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

Saturday, 20 February 2016

BBC News

• Inside Heathrow’s ‘immense’ secret railway station - VideoHeathrow Airport has a secret underneath it: A huge, ghost railway station built to serve Terminal 5. - Chris Joyce Heathrow's head of surface access
• Cycle tunnel plan delay a 'shambles'Campaigners working to reopen a historical railway tunnel to tourists criticise the Welsh government for delays in the project.
• Volvo tries out 'keyless car' in SwedenThe car manufacturer Volvo is to try out a phone app in Sweden which the firm claims could replace the car key.
• VIDEO: Forth Road Bridge set to reopenEngineers say the Forth Road Bridge will fully reopen to all traffic at 23:00 on Saturday.
• Bumpy road ahead for scandal-hit VWThe bad news keeps coming for scandal-hit VW
• VIDEO: Richard Branson unveils new spaceshipSir Richard Branson unveils a new version of his Virgin Galactic Spaceship.
• Thailand told to address airport safetyAirline industry calls on Thai government to address problems at the country's main airport in Bangkok.

The Guardian

• Transport maps in big cities baffle human brain, says studyIt’s not surprising people get lost on public transport, say researchers – we can’t deal with such a large amount of complex informationThose who get lost on the subway or stuck at the wrong bus stop in a strange city can now take comfort in new research, which argues that urban transport maps are becoming too complex for the human mind.A journey with two changes in a city network requires processing an amount of information that comes close to the brain’s cognitive limits, according to the calculations of a team of mathematicians and physicists from Oxford and Paris. Continue reading...
• Virgin Galactic unveils new spaceship 16 months after fatal crashSir Richard Branson hails ‘beautiful’ VSS Unity, the first to be constructed by Virgin’s in-house design team, which still faces a couple of years of testingSixteen months after a tragic crash during a test flight which killed a pilot, aspiring commercial spaceflight company Virgin Galactic unveiled its newly built spaceship, VSS Unity, on Friday in a ceremony at the company’s factory in Mojave, California.“It’s almost too good to be true, isn’t it?” said Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin group, after the gleaming white and silver spacecraft was wheeled into the centre of the cavernou...
• Diesel cars may be be worse than petrol for CO2 emissions, report claimsTailpipe emissions of black carbon from diesel engines may be up to 50% higher than previously thought, according to new researchDiesel engines may be doing nothing to slow global warming despite being the backbone of Europe’s policy to reduce car emissions, a new report claims.Tailpipe emissions of sooty ‘black carbon’ could be as much as 25-50% higher than the EU estimates for cars made before 2005, says the paper by Professor Erckard Helmers of Triers University. Continue reading...

The Huffington Post

• London Commuters Endure Travel Chaos At Waterloo After Multiple Problems Hit Transport NetworkCommuters in and out of London endured travel misery on Friday after an array of problems struck the transport system. Disruptions lasted into the evening after South West Trains (SWT) and Southeastern services into the capital were hit by broken-down trains, causing delays to morning rush-hour services, the Press Association reported. SWT services into London Waterloo were also halted because of reports of a person hit by a train near Wimbledon. London Underground services were disrupted by a signal failure. People soup at Waterloo. Oh... Joy... @SouthWestPains @SW_Trains pic.twitter.co...

The Scotsman

• Forth Road Bridge to fully re-open two months after closureHEAVY lorries will be given unrestricted access to the Forth Road Bridge from tonight following the completion of repairs which closed the crossing for nearly three weeks in December.
• Richard Branson unveils new spaceships in space tourism raceSIR Richard Branson is set to unveil the new Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo as the company pushes ahead in the race to send passengers into space.

Daily Record

• Forth Road Bridge set to fully reopen to traffic this weekend after repairs are completed SCOTTISH Transport Minister Derek Mackay confirmed the full reopening from 11pm on Saturday.

Mail Online

• Passengers' fury as selfish cyclist takes up two seats - and blocks a third - while others have to stand on packed commuter train A cyclist caused outrage among his fellow passengers on a busy London train - after putting his bicycle across the last two spare seats. A photograph of the man has sparked fury on Facebook.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Anglesey's top ten most dug-up roads revealed as 10,000 roadworks hit island in three years Find out which of the county's roads have been the worst hit by roadworks         

London Evening Standard

• TfL plans etiquette guide to halt 'buggy rage' clashes on London busesTransport for London is considering an "etiquette guide" to stop bus passengers clashing with buggy-using mothers on busy services, the Standard has learned.
• New property hotspots to watch: the top 10 Tube stations for London home huntersAs house prices continue to rise across the capital, more homebuyers are focusing their search well beyond inner London - but an easy commute to and from work is still one of the most important factors when choosing the right location.
• Londoners' fury after 'selfish' cyclist takes up two train seats with his bike while others standLondoners have reacted with fury after a man chose to rest his bike across two seats on a busy train – while others were forced to stand.
• Falling for the mighty ZambeziA newly expanded airport could make access to southern Africa's jewels easier. David Wickers went to see what's on offer
• Eurostar passengers stranded for hours after train hits debris 'thrown on to track'Eurostar passengers were stranded for five hours after their train ploughed into debris on the track and several carriages apparently filled with smoke.

Manchester Evening News

• A rail revolution: Will mobile technology herald the end of the orange train ticket? Virgin Trains launches mobile ticketing on West Coast Mainline as the rail minister says it will help the government get rid of paper tickets

The York Press

• Smart train tickets being launched for phones PASSENGERS will shortly be able to use their smart phones to travel on the Virgin Trains East Coast route from York to London and Edinburgh.

Blackpool Gazette

• No new plans yet for former port ferry siteMore than five years since freight ferry operator Stena left its Fleetwood site, speculation remains over the empty piece of prime river-front land.

Crewe Chronicle

• The new rule that could see road tax treble in 2017 How a small added option could cost you big when the new Vehicle Excise Duty rules are introduced.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Residents vent anger at rail crossing closure bidMore than 200 people turned out in a show of opposition against plans to close a “much valued” barrow crossing at a public meeting in a north Suffolk town.

Get West London

• Airlines soar up the ranks in the Fly Quiet league thanks to newer, quieter planesOne of the biggest movers was Virgin Atlantic, which has added quieter 787 Dreamliners to its fleet
• Record number of students from west London attend Heathrow jobs and career fairPrevious years attendees look back on what the Heathrow jobs fair has done for their careers
• Treacherous cycling facilities at Heathrow not up to scratch, claims workerTreacherous cycle paths and poor security are preventing more employees from taking to their bikes, says T4 worker

Other Regional Press

• Plaid pledge to the people of the NorthPutting pressure on the Westminster government to fast-track the electrification of the North Wales main railway link, ensuring an economic recovery is felt in every community in Wales and cutting business rates for small, local businesses were among other promises Ms Wood announced.
• Newport Transport confirm buses to return to High Street following traders' campaign NEWPORT Transport have confirmed that buses are returning to High Street, subject to the Traffic Commissioner’s approval.
• Decision to cut bus services is slammed as a ‘disaster’Major changes to buses in the centre of Preston have been revealed.
• Lower Thames Crossing: Battle plans at the ready to save their countryside Villagers fight plans to build Thames Crossing near their homes... with the support of a jogging MP.

C.N.N.

• Virgin Galactic unveils new spaceship

Bus and Coach.com

• Metrolink tram tickets for ‘get me there’ app
• Judging for 2016 UK Coach Awards
• New report highlights low carbon buses
• Transport minister confirms intention to enable franchising in Buses Bill
• New Stagecoach Falcon service links south west destinations
• Merseytrvel's Walrus smart ticketing the one million mark

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• TfL announces funding for transformative street-improvement trialsFour innovative schemes that will transform streets in the Capital have been awarded grants as part of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Future Streets Incubator Fund. The fund, which is one element of the Mayor’s £4bn Road Modernisation Plan, has been created to encourage creative and more effective uses of the Capital’s limited road space and help alleviate the pressures on the network. By funding original on-street projects, it is designed to trigger innovation that will lead to long-term improvements across London, addressing congestion, overcrowding, air quali...

Aviation Industry

• Why airlines' frequent-flier programs are now rewarding big spendersTravelers check in at the United Airlines ticket counter at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Major airlines' frequent-flier programs have switched from not only rewarding distances traveled but also money spent.
• BA and Iberia sign Travelport merchandising technology dealBritish Airways and Iberia have announced an agreement with Travelport that sees both airlines sign up to Travelport's Rich Content and Branding platform.

Other News Sources

• Virgin Atlantic helps Heathrow reduce noiseHeathrow has published its latest Fly Quiet league results - ranking airlines' noise performance from October to December 2015 - which reflect a trend towards newer, quieter planes at Heathrow, with airlines like Virgin Atlantic making substantive changes in their fleet over the last three months alone.