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

Thursday, 24 October 2019

BBC News

• Cardiff barrage bus plan in bid to boost transport linksBuses could start running along Cardiff Bay Barrage in a bid to boost transport links between the capital and Penarth, councillors have said.
• London car scrappage scheme to be extendedThe extended scrappage scheme will be made available to low income households in the capital.
• Boeing expects 737 Max to fly again by New YearThe news comes just hours after investigators in Indonesia blamed design problems for a fatal crash.
• Tesla shares surge after unexpected profitThe electric carmaker says its plans in China and for its next model are ahead of schedule.

The Guardian

• Heathrow accuses BA of acting against UK and consumer interestsAirport boss hits back in third runway row by saying airline is trying to slow down expansion
• Tesla rebounds from rocky start to year with surprise profit of $143mResults come after Elon Musk’s electric car company lost $1.1bn during the first half of 2018Tesla rebounded from a rocky start to the year when it reported a surprise third-quarter profit of $143m on Wednesday, sending its stock price soaring more than 17% in after-hours trading.The electric automobile company’s revenues of $6.3bn narrowly missed analyst expectations, but adjusted earnings per share of $1.86 far exceeded expectations that the company would continue losing money. Continue reading...

The Scotsman

• New images of ScotRail's UK-first carriages for carrying cycles on Highland routes unveiledSpecially designed cycle carriages are set to be introduced for the first time in the UK on a Scottish Highland rail route.

The Telegraph

• Smart motorways are confusing motorists, Highways England chief admits otorists are confused by some smart motorways, the boss of Highways England has admitted as he revealed that the agency has not investigated the dangers of removing the hard shoulder.
• Driverless cars to carry human passengers on UK roads for first timeriverless cars are set to carry human passengers on Britain’s roads for the first time, a government-backed consortium has announced.

Times Online

• How a cool £286bn will add up to net zeroBritain needs to install 2,300 electric vehicle chargers every day until 2050 in order to hit its climate targets, an analysis has suggested.

Network Rail

• Network Rail to carry out vital signalling work in Bristol ahead of the introduction of more frequent services this winterPassengers in the Bristol area are advised to check before travelling over the next two weekends (26-27 October and Sunday 3 November) as Network Rail carries out important signalling work in the area, paving the way for the introduction of more frequent services from December as part of the biggest timetable change in 40 years.

Sky News

• End of dynamic smart motorways: ‘Too complicated', says Highways England bossSix British motorways have already been converted so hard shoulders are used only at busy times. Smart motorways with hard shoulders only used at busy times are "too complicated for people to use" and won't be built in the future, Highway England's boss has said.

Birmingham Mail

• Heathrow Airport third runway latest as Boris Johnson speaks outAddressing Mr Johnson during PMQs, Labour's Andrew Slaughter asked the Prime Minister whether he still opposes plans to build a third runway at Heathrow

Bolton News

• Passengers warned of changes to bus tickets on Diamond, First and Go North WestBUS passengers have been warned ahead of changes to bus ticketing arrangements.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Action Stations win national award for Bingley Station projects VOLUNTEERS who pulled out all the stops to spruce up Bingley Station have won national recognition.

Sheffield Star

• CITY GROWTH: Sheffield 'rail-tech' firm on track for 50 jobsA fast-growing Sheffield tech firm is set to treble the size of its offices in a move that creates space for another 50 people.

Yorkshire Post

• Yorkshire transport boss says comparing Pacer trains to buses is an insult to busesThe director of a Yorkshire bus operator has revealed his frustration at constant comparisons between the much-maligned Pacer trains and buses.

Other Regional Press

• MP Meg Hillier defends Heathrow voting record - and criticises government's inaction on the climate emergencyMP Meg Hillier isn't optimistic that the action that's needed to halt global warming above 1.5 degrees - which scientists now say is needed to avert a climate catastrophe - will come to pass through legislation any time soon
• MP urges train company to add extra carriagesTHE train company which operates services between Hereford and Birmingham have been urged to fulfill a promise to add extra capacity to the line.
• Cambridgeshire Mayor welcomes start of work on 'people's choice' shelters at Manea and WhittleseaPassengers at Manea and Whittlesea railway stations will soon have help weathering the Fenland winds and rains now shelters funded by the Mayoral Combined Authority are pushing ahead.
• More ScotRail trains running on time according to new figuresMore Scottish trains are running on time, according to new figures. An extra 36,000 trains arrived on time since April 1, compared with the same period last year.
• If we're going to ban food on trains, target the smelly stuffFood loving Andy Newman says forget banning unhealthy food on buses and trains, stop people eating the stuff that stinks!
• Council urged to commission Honeybourne rail studyThe Shakespeare Line Promotion Group (SLPG) is urging the district council to commission a study into the economic benefits of re-opening the Honeybourne Railway Line, following concerns from the county council about potential traffic from the Long Marston Garden Village site.

Aviation Industry

• O´Leary: LaudaMotion losses will continue through 2020Ryanair subsidiary LaudaMotion is expected to widen its losses this year and further postpone profitability as a result of growing its network faster than originally planned. read more
• Boeing to cut 787 production rate; 777X delivery slides to 2021Weaker demand and program delays have created a perfect storm for Boeing’s widebody business, which continues to see downward pressure on 777 and 787 production rates and a slower-than-planned ramp-up of the 777X. read more
• Czech Airlines orders four A220s, upgrades A320neos to A321XLRsCSA Czech Airlines has ordered four Airbus A220-300s and upgraded a previous order for three A320neos to A321XLRs. read more
• Boeing still expects MAX return to service in 2019Boeing remains confident the Boeing 737 MAX will be cleared to fly in at least some parts of the world by year-end, even as it acknowledges that regulatory reviews of required changes are taking longer than its return to service timeline assumes. read more

Other News Sources

• Baroness Randerson: We urgently need to reinvigorate our bus networkThe bus network must be modernised, to be environmentally friendly, passenger friendly and fully integrated with other forms of transport, says Baroness Randerson.
• Passengers get £5m bus fleet for Witney to Oxford routesA NEW £5m fleet of buses is being rolled out to serve passengers travelling between Carterton, Witney and Oxford.
• Heathrow CEO Backs Virgin Plan to Challenge British AirwaysCEO Holland-Kaye calls for a shakeup in landing slot rules Change could come when airport gets planned third runway
• The cleaning of inland shippingCOMMENT: The first London conference dedicated to accelerating the uptake of disruptive and lower emissions’ propulsion technologies for inland shipping has been held at The Crystal by the Port of London Authority, writes Charles Haine.
• Aecom lands major Heathrow dealAecom has secured a multi-million pound contract with Heathrow Airport as lead designer for its Future Terminal 2 programme.
• Do Northern Rail’s problems make a case for wider renationalisation? — Institute of Economic AffairsLast weekend I had a boneshaking ride on one of Northern Rail’s notorious Pacers. These trains, dating from the mid-1980s, were built cheaply in the last days of British Rail. They are essentially buses on rails, using a Leyland Motors bus body mounted on a modified freight vehicle. They are often fitted out with the sort of old-fashioned two-person seats which have long vanished from modern buses.
• Lufthansa to boost air-rail connectivityGermany’s Lufthansa wants more of its customers to take the train to the airport, doubtless encouraged by the flight shame movement.
• Transport is on agenda at Westbury public meetingA PUBLIC meeting is being held in Westbury to discuss local road and rail transport issues, including A350 congestion.
• Rail Central plan for large transport depot near Northampton withdrawn...but will be re-submittedRail Central, a controversial plan to build a large transport depot to the south of Northampton, has been withdrawn but will be re-submitted once changes have been made.
• Proposed reinstatement of the Colne to Skipton railway linkA Westminster Hall debate on the 'Proposed reinstatement of the Colne to Skipton railway link’ has been scheduled for Tuesday 29 October 2019 from 9.30-11.00 am. The debate has been initiated by Graham P Jones MP.
• Bus company responds to calls to ban food on public transport A BUS company has responded to calls from a health chief to ban eating on public transport.