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

Monday, 18 December 2017

BBC News

• Funicular railway: Switzerland launches world's steepest serviceThe world's steepest funicular railway has opened in Switzerland.
• Ryanair pilots in Ireland suspend strike plansRyanair pilots in Ireland join other unions in Europe and suspend strike planned for Wednesday

Financial Times

• World’s busiest airport in Atlanta comes to near-standstillPower failure forces cancellation of more than 1,000 flights and strands travellers

The Guardian

• RAC warns drivers against end of week getaway to avoid Christmas trafficFriday is expected to be very busy on major routes because of combination of commuters, shoppers and people going home for the holidays

The Herald

• Virgin's new Azuma train makes test run to HighlandsOne of Virgin's new Azuma trains has travelled to the Highlands for the first time on a test run.

The Independent

• Mea Culpa: A meltdown in the snow and ice at HeathrowA superheated metaphor and other (alleged) glitches in this week’s Independent

The Telegraph

• 'Safer' 20mph zones led to rise in number of road deaths but too costly to reverse, council admits 

Times Online

• Heathrow cuts back its expansion to £14bn, with a mini Terminal 5 [SubscriptionHeathrow is planning to build a mini version of Terminal 5 as part of slimmed-down proposals to expand Europe’s biggest airport.

City AM

• Network Rail will wrap up Christmas presents for free at London Waterloo stationLast minute London shoppers are being given the chance to make Christmas slightly less stressful, with Network Rail offering to wrap presents for free this coming week.
• Airlines are struggling to keep pace with rising passenger expectations as competition fliesAirlines are facing rising turbulence from sky-high customer expectations amid a tough competitive environment that has seen the likes of Monarch, Air Berlin and Alitalia run into trouble this year.

Daily Record

• Angry passengers forced to abandon luggage at Aberdeen Airport after lack of staff leaves cases stuck on planeOne irate passenger clambered onto the carousel and tried to crawl through the luggage entrance to find his baggage.

Mail Online

• Ryanair pilots suspend pre-Christmas strike Impact, which represents the Irish-based pilots, said it will meet the airline's management on Tuesday evening for crunch talks, ahead of the planned strike this Wednesday, December 20.
• Streets where more people died after 20mph limit came in A report has blamed the increase on pedestrians being ‘less diligent’ when crossing the roads because they think they are less dangerous.
• Japan raids firms over alleged maglev bid-riggingTokyo prosecutors Monday raided two major construction firms over suspicions they colluded to secure contracts for Japan's multi-billion-dollar maglev project that will see trains running at 500 kilometres (310 miles) per hour.

Birmingham Mail

• Ryanair pilots SUSPEND pre-Christmas one-day strike Some 117 directly-employed Ryanair pilots are involved in the dispute

Edinburgh Evening News

• Rail commuters demand action to tackle chronic overcrowding FED-up with overcrowded trains, rail commuters across the Capital have demanded action to stop them feeling “crammed in like sardines” on a daily basis.

London Evening Standard

• Ryanair pilots in Ireland cancel strike action days ahead of ChristmasRyanair pilots have suspended a planned strike which was set to take place just days before Christmas.

Manchester Evening News

• After travelling 300m miles in the last 15 years Virgin's Pendolinos are getting a facelift - this is how Trains given a break from the Manchester-London West Coast Mainline for an overhaul

Yorkshire Post

• Government admits HS2 demolition comparisons between Meadowhall and M18 routes were incorrect A comparison of housing demolition figures used to help justify changing the HS2 route through South Yorkshire was wrong by at least 40 per cent, the Government has admitted.
• The Yorkshire Post says: Environmental case should be tipping point for Government U-turn on Yorkshire rail scheme Much has already been made of the damage to commuters from the Government’s decision to scrap a £500m upgrade of a key railway line between Yorkshire and London; now the environmental cost of the cancellation is becoming clear.
• Ministers criticised over scrapping of electrification schemes Transport ministers are facing fresh criticism over their decision to scrap rail electrification schemes in the region after figures revealed the scale of the environmental benefits that the upgrade was expected to generate.

Cambridge News

• 'Why we need more speed controls on cars'Have you feared for your life? If you use almost any mode of transportation you probably have. Well, apart from trains. Trains appear to be completely immune from fear-inducing near-death experiences.

North Wales Live

• Manchester Airport evacuated after 'false alarm' Incident was believed to have been caused by a passenger accidentally knocking an alarm panel

Reading Evening Post

• This is when Reading buses will be running over Christmas Make sure you're on time for everything this festive season by staying on top of Reading Buses Christmas timetable

Other Regional Press

• Newport taxi company to raise money for children's charityDRAGON Taxis has pledged to raise a minimum of £75,000 over three years for a children’s charity as part of its drive to end child abuse in the UK.
• 'Slap in the face for cyclists' as bikes banned from rush hour trains to OxfordA RAIL company has been accused of ‘slapping cyclists in the face’ after banning bikes from some trains into and out of Oxford.
• How to avoid chaos on the roads next Friday as commuter traffic clashes with Christmas getaway RAC says this will be the worst day on the roads this Christmas
• Bid to save ‘essential’ bus route after Hampshire County Council cuts puts its future in doubtCAMPAIGNERS are fighting to save a ‘vital’ bus service after scything budget cuts have put its future in doubt.
• Consultation on new flight paths plan to launch next monthHeathrow is launching a major consultation as it prepares to embark on the biggest reorganisation of its airspace since 1946.
• Manchester Airport passenger figures rise highest in UKMANCHESTER Airport added more passengers than any other UK airport between April and September, with an additional 1.27 million compared to 1.25 million at both Gatwick and Heathrow.
• New Virgin Azuma train makes test run to the HighlandsThe journey took it north of Edinburgh to Inverness on Friday, before travelling back to its depot in Doncaster on Saturday morning.

Railway Gazette

• World rail freight news round-upOn December 14 TX Logistik signed a firm order for Bombardier Transportation to supply 40 Traxx MS3...

Other News Sources

• "Shabby" bus stops across Dorset to get a makeoverHUNDREDS of bus stops across Dorset are going to get a facelift. Dorset County Council is working with bus operators across the county to spruce up bus stops on its "core interurban routes".
• New Heathrow consultation tries to 'force parliament's hand'Councils say a decision by Heathrow bosses to press ahead with consulting on detailed expansion proposals at a time when there is growing evidence that the extra runway is unbuildable is a desperate attempt to force Parliament’s hand.
• New rail service linking towns moves a step closer Plans to establish a heritage rail link between Fleetwood and Poulton have been given a vital extra push along the tracks.
• Drop in rail users blamed on unreliable train serviceTHE number of passengers using the ScotRail train service between Inverness and Wick has fallen in the past year. The figures from the Office of Road and Rail (ORR) show there were 56,864 fewer bottoms on seats on the line where 1.6 million tickets were sold this year.