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

Thursday, 22 October 2020

BBC News

• Sadiq Khan on Boris Johnson's Tfl 'bankrupt' claimThe Mayor of London is not willing to accept extending the capital's congestion change, regressive council tax hikes and fare rises above inflation.
• Transport for Wales rail services 'set to be nationalised'Opposition politicians demand answers over the future of rail services in Wales.
• Banksy painting Tube carriage shows London Underground 'not safe', RMT saysTransport for London refuses to release a report into a Banksy artwork, citing security concerns.
• Boris Johnson blames London mayor for TfL 'bankruptcy' before Covid-19Sadiq Khan has responded to Boris Johnson's allegation by calling the prime minister
• Tesla shrugs off pandemic as sales hit new recordThe electric carmaker has recorded its fifth quarter of profit in a row.
• More pollution expected from stay-home workersAir pollution in big cities could increase because so many people are working from home, a report says.

Department for Transport

• Government announces further cash boost for tramsTram services will be protected across the North and Midlands.

Financial Times

• Tesla delivers its fifth straight quarterly profitElectric car maker gets a boost from selling regulatory credits to industry peers
• Shelved UK spending review provokes cabinet unrest Plans for new government funding cycle sparked tensions between chancellor and prime minister
• London faces cuts to transport services amid funding battleMayor warns government must provide £4.9bn rescue package to keep TfL running

The Guardian

• Sadiq Khan accuses Boris Johnson of ‘blatant lie’ over TfLLondon’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, has accused Boris Johnson of telling a “blatant lie” to the House of Commons after the prime minister accused him of bankrupting Transport for London.

The Independent

• Covid lamp test at heathrow - what happens in the pop-up clinicFew passengers make it as far as the southern extreme of the arrival level at Heathrow Terminal 5. But anyone venturing beyond the traditional meeters’ and greeters’ base camp of Caffe Nero will see a new installation where part of the future of travel might just be taking shape.

The Telegraph

• Wales to nationalise railways [subscription]The crisis in Wales comes as Transport for London is days from running out of money. The Welsh government is poised to nationalise its railways after bailout talks with the current operator were unable to agree a privately-led deal and Covid continued to hammer public transport.

Times Online

• Driverless Mondeos take to the bustling streets of Oxford [subscription]In spite of the city’s many charms traffic in Oxford is often a nightmare and from this week a fleet of self-driving cars will try to navigate its streets at all hours and in all weather.
• Rail line to the Channel Tunnel goes fully green [subscription]Britain has its first railway line run entirely on green energy. The high-speed line from London to the Channel Tunnel announced yesterday that all trains and stations were being operated using wind and solar power.
• Manifesto promise run off the railsWelcome to kneejerk Britain. No autumn budget. A three-year spending review shrunk to one year. And daily rows with city mayors over the price of local lockdowns. Yes, we’re in the middle of a needs-must pandemic. But is Boris Johnson’s government really going to sacrifice all long-term planning to the corona fight? And, if so, what happens to a centrepiece of his manifesto: the £100 billion “infrastructure revolution” to “repair and refurbish the fabric of our country”? Wasn’t that key to his “levelling-up”?
• Khan condemns ‘triple whammy’ plan to bail out TfL [subscription]More than 500,000 motorists face paying as much as £27.50 a day to drive under the terms of a “draconian” government bailout for London’s transport network.
• Calls for more docking stations to stop e-scooters littering streets [subscription]Action will be taken to prevent e-scooters from “cluttering” pavements after warnings that large numbers of devices are being vandalised within a fortnight.

Mail Online

• Wales 'will nationalise its 900-miles of railway' after bailout talks with current operator collapsed and passenger numbers plummeted during Covid pandemicThe Welsh Government is today poised to nationalise its railways after last ditch talks with its current operator failed, according to reports.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• Train Companies must do more to keep passengers informed about timetablesThe Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has warned train operators that further action is needed to fulfil their obligations of providing passengers with adequate timetable information.

Bolton News

• New exhibition opens at Bolton railway station - featuring paintings of passengersAN art exhibition illustrating ‘fleeting glimpses’ of people at Bolton’s railway station has opened at a gallery on one of the platforms.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Recovering taxi boss urges drivers to take Covid-19 seriouslyA BRADFORD taxi association boss, who is now recovering at home after complications with Covid-19, has urged the industry to take Coronavirus seriously.

Wales Online

• Welsh Government set to nationalise railways with Transport for Wales takeoverThe Welsh Government is preparing to announce that it will take full ownership of Transport for Wales Rail, according to reports.

Bucks Free Press

• Stoke Mandeville HS2 dig at abandoned church finds graffiti linked to warding off evil spiritsMedieval graffiti associated with repelling evil spirits has been discovered by HS2 archaeologists in Stoke Mandeville.

Other Regional Press

• East West Rail Company to consider building new Cambourne railway station to the northThe East West Rail Company is to consider building the new Cambourne station to the north of the town, it has emerged.

Business Live

• Breakwater cash, Snowdonia junction revamp and electric buses - nine projects getting £11mMore than £11m has been allocated to travel schemes across the region - including a Snowdonia road junction, electric buses and towards proposals for Holyhead breakwater.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Ryanair cuts back winter flight scheduleRyanair has announced big cuts to its winter flight schedule, saying it will operate at only 40% of last year's capacity. It said the cuts were in response to increased flight restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic. This had led to
• Coronavirus: First UK airport coronavirus testing beginsPassengers flying from Heathrow to Hong Kong are the first to have the option of paying for a rapid Covid test before checking in. The test will cost £80 and the result is guaranteed within an hour. The aim is to help people travelling to destinations where proof of a negative result is required on arrival. Collinson, the company behind the initiative had hoped the test could be used to enter Italy, but talks with the Italian government are continuing. A growing number of countries have classified the UK as being

New Civil Engineer

• ‘Substantial progress’ made at late running Crossrail stationsNetwork Rail has announced that is has made “substantial progress” on upgrading its stations ahead of the Elizabeth Line coming into operation.
• Lords call for clarity on future rail pipelinePressure is increasing for the government to produce “some initial thoughts” on the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on rail travel demand. In the House of Lords yesterday, Lord Berkeley emphasised the need to consider how the increased pattern of working from home driven by the pandemic could affect travel needs.

Rail Business Daily

• HS2 and Innovate UK to drive new ideas in the construction industryHS2 Ltd – the company delivering Britain’s new high speed rail network – and Innovate UK – the UK’s innovation agency – have teamed up to drive innovation on Britain’s largest construction project.
• HS1 becomes first railway to run entirely on renewable energyAs the high-speed railway linking London, Kent and the Channel Tunnel, HS1 has revealed it is on track to becoming the first UK railway to run entirely on renewable energy.
• HS2 will enable growth in rail freight usage at UK portsToday, HS2 Ltd has released a new video highlighting how the additional capacity HS2 will create on Britain’s existing rail network will benefit UK ports and distribution centres that use rail freight for the movement of goods.
• First look inside ScotRail’s active travel carriagesScotRail has unveiled the interior design for its first active travel carriage, designated for carrying bikes and large sporting equipment, as the first train nears completion.

The Business Desk

• £150m Interchange scheme takes a step closerWork has begun to erect the steel framework for phase two of City of Wolverhampton’s new railway station building.

RMT

• RMT welcomes Welsh Government decisionRMT welcomes Welsh Government decision to take Transport for Wales rail services into public ownership.

Other News Sources

• £4m set side for Transport for Wales to develop ‘North Wales Metro’£4m has also been allocated to Transport for Wales towards their work on the North Wales Metro, the Welsh Government announced today.
• Growth Vision for North Wales and economic investment the subject of virtual conferencePROGRESS on the Growth Vision for North Wales and major investment in the region will be the focus of a virtual conference.
• PM blames Khan for TfL being ‘effectively bankrupted’ before pandemicBoris Johnson has claimed Transport for London (TfL) was “effectively bankrupted” before coronavirus, and proposals to hike charges are “entirely the responsibility” of the capital’s Mayor Sadiq Khan.
• Newport Transport begins operating first full-electric bus fleet in WalesA fleet of 15 full-electric single-deck buses have begun operation in Newport, Wales, in a country first.
• Traveline Cymru Director Crowned Women In Transport Award WinnerThe managing director of Traveline Cymru has been crowned the winner of the Women in Transport award at the 2020 Wales Transport Awards.
• Wales ‘to nationalise railways tomorrow’ after Covid-19 sends passenger numbers plungingThe Welsh government is poised to nationalise its railways after a fall out on the bailout talks with the current operator, The Telegraph reported today.