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

Friday, 27 July 2018

BBC News

• Ryanair cancels another 20 flights due to strikeThe airline has cancelled 20 Dublin flights on Friday, 3 August due to a strike by pilots.
• Airbus shares soar on higher profitsThe European planemaker's profits jump after a slow start to 2018.
• Hauliers in compensation claim for overpriced trucksHauliers who bought trucks from firms that colluded in a price-fixing cartel could get compensation.

ITV News

• Commuters face temperatures hotter than legal limit to transport cattleRush-hour commuters on the London Underground sweltered in temperatures above the legal limit for transporting livestock on Thursday, the hottest day of the year so far.

The Guardian

• Why won’t Network Rail tackle knotweed near my house?The invasive plant is encroaching on my property after spreading from a railway embankment

The Herald

• ScotRail risks being 'brought to its needs' by industrial action, union warnsSCOTLAND’S rail network faces being “brought to its knees” if staff are not paid more money for overtime work, union leaders have warned.

The Independent

• Train guards: what do they do and why are unions fighting to keep them?With the latest wave of strikes affecting Southwestern Railway beginning yesterday, we look at the contentious dispute regarding train guards

The Scotsman

• Alastair Dalton: Roadtesting ScotRail’s new train reveals many changes On first glance, ScotRail’s brand new train looks pretty similar to the ones it will replace - but on closer inspection I was surprised at how many differences there are.

Times Online

• Boy racers driven off road by high costs and harder test [Subscription]The number of teenagers passing their driving test early has almost halved in the past 25 years amid concerns over the cost of learning and the difficulty of the test.
• ScotRail workers considering strike in overtime pay row [Subscription]Passengers could face disruption as rail workers consider industrial action over an overtime pay disparity.

Mail Online

• Ryanair pledges to reject all payout claims amid cancellation crisis Ryanair is set to refuse compensation for some 100,000 passengers hit by its pilots' summer holiday strikes, risking a showdown with Britain's aviation watchdog.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Joint police crackdown to tackle drug dealing on the rail network in North YorkshireA JOINT police operation is targeting the rail network to try and crack down on drug dealers in North Yorkshire.
• Air con failures lead to long delayPASSENGERS using cross-Channel Eurotunnel services face delays of up to five hours after air-conditioning units failed on trains amid sizzling temperatures.
• Rail bosses to be grilled over timetable change chaosRAIL bosses will attend a meeting to discuss the recent severe disruptions to services in West Yorkshire.

Liverpool Echo

• Starved of transport links, £300m and six decades in the making: Skelmersdale’s fight for a trainCould this be the date Skem finally gets back on the track?

London Evening Standard

• London transport chief issues alert as more people take to their carsLondon's transport chief has issued an alert at falling numbers of bus and cycling journeys and greater use of cars.
• TfL Tube delays: Rush hours commuters queue for packed platforms as temperatures hit 35CSeveral London Tube lines were hit by severe delays or part-suspended leaving frustrated commuters battling through packed stations on the hottest day of the year.
• Eurotunnel cancels tickets in 'unprecedented' move amid fears of record-breaking temperaturesEurotunnel has taken the

Sheffield Star

• Forgotten Sheffield railway line could be revived with steam trains and commuter services A businessman has reignited plans to revive a little-used railway line in Sheffield, with proposals for heritage steam trains as well as commuter services

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Hard work pays off for an aspirational operatorThings are seldom easy for a coach operator, but one in Birmingham shows that if things are done efficiently, the rewards are out there for the taking when hard work and efficiency are taken seriously
• Moray MP hits out at school bus transport controversyA Moray MP has raised concerns about coach operators losing money due to an ongoing legal wrangle over school bus contracts.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Revealed: 1,500 bus routes scrapped in cuts across MidlandsAccording to the Traffic Commissioner’s annual report, the region saw 320 routes scrapped last year, meaning 1,527 local routes have gone since 2012-13.

Peterborough Telegraph

• More trains between Peterborough and London after rail improvement agreedMore trains will run between Peterborough and London after a dive under at Werrington Junction was approved.

Other Regional Press

• Chester bus station chosen for launch of inclusive transport strategy for disabled travellersGovernment minister insists 'we are here for disabled people today'
• Council says there's 'no cash' to save vital rural bus servicesSeveral bus services have been cut by operators or are under threat, with new money needed to keep buseson the road
• New late night Lincoln bus servicesPeople wanting to travel between the city centre and uphill Lincoln will now have additional evening options after Stagecoach East Midlands launched new late night bus services.
• Glider bus lanes in East Belfast will go live next weekThey will operate between Dunlady Road, Dundonald and the city centre

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Westway buys first Yutong electric coachesLondon operator Westway Coach Services is purchasing the first two zero-emission electric Yutong coaches for UK operation.

Construction Enquirer

• Heathrow team promises a “major shake-up” in constructionHeathrow’s team has completed its tour of 65 sites longlisted to become off site construction hubs for the airport’s £14bn expansion plan.

New Civil Engineer

• Heathrow bosses to pick from 65 possible logistic hubsHeathrow bosses have promised to shake-up the construction industry after finishing their tour of all 65 UK sites bidding to host one of four offsite construction hubs.

Rail Technology Magazine

• TPE's Hitachi Class 802 Nova 1 fleet begins testing in UKTransPennine Express’ new Hitachi Class 802 Nova 1 fleet has begun testing with its first successful run between Doncaster and Darlington. Following the first TPE bullet train arriving in the UK last month, the 19 new five-carriage trains will all be bi-modes, allowing them to change from...
• TransCityRail NorthOver 68% of attendees are Director level or above from organisations such as TfN, Network Rail, HS2, major contractors and the supply chain. Evening Dinner Agenda: Network with 650 key decision-makers responsible for procuring and delivering North
• Support for Portishead Line reopening remains high after surveyA consultation on support for reopening the Portishead Line has highlighted support for the move. The survey, which received over 1,000 responses, found that 95% of respondents supported the scheme known as MetroWest Phase One. As the railway line is a national significant infrastructure...

Railway Gazette

• Railway supply industry news round-upEast Japan Railway is to hold its fourth European suppliers tour in November. This will provide an...

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Time to act on air qualityLocal authorities and bus operators find out about low-emission buses and their advantages at LowCVP’s fifth Low Emission Bus Workshop
• Debut purchase: HCT Group buys South-Yorks Powells BusTransport social enterprise HCT Group has bought Hellaby, Rotherham-based Powells Bus for an undisclosed sum “to continue the group’s expansion in the South Yorkshire.”
• ADL’s SmartPack and SmartHybrid technology shortlisted for awardAlexander Dennis Limited’s (ADL) SmartPack and SmartHybrid technology for efficient Low Emission Buses has been shortlisted for a National Transport Award in the Excellence in Technology category.

Aviation Industry

• Flybe sees progress on capacity reduction, route development UK-based Flybe continues to make progress on its dual-track strategy of reducing capacity and developing routes, the regional carrier said July 26. read more
• EasyJet begins new services from London SouthendUK LCC easyJet launched its first flight from London Southend airport in the UK to Bordeaux, south west France on July 25, as part of a plan to expand operations from the base that include the arrival of a new aircraft. read more
• London Heathrow handles record 38.1 million passengers in 1HLondon Heathrow Airport handled a record 38.1 million passengers over the first six months of 2018, delivering a £232 million ($304.4 million) net profit. read more
• Ryanair pilots call for a fourth strike dayTension between Ryanair and its workforce has ratcheted up another notch, following the Irish pilots union's decision to strike for a fourth day on Aug. 3.
• UK proposes new small drone regulationsThe UK government has announced its latest series of proposals to clamp down on irresponsible or reckless use of small drones, or unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).
• Airbus commercial aircraft revenue up 1.7% in 1HAirbus commercial aircraft segment generated 18.2 billion ($21.2 billion) in revenue over the first half of 2018, up 1.7% from 17.9 billion in 1H 2017; EBIT came to 773 million for the first six months of 2018, more than doubling the segment's 381 million EBIT during the same period last year.

Other News Sources

• UK’s first driverless bus trials plannedA trial of what is thought to be the UK’s first driverless bus could take place by the end of the year.
• Passengers' fury amid Glasgow Subway chaos as fault leaves Smartcards uselessThe Subway gate system is currently not able to read the Smartcards, which are popular among frequent users, forcing staff to hand out single paper tickets.
• Third new Thameslink timetable – but still three times as many delays faced by passengersThameslink passengers are still suffering an increase in delayed and cancelled trains, despite the third timetable change in two months, according to Which? research.
• Major step forward for East West RailThe East West Rail project has taken a massive step forward today.