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

Tuesday, 05 April 2016

BBC News

• Street race drivers 'will be jailed'Car cruisers breaking an injunction to take part in street racing will be jailed, say police and councillors.
• New 'congestion-busting' busway opensA �75m new guided busway aimed at reducing congestion in Greater Manchester opens.
• VIDEO: Strolling swan holds up city trafficSwan takes a casual stroll along a road in Manchester city centre bringing Monday morning traffic to standstill.
• Passenger bitten by 'nutter at 40,000ft'A man needs hospital treatment after being bitten on a Heathrow-bound British Airways flight.
• 'Demeaning' duck absent from statueA statue of railway engineer Sir Nigel Gresley is due to be unveiled at King's Cross station - with the notable absence of a duck to keep him company.
• UK freezes Airbus export supportUK authorities freeze all applications by Airbus for government export credits while the company's use of overseas agents is reviewed.
• Airbus in EU exit investment warningAirbus, one of the world's largest aerospace firms, writes to its 15,000 UK employees warning about the risks of voting to leave the European Union.
• Alaska Air to acquire Virgin AmericaAlaska Air Group agrees to acquire fellow airline Virgin America in a $4bn deal, to create the fifth-largest US airline.

Financial Times

• Alaska reaches for sky with Virgin dealDeal creates fifth-biggest US carrier with strong California foothold

The Guardian

• Has Transport for London found a way to stop you being groped on the tube?A year on from the launch of the powerful Report It to Stop It campaign aimed at tackling sexual harassment, the team behind it weighs up the impactIt started with a number. In 2013 Transport for London conducted a survey on the safety of passengers travelling in the capital. The results came back: around one in seven women had experienced unwanted sexual behaviour (USB) – including staring, groping, being made to feel uncomfortable – on public transport in the previous 12 months. But “what really caused us concern”, says Siwan Hayward, TfL’s deputy director of enforcement and on-street operat...
• Air France allows female cabin crew to refuse Iran route in headscarf rowAirline backs down over dress code for Tehran flights after unions insist route should be staffed on voluntary basisAir France’s female flight attendants will be allowed to refuse to work the company’s new route to Iran, the company has said. Unions for the airline’s cabin crew held talks with management after several female crew members opposed an order to wear a headscarf in Iran. Continue reading...
• Cheaper petrol ends as UK pump prices riseRAC says prices have risen 3.4p a litre on average – the first increase on the forecourts since July 2015Motorists have been warned that the period of lower fuel prices is over after the cost of petrol rose last month for the first time since July 2015.Experts said the 3.4p a litre rise in average pump prices to 105p was a result of oil reaching $40 (£28) a barrel for the first time since early December. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Sturgeon's £10bn deal with firm owned by "grossly corrupt" Chinese construction giantNICOLA Sturgeon has signed a potential multi-billion pound investment deal with a firm owned by a Chinese construction giant implicated in "gross corruption" on an industrial scale.
• Major safety concerns if public road through revamped plant is reopened, says Grangemouth bossTHE owner of the massive petrochemicals plant at Grangemouth said the re-opening of a public road through site threw up major public safety concerns.

The Scotsman

• ‘Good times’ for motorists to end as petrol price risesMotorists have been warned that the period of lower fuel prices is over after the cost of petrol rose last month for the first time since July 2015.

Mail Online

• Austrian man's bomb joke sparks terror alert at Vienna airport Airport officials had the last laugh when they dragged the 35-year-old man away from other passengers and a full search was undertaken after he made the poor taste jokes in Vienna.
• Traffic in Manchester brought to a standstill by self-important SWAN Footage of the brazen bird strutting along the white line between two lanes - so as to block traffic on both sides - was captured by an amused onlooker on Great Ancoats Street in Manchester this morning.

The Mirror

• Bad news for Britain’s drivers as rocketing oil prices spell the end of cheap fuelMarch saw the price of petrol rise by more than 5p a litre and diesel by nearly 4p after oil producing countries agreed to freeze production

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• REVEALED: The roads and bridges Bradford Council will repair with �2.5m Government flood grant COUNCIL bosses have identified more than 20 flood-damaged bridges, roads and footpaths which will be repaired thanks to a �2.5 million Government handout.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Network Rail opposes Arriva plan to increase trains to Manchester Airport Arriva Trains Wales want to run 57 direct trains from North Wales - but Network Rail say it would bring 'unmanageable pressure'

London Evening Standard

• Every London black cab will take card payments by OctoberEvery black cab in London will take card payments by October under plans published today.
• Paddington station 'chaos' after signal failureA signal problem has caused "absolute chaos" at Paddington station this evening.
• Rush hour misery on Southeastern trains after signal failure at LewishamCommuters faced more misery this morning after a major signalling problem caused severe disruption on one of the busiest routes into London.
• Metropolitan line stations from Aldgate to Wembley Park face two years of early closuresTrains serving a swathe of Metropolitan line stations will stop early three evenings a week for more than two years as part of engineering works, transport chiefs have announced.
• Busy west London road closed for three-hour kitten rescueA busy west London road had to be partially closed this morning after a kitten got stuck in a van's engine and stayed there for three hours.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• HS2: EU to pay just £30m to £55bn projectThe EU will pay just £30 million towards controversial HS2 – a fraction of its £55 billion price tag, it has emerged.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• The cost of potholes to millions of driversThe cost of damage caused by potholes on the region’s roads is among the highest in the UK, it has been revealed.
• ‘Good times’ at an end as cost of petrol risesMotorists have been warned that the period of lower fuel prices is over after the cost of petrol rose last month for the first time since July 2015.

Blackpool Gazette

• Lancashire’s rail passengers promised new trains and faster journeysRail passengers across Lancashire have been promised new trains and faster journeys under a “new look” franchise.
• Blackpool cabbies ‘horrendous’ traffic warning over tram plansBlackpool cabbies today warned plans to run trams up Talbot Road will cause “horrendous” congestion on the Promenade.

Daventry Express

• Thousands attend free road safety event at Northamptonshire circuitMore than 3,000 visitors attended a free road safety event organised by Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service in Corby.
• Cars left in way of Northamptonshire road resurfacing will be moved by a contractorDrivers are being warned of miles of loose chippings on Northamptonshire roads as the county council begins a round of “extensive” road repairs.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Police encourage drivers to be on the lookout for motorcyclistsPolice are encouraging drivers to be on the lookout for motorcyclists as seasonal bikers start returning to the roads.
• “Reckless and dangerous” youths ‘dicing with death’ after train hits concrete blocks placed on Peterborough tracksYouths were described as ‘dicing with death’ after a train hit concrete blocks they had placed on a railway track in Peterborough.

Reading Evening Post

• Over 800,000 Volkswagen cars recalled - is yours on the list? Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne models have been recalled over faulty pedals.
• Reading Buses diverted during Tilehurst Road worksRoutes 18, Royal Blue 33 and 33a will be affected from Monday, April 4 until Sunday, April 10

Sunderland Echo

• Major roadworks begin for new Sunderland bridgeDrivers are coping with delays as major roadworks begin for the New Wear Crossing project.

West Sussex Gazette

• Consultation deadline looms on future of discount travel card for young peopleA consultation on the future of a card offering young people discounted bus travel in West Sussex is set to close on Friday (April 8).

Other Regional Press

• Popular ship passes underneath the Severn Bridge ONE of Britain’s most travelled excursion ships was back on the Severn Estuary on the weekend.
• Railway between Dover and Folkestone rebuilt at cost of �44mA stretch of railway destroyed in bad weather will not reopen until December... after a multi-million pounds refit.
• Passenger Sally Zimmermann steers bus to safety after driver has heart attack on M20 even though she can't driveWhen a coach driver suffered a heart attack, a hero passenger narrowly managed to avoid a serious motorway crash - even though she can't drive.
• New bus link for Portlanders to start next week A NEW bus that connects Portland communities to the commercial bus route to Weymouth will start in next week.
• Is this the end of paper passports?Passports could soon be a thing of the past, with paperless travel documents being pioneered by a UK company.
• Commuters’ fury at rail service change proposalsHundreds of angry Wigan commuters have slammed plans to change the destination of trains heading into Manchester.
• Call for road alterationsCampaigners calling for a town centre pedestrian zone to be scrapped and one-way streets changed have handed in a petition to Wigan Council.
• Tailgating the number one cause of road rageMore than half of British drivers say that tailgating is the ultimate trigger for road rage, a recent study has reported.
• Thamesdown Transport advises of Rodbourne Road diversions BUS passengers have been warned to expect some changes to their services later this month when Rodbourne Road closes for almost a month.
• East Oxford teenager takes on city's poor road safety A TEENAGER is single-handedly on a mission to tackle the city's
• Cycle festival will double in size WALLINGFORD'S festival of cycling is to double in size when it returns to the town this year.
• Critics slam 'crazy' new road speed rules SPEED limit campaigners in Hampshire could have to wait for accidents before action is taken under new rules branded “crazy” by critics.
• Company criticised for writing to employees to tell them about "risks" of leaving EU AEROSPACE giant Airbus has written to its 2,000 Hampshire employees warning of the risks of leaving the European Union, prompting criticism from Southampton’s pro-Brexit MP.
• Stevenage-based Airbus Defence and Space urges UK-based staff to vote to stay in June’s EU referendumMajor Stevenage employer Airbus Defence and Space has today written to its 15,000 UK-based staff warning about the risks of voting to leave the European Union in June’s referendum – but it insists that regardless of the result their jobs are not in danger.

Forbes

• Alaska Airlines To Buy Virgin America For $2.6B Creating Windfall For Billionaire Richard BransonAlaska Airlines and Virgin America, two of the most profitable and best performing airlines, are merging in an effort to create the nation's fifth largest carrier with an increased presence in high growth cities such as Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington and New York City.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Smart steps for public transport as tickets sold onboardSmartcard tickets are now being sold on buses and trams in South Yorkshire.  Passengers buying selected 7-Day tickets will be able to use their TravelMaster or StagecoachSmart smartcard, or will be given one for the first time, instead of a paper pass by their driver or conductor.  Smartcard users can also buy 1-Day tickets, including CityBus and CityWide in Sheffield, RConnect in Rotherham and SYConnect across South Yorkshire on most buses and trams, and Stagecoach dayrider tickets on any Stagecoach bus or tram.  South Yorkshire’s smartcard scheme aims to change how pas...
• Launch of new intercity rail operator signals start of �500m investment into rail operations in the North and ScotlandThe TransPennine Express franchise (TPE), operated by FirstGroup, takes over the reins of intercity rail operations in the North and Scotland today. Over the next seven years TPE will oversee an investment of more than £500m which will transform rail services across the North of England and Scotland. This investment will lead to an 80 per cent rise in capacity at the busiest times of the day and increase connections between the largest cities in the North and Scotland by 55 per cent by 2019. 220 brand new carriages will be introduced by 2020, providing an additional 13m seats a year. Th...
• Autonomous trucks flock to Europe's roadsDroves of autonomous trucks have begun to make their way across Europe as part of the European Truck Platooning Challenge. The so-called platoons are set for arrival in the Port of Rotterdam on Tuesday 6th April, reports Logistics Manager. Using smart technology, the autonomous trucks will be able to communicate with each other for the purpose of keeping within a set distance of each other. The idea behind this technology keeping them in proximity is to help reduce overall fuel consumption. By doing this in a platoon, it makes the amount of fuel that is used easier to record and it could also ...
• Scotland’s first electric bus service celebrates 100,000milesThe first fully-electric bus to be used for a local bus service in Scotland recently celebrated 100,000 miles in service.  The bus launched in November 2013 by Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Transport and Veterans, operates on the service, which links the ferry ports at Cairnryan to the railway station in Stranraer.  The 27 seat Optare Solo battery-powered bus is operated by McLeans of Stranraer, was part-funded through the Scottish Government’s Green Bus Fund and is supported by the Regional Transport Partnership SWestrans. Optare electric buses have zero tailpipe emissions a...
• HRH Princess Royal to Address Microlise Transport Conference Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Patron of international transport development charity Transaid will deliver the keynote speech at the Microlise Transport Conference.  The Princess Royal is no stranger to the road haulage industry and in addition to her patronages, has a Class 2 heavy goods vehicle licence and is an honorary member of the Road Haulage Association (RHA).  The Microlise Transport Conference, taking place on 18 May at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, is now the largest road transport conference in Europe and includes a full day’s programme supported by three s...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Preferred central corridor for East West Rail announcedThe central section of East West Rail will go through the Bedford-Sandy-Cambridge corridor, it was announced today. Network Rail chose their preferred route after considering 20 options. It will publish the methodology behind the decision and begin a further consultation process in May. The...
• HS2 seeking partners for phase 2 contracts worth over �500mHS2 is seeking bids for two new contracts worth over £400m for phase 2 of the high-speed rail project. One contract, worth £130 - £170m, is for a phase 2 development partner, who will provide project management services and support in managing professional service contracts for...
• Manchester Victoria and Salford Central stations reopen following Ordsall Chord workManchester Victoria and Salford Central stations reopened today following 10-day closures for the Ordsall Chord project. During the blockade Network Rail engineers moved track, widened the Middlewood viaduct, installed a new bridge and strengthened railway arches. The Chord will connect...

Railnews

• Inquiry launched into Plymouth collision The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has launched an inquiry into a collision between two trains at Plymouth station on the afternoon of 3 April in which 18 people were reported hurt, although none seriously. The accident involved two Great Western trains.

Aviation Industry

• EasyJet bases 10th aircraft at Berlin SchoenefeldUK low-cost carrier (LCC) EasyJet will base its 10th Airbus A320 family aircraft at Berlin Schoenefeld Airport and plans to launch new routes to Bordeaux, Toulouse, Pristina and Catania this spring. read more
• Tianjin Airlines to launch Gatwick servicesFlights could start June 25

Other News Sources

• STOP THIS MADNESS: Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and Burnley in top five boroughs for child road casualties HEADTEACHERS and road safety campaigners have issued a ‘stop this madness’ plea over poor parking and fast driving which puts schoolchildren at risk.
• Critics slam 'crazy' new road speed rules SPEED limit campaigners in Hampshire could have to wait for accidents before action is taken under new rules branded “crazy” by critics.
• Safety measures announced for Lightwater road but Bagshot High Street to miss out Highways chiefs have been prompted by petitions to announce new measure for Red Road
• Best or worst driver – which are you?Truck drivers often bear the brunt of motorists’ complaints but new figures suggest they’re actually the fourth BEST drivers on our roads. ...
• Patients face delays following takeover of transport services PATIENTS missed hospital appointments and faced delays because of technical hitches in a new transport service.
• Brittany Ferries Goes GreenFrench�ferry operator�Brittany Ferries has entered the final phase of its�GBP 60 million (USD 85.1 million) project to install�scrubbers to six cruise-ferries in its fleet. According to the company, these exhaust systems, which were installed during an�18-month period,�strip sulphur from funnel emissions and cut particulate output. Brittany Ferries’ flagship, the 2004-built�Pont-Aven, is�the last of the six […]
• Wireless charging system for electric vehiclesResearchers at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a 20-kilowatt wireless charging system for electric vehicles. According to the scientists, the system has achieved 90 per cent efficiency and functions at three times the rate of the plug-in systems commonly used for electric vehicles today. For the demonstration, the […]