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

Thursday, 21 June 2018

BBC News

• Birmingham clean air charge: What you need to knowCar drivers could pay more than £10 a day under a planned pollution charge in the city centre.
• Northern rail: 'Emails warned of timetable chaos'An MP obtains e-mails showing officials discussing ways to deal with problems on Northern services.
• Railway graffitiDangerous, uncompromising and illegal - what's the attraction of railway graffiti?
• British Airways cancels 2,000 'incorrectly' cheap ticketsPassengers are angry after tickets to Tel Aviv and Dubai were cancelled for being the incorrect price.
• Siemens UK boss says no-deal Brexit does not look goodJuergen Maier says planning for Brexit is hard because the firm does not know what it is planning for.
• Daimler expects lower 2018 earnings due to new tariffsThe carmaker said new Chinese tariffs on US vehicle imports would have a direct impact on its sales.

Department for Transport

• Government to protect regional routes to HeathrowSlots will be reserved for flights from Heathrow to UK regional airports if expansion goes ahead.

The Guardian

• 'Yours cynically': emails show DfT contempt for rail users, says MPPrivate emails sent between government officials after warnings of impending rail chaos in the north of England show “complete disrespect and contempt” for passengers, an MP has said.
• UK regional airports will be hit hard by Heathrow’s third runwayExpanding Heathrow would mean fewer flights elsewhere and further entrench the geographical economic divide in our country, writes Paul McGuinness. While Carolyn Hayman wonders what’s behind British Airways’ support for the scheme

The Herald

• Humza Yousaf seeks advice from think tank advocating public railway monopolyTRANSPORT minister Humza Yousaf has sought advice from a think tank which advocates turning the railways into a state-run monopoly as he considers the future of Scotland’s network.

The Independent

• Brexit head aviation negotiator job only just advertised by Government‘The fact they are only advertising this role now merely highlights their complacency,’ says Ryanair
• Airline Bosses Demand ActionEurope’s two leading airline bosses have demanded an end to “lethargy and inaction” from the European Commission in tackling air-traffic control strikes in France and elsewhere.
• Trade war: Volvo boss warns Trump against 'going back to the 19th century'Hakkan Samuelsson said it would be wrong for Volvo to keep its head down amid the global storm over trade whipped up by the Trump administration

Times Online

• Officials made a mockery of rail service cuts [Subscription]Government officials have been accused of showing contempt for rail passengers in the north by making jokes as they sought to cut services.
• Prestwick airport risks closure over loansPrestwick would be forced to close if it had to repay the tens of millions of taxpayers’ money it has received, managers at the Ayrshire airport admitted yesterday.

City AM

• Volkswagen and Ford in talks to join forces for new car range developmentVolkswagen (VW) and Ford are mulling a strategic alliance to jointly develop a new range of commercial cars.
• Bombardier sells 20 aircraft in $1bn deal to Delta Air LinesDelta Air Lines is buying 20 aircraft for just under $1bn (760m) from Canadian aerospace maker Bombardier today.
• Heathrow runway expansion must not be blocked by myths and inaccurate, unfounded accusationsThe debate around airport expansion in the south east has been going on for decades, starting in the 1960s with the Roskill Commission.
• Labour opposes Heathrow expansion - but MPs will have free voteThe Labour party is calling for a free vote on the controversial third runway at Heathrow after setting out its own opposition to the policy for failing to meet its four key tests.

The Mirror

• Government recruits £70,000-a-year Brexit aviation chief who 'doesn't need any knowledge of aviation'We've been warned flights could be grounded after Brexit. So this intriguingly-worded job ad seems puzzling, to say the least

Bolton News

• Northern Mayors ask rail staff to reconsider strike amid passenger disruptionTHE Greater Manchester Mayor has called on the rail workers union to reconsider its strike action in the face of the ongoing disruption rail passengers are already facing.
• Licensing chiefs hit taxi driver duo with suspensionsLICENSING chiefs handed out suspensions to two taxi drivers earlier this week.

London Evening Standard

• TfL unveils state-of-the-art London Overground trains featuring WiFi and USB charging pointsA fleet of new state-of-the art London Overground trains has been unveiled, featuring WiFi and USB charging points throughout.
• Fury as British Airways cancels scores of tickets 'it sold too cheaply'British Airways has been forced to cancel scores of tickets after the airline sold them with the

This Is Local London Network

• Pro-Heathrow group says thousands are rallying in supportMPs will vote on plans for a third runway when the issue comes before Parliament next Monday.

Wales Online

• The changes to train timetables set to affect Welsh rail usersA large number of changes to rail services across South Wales have been announced.

Yorkshire Post

• Diana Johnson: Grayling’s rail farce isn’t funny, he must quit nowONE thing that Chris Grayling has managed to do is to unite people on both sides of the Pennines – which is actually quite remarkable – in our view that it is time for him to go.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Stakeholder group to be formed to assess impact of Suffolk school transport shake-upA stakeholder group will be formed to assess the progress of new school transport proposals in Suffolk, it has been confirmed.

Other Regional Press

• Transport secretary apologises for trains “fiasco” and says new timetables and compensation scheme on the wayHuntingdon MP Jonathan DJanogly has confirmed new train time-tables will be in place in the next three weeks and travellers can expect details about a compensation scheme in the next few days.
• Watford residents to benefit from electric trainsCommuters travelling into London Euston from Watford can benefit from new electric overground trains. Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled a fleet of overground trains fron the Watford to Euston Line, which will be launched in November.
• New Heathrow runway could 'suffocate' Bournemouth Airport – MPBOURNEMOUTH Airport could be “suffocated” if Heathrow is expanded, an MP has said. Former Transport Secretary Justine Greening told the House of Commons yesterday that Bournemouth Airport, as well as Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle airports, would all have significantly fewer international flights by 2030 if Heathrow was allowed to develop a third runway.
• There's now more bike parking at Westgate - but should 'hub' be free to use?THE chairman of Oxford’s cycling campaign group has welcomed the creation of new racks outside the Westgate Centre.

Train Operators

• ScotRail confirms date for introduction of extra trains between Edinburgh and GlasgowThe first of the ten electric trains that will boost capacity between Edinburgh and Glasgow will enter service this weekend.

New Civil Engineer

• Adonis: Crossrail 2 depends on Heathrow and HS2 successLord Adonis has warned that future infrastructure projects such as Crossrail 2 and Crossrail for the North depend on Heathrow expansion and HS2 coming in “on time and on budget”.
• Heathrow hits back as Labour opposes expansionHeathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) has hit back at Labour after the party said it will not vote for the third runway in next week’s parliamentary vote.
• Heathrow third runway plan safe as Labour says it will give MPs a 'free vote'Labour says it will oppose a Heathrow third runway - but won't actually order MPs to vote against it

Rail Technology Magazine

• Rail companies launch plan to deliver £9.2bn economic benefit to south east

Aviation Industry

• ACI Europe’s Jankovec: Airports must be ready for change ACI Europe has said the region’s airports must be ready for change, as the European market continues to boom against a backdrop of challenges. read more
• Airbus, TAP Air Portugal prepare for A330neo service entryAirbus and TAP Air Portugal have begun flying the first production A330neo to demonstrate its readiness for airline operations, as the program nears certification. read more
• FAA chief urges increased cooperation with UK ahead of BrexitFAA acting administrator Dan Elwell has called on the UK and world governments to accelerate the pace of bilateral aviation negotiations ahead of Brexit, when the UK leaves the European Union (EU), in March 2019. read more

Other News Sources

• Northern have 'duty' to help market Lake District after chaos - councillorThe councillor has called on Northern to fund a major marketing campaign for the area South Lakeland District Councillor for Furness, James Airey, outside Oxenholme Station. Photo: Westmorland ConservativesSharon Keith - Regional Director of Northern Rail Franchise. LEANNE BOLGER
• Murdo Fraser MSP: Scotland’s overwhelming political consensus on Heathrow expansionHolyrood's Shadow Finance Secretary Murdo Fraser writes ahead of the Commons vote on Heathrow expansion, which he says independent analysis shows, will create up to 16,000 jobs for Scotland and up to £17 billion in economic growth.
• Only 24 new electric cars registered in Blackburn with Darwen ELECTRIC car technology is advancing all the time, and yet the latest figures suggest that Blackburn with Darwen is not on board the green vehicle revolution.
• Bus regulation is the ticket to get passengers back on the busesTHE Labour politicians behind the £40million Pennine Reach scheme have called for council to be given back powers to regulate bus services to combat rapidly dropping passenger numbers.