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

Wednesday, 24 January 2018

BBC News

• Swinney 'would not change Edinburgh tram decisions'The deputy first minister tells the Edinburgh tram inquiry he is
• Dublin Airport sets 30m passenger recordUK-originating passenger numbers decline due to the weakness of Sterling.
• Translink 'needs £13m' to fund unprofitable local busesPeople living in rural areas could be left without buses because there is no money to back the service.
• EasyJet's new chief kicks off reign with positive newsThe airline announces a 14% jump in revenues and senior management changes.
• Road use charges should be tailored to drivers, says reportDrivers should be charged based on factors like time of day and congestion, a new report says.

Financial Times

• EasyJet revenues boosted by struggles at rival airlinesCarrier’s results helped by woes of Ryanair, Alitalia, Monarch and Air Berlin
• EasyJet proves some airlines are more equal than others Monarch, Air Berlin and Alitalia bankruptcies reduce competitive pressure on prices

Times Online

• Delays on line upgrades blamed for Virgin East Coast failure [Subscription]The row over one of Britain’s biggest rail franchises escalated yesterday when train bosses accused the government of delaying vital line upgrades by up to four years.
• Driverless car glasses put end to motion sickness [Subscription]Driverless cars will bring a revolution in the way we spend our time. Rather than sitting in traffic drumming our fingers on the steering wheel in frustration, owners will be able to read, check emails or even watch a film.
• SNP did not want to derail government over trams, John Swinney says [subscription]John Swinney has told the Edinburgh tram inquiry that he would not change any of his decisions over the controversial project even if he had the chance.
• Warning over ‘impossible’ merger of Police Scotland and British Transport Police [Subscription]Further doubts have been cast on the controversial merger of Police Scotland and transport police north of the border, with a senior officer warning that a full amalgamation “will not be possible” by the April 2019 deadline.

City AM

• The £14.8bn Crossrail project faces "increasing cost and schedule pressures" ahead of planned Elizabeth Line launchLondon’s transport commissioner has said the £14.8bn Crossrail project is facing “increasing cost and schedule pressures” with deadlines looming for the new railway, which is planned to open in stages from December.
• Mapped: Here's how the Elizabeth Line will open in stages as the Crossrail project wraps upIn December, Transport for London (TfL) revealed its updated Tube map for the Elizabeth Line once the Crossrail project wraps up.
• Uber boss says company can be profitable within three yearsThe chief executive of ride-hailing app Uber has said the company can be profitable within three years.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham Airport to provide more boarding card gates Work starts of next phase of improvement programme at transport hub

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham Airport to provide more boarding card gates Work starts of next phase of improvement programme at transport hub

Bolton News

• Farnworth bus station revamp set for £1.7 million kickstartPLANS to redevelop Farnworth bus station should take a major step forward this week, with £1.7 million of funding expected to be released for the project.

London Evening Standard

• More research needed on effect of breathing in dust on Tube, report warnsA leading engineering organisation has called for more research to be done on the effects of commuters breathing in dust on the London Underground.

Northern Echo

• Row over 'indefensible' spending gap between North and South on transportA ROW has broken out after the Government was accused of an “indefensibleâ€� spending gap when it comes to spending on transport in the North and South.

The York Press

• Virgin hits back over franchise claimsVIRGIN Trains East Coast has hit back after a Minister suggested its franchise could fall apart before 2020 and taxpayers will be left out of pocket.
• £1.9m improvement scheme to start for East Yorkshire roadA £1.9 MILLION improvement scheme for the A166 in East Yorkshire will start next month.
• First York buses going contactlessPASSENGERS on all First York buses will be able to make contactless payments by bank card or mobile for their journeys from Sunday.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Passenger record at Birmingham AirportBirmingham Airport has unveiled its best-ever set of passenger figures, as nearly 13 million people passed through the terminal of the Midlands gateway in 2017.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Level crossing fears may force rethink for depot on Suffolk/Essex borderProposals to build a new multi-million pound rail depot at Brantham on the Suffolk/Essex border have been jeopardised because it would force too many trains to use the level crossing at Manningtree station, it has emerged.

Other Regional Press

• Bike theft fears as wait goes on for more than 1,000 cycle spaces at WestgateA LACK of secure cycling spaces at the Westgate Centre could deter cyclists from visiting Oxford, a campaigner has warned.

Buying Business Travel

• Easyjet cashes in on rival airlines woesDemise of Monarch and Air Berlin have helped to boost low-cost carrier

Rail Technology Magazine

• 2018: The year of opportunity for HS2Momentum continues to gather pace up and down the country as this year’s major HS2 milestones begin to approach, writes John Downer, director of High Speed Rail Industry Leaders (HSRIL). Last year saw the construction of HS2 – Britain’s brand-new high-speed railway line –...
• Government voices ambition to make hydrogen trains 'a priority' in futureThe introduction of hydrogen-powered trains on the UK rail network will be “a priority” for the government in the coming years. Transport secretary Chris Grayling confirmed that the DfT would likely be pursuing different types of power for trains, some similar to the bi-mode stock...
• Thameslink: Nearing the end of the lineRTM’s Josh Mines catches up with Mark Somers, project director for Thameslink, on how the final stages of the programme are progressing and what lessons the industry can take away from its success. Network Rail’s mammoth £7bn Thameslink Programme has not always enjoyed a smooth...
• Out with the old...Despite a few disappointing policy announcements, especially for the electrification aficionados amongst us, 2017 was, like Darren Caplan writes on page 20, a year generally marked by positive news for the rail industry. We polished off the iconic Ordsall Chord (p32), hit some solid milestones on...
• A public and private sector partnershipPaul Plummer, chief executive of Rail Delivery Group, explores the ways in which the rail industry is changing and evolving in order to bring its long-term improvement plan to life. It would be fair to say that the rail industry is involved in a very public debate over the future of our railway....
• Grayling: 'No obvious passenger benefit' to Midland Main Line electrificationTransport secretary Chris Grayling told the Commons Transport Committee yesterday that his decision to cancel further electrification on the Midland Main Line north of Kettering came down to the value for money provided by the project. In a tough afternoon for the secretary, he was grilled on...
• A rail centre fit for the futureAlstom UK’s new modernisation facility in Widnes has made fantastic progress on the Class 390 fleet since opening its doors in June, writes Nick Crossfield, the company’s managing director. The north west has a rich history of engineering. The Liverpool City Region in particular...

Railway Gazette

• Travel Support Cards to assist passengers with hidden disabilitiesUK: Govia Thameslink Railway is introducing sets of Travel Support Cards to support passengers with...
• Green Cargo moves the same volume with fewer trainsSWEDEN: Green Cargo has begun using Innofreight's larger XXXL containers to deliver wood-based and...
• Vibration analysis aims to reduce train door failuresEUROPE: A Vibration Analysis for Remote Condition Monitoring project funded from the EU's H2020...

Aviation Industry

• AerCap CEO: Boeing needs to correctly price NMA aircraft Boeing's plan for a new mid-market airplane (NMA) has been met with some hesitation by the aircraft finance and leasing community, as illustrated in comments made by Dublin-based lessor AerCap CEO Aengus Kelly.
• ANA Group set to boost international, domestic and cargo flights Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) Group plans to boost international, domestic and air cargo frequencies in its 2018 fiscal year, in “response to increased air travel demand on a global scale,â€� the company said.
• United plans aggressive domestic capacity growth from 2018-2020United Airlines plans to grow system capacity 4%-6% year-over-year (YOY) in 2018, 2019 and 2020, an aggressive pace of growth that is likely to be faster than main rivals American Airlines and Delta Air Lines rate of capacity expansion over the next three years.
• New easyJet CEOs strategy includes management revamp and data pushJohan Lundgren, the new CEO of UK LCC easyJet, has axed the role of CCO and is prioritizing data after two months leading the airline.