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

Wednesday, 24 July 2019

BBC News

• Tuk-tuk taxi firm gets go-ahead in CardiffCustomers will be able to use a ride-hailing app to book the vehicles, also known as a rickshaw.
• Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus 'seeking investors'The County Antrim-based bus manufacturer is experiencing cashflow problems, it is understood.
• Greater Manchester pensioners face £10 tram and train feeThe combined authority says the charge will make its concessionary travel schemes
• Car parts from weeds: The future of green motoring?The motor industry is trying to reduce its carbon footprint in a number of innovative ways.
• BA pilots vote in favour of strike action over key summer periodThe British Airline Pilots' Association says 93% of its members have voted in favour of industrial action.

Department for Transport

• Major demolition milestone at HS2’s Old Oak Common site as Great Western sheds clearedFormer railway sheds make way for new HS2 super-hub station designed to link HS2 with Crossrail and Great Western services

The Guardian

• Nissan plans to shed 10,000 jobs worldwide, reports claimThe carmaker Nissan plans to cut more than 10,000 jobs around the world as part of efforts to turn itself around, Japanese media have reported.
• Channel Tunnel group says no-deal Brexit 'very likely'Getlink says Brexit uncertainty and economic slowdown have affected bookings
• Nissan refuses government request on Qashqai emissionsManufacturer told DVSA it would not retrofit polluting vehicles, despite other firms agreeing to modifications
• The cost of Boris Johnson: pricing up the next PM's pledges9. Review HS2 and build HS3. Cost: unknown. So far £4bn has been spent on HS2 – the high-speed rail project designed to link London to cities in the Midlands and the north. But the final cost has already risen from £32bn to £56bn and reports suggest it has now jumped to between £70bn and £85bn.
• Boris Johnson's claims of 'side deals' are 'pure rubbish', EU saysBoris Johnson’s claims that crashing out of the EU with no deal would be less painful because of a series of “side deals” that the UK has already done with Brussels have been dismissed as “rubbish” by the EU.

The Herald

• Strike threat on Caledonian Sleeper over 'intolerable' working conditionsCaledonian Sleeper staff have voted for strike action in a dispute over "appalling" working conditions. The RMT union said members have suffered workplace stress and mental health issues while morale is at an all-time low following the introduction of its new fleet.

The Independent

• East Coast main line closure: Passengers stranded as overhead electric wire damage shuts rail lineBritain’s flagship rail line has come almost to a halt – with travellers urged not to try to travel today.

The Scotsman

• Lothian Buses announces contactless payment will be accepted on all servicesFOR years, it has been the transport quirk setting the Capital apart from the rest of the country. But now, requiring exact change to board a Lothian bus is set to be brought to an end after the transport provider revealed plans to roll out contactless payments across their services from Wednesday, July 24th

The Telegraph

• Heathrow third runway is a 'done deal' claims airport boss [subscription]eathrow boss John Holland-Kaye believes neither Boris Johnson nor the Court of Appeal will be able to block the building of the third runway.

Times Online

• BA strike ‘will cost airline £40m a day’ [subscription]A proposed strike by British Airways pilots will cost the airline up to £40 million a day and prove “enormously disruptive” for passengers, the carrier admitted yesterday.
• Scolding by children puts brakes on reckless drivers [subscription]Police have a new weapon in their battle against speeding drivers: primary school children.

Reuters News

• Heathrow boss confident new runway will go ahead, despite past opposition of PM Johnson The boss of London’s Heathrow Airport said on Tuesday that construction of its new runway would go ahead despite incoming Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s long-standing opposition to the expansion of Britain’s biggest airport.

City AM

• Farewell, Failing Grayling: Here are your five finest moments in office Any article written about transport secretary Chris Grayling over the past year has tended to start with a not-so-favourable adjective.

The National

• New committee set up to oversee railway policing in ScotlandDETAILS have been announced of a new committee being set up to oversee railway policing in Scotland. The Scottish Railways Policing Committee is being created after repeated delays to a planned merger of Police Scotland and British Transport Police (BTP), initially due to take place in April.

The Sun

• NOT MY BAG Heathrow airport CHAOS as baggage system failure forces hundreds of passengers forced to fly without their luggagePASSENGERS had to fly off on their summer holidays without their bags last night following more problems with the luggage systems at Heathrow Airport.

Sky News

• BA fails to block summer holiday strike vote by pilotsBritish Airways (BA) has lost a legal challenge to a strike vote by pilots, bringing closer the threat of summer holiday travel chaos for its customers.

London Evening Standard

• Cyclist who underwent 10 operations after being crushed by lorry says London roads are too dangerous for bikesA student who underwent almost six months of hospital treatment following a cycle crash today urged riders to be more safety conscious — and called for more to be done to protect them.
• British Airways strike dates 2019: Will my flight be affected? Why are BA pilots striking? If the strikes go ahead, they could cause travel chaos for thousands of British Airway passengers this summer

Sheffield Telegraph

• Sheffield pupils help to shape future of the railway with HS2 learning programmePrimary school pupils have given their views on what they would like railways to look like when they are older.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• FirstGroup committed to AberdeenFirstGroup has insisted it remains committed to keeping its “registered office” in Aberdeen despite fresh signs the bus and train giant may be travelling in a different direction.

Other Regional Press

• Bristol Airport unveils accelerated plans to become carbon neutral by 2025The airport has published a 'carbon roadmap' setting out how it will achieve its goal of being a 'net zero airport' by 2050 and the means it will use to become 'carbon neutral' within six years.
• Glasgow rail workers to march against closure of historic Springburn depotTrade unions are mobilising for a protest at a historic depot in Glasgow this week as the 160-year-old Caley railyard looks set to close.
• Stadler apprentices complete training and now set to work on new fleet of Merseyrail trainsFIVE Stadler apprentices have completed their training and have been offered jobs with the company, set to work on the new fleet of Merseyrail trains.
• We want HS2 sooner rather than later, says MP Jim McMahonOLDHAM West and Royton MP Jim McMahon has emphasised the need for the High Speed Rail 2 connection to be made in Greater Manchester sooner rather than later.
• Royal Borough will take part in Heathrow expansion appealThe Royal Borough will be involved in the appeal granted to a coalition of councils and environmental groups opposed to Heathrow's third runway.

Rail Advent

• Virgin Trains teams up with Cherry Healey to launch Train JottingVirgin Trains is launching a competition, this summer, which encourages young people across the UK to get creative and re-imagine train travel by drawing their idea of an ultimate dream train journey.

Rail Magazine

• Pacers to continue running in South Yorkshire into next yearPacers will continue to operate in the South Yorkshire area, Northern has confirmed.
• Old Oak Common sheds demolishedThe former Great Western Railway sheds at Old Oak Common have been demolished, in preparation for construction of a new station which will link HS2 with Crossrail and Great Western Main Line trains.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Government sets out vision for biodiverse railway linesideDfT sets out clear strategy for how it expects Network Rail to protect and enhance the UK's lineside environment.

The Business Desk

• e-opening of historic city centre rail station a step closerBusinesses in the Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool have welcomed proposals that could see the re-opening of a disused rail station.

Aviation Industry

• EDITORIAL: There’s no shame in buying a flight ticketAttention-grabbing as it might be, the flight-shame movement to persuade people to not fly is misinformed and misguided. read more
• British Airways loses legal action to block pilot strikesBritish Airways (BA) on July 23 failed in a legal attempt to block a planned strike action by pilots, but immediately said it intends to appeal the decision. read more

Other News Sources

• Four-carriage trains during rush hour ‘outrageous’ says Lewes MPMP for Lewes Maria Caulfield has called for a parliamentary debate on short formation trains between Lewes and London.
• Hopes rise that 700 jobs could be secured at Hitachi's Durham siteHitachi is the front runner to build trains for Abellio, reports claim, but that would be bad news for Derby's Bombardier
• Third runway will be ‘critical for new PM’ says Heathrow bossThe head of Heathrow airport has insisted the expansion project will go ahead despite opposition from the incoming Prime Minister.

EIN News Subscription

• Transport committee chair: The aim is to put climate on political agenda in all sectorsIn an interview with EURACTIV’s partner le Journal de l’Environnement, the newly elected chair of the European Parliament’s committee on transport and tourism (TRAN), French Green MEP Karima Delli, spoke about her new priorities. These include relaunching the rail system, regulating transport in a climate-friendly manner and reducing car pollution.
• Future of flight looks to nature in Airbus 'bird of prey' designThe spread wingtips and tapered tail of Airbus's "bird of prey" design the has gained "rapturous" praise at the Royal International Air Tattoo in the UK.