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

Thursday, 15 December 2016

BBC News

• Ken Skates: M4 congestion near Newport needs tacklingA delayed public inquiry into the proposed M4 relief road around Newport will begin on 28 February.
• A9 upgrade to shift to Slochd Summit near InvernessEngineers are to investigate how to tackle one of the most challenging sections in a project to upgrade the A9 trunk road between Inverness and Perth.
• Trade body in 'scrap bus lanes' callBelfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce calls for bus lanes to be scrapped in parts of Belfast 'as an experiment'.
• Glasgow Airport unveils robot 'staff member'Glasgow Airport unveils its newest member of staff - a singing and dancing humanoid robot.
• Riding along in Uber’s self-drive car in San FranciscoUber has begun testing its self-driving car in San Francisco - the BBC went for a quick ride.
• British Airways crew vote for Heathrow strikeAbout 2,000 BA cabin crew vote overwhelmingly for strikes in a pay dispute, the Unite union says.

ITV News

• Rail electrification work should have had 'more planning'The Chief Executive of Network Rail has admitted more planning should have been carried out before work started to electrify the line between London and the West Country.
• Green transport project scoops regional awardA sustainable transport project to reduce visitor car travel around Cumbria has scooped a top regional award from industry experts.

Financial Times

• Aviation: How jets are lightening the loadAdvances in materials mean few areas are off limits in the bid to reduce weight
• Christmas chaos looms as BA staff vote to strike over ‘poverty pay’Airline’s junior cabin crew could strike any day from Dec 21
• Contract botch sired Southern rail chaosDfT pays fixed fees while most compensation costs are borne by taxpayers
• Southern rail strike talks ‘positive’ but no breakthroughNegotiations will continue after the second day of strike that has halted services
• California puts brakes on Uber’s self-driving carsDepartment of Motor Vehicles threatens legal action after group begins public trial

The Guardian

• Strikes won’t fix the Southern rail crisis. Here are some fresh ideas for the unions | David BoyleThe government and franchise owners must be held to account for the misery being inflicted on passengers – they won’t be if unions fall into the strike trapBack in the 1970s, Sir Charles Goodhart, then at the Bank of England, came up with the law which now bears his name, and which tends to be paraphrased: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” So, for instance, when rail company employees put their efforts into meeting a target – say, season ticket sales – they might just forget about their central purpose, to provide a good train service.Goodhart’s law sheds light...

The Herald

• Video: Meet Glasgow Airport's newest member of staff- a 4ft humanoidGlasgow Airport has unveiled its newest member of staff - a singing and dancing humanoid robot.

The Scotsman

• Business secretary ‘intends’ to publish Nissan Brexit letterBusiness Secretary Greg Clark has said he intends to publish his letter to Nissan offering assurances about Brexit once “commercial confidentialities for the firm are no longer there”.

The Telegraph

• Thousands of airline pilots flying every day with suicidal thoughts, says landmark study
• Union boss behind Southern Rail strikes threatened ministers with a decade of industrial unrest
• Chris Grayling: Rail unions refused last-minute talks to avert Southern Rail strikes

Mail Online

• Student says her grades are being affected by problems on Southern Rail Natasha Pearson (pictured) is studying politics, law and media at Collyer’s College in Horsham, which should be a 45-minute train journey from her hometown of East Grinstead.
• Ditch the pensions triple lock and free bus passes for the elderly to helps fund care bills, urges head of the NHS� The head of the NHS has demanded the pensions triple lock and the free bus pass be scrapped to enable more money to be ploughed into elderly care.

The Mirror

• Hero train guard who saved woman from sex attacker could lose job over 'reckless' driver-only plans The RMT rail union says the plans to scrap the vital role of guards would be an act of 'sheer, reckless stupidity'
• British Airways cabin crew vote in favour of strike action in row over pay The union Unite said workers had voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action

London Evening Standard

• Labour transport chief praises 'guts' of striking Southern Rail workersA Labour shadow minister has branded striking Southern Rail workers "admirable" amid the worst disruption to the train network in years.
• 'Minicab enforcers' targeting illegal drivers to hit streets of London within daysThe first wave of new minicab enforcement officers will hit the streets within days to crack down on illegal vehicles and protect the public from touts.
• Southern Rail strikes: Peace talks begin amid claims unions pushing for renationalisation Peace talks belatedly began as 300,000 Southern Rail passengers were left stranded again today — amid dramatic claims that union bosses are using the "safety" dispute to get the railways renationalised.
• Business leaders urge Chris Grayling to give TfL suburban rail amid Southern strike chaosAn alliance of groups from business leaders to Labour today called on Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to back down over the refusal to hand London's suburban rail services to the Mayor.
• Sadiq Khan: Driverless Piccadilly Line trains could be launched in 2023A new roll-out of Piccadilly Line trains could be driverless and will arrive on the Tube in 2023, Sadiq Khan has said.
• Southern Rail Strike: Second night of 'chaos' at Wimbledon stationThis was the scene at Wimbledon station for a second night as commuters caught up in London's worst rail strike in decades tried to get home.
• Gordon Ramsay lands 10-year Heathrow Airport dining deal Gordon Ramsay Group has fended off competition from rivals to secure a 10-year extension at Heathrow's Terminal 5 for its Plane Food restaurant — a £75 million boon for the revitalised empire.
• British Airways cabin crew vote overwhelmingly for strike action in pay rowBritish Airways cabin crew have voted overwhelmingly for strike action amid a row over pay.
• Southern Rail strikes: Commuters face more travel disruption even though strike has endedCommuters using Southern Rail services are facing disruption despite the fact there is no strike on Thursday.

Sheffield Star

• Drivers try extra laneWork is underway on a £15 billion upgrade to add a fourth lane to South Yorkshire’s M1 motorway.

The York Press

• "Please don't get drunk if you want to catch the train in York", transport police urge PEOPLE using York train station and the rail network are urged to be on their best behaviour this Christmas.

Wales Online

• The date for the delayed M4 relief road inquiry has been announcedMr Skates will also call for greater devolution of transport powers to Wales

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Plea for a “united front” on Leeds transport visionCalls have been made for Leeds to show a “united front” on its transport strategy if it is to secure vital Government funding and move forward with bringing a mass transit scheme to the city.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Sudbury bus station move consultation closes at midnightBus-users in Sudbury who are protesting against controversial plans to relocate the town’s bus station only have until midnight tonight to officially voice their concerns.

Reading Evening Post

• Great Western Railway cleaners to take strike actionThe Railway Maritime and Transport Union says the disgruntled contract cleaners want to be employed as full time staff
• Berkshire councils must spend hundreds of millions on roads, trains and buses to support 65,500 new homesFour councils in Berkshire are applying for £750 million to spend on infrastructure as they look to build tens of thousands of new homes

Other Regional Press

• Cleaners for Great Western Railway to stage two 24-hour strikes before Christmas CONTRACT cleaners who work for Oxfordshire train operator Great Western Railway are set to stage two 24-hour strikes before Christmas.
• Airport gets new ePassport gatesLondon Luton Airport (LLA) has a special Christmas present for holidaymakers, as airport travel looks to become easier.
• Which Dorset train station is used just five times a day? NEW figures have revealed the busiest and quietest train stations in Dorset, with one used by just five people each day.

Buying Business Travel

• Jet2.com axes card charges on UK bookingsJet2.com has axed all fees for UK bookings paid for with a credit card, debit card, AMEX and Paypal
• British Airways cabin crew vote to strikeNo dates set but could happen over Xmas period

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Heathrow commences preparation of a planning application for expansionHeathrow is to commence the preparation of a planning application to expand the airport with a new runway.  The application is intended to be formally submitted in 2019, after the Government has designated the National Policy Statement.   The news follows the Government’s announcement in October 2016 that a new runway at Heathrow is its preferred option for airport expansion. To inform its planning application, Heathrow will undertake extensive engagement and consultation with local communities and other stakeholders on various aspects of the scheme including environmental impa...
• Arriva London becomes CILT Corporate MemberKevin Richardson, Chief Executive, CILT, joined Bob Scowen, MD, Arriva London, at the recent Arriva London Transport Manager meeting, held at Finsbury Park. As part of the company’s investment in professional development of its Transport Manager team, Arriva London has joined the Institute as a Corporate Member, and funded the application for full membership for its management team. Twenty applicants were assessed and are now entitled to use the post-nominals MILT. In addition, Jon Harman, Chief Engineer, was elected to Chartered Fellowship.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Plan to tackle complex ticketing system unveiled, but 'wider reforms still needed'Buying train tickets will be made easier under a set of reforms promised today by the DfT, in partnership with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG). The action plan, developed in partnership with Transport Focus and consumer group Which?, commits TOCs to informing passengers when stocks of best value...
• Hornsey depot set to transform Great Northern servicesRTM attended an event to celebrate the completion of the new traincare centre at Hornsey, which will enable the transformation of Great Northern’s rail services. The state-of-the-art depot, which will house and maintain £1bn worth of new train fleets, was built by Siemens using main...
• NIC calls for end to 'digital deserts' on rail routesThe UK is being held back by poor mobile connectivity with the country’s rail services needing particular improvement, the National Infrastructure Commission has found.   A report by the government infrastructure watchdog concluded that the UK’s 4G mobile phone coverage ranks...
• Southern, Aslef and RMT holding Acas talks over strikesGTR has agreed to hold formal talks with unions at conciliation service Acas in a bid to resolve the dispute on Southern Rail that has left commuter services at a standstill. Aslef announced the move on the first day of a 48-hour strike by its train driver members which shut down travel on one...
• DfT refuses to provide extra funding for over-budget Croxley rail linkThe Croxley rail link is going over-budget again, but will not receive any additional government funding, the DfT has stated. The line, which will extend the London Underground’s Metropolitan Line to Watford Junction via Watford High Street, was originally due to be completed by May 2016...

Railnews

• Peace talks to start in Southern DOO dispute Talks are set to take place today between Govia Thameslink Railway and the unions in the continuing dispute over driver-only operation on Southern, where a 24-hour strike by drivers has halted all services for the second day running. Many stations between London and the south coast have no trains again today. Sussex is the most seriously affected county, although the disruption is also affecting parts of Surrey and Kent. The discussions will take place against a background of claims and counter claims about the safety of DOO, while the government has warned that it is now considering a ban on...

Railway Gazette

• Fourth Railway Package market pillar adopted by European Parliament EUROPE: The European Parliament voted on December 14 to adopt the final wording for the market...

Aviation Industry

• British Airways’ cabin crew vote to strikeBritish Airways (BA) looks set to join the list of major European airlines that have endured industrial strife this year, following a ballot for strike action by cabin crew staff. read more
• Air Canada, Virgin Australia to codeshareMontreal-based Air Canada and Brisbane-based Virgin Australia will implement the first stage of a codeshare agreement in early 2017, the two carriers announced Dec. 14. read more
• IATA: Airline industry net profits up 5% in 3Q Third-quarter 2016 net profits for the airline industry were up 4.9% year-over-year, according to a sampling of 67 airlines reported in IATA’s latest Airlines Financial Monitor. read more

Other News Sources

• Orange Army Choristers, from Network Rail's track team at Rugby, have reworked the carol into Away on the Railway.
• Southern Rail strike: RMT union 'barred' from ACAS talks to resolve drivers' strikeRMT union leader Mick Cash was turned away from talks at ACAS between Southern Rail bosses and the ASLEF union to halt the ongoing drivers' strike
• Southern Rail talks with ASLEF union adjourned as passengers face continuing disruption Southern Rail and Aslef have held talks at Acas but RMT have been barred from any discussion
• Camberley bus stuck under bridge described as 'comedy gold' The double-decker Stagecoach bus got stuck at the railway bridge in Park Street, which has a 12'6" height restriction sign
• £20 million spent on railways has not had 'desired effect' as commuters resign and businesses close amid strikes THE Government’s rail minister admitted £20 million pledged to sort out Sussex's ailing train network has not made things better as the service ground to a halt yesterday.