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

Friday, 23 December 2016

BBC News

• Minister tells MSPs 'ScotRail has learned lessons'Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has told MSPs that "ScotRail has learned lessons" following a series of problems on Scotland's railways.
• False teeth among lost Cardiff Airport luggage in 2016False teeth, a microwave and a satellite dish were among the hundreds of items left at Cardiff Airport in the past year.
• Busiest day of festive season expected on UK's roadsFriday is expected to be the busiest day of the festive season on the UK's roads as people prepare for Christmas, the AA says.
• Virgin flight delayed by Galaxy Note wi-fi hoaxA plane was delayed after a wi-fi device called 'Samsung Galaxy Note 7' caused disruption mid-flight.
• Sale agreed for George Best Belfast City AirportA deal is agreed between two UK companies for the sale of George Best Belfast City Airport.
• Mayor calls for London train analysis to be publishedLondon's mayor challenges ministers to publish advice they received over possibly devolving suburban rail services to Transport for London.
• Southern train strikes: Soldiers 'on standby' to drive busesSoldiers are on standby ready to drive rail replacement buses during Southern rail strikes, the BBC learns.
• New direct flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow to MunichGerman airline Eurowings launches new direct flights to Munich from Scotland's two busiest airports.
• BA crew Christmas strikes suspendedPlanned strikes by British Airways cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day have been suspended, Unite union says.

Financial Times

• Crossrail rings changes for Hatton Garden jewellersRising rents and arrival of tech businesses threaten to force traders out of area
• BA cabin crew lift Christmas strike threatUnite cancels action but RMT announces new year walkouts on London Underground

The Guardian

• British Airways cabin crews suspend strikes over ChristmasMembers of Unite union call off planned walkout on Christmas Day and Boxing Day after receiving revised pay offerPlanned strikes by British Airways cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day have been suspended.Members of Unite were due to walk out over Christmas in a dispute over pay. The union said workers employed in the so-called mixed crew – who have joined since 2010 – were on lower pay than other staff. Continue reading...

The Herald

• British Airways cabin crew festive strikes suspendedPlanned strikes by British Airways cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day have been suspended.

The Telegraph

• Three British Airways passengers treated like 'rock stars' when they found they were the only people on board their flight�

Times Online

• Southern drivers ‘made up defects’ [Subscription]Train drivers involved in a dispute about who closes carriage doors have caused a rise in claims over malfunctioning equipment in recent months, it has been claimed.

Mail Online

• Heathrow third runway protestors get conditional discharges Twelve campaigners who blocked roads near Heathrow airport in a protest against the planned third runway hailed a 'great result' after escaping with conditional discharges.
• Network Rail accused of rewarding failure after paying officials more than the PM Half earn over £200,000, according to records published for the first time. Chief executive Mark Carne (left) is on £685,000; chairman Peter Hendy receives £505,000 for a four-day week.

Belfast Telegraph

• Belfast City Airport sold to investment group in multi-million pound dealThere was no comment from the airport on the deal. But it's understood management are hoping for investment from its new owners - with improvements to its car park top of the list.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• No new services on 'shambles' Wrexham to Chester £40m rail upgrade line until END OF 2017The scheme, which involves redoubling the line between Rossett Junction and Saltney Junction, was due to be completed by November 2015
• Airbus signs historic 100 plane deal with Iran The contract is worth around $18bn (£14.5bn) and is another boost to the Broughton site

Liverpool Echo

• Cross-river commuters face fresh misery as Stagecoach bus drivers vote to go on strikeIndustrial action will coincide with Wirral loop line closure

London Evening Standard

• District line delays: Commuters face rush hour misery after signal failureCommuters faced rush hour misery on the District line after a signal failure sparked delays.
• Southern Rail chiefs write to train drivers in direct personal appeal to end strikesSouthern Railway chiefs today made a direct personal appeal to train drivers to end the crippling series of strikes.
• Christmas Eve Tube strike on Central Line called off, Transport for London confirmsA Christmas Eve drivers' walkout on the Central Line has been suspended, transport bosses have confirmed.
• Letters to the editor: Guards reassure rail passengersThe disruption on Southern has turned in to a three-way impasse between the train company's management, the unions and the Government which, by adding its weight, is causing further angst.

Manchester Evening News

• Digital counters clock up to 2,300 cyclists using Oxford road every day The digital displays have recorded hundreds of cyclists using the route and transport bosses hope more now will follow their lead

Nottingham Evening Post

• Free bus service running between Nottinghamshire hospitals to be axed A free bus service running between Newark Hospital and King's Mill Hospital in Mansfield will be axed due to funding cuts.

The York Press

• Free bus trial in York is extended A FREE Sunday bus service is being trialled in York.
• Greens challenge York's new bus plan, amid air pollution fears GREEN party councillors are trying to stop a Park&Ride plan which they say will see York’s air quality problems get even worse.

Burnley Express

• Burnley bus operator announce services for festive period BUS operator Transdev will be running a busier timetable than usual across Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale on Boxing Day for shoppers.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Christmas walkout by British Airways crew suspendedPlanned Christmas Day and Boxing Day strikes by British Airways cabin crew have been suspended.

West Sussex Gazette

• Call in Army to drive rail strike buses, say Sussex MPsSussex MPs are calling for soldiers to drive rail replacement buses during the next round of Southern Rail strikes.

Other Regional Press

• £300k will give bus passengers in Wrexham and Flintshire a ticket to rideCommuters reliant on services across Wrexham and Flintshire were handed an early Christmas present as Welsh Government cabinet secretary for economy and infrastructure, Ken Skates, announced a £300,000 cash boost to help local authorities to restore key bus services lost following the demise of GHA Coaches.
• PARENTS' BLAST Scotrail treated disabled girl ‘like cattle’ by making her sit in caged luggage compartment on empty trainMembers of staff showed 16-year-old Murrin Widley to a dingy, old luggage cage for her to make the hour-long journey in
• David Warburton MP launches buses for South Somerset community transport scheme A ribbon cutting ceremony carried out in Wincanton by MP David Warburton gave a boost to a community transport scheme.
• Work to improve look of Port Talbot transport hub underway WORK is underway to improve the look of the new integrated transport hub at Port Talbot Parkway station.
• Southern tells drivers their union will never accept driver-only trains A fresh row has flared on Southern Railway after the company wrote to drivers saying it will never be able to secure agreement from their union to extend driver-only trains.
• LATEST: Young children left stranded on railway platform after train doors close suddenly Young children were stranded at a remote Hampshire railway station when train doors closed unexpectedly.
• Campaigner urges Portsmouth to have their say on A27 bypass mayhemNOW IS the time for people of Portsmouth to have their say on the controversial A27 Chichester bypass.
• Oxford activists admit blocking roads during Heathrow Airport protest ACTIVISTS fighting plans to expand Heathrow Airport have admitted blocking roads during a protest.
• Bus company boss branded as Scrooge in bank holiday pay dispute BUS drivers and staff face festive misery after they were told they would not get extra pay for working two Yuletide bank holidays.
• Manston airport saga set to continue as Stone Hill Park and RiverOak battle it outThe fight to build homes on a former Kent airport or to get planes flying again looks set to continue into 2017 after a series of fresh developments.
• WATCH: Train driver's view from the cab as cyclist misses death by inchesNear fatal incident at level crossing prompts warning from Network Rail and British Transport Police
• The Flying Scotsman is coming to West Yorkshire in 2017The world's most famous locomotive will be going full steam ahead on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
• Disabled driver fined twice for using bus gates despite using official map to avoid themMS sufferer accuses council of poor consultation

Rail Technology Magazine

• Court of Appeal defends Aslef's 'fundamental' right to strikeThe Court of Appeal has now published its reasons for refusing Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR’s) appeal against the High Court’s decision not to grant an injunction against Aslef’s right to take strike action over the issue of DOO trains, a decision which led to turmoil...
• MTU to supply PowerPacks for Great Western Class 802sThe Hitachi Rail Europe Class 802s that are bound for introduction on the Great Western Railway are to run on PowerPacks from Rolls-Royce’s MTU company. Hitachi ordered 136 Series 1600 PowerPacks, which will be installed in 36 of its Class 802 bimodal high-speed trains, from MTU’s...
• All LU routes to be hit by January station staff strikeLondon Underground passengers are facing more disruption in the New Year as two unions announced a strike of all station staff on 8 January. RMT and TSSA will instruct station and revenue workers on all London Underground routes not to book on for shifts for 24 hours, starting on 8 January at...
• Porterbrook to install autumn leaf protection on Abellio East Anglia fleetA wheel slide guard designed to tackle the problem of autumn leaves on the railway is due to be rolled out on Porterbrook’s fleet after a successful trial. Porterbrook developed the system of wheel slide protection to install on its fleet of 1980s-era 250 Class 15x vehicles, which it...

Railway Gazette

• Wabtec purchases Workhorse RailUSA: Wabtec Corp has acquired Workhorse Rail, which supplies wagon components including couplers...
• Porterbrook and Northern to develop electro-diesel MUUK: Faced with an ongoing shortage of diesel multiple-units and delays to Network Rail’s...

Aviation Industry

• Eurowings to open Munich base in 2017Lufthansa Group low-cost (LCC) subsidiary Eurowings will open a base in Munich, Germany, in March 2017. read more
• Air Canada names new EVP and CCOAir Canada has named Lucie Guillemette EVP and CCO. read more
• United takes first 777-300ER; Polaris business class to debut Feb. 16United Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing 777-300ER Dec. 21. read more

Other News Sources

• BUS FIRM TO RELAUNCH SMARTCARDDundee’s main bus operator, Xplore Dundee, is relaunching its smartcard.
• Ken Skates announces £300k to restore key North East Wales bus servicesBus passengers in North East Wales have been given a boost today.

Other Subscription Services

• Desiro City 707s arrive for New Year testing The first set in a 210m fleet of new trains for South West Trains has arrived at Clapham ahead of final testing.Built by Siemens and owned by rolling stock leasing company Angel Trains, the...