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

Wednesday, 13 December 2017

BBC News

• Birmingham Airport baggage delay leads to carousel chaosOne man takes to the conveyor belt and peers through the hatch to find cases amid a baggage delay.
• EasyJet reveals three new routes from Belfast InternationalAirline says route expansion demonstrates commitment to Northern Ireland
• MPs to question Boeing over Bombardier trade rowExecutives are to give evidence about an ongoing dispute with Bombardier that threatens Belfast jobs.
• Arriva North West bus strikes: Unions accept pay dealArriva North West staff were set to stage a series of walkouts in the run-up to Christmas.
• London Euston to become Christmas Day homeless shelterAbout 30 volunteers from Network Rail will work alongside the charity St Mungo's and Streets Kitchen.
• Boaters accuse Canal and River Trust of 'trying to force them off the water'Proposals to change the rules for mooring rights in London
• Network Rail makes £4.8m from toiletsSince 2007 Network Rail has received over £41m from people paying to use its station toilets.
• Ryanair pilots to strike before ChristmasSome passengers face disruption after 79 Dublin-based pilots and others around Europe plan walkouts.

Department for Transport

• Highways England’s intelligent network of the futureCars of the future could be programmed to spot potholes on motorways and automatically transmit the information to Highways England to schedule repairs.

Financial Times

• Brussels approves EasyJet’s acquisition of parts of Air Berlin
• Ryanair faces potential strikes in core marketsRostering failure helps spur pilots to push for better working conditions

The Guardian

• Ryanair pilots based in Ireland to stage one-day strike next weekUp to 117 pilots expected to take action, with airline’s flights to and from Dublin, Shannon and Cork likely to be affectedPilots working for Ryanair in Ireland have called a one-day strike next week, potentially disrupting flights for Europe’s biggest airline on its home territory.Flights to and from Dublin, Shannon and Cork are likely to be affected by the walkout on Wednesday. Continue reading...
• Cars of future will spot potholes and tell us, says Highways England‘Connected vehicles’ should improve efficiency of route maintenance and improve safety, report predictsCars of the future could be programmed to spot potholes and transmit the information to Highways England, the government body responsible for roads. In a report published on Wednesday, Highways England said “connected vehiclesâ€� could improve the efficiency of route maintenance, while simultaneously improving safety. Continue reading...

The Independent

• Night bus with beds for late night revelers could soon take you homeTired people could soon be ferried home at the end of the day on a bus fitted with beds.

The Scotsman

• Time to invest in rail and let the train take the strain of lorry freight off our busy roadsWest Central Scotland has the country’s heaviest concentration of population and much of the surviving manufacturing and processing activity.

The Telegraph

• Christmas rail fare scandal: Chris Grayling orders a full investigation into 'totally unacceptable' situationhris Grayling has ordered a full inquiry into claims that more than half of train companies are not offering cheap rail fares this Christmas.
• Christmas rail fare scandal: Chris Grayling orders a full investigation into 'totally unacceptable' situation

Times Online

• US demands clarity over safety of British-made flight parts [Subscription]The government has a month in which to ensure that aircraft with British-made parts are safe to fly after Brexit, the United States has said.
• Road advice will be beamed to dashboards by fibre-optic cables in motorway [subscription]Hundreds of miles of fibre-optic cables running along the centre of England’s busiest motorways will aim to eradicate congestion by beaming traffic information and speed limits directly into cars.

City AM

• Travel nightmare before Christmas: Ryanair pilots to strike next weekIreland-based Ryanair pilots are set to strike on 20 December in a dispute over workers' rights.
• Uber's woes continue as York refuses to renew its operating licenceUber has tonight suffered another defeat, as York City Council refused to renew the ride-hailing app's licence to operate in the city.
• The minnow takes on the sharks: Why it makes sense that Addison Lee has joined the automation raceAddison Lee boss Andy Boland on his driverless plans for London and what it will mean for drivers’ jobs.
• Uber driver licence standards should be made national, say MPsA group of more than two dozen cross-party MPs have called on the government to introduce new rules controlling the licensing of drivers for Uber and other minicab services with new national standards.

Birmingham Mail

• Sir Richard Branson urge to meet unions over Virgin West Coast strike The company said it will keep the majority of trains running despite the industrial action
• Birmingham Airport fined £100k after boy became trapped in baggage conveyor belt The airport company, which had no previous convictions, had been 'embarrassed' by its failure, court told

Birmingham Post

• Rail passengers facing major Christmas delays Network Rail warns travellers to plan ahead as major routes to disrupted by engineering works over festive period
• £286m business case agreed for major transport hubCouncil chiefs now seeking backing to move to next phase redevelopment at Birmingham International station

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Uber refused new licence to operate in Yorkshire city A taxi firm will no longer operate in York after councillors refused to renew its licence.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Drink driving in North Wales 'fuelled by poor public transport'The region has the second worst record in the UK but lack of late buses should 'never be used as an excuse' AM warns

Derby Telegraph

• Derby’s Bombardier signs West Midlands Trains contract worth over half a BILLIONLitchurch Lane firm signs deal to supply and maintain over 300 Aventra carriages that will be built at Derby factory

London Evening Standard

• York becomes third UK city to ban Uber after London and SheffieldYork has followed London by refusing to grant Uber a licence to operate in the city.
• Ryanair strike: Pilots in Ireland reveal plans to walkout five days before ChristmasRyanair pilots in Ireland have revealed plans to go on strike just days before Christmas.
• Rail passengers travelling over Christmas 'misled into buying tickets for trains that will not run'The transport secretary has launched a probe

Manchester Evening News

• Is this the night bus of the future? The luxury 'snoozeliner' with beds, black-out blinds and soothing scents With USB chargers, wifi, storage and stewards to ensure you don’t sleep through your stop - it’s aimed at late-night revellers and tired shift workers
• "Our public transport system is not good enough for the country's second city", says Andy BurnhamMr Burnham has vowed to dramatically overhaul the region's transport system within three years

The York Press

• Revellers urged to 'keep a clear head' near the railway this Christmas - especially on 'Mad Friday' REVELLERS have been urged to

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Express & Star Comment: It’s time to deliver on railways The region's new railway operator really could not have picked a worse day to launch.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Speeding offences exceed the two million markIn 2011 there were 1.6 million prosecutions for speed limit offences but by 2016 the figures have leapt to 2.1 million, a rise of over 30 per cent.
• York Council chiefs refuse to renew Uber's licence in York Council chiefs have refused to renew the taxi-hailing company Uber's licence to operate in York.
• Boxing Day bus services to be put on in Leeds and West Yorkshire for 10th time Special half-hourly bus services will run across Leeds and the wider region on Boxing Day. West Yorkshire Combined Authority has funded journeys that will run on more than 70 routes into main city and town centres, retail spots and hospitals between 9am and 6pm on December 26.

Get West London

• Heathrow expansion: Airport denies alternative runway plan that would destroy Sipson and Harlington villagesSipson and Harlington villages are in danger of being swallowed up by Heathrow if plans by one of the airport's biggest landowners are adopted.
• Chris Grayling on why Heathrow Airport is 'the right choice' for runway expansionExclusive: Transport Secretary Chris Grayling on why YOU should respond to the Heathrow consultation. Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, writing exclusively for getwestlondon and getsurrey, sets out his vision for the Heathrow Airport expansion and why you should respond to the consultation.

North Wales Live

• Arriva bus strike ENDS - and ECHO readers are delightedPraise for drivers who were set to strike today in pay row that sparked NINE walkouts

Other Regional Press

• Littleport disabled campaigner travels to London to join a transport think tankA disabled transport campaigner has met with rail chiefs in London where she joined a think tank into making improvements for assisted travel on trains.
• Kirklees Council unveils £135m roads proposals featuring TWO new bypassesCooper Bridge on the A644 to the M62, and Holmfirth, could get new roads

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Nottingham Community Transport launches new operating arm for bus servicesNottingham Community Transport (Nottingham CT) is set to launch a new trading arm called ‘CT4N’ next year - under which it will operate bus services currently run on behalf of Nottingham City Council.  From 2 January 2018, Locallink, Centrelink, Ecolink, Medilink and Worklink bus services will transfer to the ‘CT4N’ arm.  However all vehicles, routes, fares and the organisation’s regular team of friendly drivers will remain the same and business will be very much as usual for passengers.  Meanwhile, the Easylink and Group Travel services, will rem...
• Stagecoach East trials Britain’s first biogas-powered double-decker busStagecoach East is trialing Britain’s first biogas-powered double-decker bus on the Guided Busway A and B services between Huntingdon and Cambridge. The six-week trial of a ‘greener’ Enviro 400 Scania double-decker began on November 1st – and, last week, the bus company showcased the benefits of running such a bus in real-life service to key stakeholders, local MPs and city council members.    The Scania model – which has been specifically developed for the UK bus market - offers a number of advantages which complement Stagecoach East’s environment...
• Transport for London seeks six exclusive commercial partners for the launch year of the Elizabeth lineTransport for London (TfL) has revealed that the Elizabeth line is to be launched in partnership with six sector-exclusive brands, offering a unique opportunity that will align with this historic moment for London. Connecting Reading and Heathrow in the west, and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east via ten new central London stations, the iconic new railway will dramatically improve transport links across the South East. The six commercial partners will be offered 12 months of sector-exclusive, advertising rights across the Elizabeth line’s brand new, premium environment as well as the ...

Rail Technology Magazine

• ScotRail Class 380s run as first electric trains between Edinburgh and GlasgowClass 380s have made history as the first electric trains to run between Edinburgh and Glasgow in preparation for the Class 385s next year – which, as ScotRail Alliance boss Alex Hynes told RTM, were slightly pushed back as part of a necessary “dose of realism.” Stock from...
• West Midlands Trains and London Northwestern launch first servicesThe new West Midlands franchise officially launched this weekend as West Midlands Trains and London Northwestern began operations. The new operator is a joint venture between Abellio, JR East and Mitsui which won the contract from London Midland in August. Splitting the franchise into two...
• Government could face investigation over Virgin East Coast 'bailout'The DfT could be subject to an investigation following the decision to allow Virgin East Coast out of its franchise obligations three years early. Transport secretary Chris Grayling announced the move earlier this month, sparking fears that the government could miss out on some of the £2bn...
• Yorkshire authority supports union opposition to DOO trainsThe RMT has today welcomed support in their opposition to driver only operated (DOO) trains on Northern Rail services. The union has received support from West Yorkshire Combined Authority,  which covers Leeds, Bradford, York, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield councils, for its campaign to...
• CAF officially signs £680m deal for new West Midlands Trains stockCAF has announced that it will officially be responsible for a £680m train manufacturing contract with the new West Midlands Trains franchise operator. The deal includes a fleet of DMUs, consisting of a mix of 12x2-car trains and 14x4-car trains intended to begin to replace the existing...

Railway Gazette

• Vivarail to open production facility in County DurhamUK: Next month Vivarail is to open a plant on the Spectrum Business Park at Seaham in County Durham where it will assemble powerpacks and wiring looms for the D Train multiple-units which it plans to produce using bodyshells and bogies from withdrawn London Underground D78 trainsets.

Railway Gazette

• Russia adopts piggyback wagon standardsRUSSIA: The Ministry of Transport has approved technical standards for the piggyback transport of...

Aviation Industry

• Missed AEF’s AGM and Noise Seminar? Here’s what we coveredOn Thursday 23rd November, we held our AGM and Noise Seminar for AEF members, with guest speaker Nic Stevenson from the CAA presenting the results so far from its ongoing aircraft noise survey, followed by an AEF-led discussion on the …
• European Commission confirms Brexit implicationsThe European Commission Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport has confirmed the ramifications of the UK’s exit from the European Union (Brexit) on air transport. read more
• London Luton plans major growthA 30-year growth plan for London Luton Airport has been announced by the airport’s owner London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL). read more
• Ryanair labor conflict worsens as Irish pilots vote to strike Dec. 20Conflict between Irish LCC Ryanair and its pilots is escalating in the run up to the busy holiday travel period after Irish pilots said they would strike Dec. 20 and a German union said negotiations were the only way to avert a strike, adding to similar calls for strikes in Portugal and Italy in recent days. read more
• European Commission clears easyJet’s airberlin deal The European Commission (EC) has allowed easyJet to take over airberlin’s Berlin Tegel Airport base, but there are increasing concerns that airberlin subsidiary NIKI may collapse if the authority blocks its takeover by Lufthansa. read more
• US to hold informal talks with Gulf states, but takes no action on Open SkiesThe US State Department has informed US airlines and labor groups that it will not formally reopen negotiations on Open Skies agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, but instead will engage the Gulf countries in informal talks over alleged subsidies to Gulf airlines. read more

Other News Sources

• Revealed: The multi-million pound road and rail schemes set to transform CoventryThe injection of funding comes in a bid to improve roads, rail lines, schools and hospitals
• AMs: Sadiq’s fares freeze is denying TfL the cash it needs to invest in new Tube trainsLondon Assembly members have expressed “concern” over falling fares income at Transport for London and suggest that the Mayor’s four year fares freeze is depriving the agency of the investment it needs.
• Port of Felixstowe handles one million TEU by railHutchison Ports’ Port of Felixstowe has become the first port in the UK to handle over one million TEU by rail in a single year. The one millionth unit was loaded today (Wednesday) onto the 13:34 Freightliner service to Birmingham.
• Grayling orders probe as rail users offered tickets for 'non-existent' services An inquiry has been launched into the sale of train tickets after a watchdog warned that passengers may have been "misled" over festive travel.
• Bombardier signs $724 million UK train contractBombardier Inc's rail unit said on Tuesday it signed a $724 million contract to sell 333 of its electric Aventra trains to be used by British rail operator West Midlands.
• Bombardier signs £542m trains contractA contract worth more than £500m has been officially signed by Bombardier to build and maintain hundreds of carriages in Derby for the Midlands' latest rail franchise.
• South Western Railway disruption: Rail services issue apology following London Waterloo fire A 650-volt cable set alight on Monday (December 11) which caused delays and cancellations during the evening