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

Monday, 14 October 2019

BBC News

• Rail boss urges patience after Transport for Wales' first yearTransport for Wales' chief executive says he understands passengers' frustration.
• Translink: Zero emissions agenda would require £3bnThe public transport provider says a rise in passenger numbers means it twice as much funding.
• General Motors strike: 'We've got to fight for what's right'Four weeks into the car giant's strike, workers are losing money but say they will continue to protest.

The Guardian

• All aboard: London transport seat designs – in picturesAs a boy, Andrew Martin’s father worked for British Rail, and he soon developed a passion for railways. He’s written a number of books on the subject and has now turned his attention to moquettes, the thick fabrics seen on London transport and created by leading designers and artists of their era, such as Paul Nash. “Londoners are spoiled really,â€� says Martin. “They have this soft material that’s often beautifully coloured and carefully designed. They spend half their lives on public transport; I think they should know more about what they’re sitting on.â€� Seats of London (Safe Haven Books, £12...
• Questions MPs must ask those behind the Thomas Cook collapseBEIS committee will want to know who was to blame for the failure and costs to taxpayersAn inquiry by MPs into the collapse of Thomas Cook gets under way on Tuesday, with company directors, including Peter Fankhauser, who was chief executive when it went under, the first to appear. Auditors, regulators and possibly ministers are expected to give evidence to the investigation by the cross-party business, energy and industrial strategy committee (BEIS).MPs will demand to know who was to blame for a corporate failure that put 9,000 jobs at risk and left 150,000 Britons stranded overseas, forcing ...
• Air miles should be axed to deter frequent fliers, advises reportUK climate body says policy would target heavy users but not penalise occasional flyersAir miles schemes should be axed as they encourage jetsetters to take extra flights in a bid to maintain “privileged traveller statusâ€�, according to a report commissioned by the government’s climate change advisers.An “escalating Air Miles Levyâ€� should also be introduced to rein in the number of trips taken by frequent flyers, without penalising those taking an annual holiday, with the income raised to be invested into low-carbon aviation technology. Continue reading...

The Independent

• Ban air miles and stop frequent flyers to combat climate change, report urgesTravellers should be hit by 'escalating air miles levy' to put them off flying too much
• Labour plans to renationalise utilities, railways and Royal Mail would cost £196bn, CBI claimsBusiness group estimates price tag is equivalent to all income tax paid by UK citizens in one year

Times Online

• Modern life and congestion blamed for road rage surge [subscription]Road rage is becoming more common as traffic congestion leads to a rise in tailgating and drivers hurling abuse at other road users.
• Firms that can’t run trains on time face losing profits [subscription]Train companies face fines for persistent delays as part of an overhaul of the network planned by the government.
• Ban air miles and stop frequent flyers, urge climate advisers [subscription]Air miles schemes should be banned because they encourage excessive flying, according to a report commissioned by the government’s climate change advisers.

City AM

• Rail franchising model set to be scrapped by Boris JohnsonThe UK’s rail franchising system is set to be drastically overhauled as early as next year.
• Uber challenger Bolt launches XL vehicle category in LondonRide-hailing app Bolt is launching a new XL category of vehicles – with space for up to seven passengers – [...] The post Uber challenger Bolt launches XL vehicle category in London appeared first on CityAM.

Network Rail

• Early completion for Queen Street platform worksNetwork Rail has successfully completed the lengthening of platforms 4 and 5 at Glasgow Queen Street station.

Birmingham Mail

• Rail bosses offer police free travel to funeral of hero cop Andrew HarperThames Valley Police has confirmed that the funeral of PC Harper will take place on Monday, October 14, in Oxford city centre

Birmingham Post

• London taxi maker expands dealer networkThe new London EV Company (LEVC) retailers will offer sales and aftersales support

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Scheme to cut train journey times from Newcastle to Edinburgh to just 45 minutes is on trackA scheme which could half the journey time between Scotland and the North East is still moving forward, rail bosses have confirmed

Wales Online

• The 10 biggest improvements Transport For Wales says it has made since took over rail servicesIt is a year to the day since the operator took over from Arriva Trains Wales running commuter services in Wales

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• M6 Toll revenue up despite traffic fallThe M6 Toll made more money despite a slight fall in the number of drivers using it, as price hikes helped to offset the drop in traffic.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• HS2 'proposal' could slash Leeds to Manchester train journey times by nearly ONE HOUR, sources sayDirect train links connecting Leeds and Manchester are under consideration as part of an independent review of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project, according to reports.

Yorkshire Post

• Leading London business group insists that HS2 must include YorkshireDelaying or scrapping HS2 would reduce investment into the UK, cause major lost opportunities to grow the economy and deepen the North-South divide, one of the nation’s largest property organisations has warned.
• 20-minute rail journeys connecting Leeds with Manchester 'being considered' to make £10bn HS2 savingDirect train links connecting Leeds and Manchester are under consideration as part of an independent review of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project, according to reports.

Leeds Live

• Police say drug driving in West Yorkshire 'has doubled'Police are trying to find out why "people now see this as socially acceptable to risk other people’s lives"

Other Regional Press

• First anniversary for Transport for WalesTRANSPORT for Wales today celebrates its first anniversary since taking responsibility for rail services across Wales and the Borders which marked the beginning of their £5 billion investment programme.
• Transport Minister to visit town over rail crossing campaign TRANSPORT Minister Chris Heaton-Harris has agreed to visit Wareham to see the town's railway level crossing situation for himself.

Railnews

• Rail franchising set to face the axe in 2020 THE passenger rail franchising system set up as part of privatisation in the 1990s is set to be abolished, as one of the measures to be announced in the Queen™s Speech today. In advance of the State Opening of Parliament, the government has revealed that it wants to scrap rail franchising, replacing it by a model focused on ˜performance and reliability™. Further details will probably have to await proposals from the Department for Transport, which is also due to publish the outcome of the Williams Review in the next few weeks

Railway Gazette

• Custom lights for St Pancras InternationalUK: Zeta Specialist Lighting and station maintenance contractor NG Bailey have installed 118 high bay and 208 wall washer LED lights at the Grade 1 listed St Pancras International station.

Other News Sources

• HUGE RAIL DEPOT APPROVEDApproval has been granted for a huge rail depot to the south of Northampton.
• University of Birmingham leases high-speed train Derby-based Porterbrook, a rolling-stock asset management company, has leased one of its iconic high-speed trains to the University of Birmingham (the HSTs revitalised InterCity rail travel in Britain in the late 1970s).
• GTR marks commitment to greater diversity with launch of Women’s NetworkThe UK’s largest rail franchise is working to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce by committing to changing internal workplace practices to ensure that more women join and crucially, stay within the rail industry.