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Thursday, 30 March 2017

BBC News

• Transport firm Stagecoach sees growth slowTransport firm Stagecoach has reported stalled progress on its bus revenues and slow growth on trains.
• 120 jobs at risk as Marshall Aviation branch shutsMarshall Aviation Services says 120 jobs could go if its Broughton branch shuts.
• Flybe fined for sending 3.3 million unwanted emailsThe airline is fined £70,000 after sending more than 3.3 million marketing emails to people who did not want to receive them.
• Plan for £30m Salford to Trafford heritage railway proposedA railway line closed in 1964 could reopen and carry steam engines between Salford and Trafford.
• Engineering firm CH2M pulls out of HS2 railway line dealCH2M's £170m contract was to develop Phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds.
• Greenock freight terminal to double capacityGreenock owner Peel Ports announces five-year plan to expand its operation on the Clyde.
• How will the Port of Dover cope with Brexit?Tim Waggott, boss of Britain's busiest port warns that getting Brexit wrong could lead to queues of lorries at Dover
• Vauxhall drops FA home nations football sponsorship dealsThe car maker wants to put money into marketing specific models.
• Busiest Cardiff trains 'to double in capacity'Train capacity on the "busiest trains" into Cardiff will double from May, Arriva Trains Wales has said. It will add an extra 600 seats a day for commuters into the Welsh capital after being criticised for having too many overcrowded trains.

ITV News

• First Minister to open new hangar at Hawarden AirportFirst Minister Carwyn Jones is in north Wales today to open a new hangar at Hawarden Airport.
• Arriva 'to double' train capacity on busiest routes into CardiffArriva Trains Wales is set to double capacity on some of the busiest routes into Cardiff, it's been announced.

Financial Times

• Mandelson joins port operator before expected IPOGlobal Ports appoints ex-EU commissioner and UK minister as it seeks London listing
• HS2 scraps contract on conflict of interest claimsCH2M withdraws from £170m deal following investigation by losing bidder

The Guardian

• Cool your jets, Michael O'Leary – Brexit unlikely to ground Ryanair | Nils PratleyBudget airline fears the absence of new aviation deal would mean no flights between UK and Europe after March 2019Every industry wants its interests to be uppermost in the trade negotiations between the UK and the EU, but few companies shout as loudly as Ryanair. In its latest dispatch, the Irish carrier warned there was “the distinct possibility of no flights between Europe and the UK for a period after March 2019 in the absence of a bilateral deal”. Related: Brexit: May accused of trying to 'blackmail' EU with security threat - Politics live Continue reading...
• Vauxhall to end sponsorship deal with England and other home nations• Seven-year deal to end when contract expires after 2018 World Cup • Car manufacturer has been teams’ lead sponsor since 2011Vauxhall is to end its seven-year headline sponsorship deal with England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland when its contract expires after the 2018 World Cup.The deal, believed to be worth £6m a year to the English Football Association alone, was signed in 2011 and renewed thereafter. But in a statement the car manufacturer said it would sever its links with all four national associations next year. Continue reading...

The Herald

• 'Honest conversation’ to be had with new ScotRail chief over powers and delays, says ministerMINISTERS have signalled a further push for full control of Scotland's railways, claiming

The Scotsman

• Rail revenues on track at transport giant StagecoachPositive revenues at Stagecoach’s rail operations have offset a downturn in bus revenues, according to a trading statement yesterday that made no mention of this week’s news that the group has lost the South West Trains franchise after more than two decades in control.

Times Online

• Stagecoach’s east coast escape [subscription]Days after losing the licence to run £1 billion-a-year South West Trains, Stagecoach appeared to be close to easing the burden of its 90 per cent-owned Virgin East Coast rail franchise. The operator is significantly behind on its passenger growth projections on the London to Edinburgh mainline on which it has promised to pay more than £3 billion in excess profits to the Treasury through to 2023.
• The Great North Highland Line is waiting for take-off [subscription]We Highlanders have a tendency to understate our wonderful natural resources. We have amazing scenery on our doorstep, and there are few places in the country more conducive to a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. And we are truly top of the class when it comes to hiding our light under a bushel.
• HS2 contract derailed as winner quits [subscription]Another big government procurement has descended into fiasco with fears that the £55 billion High Speed Two project may be delayed for months amid questions over the integrity of the competitive tenders on the rail scheme.
• PM hints at deal to protect City and pushes free trade [Subscription]The City was put at the centre of a future trade deal of unprecedented scope by Theresa May as she hinted at flexibility over her “red line” on escaping the jurisdiction of EU courts.
• Bike schemes back-pedal in regional cities [subscription]The wheels seem to be coming off bike schemes in Galway and Limerick after a sharp drop in the number of users.

Mail Online

• Eurostar placed sudden ban on liquids at Brussels Furious travellers were forced to discard expensive perfumes, alcohol and toiletries at check-in at Brussels (file image) on Tuesday morning without any prior warning.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Jobs axe bombshell for 126 workers at Flintshire business jet giant Marshall Aviation Services will enter a 45-day consultation with its Broughton workforce

London Evening Standard

• Dirtier diesel buses removed from Putney High Street put onto new route near pupilsDirtier diesel buses that were removed from a London high street to tackle toxic air have been put on a route that goes close to at least a dozen schools and through a major hospital, the Standard has learned.
• Stagecoach slows losses in bus revenuesStagecoach shares revved up 3% after the transport giant put the brakes on its tumbling revenues in its UK and US bus businesses.
• Ryanair warns UK at risk of European flight suspension Ryanair today claimed the UK was at risk of "being without any flights to or from Europe for a period from March 2019" if Brexit negotiators fail to strike a swift deal on aviation.

Manchester Evening News

• More than �1.2m spent building newt ponds, bat roosts and mammal tunnels along the new M6 link road A total of £1.2m was spent on wildlife protection along the four-mile A556 and another £868,000 on a bridge to give access to cattle from a nearby farm

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• What do cyclists have to wear, can they ride on pavements and what are the rules about bike paths?Our run down on how the Highway Code affects cyclists, what they can do, where they can ride and what they're not allowed to do

Northern Echo

• 'Disgusted but not surprised’ - Anger over approved plan to build houses next to Durham Tees Valley Airport CAMPAIGNERS have claimed that major plans given the go-ahead to transform land at Durham Tees Valley Airport will be “the final nail in the coffin” for the facility.

Wales Online

• Metro bidder MTR wins franchise to run one of the UK's busiest rail networksMTR and FirstGroup will run South West Trains for the next seven years. A company bidding to build the next phase of the integrated Metro transport network in south east Wales has been boosted after winning the franchise to run one of the UK's busiest rail networks.
• Arriva Trains Wales is to double the capacity on some of its busiest trainsExtra carriages will be provided on some of the most overcrowded rail routes in Wales.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Rail firm pulls out of Leeds HS2 project, one month inBut the contract signing was delayed as officials were reportedly investigating concerns from rival bidder Mace that there may have been conflicts of interest. American-based firm CH2M has been involved with HS2 Ltd since 2012 and has been awarded a £350 million deal to develop Phase 1 of the line from London to Birmingham.

North Wales Live

• Bus travellers could get more for their cash as Solo zones scrappedMerseytravel Solo tickets go up in price - but do now cover the whole of Merseyside

Other Regional Press

• Railway crossing creating misery for drivers THE increasing length of time the barriers are down for trains passing the London Road level crossing is impacting businesses and pollution levels in Bicester, it has been claimed.
• 'Lifeline' bus services saved by community group are officially launched A COMMUNITY group that saved two 'lifeline' bus routes in Witney have officially launched their new service.

Buying Business Travel

• IATA brands laptop ban ‘ineffective’Aviation body says both UK and US urgently need to find alternatives to ruling
• University and NGO workers want clearer travel-risk policiesStudy shows communications around traveller risk were ‘unclear’ or ‘didn’t exist’
• Etihad offers free wifi and iPads on US-bound flightsOffering follows laptop ban on services from eight destinations including Abu Dhabi

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Jet Airways and Uber join hands for smarter travelWith a clear focus to continuously enhance guest experience, Jet Airways - India’s premier international airline, announced a strategic association with ride-hailing major Uber. With this first-of-its kind initiative in the Indian aviation space, the airline will partner with Uber to offer its guests greater choice by facilitating their travel to/from the airport once they have booked a ticket on the Jet Airways app. This path-breaking initiative from the airline will help guests by offering a seamless solution from doorstep to doorstep, with the benefit of two leading players in the tr...
• Eddie Stobart targets �550 million stock market listingLorry firm Eddie Stobart is listing its shares in London next month, a move that should value the firm at £550 million. The company's green and red trucks - each of them bearing a different woman's name - are a mainstay of British motorways. It is returning to the stock market three years after its parent company sold half the business to pay debts. Since then, it has invested heavily and is raising fresh funds to help it grow further. Founded in 1970, its distinctive lorries have attracted thousands of dedicated truck-spotting fans. Celebrity spotters include musicians Jools Holland, Sh...
• Arriva reports continued growth and investment in 2016 Arriva, a leading European transport provider, has released annual results showing growth of around 5% on the prior year, representing revenues in excess of €5 billion. This revenue growth enabled Arriva to invest €359 million in its businesses across the UK and Europe – 30% more than in 2015. In the UK, Arriva increased its capital expenditure to €133 million in 2016. The investment was focused on improving the customer experience, including new and improved buses and trains, station improvements and innovations such as mobile ticketing apps and the roll-out of contactl...
• Birmingham awarded �2.9 million for major electric taxi scheme Work to improve air quality in Birmingham has taken a significant step forward after it was announced that the city council will receive £2.9 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) to implement an electric taxi infrastructure across the city. The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) funding will enable the council to proceed with plans for a total of 197 charge points across the city centre and outer city areas, all of which will offer fast or rapid charging facilities for Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles. These include two key ‘super’ charge point...
• easyJet release statement on new security measureseasyJet can confirm that, in line with new UK Government requirements, it will be introducing new security measures on its flights from Turkey and Egypt to the UK. The new requirements mean that passengers on affected flights will not be permitted to take large personal electronics, such as kindles, tablets and laptops into the cabin of aircraft and additional security checks will be undertaken at the gate. We advise passengers to go to Bag Drop to check in any electronic items into their hand luggage.  All passengers are advised to leave additional time to get to the airport and we reco...
• Toyota Industries Corporation to acquire VanderlandeToyota Industries Corporation (TICO) has signed an agreement to acquire Vanderlande – the global market leader for value-added logistic process automation at airports and in the parcel market, as well as being a leading supplier for warehouses – from the company’s current owner NPM Capital. The acquisition has been fully approved and supported by Vanderlande’s Supervisory and Management Boards, and Works Council. Vanderlande will retain its name and corporate identity, as well as continue its operations as a standalone entity from the same locations worldwide. The tra...
• Transport and distribution sector sees boost of SME entrantsThe transport and distribution sector has seen a 22% rise in the number of SMEs since 2010 according to the latest study from specialist challenger bank Hampshire Trust Bank. The research conducted in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), reveals the three sectors which demonstrated higher growth were technical and professional (39%), information and communication (33%) and business services (25%). Looking at the UK as a whole, there has been a 17% rise in the number of SMEs from 2010. Hampshire Trust Bank attributes the growth in the number of transport and ...
• Seatrade chooses London Container TerminalLondon Container Terminal (LCT) in Tilbury, has secured a new fast transit reefer service covering Pacific, New Zealand, Peru & US East Coast.  The Meridian service operated with eight 2,500 TEU capacity vessels, four of which have been specifically built for this reefer orientated service, makes its first call in the UK by the Seatrade Blue this week. This new scheduled service will trim nine days out of the existing New Zealand – UK connection alongside improving frequency of North bound sailings from fortnightly to every 10 days. The service which will offer both reefer and ...
• UPS expands China-Europe Rail ServiceUPS has announced the addition of six stations to its preferred full and less-than-container load (FCL and LCL) multimodal rail service between Europe and China.  The additional stations will give customers moving goods on the world’s largest trade lane more options to reduce supply chain costs and better balance cost/time-in-transit requirements. Changsha, Chongqing, Suzhou and Wuhan Stations were added in China to the existing stations of Zhengzhou and Chengdu. In Europe stops in Duisburg, Germany and Warsaw, Poland were added to the existing stops of Lodz, Poland and Hamburg, Ger...
• Greenock freight terminal to double capacityGreenock freight terminal could double the number of containers it handles, under plans announced by owners Peel Ports. The five-year plan is linked to the expansion of the company's hub at Liverpool. Very large container ships will offload there to smaller ships serving the Clyde, Manchester and Ireland. The port operator believes its investment will reduce the amount of freight carried by road. Peel Ports' Clydeport director Andrew Hemphill said:
• Maersk Line partners with AkzoNobel to drive sustainabilityThe global paints and coatings company AkzoNobel and Maersk Line have signed a strategic sustainability partnership to reduce carbon emissions per container shipped by 10%. The aim of the partnership – which reflects the mutual ambition of both companies to jointly elevate sustainability in the maritime industry – is to drive positive change in a number of areas, including: Creating transparency on sustainable best practices in the supply chain Identifying ways to integrate sustainability into the customer-supplier relationship as a decision-making factor Reducing carb...
• CILT responds to the triggering of Article 50 Theresa May has signed the letter that will formally begin the UK's departure from the European Union. Giving official notice under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, it will be delivered to European Council president Donald Tusk. In a statement in the Commons, the prime minister will tell MPs this marks

Rail Technology Magazine

• What’s in store for the UK’s big rail fare shake-up? The Department for Transport recently announced far-reaching changes to UK rail fares in an attempt to make it easier for passengers to buy the cheapest tickets. Trials on selected routes are due to start in May and could lead to the most radical ove…
• Deadline Looms for Second WiFi-on-Metros Contract in India Bidders are currently sharpening their pencils as the deadline draws close for submissions to offer a Wi-Fi on trains service the Kochi Metro. Those interested in getting on board with the soon-to-be-launched 26km long service have until the 8 April …
• TfL starts search for partner to deliver South Kensington tube refurbTransport for London (TfL) has today begun their search for a property partner to carry out essential restoration and development works at South Kensington Tube station. The station, described as a “gateway” to one of London’s key cultural quarters, will receive a makeover, as...
• Crossrail moves forward with completion of electrification on major routeCrossrail took a step forward this week as Network Rail (NR) announced that electrification work had been completed on the 12-mile stretch of railway from Maidenhead to Stockley Junction. The project of electrification will allow new Great Western Railway (GWR) trains to run on the track when...
• Vivarail unveil new images of battery powered D-Train carriagesPeople excited about Vivarail’s new battery powered train will be pleased to know that the company has today released new images of its D-train – including a first peek at the interior of its carriage. Last week, RTM reported that the first test run of the train had been completed on...
• Merseyrail reveals reduced Grand National timetable to cope with RMT strikeMerseyrail has today released its modified timetable for RMT’s strike on Grand National Day on Saturday 8 April, saying that there will be very few trains running on the network besides services going to and from the racecourse at Aintree.   The operator says it is aiming to deliver a...

Railnews

• Rail suppliers� warning over Brexit The Railway Industry Association is planning high-level talks with the government over the future of railway supply chain companies in the UK, following the signing of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the Prime Minister today. The historic act by Theresa May marks the beginning of the United Kingdom�s departure from the European Union, and two years are allowed for negotiations over future trade relations to be completed. But supply chain companies are anxious to ensure that the railway industry is represented properly, and that 125,000 jobs remain secure.

Railway Gazette

• Joanna Whittington Joanna Whittington has been confirmed as CEO of the UK’s Office of Rail & Road. Formerly...
• Ferrovie Appulo Lucane expands fleetITALY: Ferrovie Appulo Lucane has awarded Stadler an €8·5m contract to supply an additional...
• Riga station rebuild to offer ‘moments of great wonder’LATVIA: Danish architectural firm PLH and engineering partner Cowi have won an international...

Other News Sources

• PETARDS WINS MULTIMILLION-POUND TRAIN CONTRACTGateshead-based security services provider Petards has secured a £4.3m contract. The company will supply Stadler Bussnang AG with its eyeTrain CCTV and Automatic Selective Door Opening (ASDO) systems.
• South West Trains franchise: Driver-only operation would be 'subject to consultation in normal way', FirstGroup saysFirstGroup has said the controversial policy was not mandated in the invitation to tender and would be open to consultation
• Southern Rail will not have new operator until September 2021The Department for Transport will invite new tenders in July 2020, with the new franchise taking over in September 2021
• Mothers make a stand against bus company's 'penalisation' of children with 'inconsistent' faresThe inconsistent pricing of tickets caused one "anxious" 12-year-old to be refused onto a bus to school