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

Thursday, 05 October 2017

BBC News

• South Wales Metro being set up to fail says Labour AMA Labour backbench AM has said he fears the Metro public transport project for South East Wales is "being set-up to fail".
• Uber clears way for huge Softbank investmentThe Japanese technology giant could pour up to $1.25bn into the ride-sharing firm, reports suggest.
• Ford to move away from traditional carsThe US firm says it will shift towards SUVs and trucks, while investing in electric power and tech.
• Car finance not a cause for concern 'per se' says regulatorThe UK's financial watchdog says there is a change in consumer attitudes to ownership.
• Bombardier-Boeing row: Coveney warns on peace processSimon Coveney warns US of the Bombardier-Boeing dispute's potential impact on NI jobs.
• Fresh rail strikes hit services across EnglandRMT action is expected to affect Southern, Merseyrail, Arriva Rail North and Greater Anglia services.

Department for Transport

• New rail academy to train 500 apprentices opened by Transport SecretaryApprentice opportunities at new rail academy in Widnes.

Financial Times

• How Uber and Lyft are reinventing the bus‘The companies imagine a future in which fewer people own cars and instead rely on a combination of ride-hailing and trains’
• Uber’s board halts feuding as SoftBank deal loomsVoting power of early investors including Kalanick reduced, IPO set for end of 2019
• Uber: The uncomfortable view from the driving seatThe ride-sharing group faces its biggest challenge: keeping its drivers, some of whom sleep in their cars to make ends meet
• Qantas rises to record high after Goldman upgrade
• The Uber Game: Can you make it in the gig economy?Experience a week in the life of an Uber driver trying to make ends meet

The Guardian

• Monarch collapse: union launches legal action over redundanciesUnite seeks compensation for more than 1,800 staff, saying company broke law on notice periodThe Unite union has launched legal action on behalf of more than 1,800 Monarch staff who were laid off, in a move that could add millions to the taxpayers’ bill for the collapse of the airline. Unite, which represents engineers and cabin crew who worked for the airline, said the company had broken the law by failing to consult on redundancies.It has also emerged that some staff were told to call a premium-rate phone line to hear news of their redundancy, with some billed almost £40 for the call. The ad...

The Telegraph

• Wave of rail strikes to hit services across England again today

Times Online

• Electric cars must be limited too, say pollution experts [Subscription]All cars, including those run on electricity, will have to be banned or deterred by high entry charges on many roads to meet the mayor of London’s new air quality target, according to the government’s top pollution adviser.
• Cyclists protest after new tram route stops them in their tracks [Subscription]Cycling campaigners have called for a meeting with transport authorities after it was discovered that cycling had been banned between St Stephen’s Green and College Green because of the new Luas tracks.

Mail Online

• Monarch customers who paid with debit cards could lose out Those who make a purchase of over £100 on credit card are legally entitled to money back under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act - but not customers who paid for flights with a debit card.

Birmingham Post

• Why ignoring air pollution is not an option With 900 premature deaths per year in Birmingham - but we need help to tackle it says senior councillor

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Jet2 to step up Leeds Bradford Airport operation after collapse of rival Monarch Budget airline Jet2.com will increase its flights from Leeds Bradford Airport as early as next weekend in response to the collapse of its rival Monarch Airlines.
• UberEATS food delivery app to go live in Bradford today A FOOD delivery app by the private hire company Uber is making its debut in Bradford today.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Fancy being a train driver? This is what you could get paid Arriva Trains Wales is looking for trainee and qualified drivers

London Evening Standard

• New Ford chief: cost cuts and electric cars key in drive aheadThe new boss of Ford today set out his vision for the future of the car giant, with plans to strip out $14 billion (£10.6 billion) of costs and focus on selling SUVs and trucks.
• Uber and TfL plan more talks as ride-hailing firm bids to get its licence backUber and Transport for London are to hold further talks as the ride-hailing firm bids to get its licence back to operate in the capital.
• Angel Tube station evacuated as police carry out controlled explosion on suspicious packageAngel Tube station was placed on lockdown as police carried out a controlled explosion on a suspicious package.
• Train strike: London's key rail routes to be hit by latest round of RMT walkoutsMajor rail routes into London are set to be crippled by yet more strikes as the dispute over the role of guards and driver-only trains becomes increasingly bitter.

Wales Online

• This is how much train drivers in Wales are paidAnd Arriva Trains Wales is currently recruiting for trainee train drivers

Yorkshire Evening Post

• These are the improvements planned for First Leeds buses There's good news if you're a passenger on First bus services in Leeds.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Rail dispute is not the end of travel for East Anglian rail travellers yetThe first of the RMT guards’ one day strikes on the Greater Anglia rail network on Tuesday proved to be something of an anti-climax with little effect on services and little disruption for passengers.

Other Regional Press

• Talks held after bus services in north east Derbyshire scrapped Talks have been held to discuss changes and reductions to bus services in north east Derbyshire.
• Plans for new train station in Llanwern are welcomedTHE announcement of a new £50 million railway station and park and ride facility in Llanwern has been widely welcomed.
• Electric chargers suggested for 'eco-mooring zone' on Oxford CanalELECTRIC bollards along the canal have been suggested to create an eco-mooring zone to reduce air pollution in the city.

Buying Business Travel

• Eurowings and SAA form partnershipSAA will have access to Eurowings network

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Rolls-Royce joins forces with Google Cloud to help make autonomous ships a reality Rolls-Royce has signed a deal with Google to develop further its intelligent awareness systems which are making existing vessels safer and are essential to making autonomous ships a reality. The agreement, believed to be the first in the marine sector, was signed today at the Google Cloud Summit in Sweden. It allows Rolls-Royce to use Google’s Cloud Machine Learning Engine to further train the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) based object classification system for detecting, identifying and tracking the objects a vessel can encounter at sea.

Rail Technology Magazine

• DfT approves £60m upgrade to Felixstowe branch lineA scheme worth £60.4m to increase freight services and create a more reliable railway for passengers travelling between Ipswich and Felixstowe has been approved by the transport secretary. The work on the Felixstowe branch line will see a second track installed between Trimley station and...
• RMT prepares to strike against fifth TOC, South WesternThe RMT has this week extended its dispute with TOCs over driver-only operated trains to a fifth operator, South Western Railway (SWR). The news comes a day after union leaders accused the government of “sabotaging” a deal being made between the RMT and other TOCs, and on the same...
• East Midlands outlines plans to 'put HS2 site to good use' A new strategy has been released that outlines how HS2 will add thousands of jobs and billions of pounds to the East Midlands economy. Back in July, the government confirmed the route for phase 2 of HS2, running from the West Midlands through Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and including plans...
• Rail industry 'already feeling effects of skills investment' from HS2Even though work has not yet started on HS2, the project is already driving change in the industry as the benefit from new investment in skills and innovation is being felt by organisations, a report has this week argued. The latest report from High Speed Rail Industry Leaders (HSRIL) looked...

Railway Gazette

• Longer freight trains to go aheadGERMANY: Planning for the introduction of 740 m long freight trains across the core national...
• Eickholt to lead Siemens-Alstom integration INTERNATIONAL: The CEO of Siemens’ Mobility Division, Dr Jochen Eickholt, has been appointed...
• Wales & Borders franchise invitations to tender issuedUK: The Welsh Government invited shortlisted bidders Abellio Rail Cymru, Arriva Rail Wales,...

Transport Network

• Lothian embraces electric tech with six all electric busesLothian Buses has introduced the first full electric buses to Edinburgh’s streets at a cost of more than £2.7m.

Aviation Industry

• Aer Lingus to beef up transatlantic services Aer Lingus is to further strengthen transatlantic services, as it increasingly tilts toward becoming a predominantly long-haul airline. read more
• Icelandair seeks MRO partners ahead of Boeing 737 MAX arrival Icelandair is preparing to start taking delivery of 16 Boeing 737 MAXs in 2017 and is seeking maintenance suppliers to support the changeover. read more
• Finnair, Widerøe to partner on Norwegian routesFinnair will open new routes from its Helsinki hub to Norway's Bergen and Tromsø in May 2018, as a part of its continuing growth strategy. read more
• EasyJet prepares for fleet changes UK LCC easyJet is bracing for a busy winter, transitioning aircraft to its Austrian air operator’s certificate (AOC), growing its A320neo fleet and phasing out 30 of its Airbus A319s. read more

Other News Sources

• 21st Century Technology wins £1m contract with 'major' UK bus fleet operatorAIM-listed 21st Century Technology has been awarded an on-vehicle safety systems engineering contract with a "major" UK bus fleet operator worth just over £1m.
• DB Schenker UK to offer warehouse and transport solutions for Hitachi Rail EuropeDB Schenker UK has secured a warehouse and transport management contract from Hitachi Rail Europe.
• FTA renews call for London Freight CommissionerThe Freight Transport Association (FTA) is renewing its call for a Freight Commissioner for London, to ensure the city can keep trading ...