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

Tuesday, 02 July 2019

BBC News

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport plans £2m solar farm to cut emissionsA South Yorkshire airport has announced plans for a £2m solar farm to help slash emissions. Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) said renewable energy could generate 25 per cent of the airport's energy, and would also "drastically" reduce its carbon footprint, the airport said.
• Aberdeen International Airport workers being re-balloted amid actionMembers of the Unite union at Aberdeen International Airport are being re-balloted amid ongoing industrial action.
• Why are England's roadsides blooming?What is behind the growing move from neatly-trimmed grass verges to small roadside meadows?
• Heart 200: New road trip route paved with good intentionsIs a new tourist route through Perthshire heading in the right direction or a road to nowhere?
• Free bus travel for Greater Manchester teenagers launchedTeenagers aged 16 to 18 will be granted free bus travel in a move funded by a £7 rise in council tax.

The Guardian

• Rail booking website will split journeys into smaller legs to reduce faresLoco2 claims its new Pricehack tool could save up to 50% on millions of UK rail journeys
• Futuristic sounds to make electric buses safer hit wrong noteTransport for London has been warned that proposals put forward for a safety feature to make electric buses more audible risk confusing vulnerable road users.
• Northern's Pacer trains to run into 2020 despite retirement pledgeRail firm privately backtracks on vow to MPs that fleet would be retired by end of year

Times Online

• Call to cut diesel trains over air pollution risk [Subscription]A reliance on older diesel trains may be exposing passengers and staff to high levels of air pollution at major railway stations, according to research.

Birmingham Mail

• How bus lane fines are busting Brum's biggest bottleneckAnyone who has ever tried to drive through Stechford knows it's a nightmare - but although remedial work has now started the full cure is still more than a year away!

Liverpool Echo

• Merseyrail passengers some of "the most satisfied in the UK"The operator scored 90 per cent for punctuality and reliability and was also praised for offering affordable ticket prices

London Evening Standard

• Pictures show progress as £600m project to increase Bank station capacity hits half-way pointWork on the £600m project to increase capacity at Bank station has reached the half-way stage, Tube bosses announced today.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Cycling boost for commuters using West Midlands train stations in £740k schemeThe funding will provide around 250 cycle spaces across London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway stations. The investment was made by the Department for Transport (DfT) which has awarded the train operators £371,000 for the Cycle Rail programme.

Yorkshire Post

• Solar farm to help Doncaster Sheffield Airport cut carbon emissionsDoncaster Sheffield Airport is to slash carbon emissions by installing a new £2m solar farm which will generate 25 per cent of the airport’s energy and drastically reduce its carbon footprint.

Doncaster Free Press

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport to slash emissions with £2m solar farmThe new solar panel farm will produce 25 percent of the airports energy by 2020.

Other Regional Press

• Trains to and from Newark Northgate are likely to be affected next weekend.Train passengers are urged to check before they travel as the East Coast Mainline is due for works next weekend Trains to and from London King’s Cross will be reduced on the weekend of July 13/14 July as work to remove old signalling equipment from a disused railway tunnel at King’s Cross station will be taking place, as part of a £1.2billion upgrade into the route.
• Customer satisfaction is at a record high for GWRNEW figures released by Great Western Railway show customer satisfaction has risen to an all-time high, thanks to their new bullet-style trains.
• Western Rail Link to Heathrow a 'strategic priority for Government'MP for Slough Tan Dhesi has been drumming up support for the Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLtH). The proposed scheme would see a 6.5km rail link built between Mr Dhesi’s constituency and Heathrow Airport.

New Civil Engineer

• Severn Tunnel electrification hit with more problems Humid and salty conditions in the Severn rail tunnel have added to problems which began to affect the overhead power system following electrification in 2016.
• Gatwick expansion could replace Heathrow as priority, warns airport plannerAn effective case for expanding Gatwick before Heathrow could be made if the role of airports changes, a leading academic who specialises in airport planning has claimed.
• DfT refuses to publish rail enhancements pipelineThe Department for Transport (DfT) is refusing to publish the widely anticipated rail enhancements pipeline, despite growing calls from the industry for it to do so.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Your chance to meet Midland Metro Alliance executives at TCR Midlands eventDirector of the Midland Metro Alliance, Alejandro Moreno, and head of procurement Paula Gray have been confirmed as attending the TransCityRail (TCR) Midlands conference and dinner in Birmingham on 18 July. Both will be available for networking opportunities at the prestigious event, hosted in...
• Network Rail submits indicative bid for troubled British SteelRailway infrastructure company Network Rail have submitted an indicative bid to take over parts of British Steel in an attempt to save the troubled business. The state-owned company are concerned about disruption to the rail network if British Steel were to permanently close.   Network...
• Rail minister 'entirely supports the aspiration' of £2bn Midlands Rail HubRail Minister Andrew Jones has given his support to plans submitted by Midlands Connect for a transformative Midland Rail Hub in the region. The proposed project aims to upgrade routes between the East and West Midlands to make travel easier for commuters and businesses alike. Speaking on...

Aviation Industry

• Analysts: Late MAX deliveries will increase European overcapacity in 2020European airlines face a worsening capacity glut in 2020 as narrowbody deliveries, already approaching record numbers, are boosted by late deliveries of Boeing 737 MAXs, analysts warn. read more
• SAA to lease A350s as A340 replacementSouth African Airways (SAA) has detailed plans to lease in Airbus A350-900s to operate its non-stop Johannesburg-New York JFK flights, replacing the A340-600s currently serving the route. read more
• Czech Budweis Airport begins test and audit phaseBudweis International Airport, located in the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, has opened its terminal as part of an audit-and-test phase that will lead to flight operations starting in spring 2020. read more

Other News Sources

• Heathrow Consultation, 18 months on ListenHeathrow's first consultation showed just how much the planned expansion is likely to affect people's day to day lives
• High Street taxi rank is opposed by Oxford Bus CompanyBLACK cab drivers say a new taxi rank in Oxford High Street will be vital for customers carrying heavy shopping.
• Glasgow MP says taking bus services into public hands is a 'golden opportunity'Paul Sweeney, Labour MP for Glasgow North East, has welcomed the city council’s decision to explore options to take buses into public ownership.
• Greater Anglia shows off its new Intercity trains for services to LondonRail company Greater Anglia has taken delivery of the first of its new Intercity trains that will be used to transform main-line services between Norwich, Ipswich and London.
• New M42 tunnel plan revealed as major HS2 changes are earmarked for TamworthTamworth could miss out on years of traffic chaos – as well as a number of key businesses being saved – under new plans for HS2 in the region.
• LEVC selects Oxford Direct Services for servicing of TXE electric taxisOxford Direct Services (ODS), the commercial arm of Oxford City Council, has been approved as an authorised service dealer for the world’s first purpose built electric taxi - the TX.
• Taxi organisations unite to work on response to “unacceptable” new proposals put forward by Heathrow AirportLondon’s taxi trade organisations are thrashing out a plan to oppose the controversial decision by Heathrow to charge drivers a £15 airport access fee.