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

Monday, 14 November 2016

BBC News

• Croydon falls silent to remember tram crash victimsThe people of Croydon fall silent in remembrance of the seven victims of Wednesday's tram crash.

The Guardian

• Going driverless: can self-driving cars gain public trust or will they be derailed?Driverless vehicles could cut road deaths, reduce congestion and even help elderly people. But without investment and trust they face a bumpy ride
• Briton Ben Hooper begins world-record attempt to swim across Atlantic OceanGloucestershire man, 38, sets off on five-month journey from Senegal to Brazil that will see him strive to swim a total of 1,900 miles for up to 10 hours a day After a delayed start, a former British policeman aiming to swim across the Atlantic finally set off Sunday from Senegal, bound for Brazil more than 1,900 miles (3,000km) away.“Here we go,” said 38-year-old Ben Hooper, as he tugged on his goggles and said goodbye to loved ones and supporters on the beach of a hotel in Hann Bay, in the east of Dakar. Continue reading...

Times Online

• Ex-driver blames erratic shifts for tram crash [subscription]Drivers’ erratic shift patterns may have contributed to the Croydon tram crash that killed seven and injured dozens, a former driver has suggested. The unnamed man, who worked on the trams for six years, said the crash happened on a “nasty bend”, which was “the only point of the whole network that worried me while I was a driver”.

Mail Online

• ONE driver is fined for smoking in the car with children since the law was introduced Ministers made it illegal to light up in a vehicle carrying anyone under the age of 18 in the UK from October 2015. Only a single �50 penalty was issued in the first 12 months.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Leeds Bradford Airport soars to record turnover CLIMBING passenger numbers have pushed turnover at Leeds Bradford Airport to record levels.

London Evening Standard

• London-bound Thomas Cook flight makes emergency landing after collision with 50 storksA London-bound flight was forced to make an emergency landing after colliding with a flock of around 50 storks.

Northern Echo

• Call for action on problem pathways A NATIONAL walkers group is calling on residents to take ownership of rural pathways.

Wales Online

• Christmas engineering works will mean train services will end early on Christmas EveLevel crossings in South Wales will be closed to allow the final stage of works to be completed
• 'A capital city, not being able to cater for big events, is an embarrassment' - passenger anger after Super SaturdayFans have complained they were unable to get back from Wales' football game from local stations
• We need train times of less than 30 minutes between Cardiff and Bristol says council leader Phil BaleHe has been called a 'traitor" by some for looking to work more closely with Bristol, but the leader of Cardiff council worries about those you don't see the big picture

Blackpool Gazette

• ‘We’ll listen to tram objections’Department for Transport bosses are taking on board objections to Blackpool’s £18m tramway extension despite ruling out a public inquiry into the scheme.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Greater Anglia train wi-fi delayed, but weekend services to London resume – for nowAs weekend rail services between East Anglia and London resumed for a lull in the engineering work between now and Christmas, it emerged that some passengers will have to wait until the end of the year for promised wi-fi on trains.

Other Regional Press

• Campaign for Better Transport calls on the government and train operating companies to introduce flexible ticketing for part-time workers.A campaign to introduce a fairer and more flexible rail season tickets for part-time workers has been launched in an attempt drag the current system into modernity
• Resort rail upgrade remains on scheduleNetwork Rail insists it remains on track to complete the upgrade of Blackpool’s rail lines by May 2018.
• The little bus that's making a big difference A LIFELINE has been handed to rural communities after a �500,000 cut to Dorset's transport budget.

C.N.N.

• AirlineRatings names 'most excellent' airlines for 2017AirlineRatings.com has named its best airlines of 2017, with Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Etihad all placing high on the leaderboard.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Economy ‘double whammy’ means rail investment still safe under BrexitThere are no signs that rail investment will slow down as a result of Brexit because it is related to the UK economy rather than to whether we’re in or out of the EU, a senior Network Rail figure has said.

Other News Sources

• DB Cargo Improves Production CapabilitiesFreight and infrastructure specialists DB Cargo UK have announced the grand opening of a new wheel lathe facility in Toton, Nottinghamshire, which will significantly improve the company’s manufacturing and production capabilities.