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

Wednesday, 06 June 2018

BBC News

• Heathrow Airport: Councils set for third runway legal fightA coalition of local authorities will mount a legal fight over Heathrow's third runway if the government does not alter its plans, says a council leader.
• Reality Check: Is a driver shortage messing up Northern trains?Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has threatened to remove franchises from failing rail operators, after massive timetable changes caused delays and cancellations. So, is a lack of drivers responsible?
• Heathrow third runway backed by Carwyn JonesThe first minister said a third runway would benefit Wales and western Britain.
• Trains chaos: What's really going on?Changes to train timetables have caused delays for commuters. What’s going on with British rail?
• Wrightbus warns of a further 95 job cutsThe firm says the posts could go as a result of continued low levels of UK demand for new buses.
• Call for Northern to compensate passengers for rail chaosPassengers continue to face delays and cancellations on Northern and Govia Thameslink Railway trains.
• Heathrow runway to 'change lives'Opponents say ministers' approval of plans for a third runway is a
• Heathrow expansion 'not anything like Carillion'Sir Howard Davies, chairman of the Airports Commission, says expansion will be a success.
• Heathrow Airport: Cabinet approves new runway planMinisters say
• Only a man can run an airline, says Qatar bossQatar Airways boss Akbar Al Baker says his job has to be done by a man because it is
• Elon Musk fends off challenge to Tesla controlFounder says his firm builds cars with love but admits

Financial Times

• Forget the airport taxi, it’s better to take the trainWhich sign do you follow when you step into the airport arrivals hall? The one with a car on it or the one with a train?

The Guardian

• Heathrow's third runway gets go-ahead from Chris GraylingTory splits mean government may have to rely on Labour and SNP to win parliamentary vote
• The rural town that refused to let austerity kill its busesThe devastation of bus services is a silent legacy of recent Tory governments. But in Witney – David Cameron’s back yard – a not-for-profit service run by locals is providing a lifeline
• 'Impossible-to-cheat' emissions tests show almost all new diesels still dirtyOther new research shows diesel vehicles cause 88% of the £6bn annual damage to people’s health from car and van exhaust in the UK
• The Guardian view on Heathrow expansion: better never than so lateA third runway at Heathrow airport is ultimately indefensible on environmental grounds

The Independent

• Dublin Airport to trial an honesty-based food and drink outletDublin Airport is to trial an honesty-based food and drink outlet, with a view to rolling out such a scheme at locations throughout the international airport's two terminals.
• Heathrow expansion: the key questions answered'Doing nothing is not an option,' was the view on airport expansion from the then-transport secretary Alistair Darling in 2003
• Chris Grayling needs to rise to the challenge of sorting out our railwaysThe transport secretary is already as busy as a platform announcer trying to keep up with the cancellations at Manchester Piccadilly. Now comes the Heathrow expansion

The Telegraph

• Heathrow expansion: Third runway approved as Government sets aside £2.6bn compensation for residentsThe Government is expected to face tough opposition from its own and rival members of parliament after it set out long-awaited plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport this afternoon.

Times Online

• Call for new tax on staff parking spaces [Subscription]Companies that allow employees to park at work would be hit with new charges under plans that have been submitted to Scottish ministers.
• Drivers will be urged to use M6 Toll [Subscription]Motorists will be encouraged to use a privately owned toll motorway under plans to cut congestion at peak times.
• Expanding Heathrow is the right decision for the country - Kwasi Kwateng, Gavin Shuker [Subscription]After decades of debate and delay, the government has finally taken a step towards Heathrow expansion. We strongly welcome the Airports National Policy Statement delivered by the secretary of state for transport in the Commons on Tuesday.
• Heathrow runway: SNP promised 16,000 new jobs in exchange for backing project [Subscription]The parliamentary battle for Heathrow’s third runway was effectively over before it even began when the SNP government in Holyrood came out in support.
• Heathrow runway Q&A: the what, the where, the when (and the if) [Subscription]Heathrow wants to build a two-mile runway at its northwest, increasing flights from 480,000 a year to 740,000 and the number of passengers served to 130 million a year. However, it would run into the M25, which may have to be sent into a tunnel, and would require the demolition of almost 800 homes.
• Grayling given yet another bumpy ride from his critics [Subscription]It’s all go, go, go in Chris Grayling’s world these days. The transport secretary knows this because every time he rises at the dispatch box MPs shout “go” at him. Sometimes it is “in the name of God, go” but he knows what they mean. They see in him a man of dynamism and versatility.
• Let’s expand Gatwick airport, not Heathrow [Subscription]The creation of a third runway at Heathrow is one of those terrible ideas that refuses to die. The longest-running dispute in British politics took off again yesterday as the cabinet approved plans for the expansion to go ahead. A final vote will be held in parliament within weeks.
• Can Grayling land a third runway? [subscription]Not a “historic moment” from Chris Grayling. And which one is that, you ask? Him finally getting sacked after the myriad screw-ups on the railways? Apparently not. It’s the Heathrow third runway. Again.

Transport Committee

• Rail timetable changes: Transport Committee to launch an inquiryThe Transport Committee announced the launch of an inquiry into rail timetable changes.

City AM

• MPs launch inquiry into train timetable fiascoMPs have launched an inquiry into the train chaos caused by the recent timetable changes to find out what went "so badly wrong".
• Heathrow expansion timeline - The key moments leading up to plans taking offHeathrow's bold plans to build a third runway have faced a great deal of turbulence in the 15 years since they were first tabled by the government in 2003. Proposals were batted around by four separate governments, and have faced opposition from a number of prominent MPs such as Boris Johnson and Zac Goldsmith, on top of a raft of resident and campaign groups.
• Despite Cabinet support for Heathrow's third runway, don't expect an airport boom any time soonAfter years and years of political wrangling, will Heathrow finally get a third runway?

The Mirror

• The north hits back: Rallying cry as thousands demand Tory ministers keep their promises and end rail chaosSome 25 newspapers across the North of England came together in an unprecedented display of unity today
• Stansted named second worst airport in the world - with two more from UK in bottom 10Only Kuwait International was a bigger flop after Stanstead was found to have terrible time-keeping for takeoffs and landings and had a poor Twitter rating from passengers

The Sun

• PLANE 'NO' FROM TORY Councillor vows to go to court to block expansion plans for Heathrow AirportSimon Dudley, Conservative head of Theresa May's Windsor and Maidenhead council, said he will mount a legal challenge if plans for a third runway go ahead

Sky News

• Govt approves Heathrow's £14bn expansion planHeathrow Airport chief executive John Holland-Kaye talks to Sky News about how a third runway will provide opportunity across Britain.
• Controversial Heathrow expansion gets government go-aheadMPs will be asked to vote on expanding Heathrow airport within weeks after the government gave the go ahead for a third runway.

London Evening Standard

• Heathrow Airport third runway given formal backing by Cabinet ahead of MPs' voteHeathrow's third runway took a major step forward today as it won the overwhelming backing of Cabinet ministers — with only Boris Johnson speaking out against it.
• Qatar Airways CEO claims only a man could handle his 'challenging' jobThe CEO of Qatar Airways has sparked controversy by claiming that only a man would be able to do his job.

Wales Online

• A third Heathrow runway is coming and a direct rail link with Wales is said to be 'vital'A link between the Great Western line and the airport is considered 'fundamental' to Welsh prosperity

Yorkshire Post

• The Yorkshire Post says: The North has spoken - now it's up to Theresa May to end our rail shamblesHOURS after the North’s newspapers challenged Theresa May to get to grips with the chaos on the region’s railways, and to take urgent action to end the daily misery being suffered by passengers here, the Prime Minister did appear to take this message on board when she ordered her Cabinet to do likewise.

Get West London

• Heathrow Airport expansion: How your MP reacted to Cabinet announcement approving third runwayThe Cabinet may have approved Heathrow Airport 's plans for a third runway - but judging by the response of many west London MPs they are going to have a battle to get it accepted in Parliament.

Other Regional Press

• KIRKLEES: Bike booking on trains is “dog’s breakfast” Train operator TransPennine Express (TPE) has been accused of failing to listen to cycling groups’ concerns and of imposing an unworkable system that has left some passengers stranded.
• Transport Secretary says reopening Portishead rail link is a ‘key priority’The Portishead railway project remains a ‘key priority’ despite missing out on millions of pounds of Government funding last month.
• Hartlepool MP appeals to transport secretary to help get rail services on track Hartlepool MP Mike Hill pressed Transport Secretary Chris Grayling for improvements to rail services in a one to one meeting.
• Chris Grayling makes 'reassuring noises' on Gadbrook Park trainsMIKE Amesbury says he was given ‘reassuring noises’ from the transport secretary on introducing passenger trains at Gadbrook Park.

Airportwatch

• Heathrow passengers to foot bill as runway finally gets off ground [Subscription]The cost of flying into Heathrow may rise to pay for a third runway, it emerged yesterday as ministers sought to end 50 years of indecision by endorsing airport expansion in the southeast.

New Civil Engineer

• Cabinet approves Heathrow expansion COMMENT Heathrow’s expansion plan has been officaily backed by government. In “an historic moment” transport secretary Chris Grayling revealed revised expansion proposals as part of the final Airports National Policy Statement (NPS), triggering the run-up to a parliamentary vote on the third runway within the next 21 days.
• Trans-Pennine upgrade 'should come before Crossrail 2'Northern newspapers have united to demand the trans-Pennine rail scheme is put before London’s £31bn Crossrail 2.

Aviation Industry

• Lufthansa’s Spohr sees no hurry for NMALufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr believes Boeing’s proposed new middle-of-the-market aircraft (NMA) will not arrive before “the end of the next decadeâ€�, several years behind Boeing’s own preliminary timeline. read more
• British government backs London Heathrow expansionThe British government has given its long-awaited backing to the expansion of London’s Heathrow Airport in a major milestone toward the construction of a third runway. read more
• FAA eyes drone traffic demonstration test sitesThe FAA will use its officially designated unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) test sites to demonstrate a low-altitude UAV traffic management (UTM) system for drones, as required by Congress. read more

Other News Sources

• Review - Infrarail 2018First staged in 1994, Infrarail is firmly established as Britain’s leading showcase for every aspect of railway infrastructure, technology and expertise, with a strong reputation for attracting visiting managers, engineers and buyers at the highest level.
• Caller's Remarkable Proof Of How Loud It Is Living On Heathrow's Flight PathClive Bull didn't believe this caller's claim of how loud the planes coming until Heathrow are... but this unbelievable moment changed his mind.