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

Saturday, 26 May 2018

BBC News

• Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson readies himself for spaceThe UK entrepreneur puts himself through a gruelling training programme so he can rocket to space.
• Brexit: Hammond's 'go it alone' warning over Galileo sat-nav schemeThe UK will build its own sat-nav system if the EU shuts it out of Galileo, the chancellor says.
• Corbyn pledges shipbuilding boost on Harland & Wolff visitEarlier the Labour leader crossed the Irish border and met business leaders concerned about Brexit.
• Northern rail to commission independent report into train disruptionPlans for the review come after Northern was criticised by political leaders over widespread cancellations.
• Business groups write to PM urging Heathrow expansionBusiness groups write to the prime minister urging the government not to waver on Heathrow expansion.
• Luton Airport baggage handlers postpone Bank Holiday strike
• Fiat Chrysler recalls 4.8 million US carsThe Italian-American car maker says no injuries or crashes are related to the large recall campaign.

The Herald

• Half of services on Scotland's newest railway run lateHALF of services on the longest new domestic railway to be built in the UK for over 100 years fail to arrive on time.

Times Online

• Dutch-led MH17 report a cover-up, says Russian ambassador Yury Filatov [Subscription]A report into the shooting down of a passenger jet over Ukraine, which killed almost 300 people, ignored crucial evidence and is not credible, the Russian ambassador to Ireland has claimed.
• Railways death toll of 9 is highest for a decade [Subscription]Nine deaths were recorded on Irish railways last year, the highest figure in more than a decade.
• Passengers stuck in shrunken lavatories on American Airlines [Subscription]In the fierce fight to offer cheap flights to more of the travelling public, American Airlines has trimmed the space between rows and shrunk its lavatory cubicles to pack in more seats.
• Train delays caused by fallen trees double [Subscription]The number of trains delayed by fallen trees and leaves on the line has doubled in a decade, with passengers enduring almost 4,000 hours of disruption in the past year alone.

Reuters News

• Britain will build own satellite system if no access to EU's - HammondBRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain would develop its own separate satellite navigation system if it lost access to the Galileo project, the European Union's version of GPS, Britain's finance minister said on Friday.

City AM

• Fiat Chrysler recalls nearly 5m cars over autopilot fearsItalian-American carmaker Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly five million cars over fears that a fault may prevent drivers turning off their cruise control.
• Space man? Virgin boss Richard Branson says he will go to space in 'months not years'Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson says he is in training to be an astronaut and his first trip to space could be in “months not years”.
• Bank holiday travel: Large parts of London’s busiest tube line shut for the weekendLarge sections of the Northern Line, London’s busiest tube line, are shut for the duration of the bank holiday weekend.

Mail Online

• Ryanair flight is hit by another plane on taxiway at Stansted The wing of Primera flight PF2871 to Malaga clipped the tail of Dublin-bound Ryanair aircraft FR205 as they were both on the taxiway at London Stansted Airport in Essex this morning.

Bolton News

• Is it me, or are things actually worse on our trains?A regional journalist for 32 years, Ian was Editor in Chief of The Bolton News until last month. Today is the first of a regular weekly column
• Wider lanes open on M60 ahead of bank holiday DRIVERS will see the benefit of the £210 million smart motorway upgrade just in time for the busy bank-holiday weekend.
• Rail users hit by further disruptions after platform damage at station RAIL users in Bolton have been hit by further disruptions after a section of platform collapsed at Kearsley station.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Transport chairman to step downTHE CHAIRMAN of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee is to stand down from his role.

London Evening Standard

• Die-in protest planned after two cyclists killed on same road in Greenwich Cycle safety campaigners will stage a demonstration in Greenwich demanding safer conditions after two men were killed on the same road within a week.
• Stansted plane collision: Ryanair flight carrying dozens of Irish voters heading to cast ballot in abortion referendum hit by another plane on runwayA plane carrying voters heading to cast their ballots in the Irish abortion referendum collided with another flight as it prepared to take off from Stansted Airport.

Northern Echo

• New call to dual the congested A64A FRESH call has been made for urgent action to dual the A64 east of York across to Scarborough and the Yorkshire coast.

The York Press

• Work to start on ring road WORK will start next month on upgrading the first of seven roundabouts on York Outer Ring Road as part of a £38 million scheme to cut congestion and journey times.

Bucks Free Press

• Further investigation work to be carried out on historic bridge next week Further investigations will be carried out on Marlow’s iconic bridge next week, after it was severely damaged in 2016.

Other Regional Press

• New tourist train between Weymouth and Corfe Castle starts this weekend A NEW summer rail service will link Weymouth and Dorchester with the Swanage Railway.
• ‘Revolution at Hitchin’ as commuters block train doors to get stops reinstatedFrustrated commuters defiantly blocked train doors at Hitchin railway station yesterday in a successful protest against the last-minute removal of Arlesey, Biggleswade and Sandy stops.

Rail Technology Magazine

• NR and Northern to review failures of recent timetable shake-up ahead of December changesNetwork Rail and Northern will commission an independent report and recommendations into the processes that led up to the TOC’s recent timetable change which, despite its long-term goal of improving services, has delivered an unacceptable amount of delays and cancellations in the short term...
• Crossrail 2 and NPR timetable and funding decision needed this year, says NICSir John Armitt has called for the independent financial review of Crossrail 2 to report back by the end of this year. Speaking at the UK Transport Infrastructure Summit on Wednesday, the chair of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) called on the government to ensure that the review is...
• Crossrail and Aslef partnership 'pioneer in union relations' The working partnership between MTR Crossrail and trade union Aslef has been recognised in a case study by the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA). The case study highlights the working relationships that have been developed and sustained by the two organisations over the last few...
• Greater Anglia £1m Class 317 refurb completedGreater Anglia has completed a £1m refurbishment of its Essex and Hertfordshire commuter trains, it has announced. The refurb, which will improve comfort for passengers, has seen 72 Class 317 trains fitted with new standard seat covers and vinyl flooring, new First Class seat covers, trim...

Other News Sources

• MP: Fix A259 before major housing development AN MP has called for change on a congested coast road ahead of a major housing development.
• Arundel bypass to be hit with legal challengePLANS to carve a dual carriageway through a national park will face a legal challenge.