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

Saturday, 19 December 2015

BBC News

• Plan approves major transport changesMotorway upgrades, extending rail routes and running trams to Birmingham Airport are among schemes approved in a 20-year West Midlands transport plan.
• Train drivers to strike in new yearArriva Trains Wales drivers will strike for 24 hours in January over pay and conditions.
• Parents crossing rail tracks with pramsTransport police urge parents in Gwynedd to stop taking a shortcut across railway tracks with babies in prams.
• Driverless car rules 'perplexing'Google criticises the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in California for insisting driverless cars must have a fully licensed driver behind the wheel.
• VIDEO: Heathrow question prompts Eton quipJacob Rees-Mogg MP responded to Question Time host David Dimbleby's
• Millions allocated for road projectsAlmost �500m is allocated to upgrade the Londonderry to Belfast and Londonderry to Dublin roads.
• Commercial clearance for Bombardier jetBombardier hails
• Delays cleared after crash on motorwayThe M2 motorway is open again after a four-vehicle crash led to significant disruption to traffic.
• VIDEO: Tanzania's 'innovative' bike mechanicWhile repairing bicycles in Tanzania, Bernard Kiwia discovered his passion for new inventions.

The Guardian

• A voyeur's trip on the Moscow metro – in picturesFor more than two years David Trilling travelled the Russian capital’s underground network, secretly capturing the characters and art that have made it famous across the world Continue reading...
• Calais refugee violence putting lorry drivers at risk, says victimMan whose windscreen was smashed by rocks says drivers will start carrying tools for defence unless authorities actA lorry driver whose windscreen was smashed with a rock apparently thrown by refugees in Calais has said that unless authorities take such risks seriously drivers will start carrying tools to defend themselves. The driver, who works for Ireland’s Virginia International Logistics, shared dramatic pictures of his smashed windscreen on Thursday, resulting in the country’s Freight Transport Association calling for drastic action to be taken to quell escalating tensions at the French p...

The Herald

• Shoreham air crash pilot interviewed by policeThe pilot of the aircraft involved in the Shoreham air disaster has been interviewed by police.
• Festive travellers told to plan for road and rail disruptionFESTIVE travellers are facing widespread disruption on roads and rail services as the Christmas getaway begins this weekend.
• MSPs told similar car smoking ban led to 10% cut in number of children exposed to secondhand smokeMSPs who passed legislation to ban smoking in cars that are carrying children were told that the only similar legal intervention resulted a ten per cent cut in the proportion of youngsters exposed to secondhand smoke.

The Telegraph

• Police question Shoreham air show disaster pilot Andy HillThe 51-year-old is interviewed under caution, four months after vintage jet he was flying crashed on A27
• Christmas chaos is on the wayBlocked roads, delayed trains and a booze-fuelled black friday all contribute to mayhem before the festive break
• Christmas getaway 2015: Airports warn winter hats and scarves causing long queues at security - liveLatest updates as Britain gears up for the holidays - but 'travel chaos' looms

Daily Record

• Cops in the Borders seize record drugs haul hidden in a car POLICE make two arrests after the £165k find - including the the biggest ever made by the Lothian and Borders division.

Mail Online

• Shoreham air disaster pilot Andy Hill quizzed by detectives four months later Andy Hill, 51, who was piloting a vintage jet when it crashed and exploded into flames on the A27 in Shoreham, West Sussex, was interviewed under caution but not arrested, police said today.
• The rise of the armoured SUPER speed camera: Futuristic 'Enforcement Trailer' that captures traffic on both sides of the road could be heading to the UK The armour-plated 'Enforcement Trailer' (pictured) speed camera is on trial in Hanover, Germany. It is capable of capturing speeding vehicles across multiple lanes at once.
• Paris airport fires two Muslim men because 'their beards were too long' The two men have launched legal action after management at Orly airport reportedly rounded up Muslim staff and asked them to trim their facial hair in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.
• 95% of new parents endanger their children by not installing baby car seats properly The majority of mistakes parents make installing a car seat are deemed 'serious', increasing the risk of death or injury in the event of an accident, experts at Oregon Health & Science University warn.
• Drone Christmas gift crackdown amid growing fears of safety and privacy Four drones were involved in near misses with commercial aircraft at British airports during a single month this summer. A drone came within 20ft of an Airbus A320 at Heathrow Airport in July.
• Heathrow boss Nigel Rudd says Zac Goldsmith's never had a proper job Heathrow's chairman Sir Nigel Rudd accused London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith (pictured) of holding country ‘to ransom’ by opposing a third runway and has ‘no academic achievement’.

The Mirror

• Parents warned over potentially deadly mistakes in fitting children’s car seatsA shocking study found nine out of ten new mums and dads made at least one serious error when installing the safety devices

This is Money

• Plug-in car grant extended but plug-in hybrid buyers will receive half as much saving The government announced that it will extend the Plug-in Car Grant to 2018, but the subsidy buyers receive towards a new car will be cut�significantly thanks to a new structuring system.

Network Rail

• Bridges improvement plan for Cheshire will revitalise landmarksCheshire’s most iconic railway bridges and viaducts are being revitalised thanks to a £17m investment by Network Rail as part of the Railway Upgrade Plan. 
• Christmas appeal asks passengers to ‘lend a helping hand’ to reduce slips and fallsNetwork Rail and the Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB) have launched a seasonal campaign to help cut down on the number of slips, trips and falls in stations.

Birmingham Post

• Saturday at 9.23am is the most dangerous time to be on the road this Christmas The worst time for drink drivers on UK roads will be on Saturday morning, according to new research.
• Plans for rail lines, cycleways and Metro extensions agreed by chiefsMovement for Growth sets out plans to extending the Metro, a wider Sprint bus network and train lines in Castle Bromwich, Moseley and Kings Heath

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bus boss condemns delays in dealing with Keighley's traffic-choked streets THE boss of a Keighley bus company has criticised Bradford Council for stalling traffic improvement measures in the the town, claiming it could lead to businesses and shoppers abandoning the town.

Bristol Live

• K_Pavid published More than 10,000 people at Bristol Airport on one of the busiest...Today is set to be one of the busiest days of the year for Bristol Airport. As people fly to see family and friends this Christmas, more than 10,700 passengers are set to fly to and from Bristol Airport on easyJet today, with many more on other airlines. Ali Gayward, easyJet's UK Commercial Manager, said: "We are seeing high demand from Bristol Airport today as well as across our entire network of more than 810 routes. More people than ever before are flying either home or on holiday...
• The Bristol Post commented M5 is one of the worst roads in the UK to travel on at ChristmasThe M5 around Bristol will be one of the worst roads in the country to travel on at Christmas, according to the RAC. The M5 southbound between Gloucester and Portishead is set to be one of the busiest roads in the UK, as huge numbers of people travel around the country to see family and friends. And be warned - this is likely to cause knock-on delays and disruption to many in Bristol. The RAC Traffic Watch study, which extrapolates data from 1,700 motorists to predict traffic in the UK,...
• K_Pavid commented NAMED: The first drunk drivers of December 2015The police in Bristol are naming and shaming the drink drivers they catch over the festive period.The first batch of names have now been released by officers. It is part of the police's Operation Tonic road safety campaign.Between December 1-17 there were 81 people arrested.53 have been charged or reported for drink/drug offences.28 have been bailed pending further enquiries or face no further action.Eight people charged have not been named after careful risk assessment and legitimate concerns...

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Relief for A55 drivers as Penmaenbach Tunnel roadwork restrictions are liftedTraffic Wales has confirmed that the improvements to lighting in the tunnel, which have caused delays, are largely over

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Derby firm Bombardier completes its final train for London...DERBY'S Bombardier has completed a massive order for London Underground trains. A ceremony was held at the firm's Litchurch Lane factory yesterday to mark the completion of the 191st and final Bombardier Movia S Stock train. In total, Bombardier produced 1,395 carriages as part of the contract, known as the Sub Surface Lines (SSL) investment programme. It is a contract which has seen staff at the Derby site invest the best part of a decade of their career into. The original order, which...

London Evening Standard

• Revealed: TfL 'hypocrites' spend millions on taxi journeysTransport for London is spending millions of pounds each year on taxis for its staff, the Evening Standard can reveal.
• Baby born at Victoria bus station will get free coach travel for Christmas... if transport bosses can find herTransport bosses are desperate to track down a baby born on the floor of Victoria coach station so they can give her family a Christmas present – a year's free coach travel.
• Revealed: �560m plans to overhaul Bank stationMajor plans to overhaul Bank Tube station to the tune of �563 million have been given the green light, with work set to begin in the new year.

Northern Echo

• Spennymoor police plea to drivers near schools POLICE in Spennymoor are urging motorists to drive carefully near schools and pay attention to lollipop men and women.
• Chance to shame dreadful drivers on Darlington's roads THE dangers of driving on Darlington’s roads are set to feature in a new TV series.

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield rail commuters have fourth worst odds of morning delaysMorning rail commuters in Sheffield have the fourth worst odds in the whole country of their train being late, it has been revealed.

The York Press

• Man caught after using cloned train tickets for two years A hotel manager’s fraud gave him free travel on the East Coast railway line for two years, York magistrates heard.

Wales Online

• Arriva Trains Wales strike for first day back after the Christmas holidaysAslef union has accused Arriva Trains Wales of 'reneging' on the deal

Blackpool Gazette

• Travel chaos predicted on road and rail as festive frenzy begins‘MAD Friday’ was set to bring mayhem and misery to travellers in Lancashire this afternoon as the great Christmas getaway began early.
• Flooding causes traffic misery after heavy rainThe closure of a key road due to flooding has led to traffic misery in Blackpool.
• Winter wonderland train ride scrapped after parents’ furyFurious parents sparked the closure of a ‘magical’ Christmas train ride after turning on organisers over the quality of the event.

Northamptonshire Telegraph

• Northants Police arrest more than 40 motorists in festive drink-drive crackdownMore than 40 people have been arrested so far in Northamptonshire Police’s Christmas drink-drive clampdown.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Parents making ‘serious errors’ when fitting child car seatsNine out of ten (91%) new parents make potentially fatal errors when fitting childrens’ car seats, according to a new study.

Sunderland Echo

• Sunderland roadworks will be lifted for Christmas - but they’ll be backWearside drivers can look forward to a merry Christmas, but a not so happy new year.

Western Daily Press

• Western Daily Press published Christmas travel: Warning of delayed trains and congested roads...Families hoping for Christmas getaways this weekend will have to negotiate delayed trains and congested roads up and down the country.The Southern Rail service between Kent and London Victoria was reopened last night after delays of up to an hour hit commuters, but flooding and landslips caused by heavy rain from Storm Desmond mean there will be a severely-reduced ScotRail service between Glasgow and Carlisle all weekend.In the South East, the Gatwick Express train service from London Victoria...

Other Regional Press

• 'Don't worry, my other car's a Bentley' - teen's �54k crash not a problem A SUPER RICH teenager wrote off a �54k BMW - but he's not worried as his own car is a �130k Bentley.
• Grimsby Telegraph published Speeding hotspots in North East Lincolnshire revealedTHE SAFER Roads Humber annual report also included data about the other camera enforcement sites in North East Lincolnshire. Sharp decreases in speeding offences was noted at some spots, including Clee Road, Cleethorpes, where almost 100 fewer people were caught in 2014 than in the previous year. Peaks Parkway aside, the A180 Great Coates junction was the hotspot for speeders, with over 1,000 people clocked, but the figure was lower than in 2013. A rise was seen on Great Coates Road,...
• Grimsby Telegraph published Huge drop in drivers caught speeding on Peaks ParkwayJUST 82 drivers were caught speeding on Grimsby's Peaks Parkway in the first recorded month after the speed limit was increased to 40mph. The figure for December last year showed a nosedive in the number of speeders after 11,097 were caught in the first nine months of the year – when the limit was 30mph. The data, released by camera operators Safer Roads Humber in its annual report for 2014, also revealed just one serious collision on the road during the period, with 13 minor smashes,...
• WBHuw published Speed camera call for A39 death roadCALLS have been made for speed cameras on a stretch of the A39 where "too many have died".Following the death of Matt Hodges in a crash on the three-lane section leading towards Treluswell early this year, Cornwall Council announced it would fund proposed works to make the road safer.However, there are now calls for the council to also install speed cameras.At Mr Hodges' inquest, assistant coroner Guy Davies had called on the council to act on the dangerous stretch because other lives...
• Planned roadworks in the south for the start of Christmas week.The Highways Agency has issued the following list of planned roadworks in central southern England for Monday December 21 and Tuesday December 22
• Crackdown on thieves targeting rail passengers over festive seasonExtra police will be patrolling the rail network in the East Midlands in the run-up to Christmas and into the New Year to crack down on thefts.
• Parents making ‘serious errors’ when fitting child car seatsNine out of ten (91%) new parents make potentially fatal errors when fitting childrens’ car seats, according to a new study.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• UK Transport Minister opens new �7 million search and rescue base at Prestwick AirportRobert Goodwill launches improved search and rescue helicopter service for Scotland and sees progress made on Glasgow Airport tramlink UK government Minister of State for Transport Robert Goodwill opened a new £7 million coastguard search and rescue (SAR) helicopter base at Prestwick Airport during a visit to Scotland today (17 December 2015). The minister officially launched the new civilian SAR service at Prestwick Airport, which will be operated on behalf of the UK Coastguard by Bristow Helicopters, after arriving on one of the Sikorsky S92 helicopter that will be dispatched to emerg...
• Christmas deliveries threatened by traffic jamsCompanies delivering packages over the weekend of December 18th should expect traffic jams across major routes all throughout the UK. The warning comes from the Freight Transport Association, which has said that it will be trying its best to ease problems of congestion during the Christmas period, reports Logistics Manager. However, Friday 18th December is expected to be the busiest day during the festive period, as it's estimated that more than 14 million people will be on the roads. To try to help, over 400 miles of roadworks are set to be cleared from motorways and A-roads during the holida...
• UK secures new EU rule for positive changes on cycling routesChanges to EU law are now in place, which stipulate that lorries and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) must be fitted with improved mirrors that increase visibility of cyclists. The changes in the law are set to improve road safety for both HGVs, lorries and cyclists, as bicycles often fall victim to large vehicles' blind spots, according to the Department for�Transport. Updated mirrors will see a reduction in blind spots on the passenger side of lorries, which will be of a huge benefit to drivers all around Europe. The UK government was responsible�for the negotiating�of�these important changes tha...
• Network Rail to upgrade work at London BridgeOver 20,000 of Network Rail's staff will be working on the company's Railway Upgrade Plan this Christmas, including making improvements via the Thameslink Programme at London Bridge. Improvements to the station are going to affect journeys over the festive period between Christmas Eve and 3rd January 2016. However, passengers in London are still going to be able to reach the city via diverted services and there will be replacement bus services offered in lieu of available trains. Thameslink Programme director Simon Blanchflower has said that the service provider is grateful for the patience of...
• London Overground to benefit from new funding proposalsThe capital is to benefit from EU funding proposals for two new London Overground stations. These new local links will connect Old Oak Common to two London Overground routes and the proposed new stations could support the regeneration of the area, creating thousands of new jobs and homes. Investing in opening these two new stations also presents an opportunity to create new links with the proposed High Speed 2 and Crossrail services, pending completion. Funding for this project was awarded from the EC's Connecting Europe Facility and it will be match-funded by Transport for London (TFL), which...

Aviation Industry

• Virgin Atlantic raises cash against Heathrow airport slotsVirgin Atlantic has raised �220 million ($328 million) in funding by mortgaging some of its take-off and landing slots at London Heathrow. read more

Green Miscellany

• Citro�n E-M�hari: iconic 1960s car goes electricThe Citro�n E-M�hari is the latest example of an iconic vehicle of the past being reinvented and electrified in a bid to boost electric car sales. The post Citro�n E-M�hari: iconic 1960s car goes electric appeared first on ETA.
• How street DNA affects traffic congestionResearchers have produced a series of beguiling graphs to show how street DNA influences the efficiency of our travel network. The post How street DNA affects traffic congestion appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• FTA asks for assurance over bridge opening dateThe Freight Transport Association (FTA) has asked for assurance from the Transport Minister that the Forth Road Bridge will re-open to all ...
• FTA disappointed that freight shoulders burden of air quality improvementsThe Freight Transport Association (FTA) says exempting cars from the proposed Clean Air Zones in five English cities is a missed opportunity to ...
• Anger over taxi permit price hike by new company for front of Brighton Station TAXI drivers have renewed calls for a new rank after they were told to pay more to park at the front of Brighton station.
• UPDATED: Traffic wardens call off their strike Normal parking rules will be enforced in the run up to Christmas after a last-minute deal was reached between traffic wardens and their employers.
• Facebook adds Uber to Messenger appUber users can now request rides through Facebook’s Messenger service