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

Friday, 24 August 2018

BBC News

• London Luton Airport 'UK's worst airport' for third yearIt is criticised for
• Aberdeen rated 'worst Scottish airport'Passengers in a survey criticise the airport for its lack of seating and long waits at baggage reclaim.
• Qantas profits soar nearly 15% despite rising fuel costsAustralia's biggest airline says strong demand for domestic travel was a key driver of its rise in profits.
• Ryanair pilots 'reach deal to end strike'The agreement comes after five days of strike action by about 100 of Ryanair's Irish-based pilots.
• Ryanair invests $200m in Luton AirportThe Irish airline will have two new aircraft and six new routes flying from the Bedfordshire airport.
• BA and Air France to stop flights to Iran next monthThe airlines say they will stop flying to Iran next month as the route is

The Guardian

• Oxford-Cambridge expressway plans make a mockery of local democracyThe UK ‘consultation’ system is authoritarian and blind to community issues, says Christopher Tanner; other readers express concern about the plan’s housing implications and its effects on the countryside
• Ryanair introduces new restrictions on cabin luggageRyanair will no longer let passengers take a small suitcase on its planes for free, with charges for a 10kg case to be introduced in November.

The Herald

• Everything about our current InterCity train fleet is ToytownMANUEL Cortes of the TSSA gets one fact wrong and scores an absolute target bull’s eye with the second ("Dad’s Army trains for Scotland", The Herald, August 22).

The Scotsman

• "Huge risk" of publicly-run ScotRail, Tories claimA publicly-run ScotRail "shifts huge risk" onto taxpayers without any guarantee of improved service quality, the Conservatives claimed today.

Times Online

• CalMac ferries gets nod for bid to run country’s railways [Subscription]The company behind the bulk of Scotland’s Hebridean ferry services has been given the go-ahead to bid to run the country’s railways.
• Ryanair and pilot union cut a deal to end strikesRyanair’s directly employed Irish pilots are to vote on whether to halt their long-running dispute with the airline.
• Ferries are vital for island people and we need answersThe question of how ferries are procured for the Caledonian MacBrayne network and how value is obtained for the taxpayer must be subjected to independent scrutiny. If Audit Scotland is not already asking questions, then it is time to start.

Daily Record

• Scottish Government must alter its course as CalMac delays prove unfair for islandersI think everyone who wanted to be there on Saturday for the Runrig concert made it. The stories of Isle of Lewis fans not being able to get aboard the fully-packed Stornoway ferry may have been just that, stories.

Bolton News

• Train driver assaulted while stopped at Bolton railway stationA TRAIN driver was assaulted at Bolton railway station this afternoon.

London Evening Standard

• Bank holiday travel: Network Rail works and road closures set to cause disruption on busiest weekend of the summerBrits heading out on trips over the Bank Holiday Weekend are set to face disruption on the roads, railways and in the skies.
• London Luton named UK's worst airport for THIRD consecutive yearLondon Luton has been named the UK's worst airport after passengers expressed concern about its toilets, staff and bag drop queues.
• British Airways to halt flights to Iran after US sanctions are imposed on Middle Eastern countryBritish Airways is halting its flights to Iran next month, saying the route is no longer
• Ryanair baggage policy: Airline introduces new restrictions on cabin luggageRyanair will no longer allow passengers to take a small suitcase on its planes for free, with new charges for 10kg case being introduced.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Derby rail replacement operation sees up to 147 PCVs a day…Stagecoach Rail Replacement is managing the operation of replacement transport during a major closure of Derby railway station for remodelling and resignalling.
• Ministers pave way for ‘Caledonian MacTrain’ takeover of ScotRailSNP ministers have paved the way for a “Caledonian MacTrain” takeover of the nation’s railways by Scotland’s largest ferry operator.

East Anglian Daily Times

• New flights from Stansted to the USPrimera Air’s latest long-haul route from London Stansted has taken to the skies with the launch of its new five flights a week service to Washington Dulles Airport.

Get West London

• Heathrow Airport car park revealed as most expensive in the world as jetsetters are charged double the averageWe all know holidays end up being pretty expensive, especially when you factor in accommodation, spending money, the pre-holiday clothes shop... and that's not even including your flights.

Other Regional Press

• West End councillor slams bus changesResidents will be left stranded when proposed bus timetable changes come into effect, a Dundee councillor has claimed.
• How many Hull Trains services have been cancelled or delayed since MayThe train company came under heavy scrutiny after it was revealed just 66 per cent of services arrived at their final destination on time between January and the end of March
• Petition to regulate Isle of Wight ferry fares gathers paceAn online petition on the Parliament UK Website calling for the government to regulate ferry prices in the UK has been gathering pace.
• Battle brewing Rail firms compete to build new £1bn rail link to Heathrow NEW plans are emerging as part of new plans to build a new rail link which will link Dorset with the UK's biggest airport.

Coach and Bus Week

• UK bus and coach demand falls by 3.6%The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has announced that UK coach and bus demand has fallen by 3.6% in the second quarter of the year.
• Fairbrothers Coaches to close – routes move to Warrington’s Own BusesWarrington’s Own Buses is taking over the school services and local bus routes of Fairbrothers Coaches after it decided to wind its business down.
• Falcon Coaches to take over Abellio’s remaining Surrey routeAbellio has announced that its sole remaining commercial route in Surrey – the 461 – is to be taken over by local firm Falcon Coaches from 15 September.
• Mellor opens new site to double production capacityMinibus manufacturer Mellor has announced the opening of its new production facility, which has been designed to meet increased demand for the company’s range of vehicles – including the Strata, Orion, Maxima and Tucana models.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Hitachi grows production capacity with new £5m building in Newton AycliffeHitachi’s manufacturing capacity in the UK has further expanded as the Japanese giant opened a new £5m building at its Newton Aycliffe factory, taking total investment in the site to over £100m.

Railway Gazette

• Public sector can bid for Scottish franchisesUK: A public sector body would be able to bid for future Scottish passenger franchises should it wish to do so, Scottish government Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure & Connectivity Michael Matheson confirmed on August 23.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Ticketer rebrands, but it’s more than just a new lookTicketer has a new image and new website, including a multi-media-based news section called ‘Grapevine’.
• Coaching abroad? Then consider ‘no deal’ BrexitThe Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has issued advice to members suggesting that they should consider making contingency plans, for the possibility of a ‘No deal’ Brexit in March 2019, as it “could impact” the coach industry, for operators carrying people outside the UK.
• Next-gen braking confirmed for TourismoMercedes-Benz has confirmed that the fourth generation of its advanced life-saving safety system - Active Brake Assist 4 (ABA 4) - will be fitted as standard on new Toursimo coaches from 2019.

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair, Irish pilots’ union reach labor agreementRyanair and the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) have reached an agreement after lengthy negotiations, marking a step forward for the LCC, which is facing conflict with its workforce in several of its European markets. read more
• Ryanair increases London Luton presenceIrish LCC Ryanair is set to increase the size of its base at London Luton Airport, the home hub of rival easyJet, with the addition of two Boeing 737-800NGs, read more
• IATA survey shows growing demand for customer-facing rolesAn IATA survey shows that a high majority of aviation human resources (HR) staff expects to see growing demand for cabin crew and ground operations and customer-service employees over the next two years. read more

Other News Sources

• Rail industry data reveals East Coast Main Line’s most reliable train companyHull Trains is the most reliable long-distance train operator on the East Coast Main Line, according to new rail industry figures.
• Greenwich & Woolwich MP launches petition against 53 bus cutGreenwich & Woolwich MP Matt Pennycook has launched a petition against plans to cut bus route 53 back to County Hall, after saying they will “punish” his low-paid constituents who rely on the service.
• Finnie questions governments commitment to public bid for ScotRailA Green MSP is calling out what he sees as insufficient progress on the Scottish Government’s attempts to facilitate a public bid for ScotRail after ministers revealed the next franchise competition could effectively be delayed by three years.
• New livery for London Northwestern Railway revealedVivarail has unveiled a new livery for the Class 230 trains that are set to run between Bedford and Bletchley in the UK, following the signing of a deal for the London Northwestern Railway service.
• Ferries: the future is electricNorway’s tough environmental legislation is spearheading the drive towards electric hybrid and battery-powered ferries, with several innovative newbuild projects highlighting recent developments