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

Tuesday, 13 November 2018

BBC News

• Wrangle over flooded rail Derby bridge repairsA council is seeking an "admission of liability" from a utility company over the £700,000 cost of repairing a flood-damaged railway bridge.
• Electric bikes 'may combat child obesity in Conwy county'Battery-powered bikes may tempt overweight children to experience the outdoors, say leisure staff.
• Cheap bus scheme for young people extended to 16-21 year-oldsA discounted bus travel scheme for young people is to be extended from December. MyTravelPass is currently available for 16-18 year olds but will be extended to 21-year-olds.
• Irish trucks could bypass Welsh ports in no-deal Brexit, MPs toldVerona Murphy said Irish firms could bypass Welsh ports if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
• Ramsbottom rail crash: Runaway trolley 'not fitted with brakes'A rail trolley which smashed through a level crossing was not fitted with brakes, investigators find.
• Metrolink to use undercover staff to tackle bye-law breachesUndercover staff will ride on Greater Manchester's trams in bid to stop "inconsiderate and ignorant behaviour".
• Clapham Common station: Homeless-run Tube coffee kiosk opensIt was set up by charity Change Please which will put
• Ex-Stobart boss denies improperly taking £5m in expensesAndrew Tinkler was part of a campaign to oust the Stobart Group's chairman, a court hears.

ITV News

• Stansted Airport expansion plans nearing decision dateStansted Airport will learn this week if it's been successful in its bid to increase the number of passengers it can handle, by eight million a year.
• South Western Railway unveils refurbished carriages amid delaysNew refurbished train carriages have been unveiled by South Western Railway, albeit amid delays, as part of a £110 million upgrade.

The Guardian

• Should you ask someone to vacate your reserved seat on a train?Most railway passengers prefer to stand or look for another seat rather than ask someone to move, research shows. It is time we overcame this most British of behaviours

The Scotsman

• More Scots commuter misery as train cancellations hit new highThe number of train services being cancelled on Scotland’s railways has reached a new high amid growing calls for services to be take into public hands.

Times Online

• Ex-Stobart boss was jealous of former colleague, court told [Subscription]The former boss of Stobart was bitter, jealous and envious of the success of a former senior executive, the company’s chairman has alleged.
• Commute is five minutes longer than a decade ago [subscription]The daily commute has increased by five minutes over the past decade despite the billions of pounds spent on the road and rail network.
• Third Heathrow runway ‘won’t be enough by 2050’ [subscription]A third runway at Heathrow would not be enough to satisfy passenger demand for flights within the next 30 years, a senior government official has warned.

Parliament

• Chris Grayling MP questioned on post-Brexit transport arrangements The EU Internal Market Sub-Committee holds an evidence session with the Secretary of State for Transport to discuss future UK-EU arrangements on road, rail and maritime transport and contingency planning for the sector in the event of no deal.

City AM

• Former Stobart boss Tinkler denies £5m expenses were claimed improperlyFormer Stobart Group chief executive Andrew Tinkler today denied accusations he improperly claimed £5m in expenses when he was head of the infrastructure firm.
• NFL boost: North American passengers drive touchdowns at Heathrow as airplanes fill upNearly 150,000 more passengers travelled to and from North America through Heathrow in October, as American football teams hit the capital.

Network Rail

• Lincoln residents invited to find out more about work to construct new footbridgeNetwork Rail is inviting residents to an information event on Thursday 22 November to find out more about on-going work to build a new footbridge over the railway at Brayford Wharf in Lincoln.

Birmingham Mail

• Getting rid of 60 Birmingham bus stops led to more passengers using the busesNational Express West Midlands was criticised for cutting 60 bus stops but it says the result was an increase in passenger numbers

Bristol Live

• First boss says more bus lanes needed to solve Bristol travel nightmareThe boss of Bristol’s biggest bus company said politicians in the city needed to ‘make politically tough decisions’ to create more bus lanes and restrict normal traffic if they want the buses to run on time.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Edinburgh Airport steps in to prevent taxi firms squabbling at rankEdinburgh Airport has told rival taxi drivers in its ranks to remain in their vehicles to prevent them from squabbling in front of customers.

London Evening Standard

• TfL Tube staff’s 3.85 per cent pay increases ‘are slap in the face for other sectors’More than 18,000 Tube staff have received an inflation-busting 3.85 per cent pay rise costing nearly £33 million — with unions set to demand even more next year.
• More investment in electric car charging needed, says clean air lawyerKatie Nield, UK Clean Air lawyer for ClientEarth, tackles the emissions problem
• Jubilee and Victoria lines go head-to-head in TfL map 'World Cup final'The wait is nearly over. The eagerly-anticipated World Cup final showdown… between two Tube lines… is almost upon us.
• London's new homes are at the forefront of the electric car revolutionIn future electric cars might even help power homes and put clean energy back into the grid, so charging points provide more than just driver convenience.

Manchester Evening News

• The 300 roads in Manchester to be repaired over the next two years - full listRepairs and maintenance to more than 300 roads - particularly in Gorton, Harpurhey, Miles Platting and Chorlton - were pushed back into April and May, officially due to internal ‘consultation’ and the severe winter weather

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Congestion charges for cars could happen if the bus company behind Go North East gets its wayGo-Ahead Group, which provides 175,000 bus journeys every day under the Go North East brand name, said local councils should be more willing to introduce road charges

Sheffield Telegraph

• Investigators find no lessons to be learned after Sheffield tram-train crashRail acident specialists looking into a Sheffield tram-train crash, which happened on its first day of service, have decided not to carry out further investigations into the incident.

Yorkshire Post

• New TransPennine trains delayed because the brakes do not work properlyThe introduction of new trains on the main TransPennine Express (TPE) route has been delayed until Spring at the earliest because the brakes on the locomotives do not work properly.

Blackpool Gazette

• Rail bosses say sorry after Blackpool North is left SHUTRail bosses apologised after Blackpool North station remained shut – with passengers left outside past its advertised opening time.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Trains cancelled between Ipswich and Felixstowe due to ‘slippery rails’ are reinstatedRail services between Ipswich and Felixstowe are being reinstated after “slippery rails” left lines between the two towns blocked.

Other Regional Press

• Call for council to subsidise bus routes in Nuneaton and BedworthCuts and changes to bus services across Nuneaton and Bedworth will leave residents 'stranded' according to one councillor.
• How Bristol Airport is planning to use a £400,000 investment to reduce delaysThose days of sitting around waiting to fly away could be over
• £82million plans to transform Coventry's railway station to take step closerThe plans are described as a "complete modernisation of the train station"
• Bikes now allowed on more Metro trainsA campaign has been launched highlighting how easy it is to access the Tyne and Wear Metro system with a bike.
• New rail minister must be tough on South Western Railway, say campaignersWHOEVER is appointed as the next rail minister in cabinet will have a fight on their hands with underperforming rail operators in the south, according to a campaign group.
• Protesters dressed up as characters from the Railway Children to fight plans for hundreds of homes on green belt land between Sevenoaks and BromleyThe rally was organised five days before planners unveil the second draft of the Local Plan which will set planning policy up until 2035
• Fleet of new look trains begin rolling out across North WalesA fleet of new look trains have begun being rolled out across North Wales.

Train Operators

• The online campaign offers customers £15 one way First Class tickets to/from London St PancrasBlack Friday is not just for shopaholics, rail passengers can grab a bargain too as East Midlands Trains announces £15 one way First Class ticket deal ahead of the usual Black Friday sales.

Construction Enquirer

• HS2 unveils Crewe Link £1.6bn civils bid planHS2 has outlined plans to split the proposed West Midlands to Crewe section of the high speed railway into two civils contract packages

Rail Technology Magazine

• Coventry Station's £82m masterplan up for approvalAn £82m masterplan for Coventry’s train station has been recommended for approval by the city council. The proposals include the construction of a new station building, providing a second entrance at the western end of the station, and 634-space multi-storey car park. Coventry City...
• Cheshire council launches action plan for enhanced HS2 Crewe hub station Cheshire East Council has launched an action plan to create an enhanced HS2 hub station in Crewe in order to maximise its potential benefits and engage with local businesses. The development framework includes growth and regeneration opportunities for the town and region. As part of the...
• Labour call for renationalisation ahead of Scottish Parliament vote on ScotRail contractScotland’s government is set to vote on the future of ScotRail’s train services amidst calls from Labour to renationalise the franchise. MSPs are due to vote on Wednesday on whether the government should enforce a break clause in the contract with Dutch train operator Abellio, who...
• TPE's new CAF Nova 3 fleet delayed by 'technical issue' A technical issue has delayed the roll out of TransPennine Express’ new fleet of CAF Nova 3 trains. The fleet had been expected to be rolled out by the end of the year, but are now expected to enter service next spring, which is “slightly later than planned.” TPE was made...

Railnews

• ScotRail franchise faces early terminationTHE Scottish Government could be poised to exercise a break clause in the ScotRail contract in 2020, ending the Abellio franchise in 2022, but this will depend on the result of a crucial vote in the Scottish Parliament this week.

Railway Gazette

• TransPennine Express Nova 3 fleet delayedUK: TransPennine Express’s fleet of CAF Nova 3 push-pull coaches is now expected to enter service ‘slightly later than planned’ in spring 2019, the operator confirmed on November 12.

The Business Desk

• Manchester Airport soars to 28 million passengersManchester Airport is celebrating 28 million passengers passing through its three terminals for the first time in its history.

Transportxtra

• £400k rail cycle park opens in DundeeCovered cycle parking has been created at Dundee Railway Station. The 120-space cycle park, which is owned by Network Rail and maintained by ScotRail, is located to the north west of the railway station next to the car park.

Aviation Industry

• Three in running for Alitalia as deadline nearsSpecial commissioners are examining the three offers made for Alitalia this week ahead of presenting their conclusions to the government in a long-running process to relaunch the bankrupt carrier. read more
• Pilots not told of Boeing MAX’s automatic stall-prevention systemIn a move likely linked to the on-going investigation into the fatal crash in October of a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8, the aircraft manufacturer has issued a bulletin to operators explaining a system unique to the MAX that automatically pushes the nose down to help prevent stalls in certain flight profiles. read more

Other News Sources

• Why London City Airport wants Crossrail extended to Ebbsfleet and its own stationWith five million passengers using the Royal Docks terminal each year and swathes of residential and commercial development around it, the case for a second station serving the area is compelling.
• Rail bosses accused of breaking promises over new delay to West Norfolk line upgradesRail bosses admit there is no immediate prospect of West Norfolk’s services being upgraded, despite securing a regional funding package of more than £2 billion.
• Two London train operators forced to cancel services to North YorkshireTwo of North Yorkshire's Intercity train operators to London have been cancelling services because of technical faults with their trains.
• Arcadis scores new HS2 station roleConsultant awarded work at Old Oak Common. Arcadis has scored the £7m contract to design the rail systems at the new Old Oak Common HS2 station.
• Manuel Cortes supports Scottish Labour motion demanding early end to Abellio’s ScotRail franchiseTSSA Leader Manuel Cortes today gave his support to Scottish Labour’s motion to Holyrood demanding the Scottish Government exercise the break clause in the ScotRail franchise, which will be debated on Wednesday.
• Manchester Piccadilly hosts week of events to help the city’s homeless this winterFrom a coat donation drop-off point, special station announcements and a photography exhibition, Network Rail will be supporting efforts to help tackle homelessness across Greater Manchester this week.
• Rail 864: How about a transport strategy?A couple of years ago I wrote a short book entitled ‘Are Trams Socialist?’. Spoiler alert, but the answer was no as the book was really not about trams but about the failure of transport policy ever since the first minister for transport was appointed just after the first world war.
• Ghana signs deal for $2.6bn Accra Sky Train with South African consortiumThe government of Ghana has signed a memorandum of understanding with a South Africa-based consortium to build a $2.6bn light rail system in the country’s capital, to be called the “Accra Sky Train”.
• Commuting time up 18 hours in 10 years – reportCommuters spent 18 more hours a year behind the wheel of a car or sitting (or standing) in a train than they did 10 years ago, according to new research from The Trades Union Congress.