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

Friday, 26 July 2019

BBC News

• Bristol Airport expansion plans 'can't be at any cost'One of the UK's top tourist destinations has warned against expansion of a nearby airport.
• UK heatwave: Trains between Swansea, Cardiff and London disruptedNetwork bosses have cancelled trains because of concerns the hot weather will buckle tracks.
• Family 'shocked' at Edinburgh tram death safety failingsA series of safety recommendations are made after Carlos Correa was killed while crossing Edinburgh's tram line.
• Belfast airports: Two tonnes of food seized so far in 2019Foreign food and plants can pose a risk to the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland.
• UK heatwave: More delays for travellers despite temperatures easingDisruption for rail and air passengers will continue after Thursday's record-breaking temperatures.
• Flight delay court cases could close routes, says Loganair bossLoganair's chief executive says lawyers are aggressively targeting airlines over cancellations due to the weather.
• Protest planned outside Gemini Rail depot as it faces closureThe Gemini Rail site in Glasgow where ScotRail trains are maintained is due to close.
• Boeing warns it may stop 737 Max productionPlanemaker Boeing reports a $3.4bn loss because of the 737 Max crisis as it mulls halting production.
• British Airways to resume Cairo flights after security reviewThe airline suspended flights to the Egyptian capital last week as a
• UK delays no-deal medicine transport contractThe government has pushed back a deadline for a medicine supply contract by more than seven weeks.

The Guardian

• UK weather: rail travel disrupted after extreme heat causes chaosMany services affected across Britain as people advised to against all but essential travel
• UK railways in chaos as searing heat sparks fear of derailed trainsBritain’s rail network has been plunged into chaos after extreme temperatures forced operators to slow down trains and cancel services as Network Rail warned the system could not cope with the searing heat.

The Independent

• Waterloo station: Man chases dog down electrified train tracks, leaving commuters stranded as services suspended'The dog was much faster and the man was looking rather tired,' says passenger caught up in rush hour chaos

The Telegraph

• Why UK railways can't handle a heatwave - and how technology could help [subscription]Commuters are facing rail chaos today as a ferocious heatwave that has broken temperature records across Europe hits its peak in the UK.
• Wizz Air soars as profits reach record heights [Subscription]izz Air reported a record €75.5m pre-tax profit for the three months to June 30 as passenger numbers jumped by a fifth to 10.4m. That compared with a €30.5m loss for the same period last year.

Times Online

• Cobham bid puts historic company on new flight path [Subscription]The £4 billion takeover bid for Cobham by the private equity firm Advent is the latest chapter in the colourful history of the 85-year-old British company.
• American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reveal cost of Boeing 737 Max crisis [Subscription]Investors knocked $650 million off the combined value of American Airlines and Southwest Airlines yesterday after the US carriers disclosed writedowns linked to the Boeing 737 Max crisis.
• Death tram’s emergency bell was not loud enough [subscription]The family of a man killed by a tram say that they are shocked by the safety failures that contributed to his death.
• Boris Johnson’s £300m pledge to avoid no-deal Brexit Channel chaos [Subscription]...Grant Shapps, the new transport secretary, will be keen to avoid a repeat of the Seaborne Freight fiasco involving his predecessor, Chris Grayling, in which £14 million was awarded to a company that had no ferries.

City AM

• National Express posts record profit of £113m in first half of 2019National Express has posted a 15.3 per cent rise in operating profit for the first half of this year to a record £113.1m thanks to growth in all of its divisions.
• Majority of Londoners support TfL control over commuter rail servicesNearly 60 per cent of Londoners want decision making on the railways to be taken by the mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL), a new poll has found.
• American Airlines to take $400m hit from Boeing 737 Max groundingsAmerican Airlines shares dropped today after it said the Boeing 737 Max groundings would likely dent its 2019 pre-tax earnings by around $400m (£320m).

London Evening Standard

• Stansted Airport strike: Union suspends this week's walkout as staff vote on pay offerDisruptive strikes at London Stansted Airport planned for Friday and Saturday have been suspended.
• British Airways set to resume flights to Cairo after temporarily halting service over security concernsBritish Airways will resume flights to Cairo after temporarily halting the service last week due to security concerns.
• UK heatwave: Season ticket holders told not to travel on hottest day of the year will not be refunded, rail firm saysCommuters with season tickets who did not travel on the hottest day of the year are not going to be refunded despite being told not to travel, a rail company has confirmed.
• Commuters face heatwave hangover as extreme heat continues to cause travel chaos Morning train commuters are facing a hangover from the extreme heat as it continues to cause chaos across the rail network.

Lancashire Telegraph

• Jake takes Northern agenda to CabinetROSSENDALE and Darwen MP Jake Berry has been given a major promotion and will sit in at Cabinet meetings in new Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government reshuffle. He keeps his Northern Powerhouse responsibility as he is elevated to become a minister of state at the Department for Communities and Local Government from his previous post as parliamentary under-secretary.

Coach and Bus Week

• Welsh Government announces bus reform proposalsWales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford has revealed the Government’s legislative programme, which includes a new law to reform the nation’s bus services. As part of a raft of measures designed to create a ‘more equal Wales,’ the public transport bill will change how local bus services are planned and delivered.
• Stagecoach West to gain two First West of England routesThe two services will move to Stagecoach West’s Patchway depot, and will operate to the current timetable
• Nottingham City Transport launches new biogas busesNottingham City Transport and Gedling Borough Council leaders have launched a batch of nine new biogas buses from an order of 67 this year, ahead of their introduction on Lime 58 to Arnold via Sherwood.
• Proud to be proactiveStagecoach Manchester Engineering Director Peter Sumner has worked in the industry for almost half a century. As he explained to Andy Izatt, experience has taught him that detailed analysis of every aspect of his operation brings the insight he and his staff need to deliver a value for money engineering function
• In the service of ManchesterThis week, we provide a Superfeature on Stagecoach Manchester, taking a closer look at many aspects of what is the biggest bus operating company within Stagecoach Group
• Cynthia Ogbonna steps down as Cardiff Bus Managing Directorardiff Bus has announced that Cynthia Ogbonna is standing down as Managing Director after seven years in the role, and a total of 15 years at the company. Set to leave at the end of the year, she paid tribute to her executive team and the over 700 employees at the company, thanking them for their work.
• Aberdeen to introduce Wrightbus hydrogen ‘deckersFirst will operate the vehicles – which are expected to arrive later this year – on route 19 Aberdeen is geared up to make history as one of the first cities in the world to introduce hydrogen-powered double-decker buses.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Massive 29% rise in rail over last decade uncovered by surveyRegional rail has seen soaring patronage, hitting 389 million in 2017/18 - a huge increase of 29% since 2008/09.
• Punctuality on South Glasgow services reaches 22-month highTrain punctuality has reached its highest level for almost two years on ScotRail services running to and from stations in south Glasgow, the latest figures reveal.
• Crossrail Ltd appoint three new board members to strengthen governanceCrossrail Ltd have appointed three new board members to strengthen the governance of the organisation. Steve Livingstone has been appointed to the Crossrail Board as independent Non-Executive Director from 18 July 2019, while Baroness Jo Valentine has been appointed as independent Non-Executive...
• Metrolink projects rated as excellent after new assessmentTwo major city centre Manchester Metrolink projects have been rated as excellent after an investigation into their sustainability. The assessment, carried out over several years, highlighted positive aspects relating to the projects. Second city crossing (2CC) was praised for retaining and...
• TransPennine Express introduce first Nova 2 trainTransPennine Express (TPE) get first of their new Nova 2 trains from Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF).

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Liverpool launches its Vision for Bus24-hour services and minimum frequencies on Liverpool's wishlist ahead of franchising decision
• Sheffield proposes £50 charge for coaches and buses in CAZSheffield has opened a consultation on its plans to create a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in the city.
• West Midlands plan for Sprint rapid bus hits next stageTransport for West Midlands (TfWM) has published a legal notice of intent for its first two Sprint rapid bus services.
• Welsh Government will legislate for franchisingBill ‘will seek to reverse negative impacts of deregulation’ through enabling public control of services
• Putting coach operators at the heart of itBrokers may not have the best reputation in the industry, but the National Coach Network is here to change that

Aviation Industry

• AirBaltic raises $223 million in bond offeringLatvian carrier airBaltic has placed €200 million ($223 million) in bonds, which will be listed on the Euronext Dublin stock exchange, generating funds for the airline’s general liquidity and fleet expansion. read more
• Wizz Air swings to profit in 1Q on 25% revenue boostWizz Air made a strong start to its financial year, with a combination of firmer fares and the growing number of new-generation aircraft in its fleet, allowing the Central and Eastern European LCC to turn around its financial figures. read more
• Southwest takes MAX out of service through year-end; 2Q income up 1%Southwest Airlines has pulled its Boeing 737 MAXs through the end of the year and made several tactical changes—including route cuts and major fleet-plan modifications—to help compensate for the model’s prolonged grounding, the carrier said July 25 when announcing its second-quarter earnings. read more

Other News Sources

• Heathrow third runway noise problem too big to offsetHeathrow airport has been accused of broken promises on noise pollution, as officials claimed a third runway would not make noise worse for Londoners.