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

Tuesday, 20 December 2016

BBC News

• Southern rail strikes: 'Christmas truce in ministers' hands'A Christmas
• Prestwick Airport bailout loans head towards �40mThe bailout of Prestwick Airport could reach �40m by 2018, Scottish Government figures suggest.

ITV News

• Nottingham's first electric Park and Ride service put through its pacesNottingham's first all electric Park and Ride service was put through its paces over the weekend.

Financial Times

• What lies behind the Christmas strikes?Rail, aviation and postal workers take action but industrial disputes near historic lows
• The question marks hovering over dronesPublic concern about snooping and criminal uses has to be addressed quickly
• Theresa May backs away from fight with unionsNo 10 reluctant to threaten anti-strike laws but will review current legislation
• Week of strikes starts with few signs of resolutionPM’s office calls series of actions ‘completely unacceptable’
• Amazon plots new course for package deliveriesOnline retailer charters aircraft as it eyes cheap and reliable logistics network

The Guardian

• Driverless buses arrive in Australia: smart and green but what now for drivers?Autonomous buses are likely to be better for passengers and the environment, but not everyone is excited
• Uber admits to self-driving car 'problem' in bike lanes as safety concerns mountEngineers were working to fix programming flaw that could have deadly results for cyclists days after Uber announced it would openly defy California regulatorsUber has admitted that there is a “problem” with the way autonomous vehicles cross bike lanes, raising serious questions about the safety of cyclists days after the company announced it would openly defy California regulators over self-driving vehicles.An Uber spokeswoman said on Monday that engineers were working to fix a flaw in the programming that advocates feared could have deadly consequences for cyclists. Continue reading...
• Phones need software to stop drivers becoming distracted, ministers sayMeeting in Whitehall between government and mobile phone companies will see the manufacturers urged to bring in ‘drive safe’ modesMobile phone manufacturers and providers are facing demands from ministers to introduce software that will prevent drivers from being distracted by calls and texts.An informal meeting in Whitehall is due to take place early in the new year, the Guardian can reveal, in which ministers and officials will tell mobile companies that “drive safe” modes, similar to the airplane mode that has become standard, must be included in basic software ahead of a broader crackdown ...
• Crossrail documents reveal fears over welfare of workersEmails between contractor and Crossrail bosses appear to acknowledge extent of problems facing workers in tunnelWorkers on one of the UK’s biggest construction projects have faced volatile, overcrowded conditions and been “physically and mentally” exhausted, according to internal documents seen by the Guardian.
• MH370: new report proposes shifting plane search to unexplored areaAustralia’s Transport Safety Bureau reveals it is ‘confident’ aircraft not in underwater zone that has been explored so farThe Australian authorities leading the search for MH370 have a “high degree of confidence” that the plane’s wreck is not to be found in the expanse of Indian ocean they have spent more than two years searching. Related: MH370: data suggests plane was out of control as it plummeted into ocean Continue reading...

The Herald

• Train ‘cancelled’ as driver forgets to stopUNDER-fire ScotRail has admitted that a train was cancelled because the driver “forgot” to stop.

The Mirror

• 'Government can end Southern rail strike' claims union boss A “Christmas Truce” in the Southern Railway dispute is in the hands of the Government, RMT leader Mick Cash claims

Conservative Party

• Chris Philp: Ministers must act now to stop railway strikesChris Philp is MP for Croydon South and a member of the Treasury Select Committee.

Network Rail

• Santa gets his Christmas back - thanks to rail freightHelping Santa put smiles on faces across Britain this Christmas is a team of little orange helpers on the West Coast Main line. Increasing demand for his services means Santa can no longer rely entirely on his sleigh, elves and reindeer to deliver all his Christmas presents - so he has turned to rail freight for help.

Birmingham Post

• Highways England to explain what they are doing to end M6 chaosWest Midlands Police Commissioner to update his inquiry into last February's 24-hour M6 closure

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Calls to reduce speed limit on busy road close to school A PETITION for a speed limit to be reduced near a school has received more than 250 signatures.

Derby Telegraph

• What missing out on £400m Merseyrail deal means for Derby's Bombardier On Friday, Derby train-maker Bombardier missed out on a £400 million deal to replace the aging fleet of Liverpool's Merseyrail. The work has instead been handed to Stadler, who will build the trains in Switzerland. The Derby Telegraph's business editor Robin Johnson looks at what the decision means for Bombardier's Litchurch Lane site.

Liverpool Echo

• Halton MP and metro mayor contender visit Widnes rail technology centre siteMPs Derek Twigg and Steve Rotheram view progress at Alstom building in Halebank

London Evening Standard

• Row sparked over planned closure of Lancaster Gate Tube station to replace its liftsResidents are pleading with Transport for London to prevent traffic disruption worsening by delaying a Tube station closure till roadworks are completed on a nearby cycle superhighway.
• Sadiq Khan 'facing £3.7bn black hole if he honours transport pledges'Tories on the London Assembly today claimed that Sadiq Khan's "fantasy economics" would leave the capital with a £3.7 billion transport black hole if he delivered on planned projects.
• Southern rail strikes: Theresa May accuses unions of 'contempt' amid fresh wave of walkouts
• HS2 demolition work to disrupt Christmas Day peace in CamdenThe peace of Christmas Day is due to be shattered in parts of north London by the crash of heavy machinery carrying out railway demolition works.
• British Airways 'to deliver full Christmas service despite strikes'British Airways has said it plans to deliver a full service over Christmas despite a planned strike by cabin crew.
• Letters to the editor: Unions and bosses at an impasse The RMT and Aslef are making a tactical mistake by fighting the changes to the rail system, and by doing so they are not protecting their workers.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Watch Newcastle Airport's message to passengers ahead of planned strike action Newcastle Airport is set to be hit by strike action this week but a director has issued a message for anyone due to travel from the airport

Nottingham Evening Post

• New charges for free buses could be introduced as part of £27m city council cuts Passengers who use free bus services between Nottingham's two shopping centres and the Queen's Medical Centre could soon have to pay a £1 charge as part of plans by the city council to save £27m.

Sheffield Star

• Government to provide Sheffield City Region bosses with �1.2m for HS2 growth plansThe Government is to provide South Yorkshire leaders with more than £1 million to spend on preparing an HS2 ‘growth strategy’.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Plans for new Inverness train station ready to goRail bosses have revealed that they are poised to lodge a planning application for the long-awaited upgrade within weeks.

Wales Online

• Train passengers told to plan ahead as London Paddington closes for six days over Christmas Trains will not be running between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway

Bucks Free Press

• UPDATE: Bus driver 'relieved of duties' while investigation continues into devastating smash A High Wycombe bus company has refused to comment after one of its buses smashed into a house in Holmer Green, leaving five people injured.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Norwich drivers rack up over £400,000 in bus lane finesA one-mile stretch of road has cost Norwich drivers more than £400,000 in the space of 10 months.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Works to take place on railway bridgeVital improvements to the railway network in Peterborough will take place on Christmas Day.

Bus and Coach.com

• DVSA updates Operator Compliance Risk Score system
• Parrys continues to invest despite challenging year for coach tourism
• New fleet of Enviro200 MMCs for Newcastle
• NCT adds mobile ticketing function to its app
• New passenger facility for Leeds park-and-ride
• Latest Lothian investment boost for Edinburgh air quality
• Minister opens new Sheffield BRT route

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Nottingham launches BYD electric bus fleetNottingham City Council (NCC) in the UK today inaugurated its fleet of 13 BYD advanced pure electric 12m ebuses, along with associated charging equipment.  The bus purchase has been facilitated by a £1.4m grant from the DfT Green Bus Fund. The remaining funds of £2.1m have been raised via the NCC Workplace Parking Levy.

Rail Magazine

• Rail turns around �2 billion per year losses RDG: rail has turned around �2bn a year losses
• New wagons ordered as GBRf wins new contractNew wagons form part of ten-year GBRf deal.
• Southern strikes continueSouthern Railway passengers face further strikes and disruption, following the failure of talks between the company and the drivers’ union ASLEF.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Crossrail documents reveal 'lack of welfare' for workers on siteWorkers helping to build certain sections of Crossrail’s extensive tunnels have faced volatile, cramped conditions and physical and mental exhaustion, internal documents released by the construction union Ucatt have revealed. An email chain sent in September between Crossrail’s main...
• Lords urge HS2 to offer 'fair compensation' to Camden residents Camden residents should receive more compensation because of the scale of disruption caused by HS2, the House of Lords committee for the HS2 Bill recommended in its final report. The committee’s principal suggestion was that households in Camden which are so exposed to noise that they are...
• National PPM drops below 80%, with GTR still at the bottom of the tableThe public performance measure (PPM) of Britain’s rail companies dropped to an unprecedented low of 79.1% in the most recent period, new figures show. PPM traditionally falls during winter as a consequence of bad weather, but the rate from 13 November to 10 December was lower than 82.6% at...
• Greater Anglia launches new-look Class 321sGreater Anglia’s new-look Class 321 Renatus train has been launched at London Liverpool Street station in a passenger-focused upgrade of the TOC’s original rolling stock. The Class 321 Renatus is the result of several years’ work between Greater Anglia, the rolling stock...

Railnews

• New talks offer as 'determined' Southern conductors walk out again Two more days of strikes are underway on Southern, with no prospects in sight of an early resolution to the DOO dispute. After talks failed again last week, both sides remain deadlocked in the debate over whether driver-only operation is safe, with the unions arguing that it presents unacceptable risks on today's busy railway, while the Department for Transport and Govia Thameslink Railway insist that it is not only safe but also offers the opportunity of increasing efficiency and performance on Southern, which is the only one of GTR's four divisions to have retained conductors until now. The...

Aviation Industry

• Etihad cuts staff numbers as conditions deteriorateIn an indication that steadily tightening global economic conditions are hitting even the most prominent airlines, Etihad Airways has announced it intends to reduce staff numbers. read more
• Virgin Atlantic faces work-to-rule over pilot representationMembers of the Professional Pilots’ Union have balloted in favor of a work-to-rule policy at UK carrier Virgin Atlantic Airways, as the group seeks to be the only pilot body represented at the airline. read more
• London Stansted plans major expansionLondon’s third airport, Stansted, is to build a separate arrivals building to allow for future expansion. read more
• Boeing to cut more commercial jobs in 2017 following 8% 2016 reductionBoeing anticipates its Commercial Airplanes unit’s workforce will be reduced by 8% by the end of 2016 compared to January, and it is planning additional employee reductions in the unit in 2017, which could include involuntary layoffs. read more
• Airberlin names Thomas Winkelmann CEOAirberlin has named Thomas Winkelmann as its new CEO, effective Feb. 1, 2017. He will replace Stefan Pichler. read more

Other News Sources

• National Express swoops in to buy Clarkes of LondonIn a surprise announcement, National Express has bought respected family-owned independent, Clarkes of London. The firm is authorised to run 68 coaches from its Lower Sydenham base, halfway between Croydon and the city.
• 'A minister with courage would end the Southern Rail mess' - Christian Wolmar calls out Chris Grayling Christian Wolmar has called on Chris Grayling to form a compromise between the RMT and Southern Rail.
• Nottingham charges ahead with electric bus fleetNottingham City Council (NCC) has launched a fleet of 13 BYD advanced pure electric 12m ebuses, along with associated charging equipment – the first such fleet to go into operation in the UK outside the capital.
• Nottingham charges ahead with electric bus fleetNottingham City Council (NCC) has launched a fleet of 13 BYD advanced pure electric 12m ebuses, along with associated charging equipment – the first such fleet to go into operation in the UK outside the capital.
• Potholes in Surrey: Surrey Heath's top 10 priority roads revealed in council documentsCouncillors will decide in the new year which roads will be resurfaced as part of the next phase of Project Horizon
• M6 should be priority for Government investment, drivers tell FTAAs the festive getaway begins, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been looking at stretches of the UK’s strategic road network that ...