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

Sunday, 12 August 2018

BBC News

• Rail travel 'makes me feel subhuman' says disabled passengerNu McAdam, 25, from Brighton, has been keeping a video diary of her experiences of trying to manoeuvre with her powerchair on trains.
• Storms leave NI passengers strandedSeveral airlines cancelled flights and some passengers had to sleep in airports as hotels were full.
• Northern cancels Sunday rail services againServices across north-west England have been affected due to train crew scheduling

ITV News

• Deputy mayor demands answers over ‘chaotic’ Northern Rail cancellationsNorthern Rail has cancelled services for a third Sunday running, with the deputy mayor of Greater Manchester branding the cancellations as "chaotic and unacceptable".

The Guardian

• Labour urges windfall tax on failing rail firms to compensate chaos-hit travellersA multimillion-pound tax on poorly performing rail companies should be used to freeze fares for passengers hit by weeks of disruption, Labour says.
• Rail commuters squeezed further as season tickets rise faster than wagesAs if daily rail travel is not stressful enough, the latest retail price index figures will trigger the next price rises
• Rail commuters squeezed further as season tickets rise faster than wagesAs if daily rail travel is not stressful enough, the latest retail price index figures will trigger the next price rises

The Herald

• 60% of Scots back devolution of Network Rail, poll findsThe majority of the public support the devolution of Network Rail in Scotland, according to new research.

The Independent

• Plans for new legislation which could see cyclists who kill pedestrians treated the same as dangerous drivers criticisedLaws proposed after 44-year-old Kim Briggs was knocked over and killed by a bicycle courier in February 2016
• Slim, trim planes for long, thin routesFrom Heathrow, Emirates and Qatar Airways will take you to their respective hubs of Dubai and Doha, and onwards to a broadly similar range of destinations. From Addis Ababa to Auckland, the fares they charge are largely similar. Assuming you are not planning to stop over, your choice may come down to the type of aircraft you prefer.

The Scotsman

• Poll shows support for fully devolved Scots rail networkMost Scots want to see power over Network Rail north of the Border fully transferred to Scotland, according to a report into the nation’s railways.

Times Online

• Colin Donald: Lothian Buses drives a coach and horses through tour market [Subscription]What is wrong with Lothian Buses, the last of the capital’s cash cows, using the profits from its excellent public transport services to buy its way into the Scottish coach tour market? Its charter allows the practice; it can cite precedent from an earlier era when it dabbled in the excursions market; and, let’s face it, all is fair in love and business — especially the bus business.
• Spanish manufacturer Talgo sues HS2 over £2.8bn train deal [Subscription]The High Speed 2 rail line has steamed into further controversy with a Spanish manufacturer launching a legal challenge against its plans to buy £2.8bn of trains.
• Airlines urge Brussels to brace for no deal [Subscription]Airlines and aerospace giants have demanded that Brussels allows Europe’s air safety watchdog to plan for a no-deal Brexit, amid fears that flights could be grounded.

This is Money

• Heathrow sees the busiest ever day in the airport's history - but passenger queues get longerA record 262,000 passengers flew in or out of Heathrow last Sunday, making it the busiest day in the airport's history.

Sky News

• Northern Rail cancellations for third week running 'unacceptable'The deputy mayor of Greater Manchester has described cancellations to Northern Rail services for a third Sunday running as "chaotic and unacceptable".

London Evening Standard

• St Pancras at 150: London station survived shutdown bid to become major international travel hubSt Pancras station turns 150 this year. It’s certainly held in higher regard than when it last celebrated a major anniversary.

Yorkshire Post

• The Yorkshire Post says: Paying the penalty. Invest parking fines in transport – and especially in Leeds IT’S NOT just rail commuters who have reasons to be aggrieved – the region’s motorists are also paying the penalty as local, regional and national politicians look to penalise them at every turn.

Other Regional Press

• Aberdeen rail works to cause disruptionA closure order, put in place by Aberdeen City Council, aims “to protect public safety during the works”, which will be undertaken by Network Rail.
• Rail firms poised to hike fares by £200 a year despite series of cancellations, delays and overcrowdingRail firms are set to hike fares by up to £200 a year despite months of appalling service on many routes.
• Stewart Paterson: Could free public transport work in Glasgow to reduce pollution?Thousands of people were forced onto buses or trains this week doing something they would rather not. Closures to accommodate the road cycling event at the European Championships made it very difficult to navigate Glasgow by car. So, people who normally make their journey to work in their own car had to switch to public transport, train and subway being the best way to avoid the road closed ahead signs.

Rail Advent

• Dozens of trains cancelled tomorrow on Northern RailNorthern has announced details of cancellations to train services on Sunday 12th August 2018 in the North West.

Other News Sources

• Plans floated to replace free bus passes with 50p feeELDERLY Hampshire residents with free bus passes may have to pay 50p every time they travel, under new plans being floated by the county council.