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

Wednesday, 01 March 2017

BBC News

• New drivers caught using phones to lose licenceDrivers caught using a phone within two years of passing their test will have their licence revoked under new rules in England, Scotland and Wales. Penalities for using a phone at the wheel double from 1 March to six points and a £200 fine.
• Cardiff-Anglesey flight operator suspended on safety groundsAn airline which operated flights between Cardiff and Anglesey is grounded for safety reasons.
• Tunnel proposal for £1bn M4 relief road around NewportA public inquiry into the planned £1.1bn M4 relief road to the south of Newport will hear a proposal to put the new route in a tunnel.
• 'Ambitious' bid to build model railway in Scottish glenModel railway enthusiasts and volunteers are sought for an ambitious plan to lay a model railway track along Scotland's Great Glen.
• Derry to Dublin Bus Eireann service to end in MayBus Eireann announces it is to close its Londonderry to Dublin bus route at the end of May.
• Go-Ahead profits hit by Southern strikesThe long-running rail dispute leads the transport group to warn of lower than expected profits.
• Northern, Southern rail and Merseyrail staff to strikeRail union RMT is opposing plans to introduce driver-only-operated trains by removing guards.
• Car warsA row has broken out over who should control access to all the data your new car generates.
• Car insurance: Chancellor moves to ease insurers' fearsPhilip Hammond promises

Department for Transport

• East Midlands rail franchise pre-qualificationThree companies have achieved pre-qualification for the East Midlands rail franchise.

Financial Times

• Nissan asks for £100m fund to guard UK car industryJapan group says government must attract suppliers to assure Sunderland plant’s future
• RMT calls simultaneous strikes as strife spreadsConductors on Northern Rail and Merseyrail also plan to walk out on March 13
• Southern Rail strife hits profits at Go-AheadTransport company lowers expectations for earnings from UK bus business
• Uber chief to seek leadership help after outburstVideo footage emerges of Travis Kalanick arguing rudely with driver

The Guardian

• At £140 a mile, how does Elon Musk’s moon trip compare with other journeys?From car to rail, it’s hard to find a terrestrial journey that matches SpaceX’s astronomical costIt is a stratospheric sum but it does, at least, include the return journey. Elon Musk, the billionaire American transport visionary, has suggested that the first, so far unnamed, passengers on his SpaceX flight round the moon will pay about $70m (£56m).Musk says the journey, tentatively scheduled for 2018 on an untested Falcon Heavy rocket, will cover up to 400,000 miles, although the Apollo 13 crew, on their trip to the moon in 1970, were a record 248,655 miles from Earth, so this figure seems mo...
• Rail staff at Merseyside and Northern to strikeRMT calls for 24-hour walkout on 13 March, with Southern included, after 80% of votes on train crew roles back strikesStrikes over guards on trains are to start on Northern and Merseyrail in March, as the dispute that has wreaked havoc on Southern services spreads to other parts of Britain’s rail network. Strike ballots from union members working for Merseyrail and Northern (Arriva Rail North) showed more than 80% of votes backing strike action, ahead of moves to change the roles of onboard train crew. Conductors on Southern have been on strike repeatedly since last April. Continue reading...
• Reform of EU carbon trading scheme agreedMember states approve changes, including €12bn innovation fund, to emissions plan for cleaner technology and pollution cutsAn overhaul of the EU’s flagship trading scheme for cutting carbon emissions by European industries has been approved by the member states.The agreement to reform the emissions trading system comes after almost two years’ of discussions but just two weeks after the European parliament voted in favour of a new directive. Continue reading...
• Heathrow aims to make third runway carbon neutralExclusive: Plan also targets local air and noise pollution but critics say long-term solutions to environmental challenges are no closer to realityThe huge growth in flights from Heathrow’s planned new runway could be carbon neutral, according to an ambition revealed by the airport.The 260,000 extra flights a year anticipated from the third runway would make the airport the UK’s largest source of carbon emissions. But Heathrow’s new sustainability plan suggests other ways to offset the leap in emissions, including by restoring British peat bogs.

The Herald

• News rail station for Inverness Station finally on trackA long-awaited new rail station at Inverness Airport, to herald multi-million pound investment in an area of the Highlands earmarked for crucial development, has finally been given the green light.
• Ryanair announces direct flights from Glasgow to three new European destinationsRyanair as announced plans for a new daily service between Glasgow Airport and Frankfurt as part of the airline's winter 2017 schedule, which also includes new routes to Mardrid and Krakow.

Times Online

• Franchise isn’t looking super any more as Go-Ahead profits slump [subscription]Months of passenger disruption on Southern Railways have driven profits down at Go-Ahead Group, ultimate parent company of the stricken GTR train franchise.
• Rail passengers face day of chaos as strikes spread [Subscription]Unions have been accused of attempting to turn the clock back to the 1980s today after announcing co-ordinated strikes across England in their dispute over modernisation.
• One text will cost new drivers their licence [subscription]New drivers face losing their licence the first time they are caught using a phone behind the wheel illegally.
• New housing on old railways out of line, say campaigners [subscription]Old railway routes across Scotland should be better protected from housing development in the hope they can be reopened as working lines, campaigners have said.

Mail Online

• How councils reject unfair parking ticket appeals Every year tens of thousands of fines are unfairly handed out to honest drivers who have been caught out by broken payment machines, confusing signs or misleading road markings.
• Arriva and Mersey Rail to go on strike Commuters across Liverpool and the north will face their own rail misery after services will be disrupted during a day of strike action on March 13, joining long-suffering users of Southern Rail.

The Mirror

• New drivers now face losing their licence if they use a mobile phone behind the wheelThose within two years of passing their test, risk having their licence revoked and lorry or bus drivers can be suspended if caught

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham Airport to launch new Eastern European route Fly One will operate new thrice weekly route from Birmingham to Moldova

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Traders celebrate victory over top-of-town parking fees CITY-CENTRE traders have chalked up a partial victory after persuading Bradford Council to keep the free Sunday parking at the ‘top of town’.
• Rail union votes for 24-hour strike on Northern services MEMBERS of a rail union have voted to hold a 24-hour strike next month�in a growing dispute�over the axing guards on trains.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Anglesey to Cardiff airline remains grounded after Storm Doris incident but flights continue The flight suspension was brought in by the Civil Aviation Authority

London Evening Standard

• Southern Rail owner sparks fresh fury after admitting commuters still face almost two years of chaosThe owner of Southern Rail today angered commuters by admitting that a normal service may not be restored on the strike-ravaged network until the end of 2018.
• Heathrow third runway will mean more lorries and pollution, says Richmond MP Sarah OlneyMore lorries could blight neighbourhoods close to Heathrow if a third runway is built, an MP warned today.
• Heathrow boss pledges growth from third runway will be carbon neutralHeathrow's boss has pledged growth from the airport's planned new runway will be carbon neutral.
• Flights grounded as van 'explodes' in tunnel under Manchester AirportFlights have been grounded at Manchester Airport after an explosion in a tunnel running under the building.
• Drones should be banned from sky near airports, says former Met police commissioner Drones should be banned from entering airspace near airports, a former Metropolitan police commissioner has told the House of Lords.
• Tube commuters face major disruption as fresh industrial action to hit all Underground linesTube commuters face ongoing daily disruption across all lines after union leaders ordered industrial action among up to 400 train fleet engineers.

Manchester Evening News

• Dozens of flights delayed after van bursts into flames in Manchester Airport tunnel The runway was re-opened at just after 10pm although the incident continued to affect a number of flights

Other Regional Press

• M4 inquiry: £1.1bn relief road around Newport will help bring an end to traffic problems say Welsh Government A NEW £1.1bn M4 relief road around Newport will help bring an end to traffic problems on the motorway, according to the Welsh Government.
• Rail workers to go on strike in HuddersfieldRMT members vote for industrial action which will affect Huddersfield train passengers
• REVEALED: Councils rake in £17million from car parking charges and fines MORE than £17million has been made by councils through parking fines and charges in the last few years.

Buying Business Travel

• Norwegian boosts transatlantic services with £69 flight offer10 new routes to ‘smaller’ US airports

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Go-Ahead Group PLC release half year resultsThe Go Ahead Group PLC has released its half year results for the six months ended 31st December 2016. Results include regional bus and rail operating profits, and customer satisfaction levels. Business overview • Half year results in line with management expectations. Full year expectations lowered due to challenges in GTR and a slowdown in passenger numbers in regional bus • Regional bus operating profit* up 6.2% to £25.7m. Revenue growth was 0.8% whilst passenger numbers fell by 0.7%, slightly outperforming subdued national trends • Achieved highest customer satisfactio...

Rail Magazine

• Rail industry must embrace change, says RDG chairmanChris Burchell stresses need for new relationship with customers and new partnership with governments

Rail Technology Magazine

• Bombardier to supply 21 Flexity Berlin trams to BVG Bombardier Transportation has secured a $76m contract to provide an additional 21 Flexity Berlin trams to Berlin Transport Authority (BVG).
• TfGM opens new tram line in Manchester, UK The UK's Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has opened the new Second City Crossing tram line, which goes right through the city centre.
• GTR 'challenges' blamed for parent company's whopping 35% profit dipThe transport company behind Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has revealed a whopping 35% drop in rail operating profit in its half-year profit, as it also apologised for “months of severe disruption and inconvenience” that have come about due to challenges in the major TSGN franchise...
• 'Crucial turning point' means we don't have long to embrace change, RDG chair warnsThe rail industry in the UK finds itself at a “crucial turning point” and must push and lead change to positively transform the train network, a leading industry figure will announce at a key note speech later today. Chairman of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and managing director of...
• RMT vote overwhelmingly in favour of strike against Merseyrail and NorthernRMT ballots into whether to take strike action against Northern and Merseyrail for their stance on driver-only operated (DOO) trains has closed today, with the union expected to announce the results of the votes later this afternoon. Ballots opened for Northern and Merseyrail drivers and guards...

Railnews

• Railway industry at ‘crucial turning point’THE new chairman of the Rail Delivery Group will warn today that trying to recreate a non-existent ‘golden age of rail’ is not the way forward for the modern industry, which instead needs to ‘embrace change,’ having arrived at a ‘crucial turning point’.

Aviation Industry

• AEF Response: Night Noise ConsultationBelow is the response submitted by AEF to the government’s night noise consultation. Our initial reaction which also outlines the contents of the consultation can be found here. Q1a. How strongly do you agree or disagree with our proposed environmental …
• Airbus appoints new Commercial Aircraft head of engineeringAirbus has appointed Jean-Brice Dumont as Commercial Aircraft head of engineering, succeeding Charles Champion, who plans to retire by the end of the year. read more
• Air New Zealand, Cathay extend partnershipAir New Zealand and Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific have extended their strategic partnership deal for another five years, and Cathay has announced a new route to New Zealand. read more
• Russia’s passenger traffic up 20.2% in JanuaryRussian airlines carried 6.6 million passengers in January, up 20.2% year-over-year (YOY). read more
• A4A: US air travelers support separating ATC operations from FAAMost US air travelers support separating US air traffic control (ATC) operations and safety as long as the US federal government continues to oversee and/or regulate safety, according to a new study released Feb. 28 by US industry trade organization Airlines for America (A4A). read more

Other News Sources

• South West Trains improvements: 'Significantly fewer' trains running during weekend of major track upgrades Check before you travel - Woking, Surbiton, Virginia Water and Basingstoke services will all be affected
• New cuts set to hit transport and communities spendingThe Government has asked spending departments to plan cuts of up to 6%, with a view to annual ‘savings’ of £3.5bn by 2020.