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

Monday, 26 October 2020

BBC News

• Darlington platform change will cost station 'prestige'A major redevelopment of Darlington station would leave it without a platform on the historic East Coast Mainline between London and Scotland.
• Bristol's Gipsy Patch Lane: Disruption expected as new rail bridge installedRail users face disruption as a new rail bridge is installed in Bristol. The bridge at Gipsy Patch Lane was due to be replaced at Easter but work was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Covid-19: TfL issues almost 500 fines to passengers not wearing masksTransport for London issues nearly 500 fines of £100 to people not wearing face coverings.

ITV News

• East Midlands Railway to reduce timetables after staff affected by Covid-19 triples in the last six weeks
East Midlands Railway is reducing its timetables from Monday (October 26) after the number of its staff affected by coronavirus tripled in the last six weeks.

Financial Times

• Private jets take off as wealthy flyers seek to avoid virus Flights outpace commercial airlines as more passengers are prepared to pay a premium

The Guardian

• PM on the ropes as London Tories rail against extension of congestion chargeMPs warn of ’blood on the walls’ amid talks with Sadiq Khan over bailout for capital’s transport network. Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure from Tory MPs in London to comprehensively rule out a massive extension of the congestion charge in the capital, amid emergency talks over a new bailout for its struggling transport system.

The Herald

• Anger as Scotland's ferry fleet deemed too 'big for islands and a taxpayer burden'FERRY users have joined forces to condemn the design of the nation's lifeline ferries saying they are too big for the islands they serve and are overburdening the taxpayer.

The Independent

• Advance rail tickets: no penalty if Covid restrictions prevent travelWith millions of people now subject to the most severe “Tier 3” restrictions in England, and a ban on non-essential travel in and out of Wales, the government has announced the nationwide abolition of charges to change Advance rail tickets.

The Telegraph

• Call for three-day season tickets to entice rail usersOfficials are concerned that a three-day season ticket will discourage workers from returning to the office full-time

Times Online

• Cyclists demand new right to ride side by sideMotorists who blast their horn while stuck behind cyclists riding two abreast on narrow roads have been told to stay calm by a proposed updating of the Highway Code.
• Heathrow airport nationalisation talk shot down by Civil Aviation Authority [subscription]The aviation regulator has played down concerns that Heathrow could be nationalised after it refused to allow the airport to increase its charges to airlines.

City AM

• Heathrow owners told to boost funding or risk nationalisationThe airline watchdog has warned the owners of Heathrow that the airport may be nationalised if they do not provide The post Heathrow owners told to boost funding or risk nationalisation appeared first on CityAM.

Daily Record

• Edinburgh Airport drop off fee doubles as bosses aim recoup cash lost to CovidThe £2 charge will now rise to £4 as bosses say they changes have been influenced by the impact of the pandemic.

Birmingham Post

• New partnership to create leading fuel tech centre in DerbyBusinesses, public sector and academia will come together to spearhead new drive to make East Midlands city a centre of excellence for future fuel technology

Bolton News

• Radcliffe bus station to be closed for up to a week for maintenance worksRADCLIFFE bus station will be closed from tomorrow morning for up to a week for maintenance works.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Airbus plane on world's longest flight - beating previous record by a very small marginSingapore Airlines will fly the A350-900 for over 8,000 nautical miles in 19 hour flight

London Evening Standard

• Fees for rearranging advance rail journeys disrupted by coronavirus regulations to be scrappedTravellers who face additional charges for rearranging advance railway journeys disrupted by coronavirus regulations will no longer have to pay the fees.

Northern Echo

• HS2 bridge project completed - thanks in part to Darlington firmA NORTH-East engineering firm has played a crucial role in a majorHS2 construction milestone.

Other Regional Press

• Major Cheshire road bridge reopens after five-month revampA major road bridge which spans the railway between Chester and Crewe has reopened after five-months.

New Civil Engineer

• Lower Thames Crossing planning application submittedHighways England has now submitted its Development Consent Order (DCO) application for the £6.8bn Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) project.
• Fears HS2 Euston station work will make area ’uninhabitable’ for hundreds of residentsCamden Council has raised concerns that the construction of High Speed 2’s (HS2) Euston station and connecting infrastructure will be so noisy that the area will become “virtually uninhabitable” for hundreds of residents.
• Crossrail to recalculate stations cost after concerns raised about recovery planCrossrail Ltd is to recalculate the cost of completing work at its Central London stations after the project’s representative Jacobs raised concerns about plans to complete remaining work.
• Contractors readied for Oxford Station worksNetwork Rail is looking for contractors to undertake engineering and construction works in and around Oxford Station.

Railway Gazette

• Italian hydrogen train co-operation agreementITALY: National railway FS Group and energy company Snam are to work together to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of using hydrogen power in the rail sector, and the development of suitable business models.

Other News Sources

• Wolverhampton rail station foundations finishedGalliford Try has completed piling on phase two of city of Wolverhampton’s new railway station building.
• Rail minister welcomes Northumberland Line ground investigationRail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris has welcomed the start of ground investigations by Aecom and Soil Engineering Geoservices for the Northumberland Line upgrade.
• The UK’s first electric ferry runs on old Nissan Leaf batteriesEarlier today, here on SHIFT, we looked at the results of a survey from UK consumer magazine Which?, which showed battery degradation in EVs is really nothing to worry about.
• More people, more rail: SNP plan for rural economyEncouraging people to move to the Scottish countryside and reinstating branch railway lines underpin an ambitious plan to boost the rural economy to be unveiled by the SNP.
• Arlene Foster promises support package for taxi and bus providersA bespoke package to provide financial assistance to the taxi, private bus and coach sectors will be brought forward, Ministers have announced.