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

Thursday, 16 July 2020

BBC News

• Tesla's 'Autopilot' misleading, Germany rulesA German court has told Tesla to stop making some claims about its 'Autopilot' driver assistance.
• PMQs: Starmer and Johnson on BA jobs terms and conditionsThe Labour leader hits out at British Airways over its treatment of employees.

The Guardian

• Train passengers to be tempted back with 'travel safe this summer' campaignOperators move to boost drastically reduced use of public transport amid Covid-19 crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTrain companies are hoping to encourage commuters back on to public transport with a “travel safe this summerâ€� campaign, as Boris Johnson urges a bigger return to work.The government is reviewing its guidance, in place since lockdown started, to work from home where possible. The prime minister said last week the public should “go back to work if you canâ€�. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Ferry crossing to Ireland had to avoid a nuclear submarineA FERRY crossing between Scotland and Northern Ireland had to avoid a nuclear submarine, an official probe has heard.

The Independent

• Airlines causing 'financial and emotional distress' over refund delays'This is yet another baseless survey of two men and a dog from Which?,' said a Ryanair spokesperson

Times Online

• Investors in Elon Musk’s Tesla should buckle up for a bumpy ride [Subscription]You don’t have to look hard for signs that Tesla has entered the realm of an asset bubble. Elon Musk admitted as much in early May, when he told his Twitter followers that the “Tesla stock price is too high imo [in my opinion]”.
• Tesla censored by German court for Autopilot adverts [Subscription]Tesla is making “false advertising promises” with its so-called self-driving technology and must stop using the term Autopilot, a German court has ruled.
• Nuclear submarine almost hit car ferry [Subscription]A nuclear-powered submarine almost hit a car ferry with 282 people on board after the crew misjudged its range and speed, an official report says.
• Priti Patel criticises French for failing to stop migrant boats crossing Channel [Subscription]Priti Patel attacked the French government yesterday for failing to stop Channel boat crossings as 90 migrants were picked up off Kent.
• All change: new advice to say use public transport [Subscription]Boris Johnson is poised to scrap official guidance suggesting that employees should avoid public transport as he tries to encourage people back to work.

Mail Online

• Royal Navy nuclear submarine had near-miss with car ferry packed full of passengers The ship, carrying 282 people, was sailing between Belfast and Cainryan in south-west Scotland, when the terrifying incident unfolded in the North Channel on November 6, 2018.
• Navy tests the use of NETS to snare migrants in the Channel as record numbers cross illegallyMilitary ships worked with UK Border Force in May and June, trying out tactics to deploy against small boats crossing from France.
• Speed cameras aimed more at money than accidents, says reportThe report from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services shows the number of speeding fines handed out has grown by 40 per cent between 2011 and 2018.

Birmingham Mail

• Jet2 mystery as plane forced to return in mid-air to Birmingham AirportAccording to Flightradar24, roughly 40 minutes into its flight, it turned around before flying back to Birmingham, sparking some speculation online as to the purpose of this journey

Birmingham Post

• Production to restart at Vauxhall plant five months after Covid-19 shutdownVarious safety measures will be put in place for plant's 1,000 employees
• Humber-wide freeport proposal to focus on scale and opportunityAirport joins estuary infrastructure in ambitious bid for the region
• Tender opens for new West Midlands e-scooter trialOperators invited to bid for scheme which will test usage of e-scooters across eight council areas in the region

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Questions over major plan for new Bradford link road A SHADOW has been cast over plans for a new Bradford South Link Road after councillors voted against taking the scheme to the next step.
• Drivers facing 64 weeks of works at Greengates junctionMOTORISTS are facing up to 64 weeks of delays from the end of the month as long-awaited work on re-aligning the New Line/Harrogate Road junction in Greengates finally gets underway.

Bristol Live

• 'Urgent' plan to fix 'clear safety concerns' at Bristol junctionBristol City Council says it is taking concerns seriously after cars ploughed into a man's house twice in six months

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Freeport status for Holyhead gets local backingThe Government has already promised to create up to 10 free ports across the UK after Brexit

Manchester Evening News

• The airlines now flying from Manchester Airport - as all three terminals openMeanwhile, TUI, Ryanair and easyJet have increased the number of flights they operate

The York Press

• Northern taking safety measures to help customer confidence A TRAIN firm has launched a new campaign to highlight everything that’s being done to keep people safe on the railway.

Wales Online

• The twists and turns of the £1.3bn M4 relief road that never happenedIt has been blighted by delays, inquiries and disagreement
• Details of Swansea's new two way city centre systemTraffic in The Kingsway and seven other key roads around it will be switching to two-way on July 26

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Trains to get an £8 million refitExpress trains serving the West Midlands are to receive an £8.3 million makeover ahead of their replacement in two years' time.

Cambridge News

• Travel companies' failure to give fast refunds causing passengers 'distress'A survey by Which? found tens of thousands of complaints from people struggling to get refunds for cancelled flights and holidays

Reading Evening Post

• U-turn over Slough's new bus and cycle lanesThe changes were brought in using emergency coronavirus funding from the government

Other Regional Press

• Future of Southampton City Airport is not guaranteedTHE future of Southampton Airport is not guaranteed if plans to extend the runway are refused, airport bosses warned.
• New bus gates are ‘crude tool’ which will damage trade says top hotelier Jeremy MogfordTHE owner of one of Oxford’s top hotels has urged council bosses to reconsider plans to place two new bus gates in the city centre.
• Swanage Railway steam trains running again STEAM trains are to resume on the Swanage Railway for the first time since mid-March.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Government bans old coach, bus and lorry tyres from roads in new measures to improve road safetyTyres aged 10 years and older will be banned from lorries, buses and coaches on roads in England, Scotland and Wales in a boost to road safety, Roads Minister Baroness Vere announced. The ban follows an extensive investigation, including research commissioned by the Department for Transport, which indicates ageing tyres suffer corrosion which could cause them to fail. The move will make it illegal to fit tyres aged 10 years or older to the front wheels of lorries, buses and coaches, and all wheels of minibuses. The secondary legislation will be laid in the autumn and will also apply to re-t...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Network Rail competition launched to transform Britain's future railways Today (July 14th) Network Rail have announced, in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects, a competition to shape the future of Britain’s railway stations. The competition presents an opportunity for architects, engineers and designers to help improve the travel...
• HS2 virtual work experience for young people As part of their dedicated programme of school engagement and education activity, HS2 offers work experience placements to students every year to help them get first-hand experience of life in the workplace on Europe’s largest engineering project. Usually students would spend one full week...
• HS2 appoints new board members for greater oversight Today (July 15th) Grant Shapps has announced the appointment of 3 non-executive directors to the HS2 board to heighten oversight and scrutiny of the UK’s largest infrastructure project. Elaine Holt, Ian King and Tom Harris will respectively take up the roles of infrastructure specialist...

Railnews

• Stobart leaves rail to concentrate on air in £1,000 sale Stobart Group has sold its rail and and civils division to a German company for just £1,000. Stobart will now concentrate on aviation and energy infrastructure.
• New scheme for Midlands to improve rail links to Birmingham Airport Midlands Connect is asking the government for £20 million, so that it can move ahead with plans to improve railway links to the stations at Coventry and Birmingham International.

Other News Sources

• Carnival to Raise $1.26 Billion in Debt to Deal with COVID-19 ImpactCarnival Corp is planning to raise about $1.26 billion in a bond offering, the beleaguered cruise operator said Wednesday as it struggles to stay afloat after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted its business.The bond offering is split into a $775 million tranche paying an annual coupon of 10.5%…

EIN News Subscription

• Ryanair boss declares airline is 'beacon' for aviation industry on coronavirus refunds Europe’s biggest budget airline says it is “a beaconâ€� … truly extraordinary.â€� Read more Under European air passengers’ rights rules, airlines …
• Airlines causing 'financial and emotional distress' over refund delays … group Which? has said. Under European air passengers’ rights rules, carriers … from Britain's biggest budget airline. Virgin Atlantic, which has just …
• Cleaning robots deployed at Heathrow as airport encourages return to air travel … at Heathrow as the airport tries to encourage passengers to return to … . Heathrow previously introduced screens in security areas and in some shops … prepares for life outside the EU, with common international standards for …
• Aviation recovery may take several years … broadcast by Inmarsat and the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX). Despite … In recent weeks, several European air transport associations came together in … technologies will drive recovery, with data analytics, biometrics, artificial intelligence …