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

Saturday, 04 April 2020

BBC News

• Coronavirus: Free buses and trams for West Midlands NHS staffTransport for West Midlands says children of key workers will also be eligible.
• Coronavirus: Cardiff Airport 'needs more money from UK government'Wales' economy minister wants the government to change its policy on giving money to regional airports.
• The robot car enforcing lockdown and other newsBBC Click's Omar Mehtab looks at the best of the week's technology stories.
• Coronavirus: Heathrow Airport sheltering '200 homeless people'Some rough sleepers have reportedly been at Terminal 5 for two weeks during lockdown.
• Government bails out bus firms to keep routes openA £167m fund will cover the losses of bus companies to keep essential services running for key workers.
• Coronavirus: 'I don't want a flight voucher, where's my refund?'The airlines' trade body wants to give vouchers for cancelled flights but passengers are unhappy.
• BA cabin crew contract virus on long-haul flightsPilots and cabin crew say the airline was slow to take action to protect them from the coronavirus.

Financial Times

• Ryanair hit by wrong way bet on fuelAirline caught out by oil price fall after hedging against rising market

The Guardian

• UK road travel falls to 1955 levels as Covid-19 lockdown takes holdMotor traffic and air pollution decline steeply, with walking and cycling in cities also downCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe coronavirus outbreak has brought Britain to a near standstill, with road travel plummeting by as much as 73%, to levels not seen since 1955.All forms of travel have plunged in urban areas. Walking, cycling and car and van journeys are all down by about three-quarters, while bus numbers have fallen by 60%. The number of large lorries has declined by just 40% as essential supplies continue to be transported. Continue reading...
• HS2 wood clearance to go ahead as Chris Packham legal bid failsHigh court has decided there was ‘no real prospect of success’ for judicial reviewThe clearing of ancient woods for HS2 is to proceed this month after the high court refused an emergency injunction and judicial review of the government’s decision to proceed with the high-speed railway.HS2’s felling of woodlands in spring when birds are nesting has been widely condemned by wildlife charities but the conservationist Chris Packham’s attempt to halt “enablingâ€� works was rejected after the court decided there was “no real prospect of successâ€� for a judicial review. Continue reading...

The Independent

• Flight attendants told to continue flying even after coming into contact with coronavirus patientsExclusive: Flight attendants worry they could be silent carriers of the coronavirus and are helping to spread it across the country

The Telegraph

• London lockdown: are Tubes and buses still running - and can I travel out of the city?

Times Online

• Petrol SUV owners face tax rise to boost feeble electric car sales [Subscription]Motorists driving big sports utility vehicles face growing tax bills after a decision to calculate rates using tough new emissions tests.
• Airlines are still selling tickets for May despite global coronavirus quarantine [Subscription]Airlines are selling tickets for flights scheduled to operate in the coming weeks despite a global lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus.

Daily Record

• Coronavirus: Mass testing centre set to open at Glasgow Airport in PaisleyThe centre is currently under construction at the airport’s long-stay car park at Arran Avenue, Paisley,

Mail Online

• Petrol prices fall to just 99p a litre ahead of glorious Easter weatherBoris Johnson last night begged Britons to cancel their Easter getaway plans amid fears the sunny weather will jeopardise the lockdown.
• Sacked Virgin Atlantic captain makes £1.7m compensation bidA Virgin Atlantic captain who says he was unfairly forced out of his job after rumours circulated that he had taken '40 winks' during a long haul flight is claiming £1.7m compensation.
• Megabus announce suspension of all services in England and WalesIt comes after its rival National Express also announced it would temporarily stop all UK coach services in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
• Airlines including BA and Easyjet are selling tickets for flights in April and May despite lockdownAirlines including British Airways and EasyJet are selling tickets for flights in May despite health officials warnings a global lockdown could last for months (stock photo of a woman on a beach).

This is Money

• How much will your car tax go up by in 2020 as VED rates rise?Owners of cars will see their car tax costs rise in-line with the RPI index, usually adding £5 to bills. However, new vehicle buyers will be hit harder, as first-year VED rates are determined by a new test.
• Tesla delivers record number of electric cars in first three months of 2020The US company led by billionaire Elon Musk delivered 88,400 vehicles, compared to 63,000 a year previously. It was Tesla's highest first-quarter figures ever.

Belfast Telegraph

• Coronavirus: Passengers disembark from cruise ships in FloridaTwo cruise liners embroiled in a bitter dispute over coronavirus cases on board began letting passengers disembark in Florida on Friday as the UK Government moved to fly home 200 Britons caught up in the saga.

Birmingham Post

• Taxi tech firm Autocab sets up £500K relief fund to support taxi industryAutocab said the £500,000 relief fund is in recognition of the difficulties faced by the industry, which has seen revenue impacted by government restrictions on non-essential movement
• Coronavirus: Airbus response to reports it is cutting production of A320 planesThe company says it is 'assessing the implications of the pandemic'
• Cardiff Airport to receive Welsh Government aid during coronavirus pandemicThe Welsh Government will provide finance to support the reduced operations and to maintain solvency, half the staff at the airport will be put on furlough

Bristol Live

• Police have considered roadblocks to stop people travelling during lockdownBoth Devon & Cornwall and North Yorkshire forces have already set up blockades

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Airbus 'assessing' Covid-19 pandemic impact with reports of cut in A320 productionThe aerospace giant said it is 'closely monitoring' the situation amid the crisis in aviation due to coronavirus
• Virgin Atlantic says 'Thank you and Godspeed' to Airbus A340 after final commercial flightThe A340s have been part of the Virgin fleet since 1993 with 10 in total used by the airline

The York Press

• CORONAVIRUS: rail operator Grand Central stops all trains A YORK-based train company has stopped all its trains running from the end of today.

Wales Online

• Cardiff Airport puts staff on furlough as it receives Welsh Government fundingThe Welsh Government has also called on the UK Government for additional state support during the Covid-19 pandemic

Bucks Free Press

• Chiltern Railway move to a reduced timetable tomorrow - here are the key changes Chiltern Railway services will be moving to a reduced timetable from tomorrow in order to ensure they can keep train services running for key workers during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Cambridge News

• Roadworks to shut 10 miles of A14 to key workers all weekendThe road will be shut from Godmanchester all the way to Girton
• Free parking in Cambridge city centre for key workers This should make it easier for key workers to travel without taking potentially contaminated public transport

North Wales Live

• The A55 at rush hour as you've probably never seen it beforeAs Easter approaches the roads would normally be heaving but the non-essential travel ban has changed that

Reading Evening Post

• The M4 diversion route in place to avoid the full motorway closure this weekendDrivers will need to get off the M4 as the Riding Court Road bridge is being replaced
• Reading Buses cuts services as demand reduces by '85-90 per cent'Journeys are being dramatically reduced and some services are being cut altogether

Other Regional Press

• Oxford Bus Company welcomes financial help from the governmentTHE Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel has welcomed the announcement from the Department for Transport confirming a government funding package to enable the continuation of vital bus services.
• Rail company slammed over 'extensive' tree fellingNETWORK Rail has been criticised for extensive felling along the Dorchester to Weymouth rail line.
• Chris Packham loses bid to stop HS2 work on woodlandsThe TV presenter was in court while the protest in Warwickshire woodland continued

The Economist

• Boeing ponders its bail-out optionsThe aircraft-maker can survive for now but will eventually need to raise cash

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Almost £400 million to keep England’s buses runningEngland’s buses will continue to serve those who rely on them thanks to a funding boost totalling £397m for vital bus operators, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced.  The package, agreed jointly with the bus industry, will keep key routes running to provide a lifeline for those who cannot work from home, including those travelling to jobs on the frontline of the UK’s fight against Covid-19, such as NHS staff.   New funding of up to £167 million will be paid over twelve weeks under the new Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant. As a condition of...
• Chop Chop rides in to support Sainsbury’s efforts to feed the nationTo support its efforts to feed the nation and help meet unprecedented demand for home grocery deliveries, Sainsbury’s is expanding its capacity. This includes trialling its fast delivery service Chop Chop to deliver groceries to customers from closed convenience stores, offering shoppers another way to access essential grocery and household items. The on demand service had temporarily closed while the retailer focussed all its efforts on stocking stores and its main Groceries Online business. Sainsbury’s has now turned its Blackfriars convenience store, which had temporarily close...

Railnews

• Grand Central axes all services for at least two months All Grand Central services are being axed tonight for at least the next two months. The official announcement from the open access operator confirms a Railnews report published earlier today. GC, which is owned by Arriva, described the measures as ˜necessary but temporary™. The news follows a similar decision from the other open access East Coast Main Line operator Hull Trains, which withdrew all its services on 30 March. GC plans for a new service between London and Blackpool are also being put back until next year.

Other News Sources

• £397m funding package for England’s busesNew funding, totalling £167m over three months, comes on top of pledge to guarantee existing £200m investment   Shapps: ‘This multi-million-pound investment will protect crucial local transport links’   The government has today announced a £397m funding package, agreed jointly with the bus industry, to keep England’s bus services running in England during the coronavirus pandemic. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the package would keep key routes running to provide a lifeline for those who cannot work from home, including those travelling to jobs on the frontli...
• Stagecoach – too early to estimate impact on busesBritain’s biggest bus operator says it remains difficult to reliably estimate and forecast the effects of the Covid-19 situation on its business   Commercial sales at Stagecoach’s local regional bus operating companies are now at around 15% of “normalâ€� levels   Stagecoach today offered an update on the impact that the Covid-19 outbreak is having on its business. But the Perth-based group said it was too early estimate the impact on the group’s financial position. Stagecoach said it was helping with the national effort to deal with the COVID-19 crisis where it can, i...
• Severn Trent to make entire transport fleet electric by 2030 The UK's second-biggest water company has joined the Climate Group's EV100 initiative, pledging to convert 100% of its transport fleet to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030.

EIN News Subscription

• Airlines including BA and Easyjet are selling tickets for flights in April and May despite lockdown … 1 departures to virus-stricken Europe at £34.99 despite … for staff, passengers and cargo'. The airport has two runways … it would upload weekly data visualisations to Twitter to … .5 million fewer passengers travelling through its airports in 2020. Meanwhile …
• Cancelled flights: How do I get a refund with British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair? … a non-EU country to the EU on an EU airline. However … , amid the mass grounding of aircraft, UK airlines … mandatory refunds. The Canadian Transport Agency said: “An … grounding all its 344 Airbus aircraft across Europe. Previously, …