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

Thursday, 12 December 2019

BBC News

• Boeing: US regulator admits 'mistake' over aircraft crashesSafety regulator allowed the aircraft to continue flying despite its own analysis flagging warnings.

Financial Times

• Stagecoach/Brian Souter: a driven manA new administration may make the transport group’s path even trickier to navigate
• Transportation is broken head of GM's driverless car unit
• US regulator failed to ground Boeing 737 Max despite risksFAA’s analysis showed aircraft was more accident-prone than others

The Guardian

• The best new European rail journeys for 2020Timetables for the year ahead highlight new day and night services across Europe to destinations including Vienna, Brussels and Berlin, with easy connections into eastern EuropeAnd now for some good news … rail operators across Europe are responding to a growing interest in travel by train with the launch of a number of new services. Particularly exciting for fans of sleeper trains is the launch of several new overnight services, in a welcome reversal of a recent trend among operators to drop night trains.The switchover to new 2020 timetables takes place in the early hours of Sunday 15 Decembe...

The Telegraph

• Councils accused of trying to 'reinvent the tree' by installing £17k machines to remove carbon dioxide from the air 

Times Online

• Call to cut drink-drive limit as deaths rise [subscription]Alcohol-related road deaths are on the rise and motorists in the UK believe that they are less likely to be breathalysed than almost anywhere else in Europe, according to research.
• Ann Gloag and Brian Souter step back from Stagecoach [subscription]Stagecoach, the bus operator, has rearranged the seating on its top deck with founder Sir Brian Souter stepping down as chairman to become a non-executive director while sister Dame Ann Gloag leaves the board completely.
• Production line for Boeing 737 was in chaos, inquiry is told [subscription]A former Boeing manager who worked on the 737 production line has described seeing “a factory in chaos”.
• Stagecoach buses are going backwards [subscription]Bring back On the Buses. What sort of carry-on is this? Two OAPs getting off a moving bus. Another two on the top deck, swapping seats mid-journey. And the best idea from the driver is some diversion to Sweden.

City AM

• London Southend Airport set for 'travel chaos' over ChristmasLondon Southend Airport could be severely disrupted the Christmas period after workers voted to strike today.

Mail Online

• Britain's roads could be deserted during festive breakThe AA survey of nearly 18,000 motorists has found that drivers are likely to face less congestion on the roads this Christmas as December 25 falls on a Wednesday.

Bolton News

• Diamond Bus bosses reveal what's gone wrong and plan to improve: Full statement DIAMOND buses has been under fire as passengers complain about a poor quality of service and numerous delays.
• Furious passengers hit out at Diamond Buses over poor service WHEN First Bus left Bolton in August this year passengers hoped that services would improve.

London Evening Standard

• South Western Railway strike: Train guards to return to work for election day but services to remain disruptedRail workers involved in a month-long series of strikes will go back to work for one day as the country heads to the polls, but services will remain disrupted.
• EasyJet to fly to Tunisia for the first time since 2015 Sousse massacreEasyJet is resuming flights to Tunisia for the first time since the 2015 Sousse massacre.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Majority backing for clean air tolls - but drivers warn of Tyne Bridge ‘chaos’ if lanes are closedFindings released by Newcastle City Council show that 56% of people now support a Clean Air Zone, but plans to restrict traffic on the Tyne Bridge have been labelled "madness"

Cambridge News

• Cambridgeshire has some of the most expensive train tickets in the UKCambridgeshire had the most expensive ticket outside of London

East Anglian Daily Times

• Greater Anglia provides some answers – but no end in sight to rail disruptionThis week’s problems on Greater Anglia rural routes prompted us to ask the company, along with infrastructure manager Network Rail, a series of questions about the disruption.

C.N.N.

• 'World's first' fully-electric commercial flight completedA fully electric commercial plane has completed a test flight in Canada in what operators have called a "world first" for the aviation industry.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Eddie Stobart shareholders approve £55 million rescue saleEddie Stobart shareholders have approved a £55 million rescue sale in a bid to secure the future of its 6,500 employees, the trucking firm has confirmed. The logistics giant said that investors voted in favour of the deal by private equity firm DBay Advisors to buy a 51% stake in the company at a general meeting in central London. Sebastien Desreumaux, chief executive officer of Eddie Stobart, said: 

Rail Technology Magazine

• Hull Trains release 360 virtual tour of new Paragon TrainsHull Trains have released a 360 virtual tour of inside its new Paragon Trains, and are inviting customers to take a look. The immersive video allows you to walk through the train carriages, and see what on offer before you book a ticket, including first class carriages, toilet locations and...

Aviation Industry

• Qantas grounds four 737 freighters on potential parts defectQantas has removed four of its Boeing 737 freighters from service because of a potential defect on parts fitted during their conversion from passenger aircraft. read more
• EasyJet pushes ahead with French expansion in 2020In 2020, easyJet will base two more aircraft in France and open up seven new routes—four from Bordeaux, two from Toulouse and one from Nice—as the UK LCC continues expansion plans in the French market. read more
• Air France orders 10 more Airbus 350-900sAir France-KLM has placed a firm order for 10 additional Airbus A350-900s, which will replace the A380s scheduled to leave the fleet by 2022. read more
• Dickson still confident in FAA certification processThe FAA’s top official remains confident in the agency’s certification methodology and processes for evaluating safety-critical issues, pushing back on lawmakers’ assertions that the system is “broken” and in need of a major overhaul. read more

Other News Sources

• Birmingham Airport takes off with electric bus fleetThe project supports the airport’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2033