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

Thursday, 21 January 2021

BBC News

• Brexit: NI hauliers raise concerns over 'competence' of new customs agentsThe Road Haulage Association say some newly trained agents advising businesses are
• Wrightbus to create 46 new jobsThe new roles at the Ballymena-based company will include spray painters, welders and accountants.
• Streetspace: Mayor of London and TfL 'acted unlawfully ' in road schemeThe High Court rules the mayor and TfL

ITV News

• Airport bosses welcome positive news of G7 summit for CornwallBosses at Newquay Airport say welcoming world leaders to Cornwall this summer gives them hope after a "dark and difficult" year.

Financial Times

• BA owner agrees cut-price deal of €500m for Air EuropaIAG pays half original amount for Spanish carrier and defers payment for six years
• Air France-KLM still struggles amid Franco-Dutch illusionsPoliticians must stop obsessing over national icons and let airline become more efficient
• United promises more cost cuts as cash burn risesUS carrier went through $33m a day in the fourth quarter

The Guardian

• London buses turned into ambulances to ease Covid strainExclusive: Adapted single-deckers with seats removed and oxygen onboard will transfer patients. NHS staff are preparing to transport patients using two London buses that have been converted into makeshift ambulances, in another sign of the strain

The Telegraph

• London mayor took advantage of pandemic to introduce 'unlawful' road closures and cycle lanes, judge finds [subscription]High Court judge condemns mayor's 'irrational' road closures and pop-up cycle lanes for unfairly excluding taxis, the elderly and disabled

Times Online

• Johnson Matthey to raise capacity for green hydrogen [subscription]Johnson Matthey has set out plans to capitalise on the emerging market for green hydrogen by producing electrolyser components at its Swindon plant.
• Madrid tops the league of Europe’s choking cities [subscription]Madrid is the European city with the most deaths linked to traffic emissions, a study has found.
• Hotel quarantine to slow Covid variants [subscription]Ministers will hold talks about accelerating plans for hotel quarantine, with mounting concern about the risk of travellers importing variants of the coronavirus.
• Plea to boost sales of electric cars by scrapping VAT [subscription]VAT on electric cars should be abolished, the RAC suggested after research showed that high upfront costs stopped many motorists switching from petrol and diesel vehicles.
• High Court deals blow to expansion of cycle lanes and wider pavements [subscription]Road closures designed to boost walking and cycling could face legal challenges after a judge declared that a big expansion of the plans was “unlawful”.

Birmingham Post

• 'Don't leave Hull on the sidings of the Northern Powerhouse'Chamber and MP call for review into Hull's connectivity to Manchester
• Concerns remain over 'massive hole' in budget for new stationsFunding still to be secured from Department for Transport for new stations in Birmingham and Walsall

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Airport to drastically cut flight arrival and departure timesIn 'exceptional circumstances', departures may be scheduled up to 5.30pm.

Kent Online

• MPs call for rescue package for Eurostar from French and British governmentsMPs are calling on both the French and British governments to consider a joint rescue package for Eurostar, which has seen services decimated because of the Covid-19 pandemic and triggered fears it could fold.

Sunderland Echo

• Sunderland MP fears constituency will be overlooked by 'short-sighted' plans to reopen rail lineAn MP fears her constituency may be overlooked by “short-sighted” plans to reopen a mothballed train line.

Other Regional Press

• easyJet in Southend: A127 and A13 upgrades will lure back budget carrierA HOST of major transport improvements will be made in a bid to lure easyJet back to Southend Airport.
• Cycle scheme plans branded 'unimaginative'Plans to use government funding for more pop-up cycle lanes have been called unimaginative.
• Buses replace trains as landslip repairs continueEmergency repairs are being carried out at a landslip, resulting in several rail services being replaced by buses.

Train Operators

• An airline takeover that might fly [subscription]as if IAG doesn’t own enough grounded airlines already: British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling. Why’s it buying another one: Air Europa, winging in for €500 million?

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Government safeguards vital ferry servicesVital ferry links between the Isle of Wight and the mainland have been safeguarded with an additional £6.5 million of government support to ensure they can continue to run through the crisis, the Chief Secretary announced. This funding will help ensure these communities continue to have access to vital services such as medical care on the mainland. They will also ensure key supplies of food and medicine are delivered, as well as continuing to support jobs on the island. Ferry services play an important role for the island’s 141,000 residents, providing essential supplies and acce...
• Passengers told to check train times as routes cutPeople needing to travel by rail during lockdown are being urged to double-check train times, as services are being reduced. Services in England are being cut from 87% of normal levels to 72%, industry body the Rail Delivery Group said. It said the number of trains would reflect the drop in passengers, and provide better value for money for taxpayers who are subsidising services. Peak services will be prioritised to help key workers, it added. While some timetables have already changed, others will be altered in the next few weeks.

New Civil Engineer

• Investigations get underway for ‘game changing’ M54 to M6 linkGround investigation and archaeological surveys for a missing motorway link in the Midlands are getting underway this week as the Planning Inspectorate examines the Development Consent Order submitted for the project.
• HS2 now required to declare construction impact on woodlands and local roadsHS2 Ltd will be required to publish reports on the scheme’s impact on ancient woodland, as well as giving local authorities more notice about road closures.
• Crossrail boss reveals order stations will be completed Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild has revealed the order in which the line’s central London stations will be completed.

Other News Sources

• New train station in Cardiff takes major step forwardPlans for a new Cardiff Parkway train station in the east of the city have taken a major step forward this week.
• York city centre 'park and pedal' cycle lanes take a huge step forwardPlans to create new segregated cycle lanes on Bootham and Shipton Road are set to move forward – after York council got money from Government for a travel scheme to boost cycling and walking.
• Plea for London-style Oyster Card travel system in LancashireFORMER county council transport boss John Fillis is calling for cross-party support to demand that the Government keeps its promise to fund smart ticketing in Lancashire.