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

Friday, 10 June 2016

BBC News

• St Helena airport delayed due to danger of high windsThe opening of an airport on the island of St Helena has been delayed indefinitely due to safety fears - amid warnings it could increase the cost to the UK government.
• Uber fined in France over UberPopA court in France fines Uber for running an illegal transport service through its UberPop service.
• Twitter to provide Tube alerts serviceLondon Tube and rail passengers will be able to get travel tweet alerts about delays straight to their mobile phones as part of a new deal between the social networking giant and Transport for London (TfL).
• Snow mobilesWhy is Norway - population five million - embracing electric cars with such enthusiasm?
• Tesla introduces two cheaper versions of Model STesla Motors on Thursday introduced two new lower priced versions of its Model S that could be on US roads by July.
• Oil sector job losses 'to reach 120,000 by end of year'The downturn in the UK oil and gas sector is expected to have led to 120,000 job losses by the end of the year, according to a report.

Financial Times

• Flybe eyes European expansionRegional airline’s cost-cutting drive pays off with rise in sales and profit turnround
• Troubled Fastjet appoints new chiefBezuidenhout is poached from South African airline to turn round airline
• KLM attacks Air France over pilot strikeDutch partner in Air France-KLM warns the action during Euro 2016 will damage the whole group
• Virgin Australia gets new Chinese stakeholderNanshan Group to take about 20% stake in Australian carrier, following investment by HNA last month

The Guardian

• MH370 search: two more pieces of plane debris found in MadagascarAustralian investigators will examine two items from Madagascar and one from Kangaroo Island off Australia’s south coastTwo pieces of debris discovered in Madagascar by a man who previously found a part “almost certainly” from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will be examined by investigators to see if it, too, came from the missing plane, Australian officials have said.The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said on Friday it had been contacted by Blaine Gibson, an American adventurer who has been hunting for the aircraft over the past year. In March, Gibson found plane debris off the coa...

Times Online

• Heathrow passengers drop as slots squeezed [Heathrow]The number of passengers flying out of Heathrow fell by more than 50,000 last month as a result of a squeeze on slots at Europe’s busiest airport.
• Mayor breaks election vow to freeze fares [subscription]The mayor of London has reneged on his central campaign promise to freeze travel fares across the city just a month into his leadership.
• Time to end dangerous street lights blackout, says AA [subscription]New laws may be needed to prevent councils switching off street lights after 11 people died on unlit roads in five years, MPs have been told.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 'Disastrous' Flintshire car parking charges are 'here to stay'Council review reveals it is not possible to axe the scheme or introduce ‘free after 3pm’ initiative as it would reduce income levels by £80,000

Derby Telegraph

• Bombardier Derby secures multi-million pound dealA TRAIN-leasing firm has placed another order worth millions of pounds with Derby's Bombardier for a fleet of new trains.

London Evening Standard

• 'Anti-pollution squads' to target London drivers who leave engines idlingDrivers who leave their engines idling are to be targeted across London.
• Hundreds of Eurostar passengers forced to sleep in St Pancras departure loungeHundreds of passengers were stranded in Calais for around four hours and then forced to sleep at St Pancras International station last night after their Eurostar service broke down on its way to Paris.
• Tube fares row: Sadiq Khan insists he has not broken his election pledgeSadiq Khan today denied he had misled Londoners after a backlash over his fares freeze policy.
• Airline Flybe climbs into the black for first time since listingFlybe today flew into profit for the first time since it floated in London in 2010 as the regional carrier often filled with SNP MPs en route to Westminster reported an increase in passenger numbers.
• Revealed: the average cost of buying a home near every Tube stopThe official London Underground map has been redrawn to show average property prices near every Tube stop...
• Letters to the editor: Diesel, a great enemy of clean airTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is right to suggest a tax increase on diesel vehicles to tackle their emissions and clean up our air, after the mistake of encouraging them to reduce CO2 emissions in response to climate-change targets (June 7). But we also need a diesel car scrappage scheme, and for those who have got rid of their diesel particulate filters (DPFs) to be prosecuted.

Manchester Evening News

• Descendant of rail pioneer George Stephenson gives blessing to Ordsall ChordThe engineer built the first public inter-city railway in Manchester - now descendent has backed a new rail scheme

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• What will the speed limit be on the A1 in Gateshead when works finish at the end of June? We take a look back at the ups and downs of the A1 Gateshead roadworks as the finishing touches are put to the multi-million pound scheme

The York Press

• How your parking money will pay for road improvements in North Yorkshire MONEY made from parking meters in North Yorkshire is to be spent on transport projects and schemes that encourage people to walk and cycle around the county.

Yorkshire Post

• Brexit a threat to HS2 and HS3 in Yorkshire, says CameronFLAGSHIP high speed rail projects designed to connect the North of England may not be completed if Britain leaves the EU, David Cameron has warned.

Bucks Free Press

• Cycle lane for notorious road - despite fears it is 'an accident waiting to happen' A cycle lane network could be set up on a notorious road in Cressex, despite councillors fearing “it’s an accident waiting to happen” with the high volume of cars and lorries in High Wycombe.

Burnley Express

• Police spot check on taxis found 71per cent were defective A “STAGGERING and unacceptable” 71 per cent off taxis tested at the roadside have been deemed unsafe during spot checks in Pendle.

North Wales Live

• Mural opened by Queen set to be wiped - then reinstated - in �340m Liverpool railway investment plan Trowbridge Street artwork had to be rushed to be finished in time for Her Majesty's Mersey trip

Reading Evening Post

• Reading Buses open day takes a look into the future Future-gazing and a bus cavalcade are among the attractions at this year's Reading Buses open day

Other Regional Press

• Hydrogen car trial given go-ahead in Monmouthshire A
• Final approval for central Oxford rail link to London Marylebone could be given this month WORK to finish a direct rail link between central Oxford and London Marylebone could be given the go-ahead within weeks.
• Take a look inside the hi-tech Hitachi factory building hundreds of new carriagesFirst real look at the sleek new trains which will use the East Coast Main Line from 2018
• New �500,000 First Class Lounge at Huddersfield Railway Station makes room for famous petStation gets First Class facility — and special place for Felix the cat

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Next phase in development of under-19s bus travelStudents have been given an exciting opportunity to develop their talents through a new partnership between Reading Buses and Reading College. For the target of Reading Buses is to attract more under 19’s to use the bus now and in the future. After three years of operating their Solo scheme for under 19s bus travel, Reading Buses is looking for a sensational re-brand which takes the scheme forward for the next two or three years. And the students are helping the bus operator to inform how new branding should move forward to meet the criteria. Said Jake Osman, Reading Buses Marketing and ...

Rail Magazine

• Lift work closes Lambeth NorthLambeth North Tube station will close on July 13 and re-open in February 2017.
• Arriva confirms internet dealArriva UK Trains has signed a long-term framework deal with Icomera for internet provision.
• Stephenson relative inspects ChordA relative of railway pioneer George Stephenson visited the Ordsall Chord construction site on June 9, to view the latest progress.
• Prototype D-Train almost ready for main line testingVivarail’s prototype Class 230 D-Train is now running as a three-car unit.
• Khan accused of fares freeze U-turnMayor of London Sadiq Khan has been accused of breaking pre-election promises to freeze fares on public transport in the capital.
• HS2 Phase 2 decision due dateA final decision on the route of Phase 2 of High Speed 2 will be made in the autumn.

Rail Technology Magazine

• ORR unveils route-based regulation proposals for NR devolution The first route-based regulation proposals have been published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), including separate financial arrangements and outputs for each route. Under the proposed framework, which will be included in the ORR’s 2018 period review, each of England’s eight...
• GTR to close ticket offices, but promises staff will remain at stationsGovia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is to close ticket offices or reduce the hours they are available at 83 stations, but has promised the reforms will be subject to consultation with Transport Focus and London Travel Watch. GTR said that the closures would affect 83 of its busier stations on the...
• UK light rail usage at record highTram usage in England is at a record high, with increased numbers of passenger journeys and vehicle miles, the latest annual figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) show. In 2015-16, the number of passenger journeys increased by 5.8% from the previous year to 252 million, the highest...
• GTR and RMT resume brokered talks over DOO disputeRMT and GTR have re-entered talks in a bid to resolve a bitter dispute over the installation of driver-operated only (DOO) services. The talks are now being brokered by Acas, which recently had success in bringing about a resolution to the junior doctors’ contract strikes. But the...

Railway Gazette

• European Parliament backs rail suppliersEUROPE: Voting in Strasbourg on June 9, the European Parliament endorsed by a large majority a...
• Level crossing safety campaign focuses on older people INTERNATIONAL: Railways and transport authorities in 40 countries around the world are...

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair plans to become ‘Amazon of air travel’Airline wants to launch Ryanair Rooms accommodation platform later this year

Other News Sources

• Jonathan Coen promoted to commercial director at HeathrowJonathan Coen has been appointed as Heathrow airport’s new commercial director following Brian Woodhead’s decision to leave the company.
• Arriva shines a light on its UK bus starsArriva’s annual internal awards scheme recently celebrated the best in the business, with females dominating the list of winners   Arriva engineer Pamela Chapman was one of six female winners in this year’s M.A.D. Awards scheme   There are plenty of award schemes that recognise transport industry faces and initiatives, but what about recognising those that go above and beyond their day-to-day role within a business? Arriva’s UK bus division has run its annual M.A.D. Awards (that stands for Made A Difference, by the way) for the last four years. It aims to shine a light on some of the...
• ‘Remove travel passes from rail managers’FirstGroup CIO says managers don’t see the problems users face   FirstGroup chief information officer Dave Lynch at last week’s HackTrain Conference   FirstGroup chief information officer Dave Lynch is planning to push for rail passes to be removed from managers at the group’s train operating companies so that they can experience the frustrations passengers face in using the system first hand. He challenged other owning groups to work with First to implement the plan at all operators.
• Congestion is a ‘disease’ that could kill busesAuthor of new report on the impact of congestion on bus passengers says Bus Services Bill should encourage setting of targets for average bus speeds   Buses in rush hour in Manchester city centre   “Traffic congestion is a disease which if left unchecked will destroy the bus sector,” warns Professor David Begg in a new report for the pan-industry Greener Journeys campaign group. “This is a dire and sensational prediction, but the evidence uncovered in this research leads to no other conclusion,” the former chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport writes in his report, The Imp...
• HackTrain: The force is with themInfectious enthusiasm and bright ideas were on display at last week’s HackTrain Conference. But there were also some difficult questions for the rail industry     This was a transport conference like no other. The presentations were positive and pacey, and many of the speakers held lightsabres as they addressed an audience of 250 in London last week. This was the HackTrain Conference, an event that brought Silicon Valley-style free thinking and dynamism to the rail industry, exploring how innovation and technology can address customer service and operational issues. The enthusiasm of...
• Out now: Issue 136 of Passenger TransportIssue 136 of Passenger Transport is published on June 10 Contents include:     LEAD STORY The force is with them Infectious enthusiasm and bright ideas were on display at last week’s HackTrain Conference. But there were also some difficult questions for the rail industry   NEWS Khan accused of breaking fares pledge New mayor has confirmed that single and pay-as-you-go fares on Transport for London networks will be frozen but the costs of Travelcards will not Congestion is a ‘disease’ that could kill buses Author of new report on the impact of congestion on bus passengers says Bu...
• Trailblazer LGV Driver Apprenticeship funding allocation – a step in right direction says FTAThe news that a funding cap for the Supply Chain and Logistics LGV Standard has now been agreed has been welcomed by the Freight Transport ...