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

Wednesday, 04 December 2019

BBC News

• What do commuters think of their rail journeys to work?With new figures revealing just how much less is spent on transport in the north of England than in London - what does it mean for rail passengers?
• ScotRail: New timetables will 'add an extra 10,000 seats'ScotRail has vowed that the latest changes to timetables across the country will add 10,000 extra seats for passengers each day.
• General Election 2019: Big changes ahead for UK railwaysIt's a brave politician who rips up rail fares 10 days out from a general election. If there's one thing we've learned from a quarter century of franchising and private provision, nothing about running British trains is simple.
• Haulage firms voice concern at 'backlog' in inquiriesAn industry body says outstanding hearings allow firms to undercut legitimate operators.
• South Western Railway strike: Union in fresh talks callRMT union members are in the second of 27 days of strike action on South Western Railway.
• Northern transport spending £527 per person less than LondonLondon's transport spending is two-and-a-half times more per head than the North's, figures show.
• Conservatives pledge £4.2bn for trains, buses and tramsThe party promises new spending on trains, buses and trams outside London.

Financial Times

• The tunnels promising to overhaul deliveriesBackers say the technology is an efficient, climate-friendly transport option

The Guardian

• South Western Railway strike: commuters face misery as walkout begins – as it happenedAll the latest news and reaction as the first of a month-long series of strikes hitting southern England begins
• Rail commuters bemoan crowding as South Western begins month of strikesThe start of a month-long strike has brought an even more arduous rush hour for hundreds of thousands of commuters on South Western Railway, one of Britain’s biggest train operators.
• Tories promise £4bn for public transport in Midlands and northThe Conservatives have promised to commit more than £4bn to a fund for new bus and metro rail links in cities around England as the party competes with Labour over the improvement of public transport outside London.

The Herald

• Andrew McKie: A cut in rail fares? It's just the poor subsidising the richYOU sometimes have to wonder why the Labour Party’s economic policies, under the supervision of John McDonnell (recreation in Who’s Who: “generally fermenting the overthrow of capitalism”) don’t go the whole hog.

The Scotsman

• Survey reveals ScotRail staff are angry and demoralisedScotRail has admitted things are “not good enough” after a staff survey revealed “too many” felt irritated and just 1 per cent said they were empowered in their roles, The Scotsman has learned.

The Telegraph

• Train company called on to let pregnant and disabled sit in first class during strike
• Stranded strike passengers can make claims for hotel costs, South Western Railway confirms

Times Online

• 86,000 drivers begin case over Volkswagen’s cheat software [subscription]Volkswagen deliberately installed cheating software in diesel cars because it knew they would “flunk” emissions tests without it, the High Court was told yesterday.
• South Western rail strike: Commuters warn of ‘dangerously’ overcrowded trains [subscription]Commuters warned of people fainting on “dangerously” overcrowded trains today as the longest rail strike in history entered its second day.
• South Western Railway strike travellers demand refunds [subscription]Commuters hit by Britain’s longest rail strike are demanding refunds on their season tickets as it emerged that passengers are fainting in “dangerously” overcrowded carriages.

City AM

• Sadiq Khan should 'review' fare freeze, says new reportSadiq Khan should review his Transport for London (TfL) fare freeze and make zonal reform to make public transport more [...] The post Sadiq Khan should 'review' fare freeze, says new report appeared first on CityAM.

Birmingham Mail

• Conservative government would build major Midland Metro extension with £4.1bn transport fundNew line would extend the Metro from Birmingham city centre's Eastside area to the NEC, Birmingham Airport and to the planned high speed rail interchange station in Solihull.

Birmingham Post

• Derby aerospace components company seals deal for 3D printing firmGardner Aerospace has bought FDM Digital Solutions for an undisclosed sum

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Conservatives pledge multi-billion pound boost to 'transform face' of transport in West Yorkshire THE Conservative party is today announcing a major multi-billion boost to trains, buses and trams to “transformâ€� transport in the region.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Airbus secures United Airlines order for 50 extra long range jets and routes are announcedUnited plans to take delivery of the first A321XLR in 2024 and fly them from US East Coast to Europe

Liverpool Echo

• Hated Northern Rail pacer trains are finally being removed and scrappedThey won't be missed

London Evening Standard

• John McDonnell promised South Western Railway strike union: You'll be with us in GovernmentPledge to RMT: You'll be key advisers on how we transform UK

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Conservative government will open Blyth to Newcastle rail line and upgrade the MetroTransport Secretary Grant Shapps pledges funding for rail scheme as general election campaign continues

The York Press

• Blocked York bike path re-opens after repairsA BURST sewer which blocked a popular York riverside footpath and cyclepath for weeks has been repaired by Yorkshire Water.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• These Leeds bus services are getting less frequent as of this weekendLeeds' 'transport crisis' shows no sign of improving as it emerged First Bus are cutting services from several routes across the city this weekend.
• Northern announces first three pacer trains have left network permanently with majority to be removed by end of yearNorthern announces first three pacer trains have left network permanently with majority to be removed by end of year

Bucks Free Press

• HS2 protests continue as access road application could be approved later this week in Chalfont St Peter Early morning commuters were met by HS2 protesters today on the A413 between Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter.

Cambridge News

• We asked Cambridge cabbies who they be voting for in the General Election 2019 This is how some of Cambridge's taxi drivers said they will be voting on December 12

Lancashire Telegraph

• Rawtenstall bus routes partially saved by new dealA DEAL between a bus operator and Lancashire County Council has saved part of five local routes facing the axe.

Leeds Live

• Northern December timetable changes announced plus 50 new trains by end of 2019Northern pledge more new trains and improved services after a turbulent 2019

Other Regional Press

• Public transport dominates debate at Borders’ first green hustingsPublic transport was the issue dominating debate at the first-ever environment-themed hustings to be held in the Borders.
• Oswestry community transport scheme is halfway to £10,000 target for new busA community transport scheme has praised the generosity of local people who have contributed towards its fundraising drive for a new bus.
• Alastair Welch welcomes Boris Johnson to the Port of SouthamptonPORT bosses in Southampton have stressed the importance of a strong support from central government following Boris Johnson’s visit to the city.
• Council to revisit “dangerousâ€� exit onto major roadRight turns onto the three-lane road have led to concerns

Construction News

• Heathrow and HS2 earthworks clash ‘could push up prices’Heathrow expansion programme director Phil Wilbraham said the industry would face capacity challenges if earthworks were being carried out for HS2 and the airport enlargement at the same time. Speaking at the Construction News Summit, Mr Wilbraham said: “I’m particularly keen that HS2 cracks on…

New Civil Engineer

• Kew Bridge to be upgraded as part of TfL CyclewayLondon's Kew Bridge is set to undergo a series of upgrades as part of Transport for London's (TfL) plan to introduce a 7km cycle lane and pedestrian area in West London.
• 1,000t bridge installed on Luton airport rail linkA 1,000t bridge has been lowered into place as part of Luton airport’s Direct Air-Rail Transit (Dart) project to connect Luton Airport with Luton Airport Parkway railway station.
• Exclusive | Aviation regulator hires independent Heathrow assessorThe Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has hired an independent assessor to determine whether Heathrow’s terminals could be operated by different companies, New Civil Engineer can reveal.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Intercity Express Train named after first female MP Great Western Railway (GWR) has today (Nov 28) released the name of its new Intercity Express Train, named after Nancy Astor, the first women to take her seat as an MP in the House of Commons. It comes after she was nominated for GWR’s search for 100 Great Westerners, and she will now...
• Lewes to Seaford line in East Sussex reopenedFollowing four days of successful improvement work on the Lewes to Seaford line in East Sussex, Network Rail have welcome passengers back on board. The major upgrade programme, that took place between Nov 28 and Dec 1, included replacing the signalling system controlled by three signal boxes...
• Northern begins removal of Pacer trainsNorthern Railway have today (Dec 3) said goodbye to the first three Pacers as they leave the network for good. The rolling stock has been removed and returned to owners Angel Trains, the first of many more to make the same journey over the next few weeks. The Pacers were originally introduced...

Railnews

• RMT calls for new talks on second SWR strike day The RMT union has urged South Western Railway to return to the negotiating table on the second day of the strike over on-train staffing and the future role of guards. The walkouts are currently set to continue almost without a break until New Year™s Day.
• LNER previews new Harrogate Azuma services A special preview Azuma is running from Harrogate to Leeds today, as a curtain-raiser for the launch of Intercity Express services between the North Yorkshire spa town and London. LNER is replacing all 45 trains in its fleet with 65 Azumas, and this process is due to be completed by June 2020. However, the operator is short of one Azuma at the moment, after one power car was badly damaged in a collision with an HS2 at Neville Hill depot in Leeds on 13 November.

Railway Gazette

• Platskartny coach mock-up on showRUSSIA: RZD’s Federal Passenger Co and Transmashholding have unveiled a mock-up of the design concept for the next generation of platskartny dormitory-style third class coaches for long-distance services.
• Airport rail link ready to rollGERMANY: Rail services to the new Berlin-Brandenburg International airport will begin when the airport finally opens on October 31 2020, DB’s representative for Berlin Alexander Kaczmarek confirmed on December 2.

Aviation Industry

• Branson reverses plan to sell 31% of Virgin Atlantic to Air France-KLMVirgin Atlantic chairman Richard Branson has scrapped plans to sell 31% of the airline to Air France-KLM as originally agreed as part of the transatlantic joint venture (JV) among the two companies and Delta Air Lines. read more
• Lufthansa Group realigns executive boardIn a long-expected move, Lufthansa Group has made senior executive changes reflecting the difficulties it has had with union relations and the turnaround of its Eurowings LCC subsidiary. read more
• Air France steps up plan to offset CO2 emissions on domestic networkAir France, stepping up efforts to reduce its environmental impact, plans to offset the emissions from its domestic network from Jan. 1, 2020, the airline said at an environmental roundtable in Paris Dec. 3. read more
• United Airlines orders A321XLRs for transatlantic expansion United Airlines has ordered 50 Airbus A321XLRs to replace Boeing 757s and possibly launch more long-range, thin intercontinental routes, the airline said late Dec. 3. read more

Other News Sources

• Passenger 'passes out' on 'very crowded and very warm' South Western Railway London Waterloo train The service was stopped at Woking while the incident was dealt with