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

Friday, 14 August 2015

BBC News

• 16-mile detour if bridge shutsWalkers could face a 16-mile diversion if a historic rail bridge across a Gwynedd estuary is closed to pedestrians to save £30,000 a year.
• Police investigate 'cyber-flashing'Police are investigating a 'new' crime of cyber-flashing on the transport network after a commuter received an indecent image on her iPhone.
• Way cleared for city road projectHighland Council secures a compulsory purchase order from Scottish ministers for its Inverness West Link project.
• Tram inquiry to cost council £2mEdinburgh city council is to spend up to £2m participating in the public inquiry into the capital's tram fiasco.
• Bus crashes after driver falls illA bus crashes into parked cars in Paisley after the driver falls ill at the wheel.
• VIDEO: Why is diesel now cheaper than petrol?BBC business reporter Ben Thompson explains why the price of diesel is now cheaper than petrol for the first time since 2001.
• Diesel prices hit five-year lowThe average price of diesel has fallen below 113p per litre for the first time since January 7th 2010, according to the information group Experian Catalist.

Financial Times

• Maersk cuts global trade growth forecastDanish conglomerate cites economic uncertainty and lower oil prices as it changes guidance

The Guardian

• Is chugging along enough after railway upgrades put on pause?With election promises shelved, passengers are facing slow progress on many rail routes, particularly in the north. The state of Britain’s railways is under review

The Herald

• Tram inquiry: Council and judge clash ahead of first hearingThe leaders of Edinburgh City Council have clashed with tram inquiry judge Lord Hardie over providing evidence for the investigation into the fiasco.

The Scotsman

• Judge's Edinburgh tram plea rejected by councilA ROW has broken out over who will fund legal costs arising from an investigation into Edinburgh’s trams project after councillors refused a judge’s request to resurrect the city’s arms-length transport firm.
• Walter Scott interest ‘could boost Borders Railway’TOURISM bosses hope that worldwide interest in Sir Walter Scott will draw visitors to the Borders Railway after it opens in just over three weeks.

The Telegraph

• Kings Cross evacuated as armed police make drugs arrestHundreds of passengers ordered out of the station as officers from British Transport Police surround man

Daily Record

• Drama as bus runs out of control down hill after driver falls ill at the wheelTHE incident happened in Paisley shortly before 4pm yesterday and witnesses said it reminded them of the tragic Glasgow bin lorry crash. 
• Edinburgh City Council rejects revival of failed tram company that would cost £4million TRANSPORT Initiatives Ediburgh (TIE) Ltd was shut down in 2011 amid heavy criticism of its handling of the tram network.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Council battles judge over trams inquiry costsCOUNCIL leaders have defied trams inquiry chief Lord Hardie amid a row about who will pick up millions of pounds in legal fees for the long-awaited probe.

Liverpool Echo

• Wirral Council recruiting for new lollipop ladies - and men - for the new school term "They’re a familiar, friendly face to pupils and their parents or carers"

London Evening Standard

• Tube strike London: Talks resume in bid to avert four days of walkouts'Fresh mood,' say unions, as talks resume in effort to avert strike
• Tube strike: Drivers from one union 'will work during industrial action'The announcement came as it emerged the September 12 launch date for the Night Tube could be delayed
• London cyclist filmed running SIX red lights in a row by fellow riderVideo filmed this week shows cyclist brazenly running red lights
• Night bus waiting times set to soar when all-night Tube services launchThreatened routes include the N20, 88 and N97
• Crossrail is already boosting house prices along its routeCrossrail is due to launch in 2018, but the high-speed rail service is already boosting house prices along its route from Reading in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

Nottingham Evening Post

• New tram named after Notts County commentator Colin Slater Notts County commentator Colin Slater has had his name added to Nottingham's fleet of trams. NET, operator of the Nottingham Tram, names vehicles after famous and inspiring local folk and the latest to join the list is Mr Slater, the voice at Meadow Lane for BBC Radio Nottingham since 1968, its first season of broadcasting.
• TracyWalker commented Fears a child could die unless safety measures stepped up on new...A child could die on the new tram tracks unless safety measures are stepped up on the line near two schools, residents fear.More than 750 people have signed a petition calling for increased safeguards on the extension that runs parallel to Eskdale Drive, in Chilwell.The petition says: "The worry is that, considering the tracks run close to two schools (Alderman Pounder Infant School and Eskdale Junior School), as well as a children's playground, playing fields and open green space, the...

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield bus drivers are ’the best in the north’Two city bus drivers have been awarded the title of ’best in the north’ following an awards ceremony in Leeds.

The York Press

• York MP presses transport secretary for ring road improvements YORK Outer MP Julian Sturdy is meeting the Transport Secretary to push for improvements on the city's congested northern ring road.

North Wales Live

• Euro funding of £154m up for grabs for Liverpool City Region Liverpool LEP urges firms to apply for support to help grow businesses and skills

Sunderland Echo

• Sunderland passengers face Saturday booze ban on York trainsPassengers travelling from Sunderland station are facing dry trains this weekend as Grand Central impose a booze ban between the city and York.

West Sussex Gazette

• Network Rail should invest £2m for passengers rather than pay fine - MPNetwork Rail should compensate passengers by spending £2m on improvements rather than having to pay a fine - according to one MP.

Other Regional Press

• Chippenham railway station pedestrian bridge behind schedule The new railway bridge in Chippenham won't be completed until the autumn, several months later than originally planned.
• Hitchin traffic calming campaign gains momentum after A505 crash arrestA mother campaigning for safety measures to be installed on a busy Hitchin road where a car crashed into a brick wall at the weekend is worried someone will die before measures are introduced.
• Bus company wins awards at ceremonyFirst Hampshire picked up two awards at the First UK Bus’s South of England and Wales’ company awards.
• Busway to close for five days for maintenance worksThe Luton-Dunstable busway will be closed for five days from Monday, August 17, till Friday, August 21.
• Bus operator gives road safety group a lift A LOCAL bus company is throwing its support behind a charity that aims to keep children safe on the county’s roads.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Aston Martin unveils its largest ever logistics hubAston Martin has opened a new 250,000 sq ft logistics centre in the Warwickshire town of Wellesbourne.  The site is the largest logistics hub the car manufacturer has ever owned in its 102-year history, and is conveniently situated close to the firm's Gaydon headquarters.  It is intended to act as a centralised warehouse for supplier deliveries, in addition to providing production-critical materials for use in Gaydon, where cars are manufactured for distribution all over the world.  The development represents a multi-million pound investment - and Aston Martin manufacturing oper...

Rail Magazine

• ORR fines Network Rail £2m after “systemic weaknesses”Network Rail is facing a £2 million fine following an Office of Rail and Road investigation that found the infrastructure company breached its Network Licence
• Night Tube row: unions plan more strike actionThe RMT and TSSA unions are to strike on London Underground on August 25-28 over plans to introduce all-night services

Aviation Industry

• Eurowings reports promising bookings for first flightsLufthansa’s low-cost subsidiary Eurowings has reported promising bookings for first flights from Vienna to the Caribbean, Thailand and Dubai from Nov. 9. read more
• Aircraft News Aug 13 2015Aircraft News read more
• Oneworld and BA target UK agents for online training schemeOneworld has teamed up with BA to target British travel agents to enrol in the alliance’s training academy
• Birmingham airport breaks passenger traffic recordMidlands airport marks 27 month of consecutive growth
• British Airways to switch Porto route to GatwickAirline changes service from Heathrow and boosts frequency

Other News Sources

• UK to trial on-the-go charging for electric vehiclesTechnology that could allow drivers to recharge electric vehicles whilst on the move is set to be trialled in the UK.
• New investment brings £2m upgrade to Millbrook’s engine test cellsMillbrook, the vehicle testing and engineering specialist, is investing nearly £2m in upgrading its powertrain facility.
• New ORR test boosts open access prospectsNew methods of assessing applications have significantly increased the prospect for further open access services on the East Coast Main Line   Alliance Rail wants to run new 'GNER' services on the ECML   The prospect of further open access services being approved on the East Coast Main Line appears to have increased significantly as a result of new methods of assessing applications developed for the Office of Rail and Road. The ORR last week approved the first open access competition on the West Coast Main Line – an application from Arriva-owned  Alliance Rail to run Blackpool-...
• Corbyn pledges public control of bus and railLabour leadership rivals Jeremy Corbyn and Andy Burnham have both pledged to renationalise railways and bring buses back under public control     The two leading contenders to become the new leader of the Labour Party have both pledged to introduce a programme to renationalise the railways and regulate bus services. Frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn, as much as 32% ahead of nearest rival Andy Burnham in latest opinion polls, and a long time opponent of rail privatisation, has placed renationalisation of the railway as a core part of his agenda. Setting out his policies in a campaign paper fo...
• Hindhead Tunnel closure caused 'chaos' as HGVs headed through village claimThursley became a log jam as lorries and cars were re-routed through the village when the tunnel was closed for three hours
• FTA Van Excellence course highlights professionalismFTA held its inaugural Van Excellence Certificate of Driver Competence course today. ...
• Thetrainline.com rebrands to reflect mobile growthRail operator has rebranded as Trainline

Other Subscription Services

• Old projects recycled for northern powerhouse Road and rail projects dating back to the last Labour government have been repackaged in an attempt to show that the current government is delivering transport improvements required to create a...