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

Tuesday, 13 December 2016

BBC News

• Brexit: Welsh ports depend on Irish trade, MP saysYnys Mon MP Albert Owen welcomes a Lords report calling for free movement of people and goods between the UK and Ireland after Brexit.
• Great Western Railway cleaners to strikeCleaners for Great Western Railway are to stage two day-long walkouts before Christmas.
• Southern rail strike: Train drivers begin 48-hour walkoutPassengers face the worst rail disruption yet as a train drivers strike halts Southern services.
• New £41m Edinburgh Gateway interchange opensA new £41m interchange linking rail and tram services opens on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

Financial Times

• Leaked BP report reveals risk of lethal accidentsInternal investigation finds shortcomings in the way oil group monitors plant safety
• Southern warns rail passengers not to travelDispute-hit operator unlikely to run any trains on December 13, 14 and 16

The Guardian

• UK petrol prices could rise by 3p a litre after Opec oil dealProducers’ agreement with Russia, Mexico and Bahrain is likely to add to inflationary pressuresHouseholds face further pressure from rising inflation as experts predicted a surge in petrol prices following an agreement by oil producers to cut global output.The cost of petrol is close to rising above £1.20 a litre in some parts of the UK after a weekend deal between members of the Opec oil cartel and non-Opec countries. Continue reading...
• HS2 accused of brainwashing schoolchildren on high-speed rail routeCampaigners say �280,000 contract to promote the scheme in primary schools near proposed route is OrwellianThe company behind the HS2 rail project has been accused of using Orwellian propaganda tactics after it awarded a �280,000 contract to promote the high-speed rail project to children at primary schools on the proposed route.HS2 Ltd has contracted London-based Hopscotch Consulting to develop an education programme aimed at young children. Continue reading...
• Southern train drivers strike on Tuesday after court rejects appealCourt of appeal’s ruling against franchise owner means industrial action will go ahead for three days this weekA strike by train drivers has brought Southern services to a complete halt on Tuesday after the court of appeal rejected a second attempt by the rail company to block the action. Judges upheld last week’s ruling by the high court to dismiss claims by Southern’s owner, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), that industrial action called by the train drivers’ union, Aslef, infringed rights under European law. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Glasgow Airport direct rail link plan backed by council leadersCouncil leaders have taken another step forward in securing a direct rail link between Glasgow Airport and the city centre.

The Scotsman

• Council bosses back �144m Glasgow Airport direct rail linkCouncil leaders have taken another step forward in securing a direct rail link between Glasgow Airport and the city centre.

The Telegraph

• Union boss behind Southern Rail strikes threatened ministers with a decade of industrial unrest

Times Online

• Southern Fail [ subscription]With a captive clientele of half a million passengers, Southern Rail should be a train operator’s dream. Dependable revenues of up to £5,000 a season ticket should allow it to plan ahead, modernise and at the same time provide a reliable train service for those who live in Sussex, Surrey and Kent and depend on Southern to get them to work in one of the world’s great cities.
• We’ll strike for a decade, rail union tells minister [subscription]Britain’s railways could be hit by a decade of industrial action, unions have warned, as one of the country’s biggest networks was shut by the worst train strike in a generation.

Mail Online

• Croydon tram crash survivors suing TfL and First Group over the tragedy Survivors of the crash have instructed expert injury lawyers to take legal action against transport operators.The injured are calling for lessons to be learned so a similar incident can be avoided.
• Don't travel by train: Warning to commuters as strikers begin 'double whammy' of walkouts� Southern Rail repeated warnings that around 500,000 regular passengers who live south of London should not bother trying to travel as it lost a legal battle to avert the action.
• HS2 accused of brainwashing children who go to school along the proposed route HS2 has been accused of using 'Orwellian' propaganda tactics by inviting children to an education course. Critics say children who will be impacted by the trains will see then as a brilliant idea.

This is Money

• DAILY BRIEFING: Heathrow records its busiest November on record, with 5.72m passengers last month, up 2.5% The airport, which is the Government’s preferred location for boosting runway capacity in south-east England, said growth was driven by the use of larger aircraft.

Bolton News

• Railway station decked out for Christmas season COMMUTERS will get their fill of festive cheer at Westhoughton train station after volunteers pitched in to decorate it for Christmas.

London Evening Standard

• Southern Rail strike: Rail watchdog urged to launch probe into 'deliberate sabotage' of services The rail watchdog is being urged to launch a probe into claims Southern Rail "deliberately sabotaged" services.
• First trains run on high-speed rail link between London Marylebone and OxfordA new �320 million rail link between Oxford and London has now opened.
• Southern Rail passengers entitled to refunds for 15-minute delays to journeys Southern Rail passengers can now apply for refunds for journeys delayed by just 15 minutes.
• Unions snubbed my talks offer, says Chris Grayling as Southern Rail chaos growsTransport Secretary Chris Grayling offered to sit down with union chiefs to try to avert chaos on the Southern Rail network this week but they failed to respond, it was claimed today.
• Croydon tram crash survivors launch legal action against Transport for London Survivors of the Croydon tram crash are taking legal action against transport chiefs over the disaster in which seven people were killed.
• Letters to the editor: Rail devolution would cause havocThe Transport Secretary is quite right to refuse any further devolution of rail services to Transport for London. Until recently, I was a TfL board member and was a great supporter of further devolution.
• Southern Rail strikes: Commuters told not to travel after operator loses High Court appeal over drivers' strikesHundreds of thousands of commuters have been told not to travel for the rest of the week after Southern Rail lost a court bid to halt drivers' strikes.

Manchester Evening News

• Passengers blast transport chiefs following 'frightening' crush at Oxford Road station A broken down freight train sparked transport chaos at the station during rush hour

Sheffield Star

• VIDEO: Platform 0 opens at Doncaster train stationThe new platform 0 has opened at Doncaster train station today, as Virgin East Coast launches its earliest ever train service to London.
• New one-way system on Sheffield road 'could increase risk of crashes'Plans to turn a Sheffield road near a doctor's surgery into a one-way system 'could increase crashes' say police.
• Call for Trans-Pennine Tunnel to properly serve Sheffield city centreA proposed tunnel between Sheffield and Manchester must serve the city centre, according to business leaders.

The York Press

• Invest £3bn in East Coast Mainline to generate £9bn, say councils A £3 BILLION investment in the East Coast Main Line could deliver a £9 billion boost to the UK economy, according to independent research.
• Extra trains introduced on York-Manchester route EXTRA trains are being provided on the route from York to Manchester Airport - a year earlier than originally planned.
• Rail usage up 11% in Selby THE number of passengers using railway stations in the Selby area has soared, highlighting the need to make it easier and safer for passengers with mobility restrictions and heavy luggage.

Yorkshire Post

• HS2 boss says railway could be built faster to YorkshireHIGH speed rail could be delivered three years earlier to Yorkshire if the Government was prepared to spend its budget for the project faster, according to the chairman of HS2.
• YP Comment: An airport with a sky-high ambition – Doncaster leads by exampleIF FAR-REACHING plans to build a direct rail link to Doncaster Sheffield Airport do materialise, there’s no reason why it cannot become this region’s main aviation hub and, in time, rival Manchester and Stansted.

East Anglian Daily Times

• No problems with leaves on the Greater Anglia lines this yearA year after East Anglia’s train services were badly hit by major problems with leaves on the line, rail bosses are celebrating after the autumn of 2016 passed with few incidents.

North Wales Live

• Mersey Tunnels gridlock warning over loop-line renewal workTravel out of peak times or allow more time for journeys, say Merseytravel
• Northern Rail charge woman £410 for a £6.90 journey from Lime StreetShe only realised when her card was declined two days later

Other Regional Press

• Southern Railway owner loses appeal bid to block strikes The owner of Southern Railway has lost its appeal against a judge's refusal to grant an injunction blocking a series of crippling strikes by train drivers.
• Majority of shoppers say no to buses in Cornmarket SHOPPERS have voted overwhelmingly that buses should not be allowed back into Cornmarket Street in Oxford.

Buying Business Travel

• Heathrow posts record November passenger figures5.72 million people passed through the airport last month
• Trainline continues Europe expansionRail ticketing operator offers tickets across Benelux area

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• FirstGroup announces pilot of North America’s first autonomous passenger shuttleFirst Transit, part of UK transport operator FirstGroup, has announced the first autonomous vehicle (AV) passenger shuttle pilot in North America.  Working in partnership with EasyMile, First Transit will pilot the AV passenger shuttle at the Bishop Ranch Office Park in San Ramon, California. The shuttle will connect tenants to multiple transit options including bus, bike and car-sharing services. The AV passenger shuttle will run a fixed-route, stopping at designated stops within the office park. The pilot will begin with two vehicles - each with a customer service agent onboard for pa...
• Crossrail minister takes ride on the Elizabeth line train as testing is set to move to LondonCrossrail Minister Lord (Tariq) Ahmad has joined Bombardier apprentices on a visit to Derby to see progress of the new Elizabeth line carriages. He met Bombardier apprentices during his tour and saw some of the skills and experience they are gaining delivering the new Elizabeth line trains. The minister’s visit follows confirmation that testing of the Elizabeth line trains has moved from Derby and Melton to East London. The train is set to undergo further test runs on the Shenfield to Liverpool Street line in preparation for the first trains to be introduced on this section of the route...

Rail Magazine

• “Landmark day” as Scotland welcomes first new Class 385The first Hitachi Rail Europe Class 385 for ScotRail was unveiled at Glasgow Shields Road on December 11

Rail Technology Magazine

• Switzerland’s Gotthard Base Tunnel enters into service Swiss Travel System has announced that the longest Gotthard Base Tunnel has entered into service.
• Cambridgeshire supplier opens doors to rail after RISQS accreditationCambridgeshire-based construction business Mick George Ltd has successfully been accredited on the Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) and has announced that its doors are open to nationwide rail tenders. The company, which operates predominantly across the East Anglia and...
• Khan calls for end to Southern strikes as GTR launches court appealLondon mayor Sadiq Khan has called for unions to call off strike action on the troubled Southern network. Elsewhere, operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) confirmed that it will appeal against a legal ruling to try to stop the strike. Aslef is due to lead a drivers’ strike from 13 to 16...
• New �41m Edinburgh Gateway station now openThe new £41m Edinburgh Gateway train-tram interchange was officially opened by the Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf last Friday (9 December). The new station, in the west of Edinburgh, will be of great benefit to passengers from Fife and the north of Scotland by granting them easy...
• Innocent fare-dodgers will be able to appeal to new independent bodyPassengers fined for fare-dodging will be able to make an appeal to an independent body, rail minister Paul Maynard has announced. The DfT promised the new body would be independent of train operating companies and their financial owners. Maynard said: “Penalty fares are imposed to deter...
• Crossrail minister rides train as electrification and testing milestones passedCrossrail minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon rode the train for the first time on a visit to the Derby testing facility, previously visited by RTM when the first train was unveiled. The new cross-London rail link passed fresh milestones as the first stretch of the route was electrified, while the...
• Croydon tram crash survivors move to sue TfL and FirstGroupSurvivors of the Croydon tram crash are suing Transport for London (TfL) and FirstGroup for compensation over the trauma they suffered in the disaster. The incident on 9 November this year saw a speeding tram derail on a bend near Sandilands station in Croydon, south London, which killed seven...
• Chiltern's Oxford city centre to London services up and runningThe first commuter services on the £320m rail link connecting Oxford to London Marylebone began today, marking the first new rail link between a major British city and the capital in a century. Chiltern Railways will operate two trains per hour between Oxford and London Marylebone, with...
• Southern tells passengers not to travel after appeal failsSouthern Rail is anticipating such severe disruption because of tomorrow’s Aslef strike that it is warning passengers not to travel at all. The Court of Appeal rejected the latest attempt to get an injunction against the three-day strike, after the initial application made by...
• Iconic Settle-Carlisle line to reopen by 31 March following 'remarkable' worksThe Settle to Carlisle line will finally reopen by 31 March after being closed for over a year following a 500,000 tonne landslip, Network Rail has promised. Northern rail services on the line have been replaced by buses since a section of the gorge bank above the River Eden gave way in poor...

Railnews

• New Oxford to London trains launched Trains have started running on an alternative route between central Oxford and London for the first time since 1963. The first advertised train departed from Oxford at 07.20 this morning, although a few test services ran yesterday. Chiltern Railways is using the modernised line between Oxford and Bicester to provide a half-hourly service between the university city and London Marylebone. Trains are using the recently-built chord at Bicester to join the main line towards High Wycombe and London, taking just over an hour to make the journey.
• GTR chief warns of 'devastating' effect of Southern strikes Strikes by drivers on Southern are set to start tomorrow, after a High Court judge rejected an application by Govia Thameslink Railway last week for an injunction against their union ASLEF. The union has hailed the decision as a victory and called for fresh talks, although GTR was given leave to appeal and the hearing is expected this week.
• Southern at a standstill The first walkout by Southern drivers has begun, and no trains are runnning on most routes. Hundreds of thousands of commuters in Sussex and surrounding counties have been left without their usual transport, while transport secretary Chris Grayling has accused the unions of having 'a political agenda' in the dispute over extensions of driver-only operation. RMT general secretary Mick Cash has called on Mr Grayling to 'get out of his bunker and start taking direct and immediate responsibility'.

Railway Gazette

• MTR takes over Stockholm commuter servicesSWEDEN: MTR Corp subsidiary MTR PendeltÃ¥gen took over train operations, station management and rolling stock maintenance on the PendeltÃ¥g suburban network serving the Stockholm area with effect from the December 11 timetable change.
• Bombardier rationalises German business GERMANY: As part of its corporate restructuring programme announced in October, Bombardier...
• High speed network grows as Brescia – Treviglio route opensITALY: A further section of the high speed railway across the north of the country opened for...

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow Airport to apply for third runway in 2019London's Heathrow Airport will submit a planning application for its controversial third runway in 2019, after the project secured government backing in October. read more
• US passenger airlines 3Q net profit down 59% to $3.8 billionUS scheduled passenger airlines made a $3.8 billion net profit in the 2016 third quarter, down 58.8% from $9.3 billion in 3Q 2015, according to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) survey of 25 US airlines released Dec. 12. read more
• Boeing plans additional 777 production rate cut in 2017Boeing has informed employees that the 777 production rate will be reduced from seven per month to five per month in August 2017, meaning the program’s production rate will be cut twice in 2017. read more

Green Miscellany

• Car free city centresAs cities around the world wake up to the environmental, social and health benefits of reducing motorised traffic, the most ambitious are�pledging to go car free: Hamburg plans to phase cars out of its city centre by 2034; Vancouver wants to make 50% of its journeys non-car by 2020; �Copenhagen intends to be the first carbon-neutral city by 2025. To… The post Car free city centres appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• Southern Rail strike: Unions accuse operator of 'deliberately sabotaging' service by 'axing trains despite crew availability'Southern has denied union claims it cancelled a number of trains in the midst of unprecedented strike action, despite having staff free to operate them
• Southern Rail: 'No trains' warning after company loses court appeal over drivers' strikeOperator Govia Thameslink Railway finds itself at odds with two unions over the roles of drivers and conductors
• FTA concerns addressed in Government response on all-lane runningThe Freight Transport Association (FTA) is pleased its concerns about management and signalling on smart motorways have been addressed in the ...
• Southern Railway strikes to go ahead after firm loses appeal Strikes by train drivers on Southern Railway will go ahead after the Court of Appeal refused to grant an injunction.