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

Friday, 03 July 2020

BBC News

• Margam rail deaths: 'The families are never going to move on'Rail workers Gareth Delbridge and Michael Lewis died when they were hit by a train.
• Coronavirus: 1,730 Airbus jobs to go at Broughton and FiltonThe plane-making firm is cutting 15,000 jobs worldwide as it reels from the coronavirus pandemic.
• Network Rail: 'Serious failings' led to Margam deaths, says victim's familyOn the anniversary of two rail workers' deaths, a family blames
• Coronavirus: Where can I fly to from Scotland's airports?After a near shutdown during lockdown the country's airports are operating dozens of overseas routes again.
• Coronavirus: Compulsory face coverings on buses, trains and ferriesThere are exemptions for those with medical conditions and children under the age of 13.
• Cars mount pavement to avoid Lewisham road barrierA road block had been set up on Upwood Road in Lewisham to reduce traffic through the area.
• Coronavirus: Prince Charles praises London Tube workersThe Prince of Wales meets workers to personally thank them for their efforts during the pandemic.
• Coronavirus: Quarantine scrapped for arrivals from 'low risk' countries to EnglandArrivals to England from Germany and Italy will also no longer need to isolate, ministers confirm.

The Guardian

• Europe by rail this summer – where to go, restrictions and great deals: Q&AMany European services have resumed and there are some excellent deals on national rail pass. Our expert gives the lowdown on summer train travelAs I explored Switzerland by train in early March, the coronavirus clouds were gathering on the horizon. Within a few days, borders closed and Europe’s rail network fragmented. Eurostar scaled back to just a handful of journeys a day. Slovenia suspended its entire rail network, while in Croatia, Portugal, Spain, Finland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia not a single train ventured beyond its borders.But the big surprise was how quickly the internationa...
• England's quarantine to be dropped for Spain, Italy, France and GermanyRule change to come into effect on 10 July, with full list of countries published on FridayCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageEnglish holidaymakers will be able to visit Spain, Italy, France and Germany without having to quarantine for 14 days on their return and travel restrictions on up to 60 other countries and territories are also set to be lifted.The government’s rule change will come into effect on 10 July with the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, describing it as a major step in “reopening the nationâ€�. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Bottom of the class: Scottish rail operator’s performance worst in UKNETWORK Rail Scotland's performance was the poorest of all five UK regions - with punctuality continuing to fail to meet official targets.

The Independent

• Climate crisis: Government not on track to meet net zero targets and risks are 'bigger than coronavirus''We have simply not done the radical things that need to be done,' experts tell ministers
• Air bridge plans spark blame game between Boris Johnson and Nicola SturgeonMuch-delayed new rules on quarantine expected on Friday, to come into effect next week

The Telegraph

• Travel news: 60 countries exempt from UK quarantine to be announced today

Times Online

• Finland’s air force drops swastika as emblem [Subscription]In 1918 the Finnish air force acquired its first aircraft, a Swedish Thulin D monoplane embellished with a blue swastika for luck. For the best part of a century the emblem served as one of the force’s insignia despite its associations with Nazi Germany.
• Take-off in aviation sector lifts Meggitt [Subscription]Meggitt has hailed initial signs of a recovery in the struggling aviation sector after coronavirus disruption knocked its sales by 15 per cent.
• Tesla electrifies Wall Street with increase in deliveries [Subscription]Tesla continues to astound critics and fans alike as the electric carmaker beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter vehicle deliveries.
• Ryanair pilots agree pay cut to stop layoffs [Subscription]Pilots at Ryanair have agreed to take a 20 per cent pay cut in an attempt to avoid up to 3,000 job cuts at Europe’s biggest budget airline.
• Mass coronavirus testing at UK border under plans to abolish blanket quarantine [Subscription]People arriving in the UK will be given Covid-19 tests at the border under plans to abolish the blanket quarantine for all passengers.
• Ministers to tone down warnings over use of trains and buses in boost for public transport [Subscription]Public transport is likely to be opened up to thousands more passengers under government plans to drop official advice warning them to stay away.
• Coronavirus air bridges: 40 countries named safe for holiday travel today [Subscription]Quarantine-free “air bridges” will be introduced next week but will initially apply only to people arriving into England, it will be announced today.

Mail Online

• Passengers crammed together after getting off flight that brought passenger coronavirus into DarwinTravellers getting off flights at Darwin Airport are being crammed together after getting off a Qantas flight that brought a passenger with coronavirus into the Northern Territory. 
• Plane passengers could soon face swab tests at airports, says Transport Secretary Grant Shapps Grant Shapps said he is speaking to Swissport, who are preparing a trial of a scheme which will involve travellers receiving a swab test after passing through immigration and customs.
• Holiday air-bridge lift-off: France, Spain and Italy are on list of quarantine-free destinationsTransport Secretary Grant Shapps, pictured, will announce a list of countries that English people will be able to fly to on July 10 without having to go into quarantine upon their return.

This is Money

• Cheap travel to help fuel fast recovery at RyanairMichael O'Leary described the coronavirus crisis as the worst the airline industry has endured in its 100-year history, eclipsing the September 11 terror attacks that took place almost 20 years ago.

Sky News

• More than 50 countries will be exempt from coronavirus travel quarantineMore than 50 countries will be exempt from England's coronavirus quarantine, the transport secretary has told Sky News.

Belfast Telegraph

• What do the latest travel rules mean?Passengers arriving into England from “lower risk countriesâ€� will no longer be subject to quarantine, the Government has said.

Birmingham Mail

• Holidays to Spain, France, Germany, Italy from July 10 as quarantine axedThe 14-day travel isolation rule for arrivals back into Britain has been dropped for so-called "lower risk countries"

Bolton News

• Pollution penalty delayed to 2022 as Bolton leader reveals government ‘standoff’ PLANS to impose a daily penalty on the most polluting lorries, vans, buses and taxis using the region’s roads have been pushed back by a year as Greater Manchester finds itself in a “standoffâ€� with government over funding.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Next steps of West Yorkshire mass transit plan to be discussed THE “scale of benefitsâ€� that a new mass transit system would bring to Yorkshire have been hailed by a transport body, as proposals to revive a travel masterplan move one step closer.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Airbus job losses worse than feared, admits Welsh Government The administration pledges to put support measures in place for Airbus workers
• Airbus boss says ongoing wage subsidy could save jobs at BroughtonPaul McKinlay, Airbus Senior Vice President UK, says they will explore all avenues to prevent compulsory redundancies

London Evening Standard

• Quarantine rules set to be lifted and holidaymakers given green light to travel - all you need to know English holidaymakers can soon embark on overseas trips as quarantine restrictions are lifted and travel advice is updated.
• Quarantine for arrivals from 'low risk' destinations to be scrapped next weekThe quarantine policy for passengers arriving in England from
• Carbon monoxide fumes blamed for Sydney Seaplane's fatal crashThe pilot of a plane that plunged into a bay near Sydney killing five Britons may have had his flying ability impaired by carbon monoxide, investigators have said.
• UK coronavirus LIVE: Holidaymakers given green light to travel abroad from SaturdayEnglish holidaymakers can embark on overseas trips from Saturday as quarantine restrictions are lifted and travel advice is updated.

Bucks Free Press

• Hyundai UK is moving its headquarters out of High Wycombe after 26 years A car giant is moving its headquarters out of High Wycombe after 26 years.

Other Regional Press

• Concerns raised over number of cancellations on South Western Railway train servicesCONCERNS have been raised over the number of cancellations on train services operated by struggling franchise South Western Railway.
• Coventry Ring Road upgrade gets cash boostUpgrade work to Swanswell Viaduct has received a huge boost
• Green light for 'pop-up' cycle lanes after cash winThey will link to the city centre to encourage people to get on their bikes
• Main traffic route into York to get £5 million upgade The money will be used to cover maintenance costs such as road repairs and drainage

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Creativity keeping road workers safe and the country movingHighways England has followed Government guidance and continued to carry out essential maintenance and press ahead with major schemes to get supplies and workers where they need to be during the lockdown. But to ensure workers are also protected and can stick to strict COVID-19 restrictions, teams have developed some creative ways to maintain social distancing – ranging from waistband alarms that alert workers to anyone within 2m to virtual safety inspections. Highways England Executive Director, Commercial and Procurement Malcolm Dare said: During the coronavirus crisis maintaining a...
• Go North West achieves Visit Britain certificationGo North West is celebrating receiving ‘We’re Good To Go’ certification – a UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark launched by Visit Britain to recognise travel, tourism and hospitality companies excelling in the areas of safety and cleanliness. The new industry standard and supporting mark means businesses across the sector can demonstrate that they are adhering to the respective government and public health guidance, have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment and check they have the required processes in place. Go North West is one of the first bus companies in...

Railnews

• Overhead line suppliers sought for HS2 in £300m deal HS2 Ltd has begun the search for specialist contractors to supply overhead power equipment for the high speed line. The contract is worth an estimated £300 million.
• Work to restart on major railway projects in Scotland The £120 million scheme to rebuild Glasgow Queen Street is one of three major Scottish railway projects on which work is now set to restart, having been paused because of Covid-19.

Other News Sources

• ArrivaClick launches in WatfordDemand responsive bus service is latest scheme in Watford to promote alternative modes of transport   From today, the service will operate with three minibuses, at a reduced capacity of a maximum of four people at any one time   ArrivaClick has this week launched in Watford in order to deliver “a safe, reliable and sustainable mode of transport for essential travel in the town”. The service will be phased in, complying with government guidance and scaled up as the restrictions around COVID-19 are lifted. ArrivaClick is a demand responsive minibus service that was initiall...
• Watchdog calls for urgent rail fares reformFlexible season tickets or carnets could help people returning to work part-time and suit the way people travel now   End of the Monday-Friday commute? Half of people told the latest Transport Focus survey that they expect to work from home more often in the future   Transport Focus has written to the transport secretary Grant Shapps calling for rail fares reform. The independent watchdog’s latest Travel during Covid-19 survey shows people’s travel patterns have changed and are unlikely to return to the typical Monday-Friday commute any time soon. Half of people in the survey of 2,00...
• Blackburn's busiest road will be closed this weekend - here's whyONE of Blackburn’s main roads will be closed over the weekend.

EIN News Subscription

• US: Airlines should consider capacity limits … All leading U.S. airlines now require passengers to wear masks, but … surfaces touched by passengers, and ask passengers about their health to … in the onetime epicenter of Europe’s outbreak stood at … scale trials that could provide data about whether they are …
• UK 'air bridge' plans labelled a fiasco by unions … the general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association. … Thursday. The reciprocal air-bridge arrangement would mean … , including nearly all EU countries, British overseas territories … just hours later the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, …
• Johnson, Sturgeon clash over air bridges … Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps suggested in … Commons. Shapps told SNP transport spokesman Gavin Newlands: “I … latest proposed list of air bridge countries which had … travel to nearly all EU destinations, the British territories …