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

Thursday, 25 February 2016

BBC News

• Taxi drivers suspended for fare refusalFive Cardiff taxi drivers have their hackney licences suspended for refusing short fares.
• Nissan Leaf electric car hack revealedA researcher reveals a flaw that allows Nissan Leaf cars' heating and air-conditioning systems to be hijacked, and journey data leaked.
• Calls for noisy Night Tube line repairsLabour London Assembly Member Val Shawcross calls for parts of the Underground network which are causing noise disturbance to be fixed before the Night Tube service starts.
• 'Heathrow 13' protesters avoid jailThirteen climate change protesters, whose demonstration at Heathrow caused 25 flights to be cancelled, are handed six-week suspended jail sentences.

Department for Transport

• Trains, planes, buses and brainsTransport must do more for mental health, says Transport Minister Andrew Jones.
• George Bradshaw address 2016Transport Secretary reaffirms the government’s commitment to the rail sector and the importance of continually embracing technology.

Financial Times

• Manchester airport calls for tax holiday on new long-haul routesThe head of Manchester airport is calling for an airport tax holiday on new long haul routes and publishing data that claims Britain’s regional airports are slipping behind their European peers because of costs.

The Guardian

• While London rides the Crossrail gravy train, the north is stuck in reverseVanity megaprojects in the capital like the Elizabeth line and HS2 always win Whitehall battles, and can only spell doom for provincial spending
• Elizabeth Line: why name a tube track after the person least likely to use it?Crossrail is the latest line to be named for the Queen. But Elizabeth Line is also the name of an American woman – who you’re probably more likely to spot minding the gap Name: Elizabeth Line.Appearance: Long, modern. Continue reading...

The Herald

• MSPs told government did not interfere in shelved Forth Road Bridge plansThe decision to shelve plans to replace parts of the Forth Road Bridge - including the area containing the defect which caused the December closure - was taken without interference from the Scottish Government, MSPs have been told.

The Telegraph

• Train staff criticised for announcing that services were delayed because a woman was having a miscarriageThe train company was accused of 'disgusting behaviour' as passengers took to social media to complain

Times Online

• Heathrow is in for the long haul as profits jump [subscription]Profits at Heathrow soared by more than a fifth last year, despite fears that its growth is being constrained by political dithering over a third runway.

Mail Online

• EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: The Queen gets her second Tube line - but she still doesn't have her own airport Her first 25 years on the throne were marked by the Jubilee Line in 1979, and now Crossrail will be renamed the Elizabeth Line - but no airport has been named after her as yet.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham's bus garage has cleaner air than the street outsideAir in National Express Digbeth depot cleaner thanks to green buses

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Drone footage reveals Conwy Valley line being repaired after floodsThis remarkable drone footage shows the Conwy Valley Line being repaired after it was destroyed by atrocious weather over Christmas .
• Airbus ramping up A350 and A330 production in boost to Broughton The news was announced today by the aerospace giant as it revealed a rise in underlying earnings to £4.1bn

London Evening Standard

• 'Very resourceful' train passenger tackles seat shortage by bringing folding chair on boardA train passenger fed up with being unable to secure a seat on their commute took matters into their own hands – by bringing their own seat for the journey.
• London buses 'move more slowly than mice or chickens'Commuters could travel to work through central London faster by riding a donkey than by bus, it has been revealed.
• New Crossrail route map disabled icons 'are wrong'Transport bosses faced criticism from disabled commuters today after stations were apparently mislabelled on the new Crossrail map.

Manchester Evening News

• Impressive fly-through video shows how Manchester Airport will look after £1bn transformationA public square, glass super terminal, bigger taxiways and the latest technology will all play a big part in the revamped airport
• Manchester Airport boss to make rallying call for Northern Powerhouse and HS3 developmentHe will call on the government to improve access across the north and invest in infrastructure to drive up productivity

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Ministers hint at action to protect Newcastle Airport in George Osborne's BudgetThe Budget announcement on March 18 could include steps to protect Newcastle Airport as Scotland prepares to lower air tax

Sheffield Telegraph

• £1.46m Sheffield tram system still ‘fiction’ - eight months laterA ‘real time’ information system for Sheffield trams is still under test and not working correctly - eight months after it was installed.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• NUMBER OF RAIL PASSENGERS DOUBLES IN NORTH-EASTThe number of rail travellers in the North-east has more than doubled in a decade, transport chiefs revealed today....

Wales Online

• Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox tries to stop devolution of Air Passenger Duty to Assembly Liam Fox fears it would put 'state-owned' Cardiff Airport at an advantage over Bristol
• Campaigners who chained themselves to Heathrow railings causing 25 flights to be cancelled avoid jail sentences Three Welsh protesters were among a group of 13 activists from the Plane Stupid group who trespassed onto the north runway

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds MP brands proposed Leeds-Bradford airport link road ‘inadequate’Proposals to improve road links between Leeds and the region’s airport have been dismissed as “completely inadequate” by one of the city’s MPs.

Yorkshire Post

• Approved North Yorkshire plan focuses on improved cross-county travelA plan to improve transport links over the next 30 years has been unanimously approved by North Yorkshire County Council.
• Leeds MP brands proposed Leeds-Bradford airport link road ‘inadequate’Proposals to improve road links between Leeds and the region’s airport have been dismissed as “completely inadequate” by one of the city’s MPs.
• Treasury Minister pleads for time to deliver ‘northern powerhouse’TREASURY Minister Lord Jim O’Neill will today plead for the Government’s ‘northern powerhouse’ plan to be judged over the long term.

Peterborough Telegraph

• British Transport Police arrest two boys after concrete put on Peterborough rail lineTwo boys have been arrested on suspicion of causing an obstruction on a rail line in Peterborough.

Other Regional Press

• Will South Wales' new Metro system impact you? If you travel to South Wales each morning for work or even to go shopping on the weekend, your train journey could be set to change.
• Climbdown over Telford bus station moveTelford’s bus station will not be moved after all following a U-turn by shopping centre owners.
• Public meeting with rail chiefsFollowing a series of complaints and issues with Govia Thameslink services, MP for Hertsmere Oliver Dowden is holding a public meeting with rail chiefs to discuss these issues.

Aviation Industry

• South Africa mulls state-owned airlines merger, seek minority equity partnerFeb 24 South Africa will explore merging two of its state-owned airlines, South African Airways and SA Express, and seek a minority equity partner for the company, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Wednesday. Many of South Africa's 300-odd state entities are a drain on the government's purse and a team commissioned by President Jacob Zuma to review the companies recommended that some companies should be sold.
• NDC criticised for ‘taking too long’Airlines are being “too slow” in implementing new booking services

Other News Sources

• Bus firm ‘sorry’ after letter tells residents service to be scrapped Red faced bus company bosses had to apologise today after villagers were mistakenly told their one remaining bus service was to be scrapped.
• Gov must put superfast broadband along HS2 rail line, says ParliamentAnd not just for 'commercially viable' folk, chide MPs
• Gatwick and Heathrow back EU ‘In’ campaignChief executives of some of the UK’s largest businesses have backed the UK to remain in the European Union.
• Heathrow and Europe: Boris Johnson’s Career Ending MovesThis summer could well be the end of Boris Johnson. If Britain votes to stay in the EU and plans for Heathrow expansion get the go-ahead from the PM, there is arguably no way back for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP who has spent a large chunk of his political career campaigning against both issues.