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

Sunday, 25 November 2018

BBC News

• West Midlands driverless cars project wins £19m boostMore motorways and rural roads are to be used to test the latest generation of driverless cars.
• The London buildings that never wereA monorail on Regent Street, a pyramid in Trafalgar Square and an airport on the Thames...?

ITV News

• Transport for Wales apologises for train cancellations saying it didn't expect 'these levels of issues'The new rail operator Transport for Wales has apologised for a number of delays and cancellations to its train services.

The Guardian

• Let’s move to Gospel Oak, north London: Betjeman hated it, but there’s lots to loveIt’s shabbier than its illustrious neighbours, but that’s what makes it what it is

The Independent

• HS2 is not the solution to London’s housing crisis or the lack of rail links to the NorthCancelling HS2 might be a welcome development for some people, argues Chris Blackhurst, especially if the money was spent on other local, much-needed advancement

The Scotsman

• Fort Augustus canal locks get cash lifeline to keep waterways open More than £5 million was announced today to prevent delays on the Caledonian Canal by replacing lock gates in Fort Augustus.
• ScotRail plans new carriages for skis, boards and bikes on snowsports expressTheir vivid red and blue livery would herald a new era in train travel for cyclists and snowsports fans, providing much-needed extra space to reach the Highlands by rail.

Times Online

• London Mayor Sadiq Khan ‘knew about delay to Crossrail’ [Subscription]Sadiq Khan faces questions about his denial that he knew about delays to Crossrail before late August, with the revelation that the London mayor was handed a dossier in July that indicated the £15.8bn project was highly likely to be late.
• Fuel riots light fire under Emmanuel Macron {subscription]Clouds of tear gas and palls of black smoke hung over the Champs-Elysées last night as demonstrators clashed with riot police in the culmination of a week of protests over the cost of diesel that has turned into the most serious challenge yet faced by President Emmanuel Macron.
• Scots won’t be ready for electric car surge, warns energy operator Spen [Subscription]The take-up of electric vehicles will accelerate much faster than governments and policy-makers have forecast, according to a Scottish energy operator that warns investment in infrastructure to meet increased demand for power is urgently needed.
• Your three-minute digest [Subscription}1 Goods bought online will be transported into cities through pipes similar to those used by utility companies in as little as three years, under plans to remove polluting HGVs from the road. Experts backed by Ocado, the online grocer, are working on the development of an initial 52-mile network of pipes stretching from northwest London to Hertfordshire and on to Milton Keynes.

Daily Record

• ScotRail blasted by MSPs and union over worst performance levels in more than a decade'Atrocious' figures show one in five trains failed to arrive on time.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Birmingham Airport welcomes record passengers in OctoberBirmingham Airport has enjoyed a bumper end to its summer season, welcoming record numbers of passengers.

Kent Online

• Kent rail passengers stuck with delays as services stop after trains lose power and break downA failed electricity supply to a train approaching a major London railway station has left passengers stranded.

Other Regional Press

• Windsor Link Railway plan defended by the man behind itThe man who came up with the controversial idea for the Windsor Link Railway, George Bathurst, has defended the project from public criticism, saying that it is ‘misunderstood’, has strong public backing and is a chance for the town to create a lasting legacy.
• Gatwick noise has been reduced by quieter jets, says airportGatwick Airport says it has reduced the number of local residents suffering noise from jets.
• Bristol’s buses are in chaos. Here are four fixes that won’t break the bankOn a damp afternoon across the street from Bristol’s main railway station Temple Meads, people stamp their feet in line, while passengers file off the late-running number 2 bus through its single door.
• Gatwick Express trains to stop at Preston Park station after successful campaignGovia Thameslink (GTR) told Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas in a formal statement they will be reintroducing Gatwick Express services to Preston Park in May 2019.
• Valley rail link firmly on the transport agendaTHE campaign for a regular rail link between Rossendale and central Manchester has taken a step forward.
• Transport for Wales rail confusion – PR company say ‘Wrexham – Bidston services will be trains, not buses’ but public info service says some buses will runTransport for Wales is currently providing conflicting information on the train situation next week to those in North Wales using the Wrexham to Bidston route.
• New bigger trains unveiled by South Western RailwayTHE first in a fleet of refurbished trains have been introduced as part of a multi-million pound effort to create more seats on local services to London.

Transportxtra

• West Yorks CA puts light rail network back on the agendaProposals for a light rail network serving Leeds and the wider conurbation have been published by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. It wants the system up and running in time for HS2 reaching the city, supposedly in 2033.
• Hounslow consults on employer parking levyConsultation is underway on the London Borough of Hounslow’s proposed workplace parking levy scheme that could help fund the introduction of a passenger rail service on a freight-only line (LTT 20 Aug).

Other News Sources

• Virgin Trains are painting It's a Wonderful Life on West Coast Mainline station platforms The story of Britain's favourite Christmas film, It's a Wonderful Life' are appearing on station platforms across Britain, in a bid to help those who struggle with the festive period.
• UK-first as drones fly safely in Manchester Airport’s controlled airspaceOperation Zenith, an ambitious drone demonstration at Manchester Airport, has shown that drones can be flown safely alongside manned aircraft in controlled airspace.
• HUBER+SUHNER streamline passenger experience with launch of 5 Port railway roof top antennaLeading international manufacturer of components and system solutions for optical and electrical connectivity, HUBER+SUHNER, has announced the launch of its new railway roof top antenna to combat data bandwidth issues, the SENCITY® Rail MIMO 5 Port.