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

Tuesday, 05 February 2019

BBC News

• Battered Dawlish rail line to get higher wallA coastal railway line that washed into the sea five years ago may soon be protected from the wind and waves by a new wall.
• Plea for snow gates on B976 Crathie to Gairnshiel roadThe B976 in Aberdeenshire has signs warning drivers not to use it during heavy snow - but they are often ignored.
• Thousands of ScotRail services axed due to staff shortagesThe scale of disruption to ScotRail services caused by staff shortages since last April is revealed.
• UK to spend £800k on 'highly likely' Eurotunnel Brexit caseThe government says it could be forced to pay
• Decision to scrap Glasgow Airport rail link 'a betrayal'A former council leader said the decision to scrap the direct link was a
• Banned Turkmenistan Airlines leaves thousands strandedTurkmenistan Airlines has been grounded after Europe's air regulator suspended permission for it to fly.
• Brexit: Customs checks to be simplified in no-deal situationGuidance is issued to importers to try to allay fears of congestion and delays at Channel ports.
• Nissan £60m in doubt after investment U-turnThe cash depended on now-abandoned plans to make the X-Trail model in the UK.

The Guardian

• Charity calls for court to livestream Heathrow third runway challengeStreaming case online will raise awareness of climate change, barrister argues
• England's national parks out of reach for poorer people – studyProtected countryside is more than 15 miles away from almost half of the most deprived areas
• Charity calls for court to livestream Heathrow third runway challengeStreaming case online will raise awareness of climate change, barrister argues
• Campaigners call for transport overhaul to tackle pollutionCampaigners have called for free bus travel and the reopening of hundreds of miles of railway lines to end reliance on cars, as transport is due to be confirmed as the UK’s largest contributor to greenhouse gases.
• Michael O’Leary to step back from day-to-day running of RyanairBoss to stay on as group chief executive until 2024 as airline warns of fall in profits
• Nissan leaves Tories to explain why they can't even manage a bribeA £61m off-the-books sweetener failed to do the trick, but Greg Clark was focusing on the positives
• Nissan was offered secret state aid to cope with Brexit, minister concedesBusiness secretary vowed to maintain manufacturers’ capacity to trade with EU

The Herald

• ScotRail 'now beyond a joke' after train overcrowding on Six Nations weekendA UNION has criticised ScotRail's service as "now beyond a joke" after passengers complained of fainting and panic attacks through overcrowded trains during and after the launch of Six Nations rugby in Edinburgh.

Times Online

• Flybe hits more turbulence after investor tries to block saleThe future of Flybe remains up in the air after the airline admitted that its biggest shareholder was attempting to prevent its sale.
• Ryanair nosedives into €20m loss as airlines fear storm [subscription]After two profit warnings in four months, Ryanair reported a dive into the red yesterday in the traditionally lucrative Christmas trading quarter, losing nearly €20 million as it slashed fares to keep its ever-growing fleet of aircraft flying at capacity.

City AM

• Ryanair falls to €20m loss as O’Leary signs new five-year contractBudget airline Ryanair today said it suffered a €20m (£17.5m) loss in the third quarter of its financial year, blaming weaker ticket prices.
• Government reveals Brexit assurances to Nissan as car maker moves X-Trail production outside UKA potential £80m government support package for Nissan was contingent on the car manufacturer building its X-Trail car at its Sunderland plant, it emerged this afternoon.

Mail Online

• Number of trains cancelled due to staff shortages has risen nearly five times in last six years 'because bosses rely on staff working overtime too much'Five times the number of trains have been cancelled due to staff shortages over the last six years, figures reveal.

Network Rail

• Network Rail submits plans for improved sea wall at Dawlish as part of the South West Rail Resilience ProgrammeNetwork Rail has made a planning submission to Teignbridge District Council to improve the long-term resilience of the railway linking Devon and Cornwall to the rest of the UK.

Birmingham Mail

• Channel 4 Dispatches documentary on HS2 to throw spotlight on project's controversyHS2 - The Great Train Robbery: Channel 4 Dispatches will be a 30-minute look at the controversy surrounding the project

London Evening Standard

• Thug broke into Tube train cab and bottled driver, police sayPolice have launched a manhunt after a thug broke into a Tube driver's cab and attacked him with a bottle.
• Cycling in London: Transport for London cycle superhighways and quietways across the capitalWhether it's for an afternoon out or a change of commute, cycling is increasing in popularity among Londoners who are keen to make the most of cycling routes across the capital.
• London Bridge protest: Minicab drivers block road in protest over congestion charge changesHundreds of minicab drivers have blocked London Bridge in a protest against a congestion charge which they claim will slash their pay.
• Turkmenistan Airlines banned: Thousands stranded after aviation chiefs ban flights for safety reasonsThousands of passengers have been left stranded after a budget airline with routes between the UK and India was blacklised for safety reasons.
• Brexit news latest: Nissan must reapply for £61m Government funding after UK production u-turnNissan will have to reapply for a £61 million Government grant after a decision to backtrack on UK production plans amid Brexit uncertainty, business secretary Greg Clark has said.
• Drivers forced to abandon cars after heavy snow 'slapped with parking fines'Motorists who were forced to abandon their cars after heavy snow left them stranded appear to have been slapped with parking fines.

Other Regional Press

• Pollution-busting A45 plan will be 'outpaced' by emissions from Birmingham Airport expansion and HS2POLLUTION-busting measures on the A45 will be ‘outpaced’ by increased emissions from more road users after Birmingham Airport’s expansion and HS2, a councillor claims.
• Heathrow Airport unveil scheme proposing 10,000 apprenticeships by 2030Heathrow Airport is to launch an apprenticeship scheme with the aim of creating 10,000 apprenticeships by 2030.
• More problems for passengers as train cancelled for 'overcrowding'TRAIN passengers are experiencing more problems in Bolton today after another service was completely cancelled at one station because of "overcrowding".
• Goole MP accuses Siemens rivals of 'game playing' over £1.5bn rail contractAndrew Percy leapt to the defence of Siemens after it was accused of 'pulling the wool over Transport for London's eyes'

Campaign for Better Transport

• Re-opening rail linesReopening rail lines across the country would go a long way to improving public transport and tackling rail overcrowding.

Rail Advent

• TransPennine Express introduces WhatsApp for its rail passengersTranspennine Express have announced that they have introduced WhatsApp for its passengers.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Long-awaited plans to build a sea wall to protect Dawlish rail line unveiled by Network Rail  Image credit - Moorefam
• New Hitachi rolling stock unveiled by Hull Trains as part of £60m investmentHull Trains has unveiled its new fleet of hi-tech Hitachi trains which will replace its current ageing fleet of Class 180s in 2019 as part of a £60m investment. The train operator has given a first glimpse of the new rolling stock which comes with increased seating capacity, enhanced...
• Plans to scrap Glasgow Airport rail link a 'betrayal of the city' claims Labour MPThe decision to scrap plans for a direct rail link between Glasgow Airport and the city centre in favour of new plans for a shuttle pod system has been branded as a “betrayal for the city” by a Labour MP. Last week, following meetings with the Scottish transport minister and...

The Business Desk

• Call to review lost Bombardier train orderThere are growing calls to review the order for new underground trains that would have been made in Derby, after it was revealed that the majority will be built in Austria and not in the UK.

Aviation Industry

• Flybe agrees to shareholder meeting, receives funding offer to halt saleUK regional carrier Flybe has agreed to a board meeting demanded by several shareholders over the airline’s proposed takeover by Stobart Group-backed consortium Connect Airways, and has separately received an approach from former Stobart CEO Andrew Tinkler to replace the Connect funding and halt the sale. read more
• Oneworld: ‘No plans’ to add China SouthernOneworld has “no plansâ€� for China Southern Airlines to become a member of the alliance, according to CEO Ron Guerney. read more
• Ryanair to move to IAG-type structure after $23 million 3Q net lossIrish LCC Ryanair has posted a €20 million ($22.9 million) third-quarter net loss and announced plans to transition to a group structure, similar to that of International Airlines Group (IAG), with Michael O’Leary as group CEO. read more
• Air France unveils Airbus A330 cabin upgradeSkyTeam member Air France plans to roll-out upgraded cabins and inflight connectivity on 15 of its Airbus A330s by 2020, as part of a €140 million ($160 million) investment plan. read more
• Air Canada, Chorus Aviation agree on revised long-term CPAA revised capacity-purchase agreement (CPA) with Air Canada gives Chorus Aviation long-term stability for its Jazz Aviation regional feeder and boosts the company’s effort to diversify revenue streams by increasing its leasing income. read more
• Russian airlines report passenger traffic up 10.6% in 2018Russian airlines carried 116.2 million passengers in 2018, up 10.6% year-over-year (YOY). read more

Other News Sources

• The five routes East West Rail could take through countryside from Cambourne to CambridgeTrains could take what some have called a “tortuous route” through the countryside from Cambourne to Cambridge as part of the final stage of East West Rail.
• Glasgow Airport installs new radar to pave way for new wind farmGlasgow Airport has collaborated with air traffic services provider NATS and Banks Renewables to install a new radar system that can minimise the impact of the Kype Muir Wind Farm in South Lanarkshire.
• NATS trialling the use of artificial intelligence to reduce delays at Heathrow
• Ex council leader says scrapping Glasgow Airport rail link is "betrayal for the city"THE rail link to Glasgow Airport should still be built, according to the former leader of the Council.
• The Marsh Barton train station set for 2016 is still years away from being builtMarsh Barton railway station – due to open in 2016 – may still be ‘years’ away from ever seeing a train roll in.