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

Friday, 10 July 2020

BBC News

• South Wales Metro: Train disruption as rail upgrade beginsPassengers on some lines will switch to buses until December to allow tracks to be upgraded.
• Coronavirus: Who should wear a face mask or face covering?Face coverings are compulsory on public transport in England and Scotland.
• Coronavirus: Snowdon Mountain Railway to reopen after lockdownAll aboard as the train up Wales' highest peak will resume on Friday - but it won't go to the top.
• Climate change: Road plans will scupper CO2 targets, report saysThe majority of emissions cuts from electric cars will be wiped out by new road-building.
• Elon Musk says full self-driving Tesla tech 'very close'A future software update could activate full
• Coronavirus: Asymptomatic testing for taxi drivers and cleaners in EnglandA pilot in England will test people without symptoms working in 'high-contact' jobs.

Financial Times

• Uber moves into delivery business as it eyes Amazon$2.65bn deal for Postmates marks latest transformation for ride-hailing app
• Worldwide bike shortage slams brakes on cycling revolutionBuyers left frustrated as manufacturers struggle to meet surge in demand during Covid-19 crisis
• ONS signals rail nationalisation with debt sheet moveWatchdog considers technical reclassification as sector grapples with pandemic disruption
• Boeing faces FAA investigation over safety programmeComplaints from five engineers add to scrutiny over aeroplane maker’s culture after Max grounding

The Guardian

• NHS expands drone transport of samples from Scottish islandsWinter testing of drone flights to mainland raises hope of fast medical deliveries A test project using powerful drones to fly urgent medical samples from isolated Scottish islands is being expanded this winter after successful recent trials.The tests will involve flying blood and fluid samples from Hebridean islands such as Coll and Tiree to hospital labs on the mainland in a fraction of the time needed to take them by road and ferry. Continue reading...
• Nine out of ten public transport users wearing face masks - surveySnapshot finds majority of passengers are wearing coverings, but Covid-sceptics holding outCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMore than nine in 10 commuters are complying with rules requiring face coverings on public transport, a Guardian snapshot has found – though conspiracy theories, confusion over public messaging and concerns over lack of enforcement are prompting concern.In Glasgow on Wednesday, compliance with the measure to control coronavirus was almost 100% on buses, overground trains and the subway. The Guardian saw only one passenger with a bare face out of...
• Foreign Office urges holidaymakers to avoid cruise shipsNew travel advice means many upcoming cruises could be cancelled or postponedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageUK holidaymakers are being urged by the government to avoid travelling on cruise ships.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued a statement on Thursday advising people not to embark on sailings due to the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Rolls-Royce cash-burn hits £3bn after world's airlines groundedROLLS-ROYCE, the engineering and aerospace giant, has shed £3 billion over six months with most being lost to the dramatic decrease in flights and lack of need for new engines as well as maintenance under the cloud of coronavirus.
• Funding boost for drone project delivering Covid-19 test kits to Scottish islandsA scheme which sees drones deliver vital Covid-19 testing kits to some of Scotland's islands has received a funding boo

The Independent

• Quarantine: What are the latest rules and what do they mean for my holiday plans?Travellers from Portugal must self-isolate on arrival to England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while Scotland has the requirement for both Portugal and Spain

Times Online

• Cash flies out the door with Rolls-Royce caught in storm [Subscription]Rolls-Royce has burnt through £3 billion during the pandemic and the global shutdown of the commercial aviation industry.
• Dart sees sunnier skies ahead after jettisoning jobs at Jet2 [Subscription]Jet2 has become the latest airline to lay off employees, despite saying that it is confident that holidaymakers in its northern heartlands will be seeking the sun in the Mediterranean in the next few months.
• Virgin Atlantic plays latest card in £1bn rescue [Subscription]Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic is in talks with its payment-processing providers in an attempt to deliver a £1 billion rescue of the Heathrow-based airline.
• Keyless cars become prime target as vehicle thefts rise by over 50% [Subscription]Vehicle thefts have risen by more than 50 per cent in four years as concerns grow about the vulnerability of “keyless” cars.
• Self-driving Teslas ‘by end of year’ [Subscription]Elon Musk has said that Tesla cars will be fully autonomous by the end of the year, claiming there are now “no fundamental challenges” to removing the need for human drivers.
• Coronavirus: Cruise holidays scuppered as ministers declare ships unsafe [Subscription]Ministers have in effect banned cruises amid concern about the industry’s ability to protect passengers and crew in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak.

City AM

• London City Airport resumes international flights after three-month suspensionInternational flights have resumed from London City Airport after a three month suspension due to the UK’s coronavirus lockdown. It The post London City Airport resumes international flights after three-month suspension appeared first on CityAM.
• UK quarantine ends for 59 countriesPassengers from abroad landing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland no longer have to self-isolate for two weeks as the The post UK quarantine ends for 59 countries appeared first on CityAM.

Mail Online

• Coronavirus UK: FCO tells ALL tourists to avoid cruisesThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has today issued a statement advising people against embarking on cruise ships, over fears of the spread of Covid-19.
• Car thefts are soaring with 300 cases every day - but just 0.6% end with a convictionPolice said 106,291 cars were taken last year but only 666 offenders were found guilty, of which 243 were jailed. CCTV footage shows a Mercedes being taken from outside a West Midlands house.

This is Money

• Easyjet founder Stelios to grill airline's bosses over Airbus orderEntrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has been at loggerheads with the board for months over a £4.5bn order with Airbus for more than 100 planes, which he believes the group should cancel.

Sky News

• UK quarantine rules end for travellers from dozens of countriesQuarantine rules end today for people travelling to the UK from more than 70 countries and British Overseas Territories.

Bolton News

• Markland Hill bus route to be scrapped in AugustResidents in one part of the borough will no longer be able to access a local bus route when service cuts come into effect in August.
• REVEALED: Motor vehicle thefts in Greater Manchester more than DOUBLED in 4 years THE number of motor vehicle thefts in Greater Manchester more than doubled in the space of four years, new figures have revealed.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• £2m funding to draw up mass transit plan REPRESENTATIVES of five different Council's have agreed to spend £2 million to help draw up plans for a new West Yorkshire mass transit system.
• Councillors to discuss next step for South East Bradford link road A NEW South Bradford Link Road will be discussed at a meeting next week.

Bristol Live

• Ryanair announces route from Bristol Airport - and it's a bargainIt's known for its rich culture and amazing Christmas markets
• National Express services from Bristol to London to doubleDaily services will increase from six to twelve
• Boris Johnson promises M4 relief road to ease congestionThe prime minister made the announcement at PMQs this week
• Bristol Airport to cut workforce by nearly a quarterThe airport has seen passenger numbers drop significantly in recent months

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Huge westbound stretch of A55 to shut for 10 nights of roadworks Diversions will be in place while the essential maintenance is carried out

The York Press

• Free parking offer in York city centre to help businesses FREE parking is being offered at a York city centre car park in a bid to help attract shoppers and diners.
• FirstGroup says it's time to stop advice to avoid buses A MAJOR York bus operator has urged the Government to stop encouraging people to avoid trains and buses.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Bus services to be upgraded on key routeBus services will be expected to meet a certain standard on a key corridor in the Black Country as part of plans to improve journeys and encourage more people to get the bus post-pandemic.

Cambridge News

• Exact times you'll be able to see a Spitfire over Cambs tomorrow - twiceThe plane bears the message 'THANK U NHS' on the underside of its wings.
• The important changes to car parking charges coming into effect next weekAfter a three month break, parking is set to return back to normal soon

East Anglian Daily Times

• Protests stall town centre road closure schemeSuffolk County Council has slammed the brakes on a plan to close off roads in Bury St Edmunds town centre after protests from traders.

Reading Evening Post

• The M4 is closing for a whole weekend for smart motorway worksWestbound is affected between these junctions

Other Regional Press

• Piccadilly line upgrade on hold amid coronavirus pandemic A Piccadilly line upgrade that would allow more trains on the line has been paused because of strain on Transport for London’s (TfL) budget amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Mayor has confirmed.
• Seven road improvements planned that could make social distancing easier in Swindon KEEPING your distance in Swindon is set to become a bit easier after road upgrades costing £200,000 were revealed for seven areas of the town.
• Plans for Manston Airport approvedPlans to transform Manston Airport into a freight cargo air hub have been given the green light - paving the way for hundreds of jobs to be created.
• 'Ferry routes to Channel Islands and Isle of Wight are possible' I STRONGLY support the proposal by Jan Bergman and other councillors to restore Weymouth's ferries, with possible passenger links to Guernsey, Alderney and the Isle of Wight.
• Main Nuneaton road will be closed for more than a monthThe work begins later this month Warwickshire County Council warned
• Why an enormous A400M Airbus Atlas was spotted in our skiesThe plane took off from Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire

Rail Technology Magazine

• New possible Eurostar direct travel from Amsterdam to London Following new agreements being signed earlier this week (July 7th) a direct high-speed train service from Amsterdam and London could be a possibility later this year. In order for these services to operate, existing agreements between the UK, France and Belgium signed in 1993 have been changed...
• Network Rail seeking contractor for Forth Bridge walk Network Rail are currently looking to appoint a main contractor to design and build the new Forth Bridge Experience. Budding partners are being asked to submit their interest before Network Rail selects firms to tender for the project later in the summer. A main contractor is expected to be...
• South Wales Metro railway works imminent Transformational works on railway lines through South Wales set to begin on the 3rd of August. As part of Transport for Wales’ (TfW) three-quarters-of-a-billion-pound investment in Metro, which included £164 million of European Regional Development Funding through the Welsh...

Other News Sources

• Net zero board paves the way for a green recoveryIndustry leaders meet to ensure joined up approach to tackling transport decarbonisation   Transport secretary Grant Shapps this week launched the first meeting of the Net Zero Transport Board to help guide the decarbonisation of UK transport. The board brings together high-profile leaders from a range of fields including behavioural change and policy, as well as experts from a number of prominent industry sectors including environment, science, aviation and technology. The meetings aim to create a collaborative and joined up approach to tackling the wide-ranging issue of transport decarb...
• Surrey County Council considering closing parts of Lower Sunbury to traffic to encourage walkingUnder the proposals only cyclists and pedestrians would be permitted to pass through certain roads in Lower Sunbury
• Air France’s promise to nix domestic flights: Not good enough for the environmentAir France's pledge to end some of its domestic flights in return for billions of euros in government aid is a weak contribution to climate action, as weak railway infrastructure stands in the way of a plane-to-train shift. EURACTIV France reports.
• Alstom offers factory sale in return for Bombardier merger approvalFrance’s TGV high-speed train maker Alstom on Thursday (9 July) offered to sell a French rail factory and make other concessions to win European Commission approval for its planned purchase of Bombardier Inc’s transportation business.
• East Sussex County Council's bid to crack down on potholesA COUNCIL has promised to crack down on potholes and improve the county’s roads.

EIN News Subscription

• Cycling safety: Passing distance signs a 'UK first' … Park Cyclists taking to mountain roads in one part of Wales … Williams welcomed the signs on roads which could be "dangerous … similar signs are used in European countries. He added: "The … steps taken to help the safety of cyclists is to be …
• Second petition to 'abolish Bath Road bus lane' … from Huntercombe Spur to Uxbridge Road but has received criticism for … second petition, said: “We have Europe’s biggest trading estate for … on the M4 and pose safety risks when cars need to … necessary. “At the moment the road is dominated by private cars …
• ‘Hospital’ Bullet Trains for Mass Evacuations Reportedly Floated by Germany as EU Military Project … #39;s high-speed rail system based on the French … , are mulling developing a railway version of the French MedEvac … country, was equipped to transport coronavirus patients from the country … presidency of the EU Council, referred to European solidarity as …
• Quarantine: What are the latest rules and what do they mean for my holiday plans? … UK – by air, sea or rail – must go straight home or … The journey can involve public transport, and travellers may stay … and Switzerland The most obvious EU omissions are the key … 29 June was, with the transport secretary basically restating the restrictions …
• Work on the South Wales Metro rail project to start next month … consists of £164m from the European Union, £445m from the Welsh … design work across the valley railway lines and are now … next phase and transforming the railway lines, starting on 3 … our transformational work on Transport for Wales’ rail network. "This …
• Commentary: Airline industry faces financial crisis with more bankruptcies looming … the next two years. Global air passenger traffic bottomed out in April … , based on International Air Transport Association (IATA) data. Advertisement Advertisement PROFITABILITY … being liquidated – Austria’s LEVEL Europe, Germany’s SunExpress Deutschland and …
• Passenger numbers handled by Dublin Airport plunge 65 pct in H1 … s largest airport Dublin Airport handled over 5.3 million passengers in … just over 94,000 passengers traveled through Dublin Airport, down 97 percent … airport in June, 47,000 traveled to and from continental Europe … total, according to the airport's data.
• Filling middle seats nearly doubles airline passenger risk of catching COVID-19, says MIT researcher … look at an airplane, airplanes don't have social … distancing. The International Air Transport Association, which counts 290 airlines as members, … airborne diseases on planes, particularly influenza, noted a 2016 study by scientists at the European …