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

Wednesday, 28 February 2018

BBC News

• Manchester to Carmarthen train service suspendedA shortage of trains means the direct service from Manchester Piccadilly to Carmarthen has been suspended.
• Trump reaches informal Air Force One deal with BoeingThe White House says it has reached an informal deal with Boeing to provide two Air Force One planes.
• Carbon emissions up as diesel sales diveThe popularity of SUVs and falling diesel sales has led to higher vehicle CO2 levels, the SMMT says.
• Ryanair to axe Glasgow Airport baseThe airline will close its base at Glasgow Airport, warning that 300 jobs could go as a result.
• Diesel ban approved for German cities to cut pollutionGerman cities will be able to ban older, more polluting vehicles from some areas in a landmark ruling.

Financial Times

• Safran plays down hopes for stepped up aircraft productionSupplier cool on push by Boeing and Airbus for faster deliveries of single-aisle jets
• Emmanuel Macron’s trial of strength with France’s railway unionsThe reform of SNCF is important; its symbolic significance more so
• Uber’s culture changemaker leaving after nine months

The Guardian

• German court rules cities can ban diesel cars to tackle pollutionLandmark ruling could cause traffic chaos and dramatically hit the value of diesel vehiclesMillions of heavily polluting vehicles could eventually disappear from roads across Germany after its top administrative court ruled that cities have the right to ban diesel motors in an effort to improve deadly air quality levels.Tuesday’s historic decision potentially affects an estimated 12m vehicles and has delivered a heavy blow to Europe’s largest car market, while being celebrated by environmental campaigners. Continue reading...
• Carillion bosses were fantasists chasing pot of gold, MPs sayCollapsed construction firm’s executives accused of making ‘litany of excuses’ for demiseTop executives at Carillion were “fantasistsâ€� who assumed the company would receive fees that might not be paid, according to MPs. In the latest in a series of critical statements, a joint parliamentary select committee investigating the collapse of the construction firm also accused Carillion’s former leadership of making a “litany of excusesâ€� for the demise of the construction group.The comments came as the joint inquiry being conducted by the work and pensions committee – in conjunction with the busines...
• The Guardian view on public transport: end austerity, trust the state | EditorialA council bankruptcy exposes how the Treasury hijacked devolution as a way of palming off responsibility to local councils for making cuts, while keeping the power to make policy. That has to changeNorthamptonshire county council’s bankruptcy was made in Downing Street. Up and down the country there are increasing numbers of local examples of the ruinous effects of austerity. Each is unhappy in its own way but, when aggregated together, they reveal how an entire social infrastructure is being shredded. In the case of Northamptonshire, the most eye-catching measure is that all bus subsidies wil...

The Scotsman

• In full: the 20 Glasgow Airport routes being ditched by RyanairHundreds of jobs are at risk and thousands of passengers stand to be affected after Ryanair announced the closure of its base at Glasgow Airport.

The Telegraph

• German court rules cities can ban diesel cars to combat air pollution 
• Ryanair axes 20 routes and its base at Glasgow Airport 

Times Online

• Ryanair axes Glasgow base, blaming SNP tax failures [Subscription]Ryanair has blamed the Scottish government’s failure to reduce aviation taxes as the primary reason for its surprise decision to axe its base at Glasgow airport.
• The North has been held back by lack of investment but change is coming - Andy Burnham [Subscription]This year, big decisions are looming — on rail investment and Brexit — which will have a major bearing on the North of England for the rest of this century and determine whether we will ever actually see the Northern Powerhouse we were promised.
• Taking Flight [Subscription]Glasgow is an attractive destination and must not be deterred by Ryanair’s snub
• German cities win right to ban diesel cars [Subscription]Cities in Germany have been given the green light to ban older diesel cars in a court ruling likely to have a far-reaching impact on resale values and the fuel’s long-term future.

City AM

• TfL's plans for west London Cycle Superhighway 9 from Kensington Olympia to Brentford get public backingTransport for London (TfL) looks to push on with plans for Cycle Superhighway 9 after today saying its proposals had received significant public backing for the route through Hammersmith and Chiswick.
• Tui has completed its first biofuel flight with a Boeing 737 Max as it aims to slash carbon emissions and aircraft noiseTui said today it had completed its first ever Boeing 737 Max delivery flight on biofuel as it looks to improve its environmental credentials.
• American Airlines and Qantas warn of cut to services if joint business doesn't get US approvalAmerican Airlines and Qantas Airways are making a fresh push tp secure US regulatory backing for a joint business that would enable them to coordinate prices, warning they could slash services if it was blocked.
• Ryanair is closing a UK base blaming 'burden' of air passenger dutyLow-cost carrier Ryanair said today it is closing its Glasgow Airport base in November, citing the hit from air passenger duty.
• Airlines among firms reporting larger gender pay gaps as Jet2.com pays women half as much as menWith just over a month remaining to the deadline for big businesses to publish their gender pay gaps, thousands are still yet to do so.

London Evening Standard

• Ryanair axes flights from Glasgow Airport, putting hundreds of jobs at riskRyanair is closing its base at Glasgow Airport, putting hundreds of jobs under threat.
• TfL travel updates: 'Beast from the East' causes rush hour chaosLondoners woke up to commuter chaos as the 'Beast from the East' brought blankets of snow across the city.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• East Coast Main Line rail boss explains why the franchise collapsed - causing surprise among MPsPassenger numbers are lower than expected because of 'political uncertainty' says Stagecoach chief executive
• Watch behind the scenes at Newcastle Airport as staff battle Beast from the East Take a look behind the scenes at Newcastle Airport as staff work to ensure the Beast from the East affects as few holidays as possible

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• MP: Station closure plan is 'reckless'Furious Tory MP Wendy Morton claims the region’s crime commissioner has become ‘detached from reality’ over his ‘reckless plan’ to close Aldridge Police Station.

Other Regional Press

• New Smart motorway cameras will nab drivers for speeding if they go over 70mphWest Yorkshire Police confirm they can now fine people based on data from cameras 24 hours a day

Buying Business Travel

• Ryanair to reduce Glasgow operations'Lack of demand' and APD drive airline to Edinburgh
• IATA calls for more sustainable fuel flightsCalls for government to incentivise sustainable aviation fuel

Railway Gazette

• Qbuzz awarded Dutch bus and rail operating contactNETHERLANDS: The Qbuzz subsidiary of FS Group company Busitalia has been formally awarded its first...
• Alstom Prima locomotive for Indian Railways on testINDIA: The first of 800 WAG12 twin-section electric locomotives which Alstom is supplying to Indian...

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair closes Glasgow International base, blames passenger taxesIreland-based LCC Ryanair will close its base at Glasgow International Airport in Scotland because of the UK’s high passenger taxes, and will transfer routes to Edinburgh, some 45 miles to the east. read more

Other News Sources

• Fife MSP to quiz ScotRail with constituents’ concernsA total of 720 of the 1,597 services that ran – or 45.5% – faced some kind of disruption, according to official ScotRail figures.