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

Friday, 27 April 2018

BBC News

• Borders Railway talks 'highly productive'Rail campaigners in the Scottish Borders have hailed as "highly productive" their latest talks with Transport Minister Humza Yousaf.
• Train services hit as digger crash damages railway bridgeRail users face delays after a tractor and trailer hit a bridge in Powys.
• Child, 3, among sex crime victims on trains and at stationsMore than 100 people report offences including sexual assault and exposure on trains and at stations.
• London Underground: Noise leaves Pimlico residents distressedResidents in Pimlico say the noise of trains running beneath their homes is causing them distress.
• Rail passengers suffer 'misery', say MPsPublic Accounts Committee says people are paying for a franchising model that doesn't work.
• Car park penalty tickets at record highManagement firms issue 5.65m notices to British drivers in a year, according to the RAC Foundation.

Financial Times

• UK rail franchise system ‘broken’ says spending watchdogBritain’s rail franchising system is “broken” leading to “ludicrous, Alice-in-Wonderland” situations, the head of a public spending watchdog has said.

The Guardian

• Rail passengers pay price for broken franchising system, say MPsDepartment for Transport accused in report of not learning lessons from previous failures

The Independent

• Rail franchising is ‘broken’ say MPsMPs have lambasted the Department for Transport (DfT) as “completely inadequate” in its handling of two key rail franchises.

The Telegraph

• Government mishandling of Southern rail and East Coast 'shows franchise model is broken'The Government has been slammed by an influential committee of MPs over its “completely inadequate” handling of two major rail franchises amid fears it could be indicative of the “broken” privatised system.

Times Online

• Parking tickets rise by one million [Subscription]The number of parking tickets given to drivers has risen by almost one million in a year, a study has indicated.
• Railway franchise system ‘is broken’ [Subscription]Train passengers have to endure a substandard service because of the “broken” privatised rail system, according to MPs.

City AM

• Chinese airlines outdo western rivals and soar to new heights in brand market valueChinese airlines are taking off when it comes to brand value, while their western rivals lag behind.
• Passengers on London's busiest Tube line face major summer disruption as Northern Line Bank branch trains won't stop at KenningtonPassengers on the Northern Line will have to deal with significant disruption to journeys from this time next month, because of work for the line's extension to Battersea.
• Chinese airlines outdo western rivals and soar to new heights in brand market valueChinese airlines are taking off when it comes to brand value, while their western rivals lag behind.
• This west London station is getting a major upgrade over early May bank holiday for the Elizabeth LineEaling Broadway will face disruption over the early May bank holiday as station upgrade work ramps up for the delivery of Europe's biggest infrastructure project.
• Public Accounts Committee slams government over “broken” rail franchising modelThe Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published a scathing report today into the Government’s handling of rail franchising in the light of delays suffered by passengers on the Thameslink and Southern and Great Northern franchises.
• Jubilee Line part suspended: Tube passengers face morning of London travel trouble after yesterday's power failureLondon commuters face another day of troubles on the Jubilee Line after a power failure yesterday caused the shutdown of the line.

Daily Express

• Moment Nick Ferrari leaves Transport Union Boss spluttering with this brutal question...LBC PRESENTER Nick Ferrari left RMT union chief Mick Cash floundering with one pointed question after the transport union boss claimed that trains operated without a guard are dangerous.

The Mirror

• Passengers paying the price for "broken model" of rail franchising, say MPsTwo of Britain's biggest rail operators caused misery for millions of passengers, say MPs in hard-hitting report

Daily Post (North Wales)

• This is how you can get free bus travel on May 1But passengers can make a donation instead in aid of Ty Gobaith children’s hospice

London Evening Standard

• TfL Tube passengers reveal biggest gripes about tourists in London: 'Selfie sticks are annoying'Londoners have revealed their biggest gripes about travelling on the Tube with tourists including selfie-taking and stopping abruptly by Tube exits.
• Jubilee line suspended: London Tube commuters face chaos as entire line shuts down due to power failureThe entire Jubilee line was suspended due to a power failure, sparking travel chaos across London.

Manchester Evening News

• Northern Rail boss slammed for 'taking customer service backwards' with 'aggressive' TweetsThe boss of Northern Rail has come under fire for ‘aggressive tweets’ in which he tells passengers they’re blocked, and belittles their failure to ‘grasp the basics’.

Bucks Free Press

• Town to get on-street electric charging points in bid to drive people to go green A town is set to get electric charging points in a bid to drive people to switch from petrol and diesel cars to electric.

Other Regional Press

• There’s a new roof on Gloucester bus station – and it is changing the city skyline foreverPace is gathering at Gloucester’s bus station as work continues to bring the city's main terminus into the 21st century.
• Investment in train services to significantly improve conditions, says MP An investment in the county's train services will "significantly improve" the current "poor conditions", says Shrewsbury's MP
• ScotRail urged to stick to promises of more services at Broughty FerryA councillor has urged ScotRail to stick to its promise to deliver additional Broughty Ferry train services....

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Optare delivers to Tranzit GroupOptare has marked the delivery of the first batch of 114 Metrocitys for New Zealand.
• M-Way tyre debris reveals shocking tyre failure factsAlmost three quarters of motorway incidents related to tyre failure could be prevented if drivers carry out simple checks, according to startling new research unveiled by Highways England and tyre company Bridgestone.
• ADL gets connected Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL), Britain’s biggest bus and coach manufacturer, is a past master at introducing innovative new vehicles but their latest product is something very different – AD Connected. It is a radical new, cloud-based, on-line fleet management and pre-emptive diagnostic system.
• Parnham Coaches of Wiltshire closesDrivers were in tears after it was announced Parnham Coaches of Ludgershall, Wiltshire, is to enter voluntary liquidation.
• Wolverhampton wandererAnyone in the West Midlands and beyond will have seen CTT’s smart coaches with their distinctive ‘swallow’ livery.

Coach and Bus Week

• Kelvyn Haines disciplined by TC after lending licence authority to revoked operatorO-licence revoked and indefinite disqualification given after Eastville Coaches was allowed to use Kelvyn Haines’ O-licence to run dangerous vehicles
• Volvo electric artic trialSWEDEN The regular operation of Volvo all-electric buses in Gothenburg will expand in June when two prototypes will be tested by Transdev on part of route 16, which has frequent departures and carries a large number of passengers. The trial is being run within the framework of ElectriCity, which since 2015 has been demonstrating electrified buses on route 55 in the city.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Stagecoach’s ‘Little & Often’ network to drop SprintersStagecoach’s pioneering ‘Little & Often’ network in Ashford, launched last February with 30 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City 45s, is to be revised and see Optare Solos replace them.
• Phil Medlicott leaves First Manchester First Manchester MD Phil Medlicott has resigned and left the business.
• Lothian to give free travel to mini superheroesThis weekend, Lothian will be allowing children dressed as their favourite superheroes free travel on all city services to celebrate Edinburgh’s ‘City of Superheroes’.
• Reading Buses up for ‘culture award’ 2018Reading Buses has been recognised for its work with arts, culture, heritage and education, with nominations for three awards for the Reading Cultural Awards 2018.

RMT

• RMT CALLS FOR GRAYLING TO RESIGNRMT calls for Grayling to resign as cross party Commons Committee slams rail franchising scandal

Aviation Industry

• Lufthansa Group narrows losses in 1Q; Eurowings weighs down profitsLufthansa Group reported a 2018 first-quarter net loss of €57 million ($70.2 million), narrowed from a net loss of €68 million in the year-ago quarter. Group revenue for the quarter was down slightly to €7.6 million, down 0.7% compared to the 2017 1Q. read more
• Southwest Airlines marketing activity ceased following engine failureSouthwest Airlines executives said they do not believe it is yet appropriate to resume television advertising in the aftermath of the April 17 Boeing 737-700 engine failure that resulted in a passenger fatality, conceding this may slow the carrier’s business recovery from a noticeable softening in bookings following the incident. read more
• US travel advocates applaud Pompeo as next Secretary of State Advocates for businesses tied to US travel applauded President Donald Trump’s pick to be the next secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, after he was confirmed by the Senate April 26, but said they expect him to keep to positions he testified he supported. read more