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

Wednesday, 23 December 2020

BBC News

• Covid-19: Stranded truckers worried they won't get home for ChristmasTruckers stranded in Kent for a second night talk of their fears of not getting home for Christmas.
• Covid: South Wales Police to carry out Christmas vehicle checksApart from on Christmas Day, people are expected to stay home unless they have a reasonable excuse.
• Ryanair cancelling 12 routes including some in NIThe Irish carrier is in dispute with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) over aircraft leasing.
• Covid-19: Almost 3,000 lorries stuck in Kent as UK and France aim to restart freightPoliticians are in talks to resume freight, after France closed the border because of the new variant.
• Ports chaos 'bad for trust and post-Brexit trade'The food industry says port disruption makes it hard for foreign firms to trust UK exporters post-Brexit.
• Elon Musk says Apple's boss snubbed takeover dealTesla's founder claims Apple CEO Tim Cook refused talks during the car company's

Financial Times

• Transport: throwing a hyperloopCreating routes for superfast vacuum tubes will suck up vast sums of money
• Atom ships: fission missionThe idea of nuclear-powered vessels is once again under serious consideration
• Airline disruption continues as more countries impose UK travel bansLogistics companies report rise in demand for moving cargo by air to leapfrog port blockages
• France reopens border with UK after virus closureBritish army to test truck drivers for new Covid strain before letting them cross but backlog may last days

The Guardian

• On the road to nowhere: France border closures causes UK lorry chaos – in picturesThe decision by France to close its borders to incoming freight traffic from the UK has caused chaos in Dover – the gateway to Europe – and roads leading to the port Continue reading...
• Elon Musk: I tried to sell Tesla to AppleMusk says Tim Cook ‘refused to take the meeting’ when a struggling Tesla could have been bought for a songElon Musk has said he contacted Apple Inc’s Tim Cook “during the darkest days of the Model 3 programâ€� to discuss the possibility of Apple buying the Tesla electric car company for “1/10th of our current value … He [Cook] refused to take the meetingâ€�.Musk’s comment followed reports that Apple is working on producing an electric car with advanced battery technology. In Twitter threads, Musk and others questioned the nature the technology, including what was referred to in reports as a “monoc...

The Herald

• Covid-19: UK reaches agreement with France in border crisis breakthroughThe French authorities have announced that journeys from the UK will be allowed to resume after the coronavirus ban was lifted, but those seeking to travel must have a negative test result.

The Huffington Post

• Travel Ban: UK And France Strike Deal On Dover Crossing After Freight Chaos

The Independent

• UK travel ban – live: Covid testing deal opens borders as first passengers arrive in FranceFollow all the latest developments as transport disruption across UK and Europe continues

Times Online

• Disabled access at stations: Irish Rail urged to take action [Subscription]Irish Rail must take action to improve accessibility in stations after years of wheelchair users being forgotten, disability rights campaigners have said.
• Glasgow bus firm to face court over killer lorry driver’s reference [Subscription]A judge is to hear evidence about whether a bus firm failed to provide Glasgow council with an accurate reference for the driver of a bin lorry who later killed six pedestrians after collapsing at the wheel.
• Carmakers stuck in the slow lane [Subscription]The number of cars built in Britain fell again last month and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has predicted billions of pounds of lost production in years to come.
• New aircraft left on shelf as Easyjet looks to survive Covid storm [Subscription]Easyjet is postponing the delivery of new aircraft and is handing back dozens more that are on lease as it navigates its way through the crisis in aviation.
• Kent lorry chaos: Seafood rots by the roadside as gridlock predicted to last days [Subscription]The gridlock in Kent will “take days to clear”, officials warned last night amid fears that the fresh produce caught up in the delays will perish.
• Military to test lorry drivers as Channel crossings set to resume [Subscription]Freight backlog may not be cleared until after Christmas

City AM

• Another month of decline for UK car production as industry calls for Brexit dealUK car production fell again last month as the industry urged Brexit negotiators to “seal the dealâ€�.  New figures from The post Another month of decline for UK car production as industry calls for Brexit deal appeared first on CityAM.
• Will take ‘days’ to clear Dover chaos, says ministerIt will “take a few daysâ€� to clear the lorry queues at Dover, according to housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.  Last The post Will take ‘days’ to clear Dover chaos, says minister appeared first on CityAM.

Daily Express

• Stranded lorry drivers await mass coronavirus testing as France FINALLY reopens borderNHS staff will carry out a mass testing effort in order to allow lorry drivers to cross the border into France following the coronavirus travel ban.

Mail Online

• Flights to US thrown into chaos as Heathrow COVID testing centre is struck down by 'plumbing issue'UK passengers flying to anywhere in America will now need a negative Covid result to board any Virgin Atlantic flight - but one of the terminal's testing labs has been hit by a 'plumbing issue'.

The Mirror

• Testers arrive to check lorry drivers as Port of Dover finally re-opensA mass testing programme for lorry drivers will get under way today after French authorities announced that journeys from the UK will be allowed to resume but those seeking to travel must have a negative test result

Sky News

• 'We're grieving': Mercy flights allow Irish citizens to flee BritainFor Michael Morrissey, a trip across the Irish Sea for the sad occasion of his sister's funeral became even more difficult when his flight home was cancelled.
• UK reaches deal with France to allow hauliers to cross border from todayThe UK and French governments have reached a deal to reopen the border between the two countries to hauliers and some passengers from Wednesday - if they test negative for COVID.

Belfast Telegraph

• Elon Musk says Apple passed on potential deal to acquire TeslaTesla chief executive Elon Musk said he once considered selling the electric car maker to Apple, but Tim Cook rejected a request for a meeting.

Birmingham Post

• Hundreds of automotive jobs in South Wales safeguardedZF Automotive has secured finance from the Welsh Government
• Caernarfon bypass viaducts are taking shape in £135m road projectThe Caernarfon and Bontnewydd bypass is due to be completed by early 2022
• Toyota halting UK production due to Covid border chaosCar manufacturer said travel restrictions into UK played a key role in decision to bring Christmas closure forward
• £40m Gateway Four mammoth super-shed completes in South YorkshireIt is a 411,740 dq ft addition to the strategic supply chain axis of A1/M1/M62 network with Humber ports close by
• Huge car dealership bounces back from lockdown with strong salesPlymouth-headquartered Murray Volkswagen responds well to coronavirus crisis and explains liquidation of subsidiary partnership is merely part of a restructure

Bolton News

• Transport bosses' advice to those travelling on Christmas dayGreater Manchester transport bosses are urging the public to stay local if possible this Christmas.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Soldiers called up to drive North Wales ambulances to support paramedics in Covid-19 battleMilitary offer helping hand to health frontline for the second time this year as coronavirus cases rise once more

Cambridge News

• Latest UK Foreign Office travel advice for Spain amid travel banTravel guidelines vary depending on the UK area's Tier and the rules of the destination country

Peterborough Telegraph

• Peterborough rail passengers reminded to expect disruption if travelling on the East Coast Main Line this festive seasonRail passengers in Peterborough have been reminded to check their journeys in advance if travelling on the East Coast Main Line over Christmas as upgrade works continue.
• Peterborough rail passengers reminded to expect disruption if travelling on the East Coast Main Line this festive seasonRail passengers in Peterborough have been reminded to check their journeys in advance if travelling on the East Coast Main Line over Christmas as upgrade works continue.

Reading Evening Post

• Much-delayed Crossrail Line to open in 2022The long-awaited project connecting Reading to London is also massively over budget

Other Regional Press

• Royal Mail and Parcelforce make major changes to Christmas schedule Royal Mail and Parcelforce have suspended all postal services to Europe, effective immediately.
• Jaguar Land Rover Southampton bought by Hendy Group for £4.3m A GROUP of car dealerships which expects to turn over a billion pounds next year has bought a Jaguar Land Rover showroom for £4.3million.
• Controversial cycle lane in Southampton cost council £150k A CONTROVERSIAL cycle lane in Southampton has cost more than £150,000 worth of public money, it has been revealed.
• Leaders pledge to listen to concerns over huge road and homes planMiddlesbrough Council's executive approved a new masterplan which will see green space transformed with 1,670 homes, a road and a new country park
• Community rallies to help stranded truckersFree tea making facilities and wifi are among the measures doled out to fatigued lorry drivers waiting at Dover for France to reopen its borders
• Hundreds of curries delivered roadside to stranded truckersThe county's Sikh community has rallied together to provide meals to lorry drivers stuck due to the border closure.
• Football club steps up to feed hungry truckersVolunteers at a non-league football club have cooked and delivered hundreds of pizzas to drivers stranded at Manston Airport by the French travel ban.
• LIVE: Drivers head for ports but clearing 'could take days'France is letting people back in to the country from the UK but there is still a chaos on Kent's roads as offices deal with a huge backlog of lorries.
• Police run decoy bus operation to sniff out brick-throwing yobsBuses services were withdrawn from an area of Sheffield after they were pelted with bricks

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Newcastle e-scooter trial set to be launched next yearHundreds of electric scooters are set to be trialled on Tyneside in an effort to get people out of their cars, a council has said. Subject to government approval, 250 will arrive in Newcastle early in 2021 with that number increasing as the year-long scheme progresses. The city council said cutting carbon emissions was an

Other News Sources

• Beryl Bikes rack up tens of thousands of journeys in Herefordshire TENS of thousands of trips have been made on Hereford's Beryl Bikes this year.
• Sussex dolphin deaths linked to 'surge in super trawlers' A MARINE campaigner said dolphins are being killed due to “an unprecedented number of super trawlersâ€� after five washed up on beaches in five days.