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

Friday, 23 February 2018

BBC News

• Network Rail blames 'rodent damage' for signal problemsRats chewing through power cables were responsible for "very severe" rail delays between South Wales and London.
• SpaceX launches broadband pathfindersThe US rocket company puts up two satellites to test technologies for a broadband mega-constellation.
• RMT announces Southern rail strike date in MarchMembers will walk out on 12 March in the ongoing dispute over the role of guards and DOO trains.
• Rail regulationLabour wants to bring Britain's railways back under public control, but 75% of the industry is already nationalised.
• Is nationalisation the answer for Britain's railways?Labour wants to renationalise Britain's railways but 75% of the industry is already under public control.
• Qantas Airways sees record half year profitsAustralian biggest airline beats off competition and higher fuel costs to post a 14.6% jump in profits.
• Stansted Airport plan for 43 million passengersThe airport says increasing its annual passenger limit by eight million would create 5,000 jobs.
• Barclays takes £127m hit from Carillion collapseThe bank reveals how much the collapse of the outsourcing giant cost it, but its profits still rose.
• British Rail could be revived under LabourThe shadow chancellor says a Labour government would bring together tracks and trains again.

ITV News

• Did Sadiq Khan just apply the brakes to the idea of driverless trains?London's Mayor appeared to apply the brakes to the idea of driverless trains operating on parts of the Tube.

Department for Transport

• Government commits £1.8 million to fund innovation in aviation securityNew technology could bolster airport security and speed up passenger screening.
• Work under way on Phase One of HS2 a year on from Royal AssentOn the first anniversary of Royal Assent, eligible homeowners are encouraged to apply for payments which are still available under the Homeowner Payment scheme.

Financial Times

• MPs turn fire on KPMG and Deloitte over CarillionAuditors told to account for failure to spot warning signs at collapsed contractor
• Hedge funds seek lift-off in leasing aircraftInvestment firms turn to the business of buying and leasing planes to help boost returns
• DP World accuses Djibouti of illegally seizing container terminal

The Guardian

• Heathrow boss hits back at airlines over expansion cost claimsJohn Holland-Kaye says airport is not looking to protect the self-interest of British Airways

The Telegraph

• Fears neo-Nazis are seeking influence at one of Germany's biggest car makers in threat to trade union 

Times Online

• Warning over runaway rail station costs [Subscription]Painful lessons from the five-year redevelopment of London Bridge station must be heeded in the £4 billion rebuild of London Euston for HS2, MPs have said (Robert Lea writes).
• HS2 boss’s old firm wins Euston deal [Subscription]The inextricably intertwined lives of the HS2 boss Sir David Higgins and the Australian construction giant Lendlease took another twist as HS2 confirmed that the Australian builders would lead the £4 billion redevelopment of London Euston.
• MPs demand answers on ‘false market’ in Carillion [Subscription]Shares warning draws advisers into firing line

Reuters News

• Heathrow and Stansted push for airports expansion to face down European rivalsLONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s biggest airport Heathrow pressed the government to give the go-ahead to a new runway before the summer on Thursday while rival Stansted said it also wanted to expand as London’s airports position themselves for more competition after Brexit.

City AM

• MPs warn lessons need to be learned from £7bn Thameslink programme delays for successful delivery of HS2The government must learn lessons from the £7bn Thameslink programme delays - particularly with complex work on HS2 looming - MPs warned today.
• Heathrow boss warns European rivals at risk of overtaking it as it waits for expansion plans to take offWhile Heathrow racked up rising profits and revenue along with its fastest growth rate in five years, the airport's boss today warned of being overtaken by European rivals.
• HS2 chooses Lendlease to develop "a masterplan" for Euston revamp that could lead to 1,700 new homesHS2 said today the firm behind the 2012 London Olympic Athletes' Village will lead the massive revamp of Euston in a deal that could fuel the development of up to 1,700 new homes.
• London Southend Airport owner Stobart Group confirms interest in Flybe deal as the airline's shares soarThe owner of London Southend Airport confirmed today it was considering a number of options in a potential deal with regional airline Flybe, including a takeover approach.
• MPs warn lessons need to be learned from £7bn Thameslink programme delays for successful delivery of HS2The government must learn lessons from the £7bn Thameslink programme delays - particularly with complex work on HS2 looming - MPs warned today.
• Labour: British Rail vision will deliver “a more effective and safer railway”Labour has set out its vision for the renationalisation Britain’s railways – a strategy bringing “efficiencies” to train journeys and “a more effective and safer railway”.
• The Night Overground extension to north London starts tomorrowThe extended Night Overground will kick into action tomorrow, including Canonbury and Highbury & Islington stations for the first time.

Mail Online

• Stobart Group set to launch takeover bid for Flybe Stobart Group, formed out of the Eddie Stobart haulage firm, is in discussions to buy Flybe. The announcement saw shares in the airline soar by 36 per cent.
• Union announces new strike on March 12 for Southern Rail Workers on Southern Railway are to stage a fresh strike on March 12 in the long-running dispute over the role of guards, the RMT union has today announced.

This is Money

• Stobart Group set to launch takeover bid for Flybe Stobart Group, formed out of the Eddie Stobart haulage firm, is in discussions to buy Flybe. The announcement saw shares in the airline soar by 36 per cent.

London Evening Standard

• Heathrow boss: We’re losing ground to France and Germany... John Holland-Kaye said: “We have over 30 airlines that want to open or expand at Heathrow, but we are already at full capacity, so many of them, as well as passengers, are choosing to go to Paris or Frankfurt, where there is room to grow.”
• Sadiq Khan brands driverless Tube trains 'madness'Sadiq Khan has branded the prospect of driverless Tube trains "madness".
• British Airways passengers forced to 'hold it' for hours on flight to Tenerife after on-board toilet issueA plane full of passengers flying from London to Tenerife were forced to cross their legs for hours after the on-board toilets stopped working.

Manchester Evening News

• Abusive and violent passengers could soon face being banned for life from Greater Manchester's trams and buses Plan to give TfGM bosses new powers to curb increase in verbal and physical abuse on public transport
• Abusive and violent passengers could soon face being banned for life from Greater Manchester's trams and buses Plan to give TfGM bosses new powers to curb increase in verbal and physical abuse on public transport
• Motorists have been fined for driving in Oxford Road bus lanes 150,000 times in six monthsBus passengers and cyclists herald changes that have raked in up to £9m for the council - but some drivers are not so happy

Sheffield Star

• Long-awaited Sheffield to Rotherham tram-train project hits further delays The long-awaited tram-train link between Sheffield and Rotherham has been hit with further delays after planned engineering works due to be carried out this weeked has been cancelled.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Sleeper blows hole in Serco’s financesHigher-than-expected operating costs for Caledonian Sleeper trains have blown a £47million hole in the balance sheet of operator Serco, prompting a warning from the company it may seek an early exit from the 15-year franchise.

Other Regional Press

• Council leader, James Swindlehurst, throws support behind Heathrow expansionCllr James Swindlehurst met with the leader of the pro-expansion campaign group, Back Heathrow, to launch a new mobile billboard outlining support for the project and to reaffirm their partnership.
• Another bus lane camera announced for city as previous three rake in nearly £400,000 in 12 monthsALMOST £400,000 of revenue was raised by council bosses by catching out drivers in bus lanes last year – and now more cameras are being put in place.
• Trapped bus causing traffic chaos for the second time in a week A TRAPPED bus is causing traffic chaos after it became stuck.
• Suffolk and Essex commuters on region’s mainline face rail delays due to over-running engineering worksRail commuters on the region’s mainline this morning are likely to face disruption after the over-running engineering works closed the line between Stratford and Liverpool Street.

New Civil Engineer

• Heathrow calls for early expansion voteMPs must vote on Heathrow expansion “as quickly as possible” to avoid the UK’s aviation industry lagging behind France and Germany, Heathrow’s chief executive has warned.

The Business Desk

• Rail freight hub opens within 337-acre iPort logistics hubiPort Rail in Doncaster, the UK’s newest intermodal inland rail freight hub, has opened and is fully operational.

Aviation Industry

• JFK storm crisis prompts better communications initiative IATA is coordinating efforts to ensure airlines, airport authorities, air traffic control (ATC) authorities and other key aviation stakeholders communicate critical information better when there is an incident that causes severe operational disruption at a major airport. read more
• Airlines should give real-time operational data, NY Airports director says Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) aviation director Huntley Lawrence called on airlines to provide detailed, real-time operational data to the entity managing New York JFK, New York LaGuardia and Newark airports. read more
• Biometric facial recognition boarding changing airport experience The biometric facial recognition trial at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) has proven so successful and popular that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is actively exploring how widely facial recognition can be used at airports, a senior CBP official said. read more
• Qantas to take A321LR deliveries for LCC JetstarThe Qantas Group has confirmed it will take delivery of 18 Airbus A321neo long-range (A321LR) aircraft beginning in mid-2020, which will be used by its Jetstar LCC subsidiary for fleet replacement and growth. read more

Other News Sources

• Heathrow eyes final expansion approval as growth continuesHeathrow grew at its fastest rate in five years in 2017, welcoming a record 78 million passengers, or 3.1 per cent more than the previous year
• Guest speakers include Zac Goldsmith MP and the Leaders of Wandsworth and Richmond CouncilsJustine is holding a joint public meeting with the Richmond Park MP, Zac Goldsmith, on Heathrow Airport’s consultation and its latest plans for expansion on Thursday 1st March .
• Heathrow Airport expansion: Stanwell Moor residents' campaign for inclusion into compensation scheme backed by Spelthorne MP Residents of Stanwell Moor have set up the "Sell to Heathrow" campaign
• Winchester entrepreneur James Zorb steps in to help struggling rail commuters with new app RailBuddyA WINCHESTER entrepreneur has vowed to give commuters power to fight back against delays through a major app.
• Lilian Greenwood: “There’s a real danger that transport becomes about engineering. It isn’t, it’s about what it enables”With the DfT facing questions over the failures on the East Coast Mainline and the decision to scrap rail electrification upgrades, Transport Select Committee chair Lilian Greenwood is determined to find answers.