after architects submitted their proposals for its long-awaited new bus station.

Other Regional Press

• TAILBACKS: Network Rail do consider the motorists [Letter]Following V Lewis’s comments about Winsover Road rail crossing, over which frequently I drive. I have noted traffic tailbacks from the traffic lights in town as far as Hereward Road when it took 14 minutes to reach the station approach, there having not been a train for 50 minutes in this time.
• Cycleways set to be painted on busy roads in PortsmouthA RAFT of new cycleways are set to be created on major roads in a bid to get more people cycling.

Rail Magazine

• Greenwood proposes rail “guiding mind”Labour proposals for new over-arching rail industry body become clearer.