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

Saturday, 22 September 2018

BBC News

• Labour could renationalise railways in five years - McDonnellJohn McDonnell says he will create a Treasury unit to oversee the party's plans for more public ownership.
• Manchester Airport to crack down on 'rough' baggage handlingIt comes after footage emerges of a baggage handler throwing passengers' luggage.
• Should rules be changed for electric scooters in London?Users are calling on the Department for Transport to change laws around electric scooters.
• Uber-Deliveroo 'talks' hit Just Eat's share priceThe food delivery firm's shares drop to a one-year low on reports Uber is mulling a bid for Deliveroo.
• Italy opens probe into Ryanair hand luggage chargesThe airline's new Italian luggage charges may amount to unfair commercial practice, a watchdog says.

The Guardian

• Tanzania's president orders arrests as ferry death toll climbs John Magufuli says ship, which capsized killing at least 131 people, ‘was overloaded’

The Herald

• "Outrage" as ScotRail records worst reliability performance for 20 yearsSCOTRAIL has has recorded its worst reliability performance in more than 20 years.

Times Online

• Bus route change needs rethink, says Varadkar [Subscription]The government is committed to reforming Dublin’s bus network but the current plan needs significant changes, Leo Varadkar said yesterday.
• ScotRail reliability is at its worst for two decades [Subscription]Reliability on ScotRail trains between April and June was the worst it had been for over two decades, with problems linked to the weather having soared by almost 350 per cent.
• Untaxed cars treble after discs axed [Subscription]The number of vehicles clamped for not paying road tax has almost tripled since the abolition of the paper tax disc.
• Thieves ‘followed rider on his Strava app’ to make off with £12,500 in bikes [Subscription]A cycling enthusiast believes thieves used data he posted online over an app to find his home and steal his collection of expensive racing bicycles.
• Airport drop-off fees a disgrace, says judge [Subscription]A judge deemed airport drop-off fees an “absolute disgrace” as he gave a teacher a suspended sentence for deliberately driving into a parking official.

City AM

• TfL urges Londoners to rethink travel plans ahead of planned Piccadilly Line strike next weekondoners have been urged to rethink their travel plans ahead of scheduled three-day strike on the Piccadilly Line by the rail union RMT.

The Mirror

• Police have cunning new way to catch drivers using mobile phones at the wheelMotorists will be seen from the officers' high vantage point in the latest clever method to pick off dangerous drivers

Liverpool Echo

• Airport bosses call for 'serious action' against baggage handlers after viral case throwing videoA holidaymaker shared footage of Swissport ground handlers hurling hers and other passengers' luggage
• 'We are on BELOW minimum wage' - Cabbie opens up on industry's 'dire' stateDavid Vose says industry is in the worst state he has ever seen in his 28 years driving Hackney Carriages

London Evening Standard

• Italy probes Ryanair hand luggage chargeItaly's competition watchdog has launched an inquiry into Ryanair's policy of charging passengers to take hand luggage on the plane.
• Tanzania ferry accident: 136 dead after overcrowded boat capsizes on Lake VictoriaAt least 136 people were killed after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on Lake Victoria in Tanzania.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Utility firms will need permit for roadworks in bid to cut down disruptionUtility companies will have to apply for a permit to enable them to carry out work on Suffolk roads as part of the scheme being brought in to prevent overly disruptive work.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Brace yourselves for Easter strikes.I was heartened to hear that rail managers at Scotrail had decided that they would not be thwarted by union attemptsto disrupt rail services. It seems that lessons have been learned from the experience of First Capital Connect and that finally a train operator is refusing to be held to ransom...
• Not as bad as the headlines.It seems that the dreaded Budget was not as bad as everyone thought that it was gong to be, at least as far asrail is concerned. Four transport projects have been saved from any cuts, which is great news for rail jobs in Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.Although there will be some...
• Northern unveils new digital train for roll-out at end of yearNorthern has unveiled its refurbished Class 158 digital train for passengers, ahead of the new fleet’s complete roll-out by the end of the year. Some customers travelling between Leeds and Lincoln were treated to the refurbished train, which features digital upgrades such as USB sockets...
• Major northern station upgrade reaches phase two of redevelopment Plans to improve the Doncaster Railway Station have reached phase two of the redevelopment process. Work has begun on the plans, developed by Doncaster Council and London Eastern Railway (LNER), to completely revitalise the station and construction of a new glass canopy is already well under way...
• Former Aston Villa chair announced as WMCA HS2 growth delivery chairSteve Hollis has been announced as the new chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) HS2 growth delivery board. A former chairman of EFL Championship team Aston Villa, Hollis will oversee the £4.4bn budget as the HS2 Growth Strategy reaches a crucial stage of development, which...

Other News Sources

• Stage Coach resumes Winchester night bus serviceSTAGECOACH has resumed running night buses on two routes in Winchester city centre, saving money for the council tax payer.