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

Saturday, 27 January 2018

BBC News

• Second Corby to Kettering railway track to be testedA new second train track between two Northamptonshire towns is to be tested after years of upgrade work.
• M4 Brynglas tunnel to shut eastbound as part of upgradeThe motorway will be closed eastbound at Newport from Saturday evening.
• Tree planting 'could protect railways' from landslipsA forestry organisation urges the use of trees to protect infrastructure from the effects of landslips.
• Bombardier ruling: Q&AThe dispute between Boeing and Bombardier that ended up at an international trade commission.
• US Bombardier dispute: 'Huge relief' for British workersA surprise ruling in favour of the aircraft manufacturer is welcomed by UK politicians and unions.

The Guardian

• Bombardier wins fight against huge tariffs on aircraft importsThousands of jobs in Northern Ireland appear to have been saved after plane maker Bombardier won a legal battle in the US that has overturned damaging import tariffs on its C-series aircraft.

The Herald

• Saturday Interview: Railway politics are all in a day's work for ScotRail chief BoothIT is fair to say that, having spent more than three decades working at the sharp end of the UK rail industry, its capacity for surprise has long since left Dominic Booth – even in the febrile political atmosphere that surrounds the ScotRail franchise north of the Border.

The Independent

• Bombardier wins trade dispute with Boeing amid fears huge tariffs could cost UK jobsBombardier has won a trade dispute with rival Boeing in a move that potentially safeguards hundreds of jobs in Northern Ireland.

The Scotsman

• Edinburgh tram inquiry costs have soared by £1 millionTHE cost of the Edinburgh tram inquiry is now at almost £8 million — having gone up by £1 million in the last four months.

Times Online

• Watchdog NAO probes East Coast rail blunder [Subscription]The failure of the Virgin Trains East Coast rail franchise is to be investigated by the government’s spending watchdog.
• Crashes rise on roads that are ‘not pensioner-friendly’ {Subscription]The number of older drivers involved in car crashes has increased by 10 per cent since the start of the decade, prompting calls for a redesign of the road network to make it more pensioner-friendly.
• Heathrow on flight path to nowhere [Subscription]Britain has achieved many things over the past 50 years. But few can match not building a third runway at Heathrow. We’ve been at it since 1968, ever since Harold Wilson set us off on our flight path to nowhere. And still no third landing strip: a remarkable achievement by any standards.
• Bombardier wins battle against US trade tariffs [Subscription]A surprise ruling by America’s top international trade arbiter in a dispute over Bombardier jets potentially has saved thousands of jobs in Northern Ireland.

City AM

• Relief for UK aerospace as ruling stops massive US import tariffs for Bombardier planesBritish businesses have breathed a sigh of relief after US regulators blocked the imposition of a huge import tariff on aeroplanes made partly in the UK.
• Relief for UK aerospace as ruling stops massive US import tariffs for Bombardier planesBritish businesses have breathed a sigh of relief after US regulators blocked the imposition of a huge import tariff on aeroplanes made partly in the UK.
• HICL braced for £50m hit from Carillion collapse but says dividend guidance won't changeHICL Infrastructure Company today said Carillion's liquidation had triggered loan agreement defaults at projects and management subcontracts with the firm.
• The Night Tube is coming to the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines - but only after 2023Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed plans to roll out Night Tube services to the Metropolitan, Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Lines once a major upgrade programme is complete in 2023.
• Network Rail says 300 of collapsed Carillion's smaller rail suppliers will be paid arrearsAround 300 of Carillion's smaller rail suppliers are to be paid the arrears they are owed, Network Rail said today.

Daily Record

• ScotRail and Scotch Whisky Association join Sunday Mail campaign to eradicate plastic strawsThe Scotch Whisky Association and ScotRail have pledged to ban plastic straws in the latest victory for the Sunday Mail’s campaign.

Mail Online

• Heathrow jet narrowly avoids disaster after unmanned drone passes within FIVE FEET of the pilot's window The pilot of an Airbus A321 passenger jet arriving at Heathrow thought he hit a ‘three or four engine drone’ approaching the airport after spotting the device less than five feet from the aircraft.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• Companies fined £25,000 for failure to ensure safety of passengers during station refurbishment in Hertfordshire..
• ORR investigation finds Network Rail in breach of licence in 2014-15The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) today published its findings and analysis from an investigation into Network Rail's performance delivery to Southern, Govia Thameslink (GTR) and in Scotland in..
• Better health is happening in railThe Office of Rail and Road (ORR) today published its latest occupational health report which shows that there has been a meaningful improvement in the rail industry's management of worker..

London Evening Standard

• New Tube entrance and ticket hall unveiled at Victoria station in £700m revampTransport for London has unveiled Victoria station's new Tube entrance and ticket hall in a boost for commuters often caught up in queues at the busy transport hub.
• Petrol and diesel cars set to be banned in parts of east London with £130 fines for motorists who flout rulesPetrol and diesel cars are set to be banned in parts of east London under plans that could see motorists fined more than £100 for flouting the rules.

Manchester Evening News

• Northern train was so full staff apologised for 'atrocious' service - and asked people to get offPassengers kicked off train to free up space as passengers slam journey as 'worst ever'

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Nexus begins process of buying a new £362million fleet of Metro trainsNexus has now begun the process of buying a new train fleet as part of a £362m project to improve the reliability of Metro services.

Northern Echo

• Government minister backs £50m revamp for National Railway Museum in YorkA GOVERNMENT minister has praised the National Railway Museum’s latest exhibit.

The York Press

• New bus rules under clean air plans for York YORK buses will soon be subject to new emission rules, and drivers will face fines if they leave engines running on stationary vehicles.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Proposals for new A120 link get backing from East Anglian businessesProposals to build a new A120 dual carriageway between Braintree and the A12 in Essex have received an enthusiastic welcome from almost 100 businesses from across the area.

Other Regional Press

• First new Greater Anglia regional trains taking shape in Swiss factoryThe first new regional trains being built for Greater Anglia by Stadler are now taking shape at their Swiss factory.

Buying Business Travel

• Birmingham airport announces revampWorks focus on passenger experience

Rail Technology Magazine

• The data-driven railwayMartin Vallance, Network Rail’s decision support tool (DST) workstream lead, reveals how a new digital track tool is set to reduce temporary speed restrictions (TSRs) across Britain’s railway. Imposing a TSR on the rail network has far-reaching and negative impacts on train...
• Campaign launched for £200m Midland Main Line resignalling projectDerby station’s improvement project has taken a major step forward with the launch of a joint venture campaign this week. The £200m programme to improve Midland Main Line signalling is run by a partnership between Network Rail and East Midlands Trains, supported by CrossCountry. It...
• Network Rail confirms pay-out to 300 suppliers over Carillion collapseNetwork Rail has today confirmed that it will be paying out arrears on around 300 of the rail contracts Carillion was involved in before going into liquidation. The infrastructure manager says its agreement to pay many “small rail suppliers” covers a period between Christmas and 15...
• Ordsall Chord: Setting the benchmarkMike Heywood, project director for Network Rail and Ordsall Chord alliance manager, reflects on the fantastic success of the innovative scheme, which now proudly sits at the heart of Manchester as an iconic addition to the city’s transport infrastructure. After many years of hard work, I...
• Crosscountry: A more personal touch for passengersAndy Cooper, managing director of CrossCountry, reveals more about a new interactive app poised to transform how passengers travel by rail. Luggage has been a challenge for Britain’s railways ever since someone decided to put wheels on cases and people started bringing more bags than they...
• Tyne and Wear Metro opens tender on 'long overdue' new £360m fleetThe Tyne and Wear Metro has begun the process of buying a new fleet of trams after launching the tender. Nexus, which operates the network, says the new fleet will be worth more than £360m and is scheduled to enter service by 2021. It will be made up of 42 two-carriage trains, complete...

Railnews

• Network Rail to help victims of Carillion collapse Network Rail has taken action to ease the plight of hundreds of companies which are owed money by the collapsed engineering firm Carillion, but although payments will be made directly by Network Rail to about 300 smaller suppliers, these will not help larger sub-contractors. Network Rail said ways of helping them will 'continue to be explored'. The collapse of Carillion, which had reportedly been Network Rail™s second largest contractor, has put 20,000 jobs at risk in Britain alone, plus more in other countries.

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow opens Public Consultation on proposed third runwayWhy are they consulting? Before it can proceed with construction, Heathrow needs to submit an application to the Planning Inspectorate for a Development Consent Order (DCO). This can only happen once Parliament has approved the National Policy Statement which is …
• Kenya Airways CEO asks for level playing field in African Open SkiesKenya Airways CEO Sebastian Mikosz has asked for a fair level playing field within African Open Skies, which can be only happen when all carriers have the same rules. read more

Other News Sources

• Heathrow launches Sustainable Innovation PrizeHeathrow airport has launched a new Sustainable Innovation Prize, with a prize of £20,000 on offer for the best environmental innovation concept.
• British Airways is tracking the faces of flyers as they move through Heathrow Terminal 5 - and it’s got privacy advocates in a spinBA has been using its facial-recognition tech since June but a Twitter photo recently caused a small furore
• Towns 'left nothing' in transport improvement plan, Pendle peer claimsPROPOSED plans to shape the North's transport links for the next 30 years have ‘left nothing’ for smaller towns, it has been claimed.