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

Monday, 09 December 2019

BBC News

• Travel disruption after bus crashes on to Galashiels railwayNo-one was hurt when the single-decker vehicle left the road and landed on the track in Galashiels.
• A1 crash: Campaigner questions road upgrade delay after deathMonica Heaney wants to speak at an inquiry into upgrades to the A1, where her son Karl died in a crash.
• Avanti starts running West Coast Main Line after Virgin franchise endsThe last Virgin train left Euston on Saturday evening, ending Britain's longest-running rail franchise.
• Polluting firms 'will be hit by climate policies'Which business sectors will be winners and losers when, and if, climate change policies take affect?

Financial Times

• Shipping group steams into list of top 10 EU pollutersMSC joins ranking dominated by coal power in sign of uneven climate clampdown

The Guardian

• Boris Johnson vows to ban all-out strikes on public transportPM says sorry for describing Muslim women in veils as ‘letterboxes’ and promises EU trade deal by end of 2020

The Independent

• After two fatal crashes, can we ever trust the Boeing 737 Max again?While much of aviation safety is built upon the lessons learnt from past tragedies, Simon Calder finds a healthy obsession with prevention rather than cure
• What you need to know as Avanti takes over West Coast main line from Virgin TrainsThe age of the Avanti West Coast train gets under way, as Virgin is consigned to railway history

The Telegraph

• German-owned bus operator Arriva seeks shield from Corbyn nationalisation in AmsterdamGerman-owned rail and bus operator Arriva has become the latest company to turn to offshore structures to shield itself from Jeremy Corbyn’s sweeping nationalisation plans.
• Billionaire hotel tycoon hails 'game-changer' moment in quest to build Heathrow third runwayBillionaire hotel tycoon Surinder Arora has hailed a “breakthrough” in his quest to build Heathrow’s third runway, as aviation officials consider breaking the stranglehold of the airport’s operator for the first time.

Times Online

• Virgin put pizzazz and humour into train travel [subscription]Travelling between Glasgow and London last week, as Virgin Trains terminated operations in Britain, made me mournful.
• North doubts that HS2 will boost region [subscription]The over-budget HS2 rail link will bring fewer benefits to northern England than cheaper plans to improve rail links between key cities in the region, a survey of so-called “red wall” voters has found.
• Behind the manifestos: Lofty ambitions for railways look like pie in the sky [subscription]Graeme Paton asks whether the parties’ promises on planes, trains and the roads stand up to scrutiny

Birmingham Mail

• The 'big change' Avanti West Coast is promising Birmingham train passengers after replacing VirginFirst Rail managing director Steve Montgomery described the 56 Pendolinos it inherited from Virgin Trains as "tired"

Bolton News

• Northern will run first Bolton trains on Boxing DayTRAINS will run between on Boxing Day this year for the first time under the current operator.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Anglesey bus company appeals a decision to revoke its licence over maintenance fearsAlan Woolley, trading as Dolphin Travel, operates two 33-seat vehicles from a base near Llangefni on local authority contracts

Derby Telegraph

• New Bombardier UK boss talks about the future of the Derby train-maker'Derby is not only the heart of the Bombardier Transportation business, but also the home of rail in the UK'
• Amazon 'interested' by proposals to reopen historic railway line to passengersOnline retail giant Amazon says it is "interested" by the potential plans to reopen a historic railway line into Burton to passengers.

Liverpool Echo

• Avanti to run trains from Liverpool to London every half hourAvanti West Coast has announced it will run trains from Liverpool to London every 30 minutes, in what has been promised will be a "big change" in quality.
• Avanti West Coast website crashes on first day of running rail serviceThe new rail provider is replacing Virgin Trains on the Liverpool Lime Street to London line

London Evening Standard

• Travel woes as Eurostar London to Paris trains cancelled due to French strike actionScores of Eurostar trains between London and Paris have been cancelled this morning due to strikes in France.
• Virgin Trains' final service from London to Manchester cut short due to a 'fault'Virgin Trains' last ever service from London to Manchester set off last night - but then failed to reach its destination due to a fault.

Manchester Evening News

• This is what Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston Pendolino trains will look like after the end of the Virgin Trains franchiseAvanti West Coast will run the West Coast Mainline from Sunday - but Manchester will miss out on new 'bullet trains'
• Teething problems take the shine off the new West Coast Main Line train operator's first day"You won't be seeing me until you resurrect the seat selector for booking tickets!"

Cambridge News

• Drivers predict 'complete chaos' on the new 12-mile A14 bypass on MondayAfter a long wait the new road will open on Monday December 9

Leeds Live

• First few Pacer trains taken to scrap heap as Northern Rail relics disappearNorthern Rail's Pacer trains have long been a symbol of underinvestment in rail networks across the north of England, but the first few outdated trains have been taken to the scrap heap.

Other Regional Press

• First West Coast Main Line train under new operator rolls out of Glasgow Central StationThe first train on the West Coast Main Line under its new operator pulled out of Glasgow’s Central Station at 8.25am this morning.
• Transport for Wales slammed over plans to replace scrapped train services with busesRail users have slammed Transport for Wales over plans to replace scrapped train services with buses.
• Bus driver shames passengers who left dirty nappies and beer tins behindThe First Bus driver put the images in a Facebook group to highlight why a vehicle had to be taken off the road
• Why will the Land Rover Defender rival be called the Grenadier?Ineos Automotive has plans to produce a spiritual successor to the iconic off-roader

Aviation Industry

• Boeing faces fine for installing faulty 737 partsBoeing faces a $4 million fine for failing to ensure a supplier was delivering airworthy 737 slat tracks and then not rejecting them once the issue came to light. read more

Other News Sources

• Chaos ahead as rail reservations ‘axed’ in and out of Inverness from central belt and AberdeenA ROW has broken out between the unions and ScotRail over the allocation of booked seats, after the rail operator cancelled all reservations to and from Inverness at the height of the festive season.