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

Friday, 19 February 2021

BBC News

• No Covid variants found on London Tubes, buses and stationsThis does not mean none is circulating or commuters can let down their guard, the researchers say.
• Glasgow bin lorry crash: New date for First Bus negligence caseThe hearing will look at whether First Bus was negligent by failing to provide an accurate reference for Harry Clarke.

Financial Times

• Renault tumbles to record 8bn lossCarmaker had more difficult first half in 2020 but warns of pandemic and chip supply unknowns
• Port of LA adapts to the pandemicWild fluctuations in cargo volumes and more demanding working conditions place huge pressure on facility
• Coronavirus: UK airlines push for plan on easing travel restrictions as it happened

The Guardian

• North of England leaders fear region faces 'cheap and nasty' rail alternativeLeaders in the north of England fear that a new £39bn railway line could be scaled back, with the region ending up with a “cheap and nasty” alternative instead.

The Telegraph

• British Airways and RyanAir refuse to refund 2m people unable to fly because of Covid restrictionsFamilies left out of pocket because lockdowns meant they could not legally travel to their destination

Times Online

• The Times view on car makers and emissions targets: Electric Avenue [subscription]Vehicle manufacturers are adapting, suggesting that a combination of regulation and a market economy is a practical means of tackling climate change
• Airbus dives to €1.1bn loss and 2021 could be as bad [subscription]Airbus does not expect to deliver any more aircraft this year than in the pandemic-dislocated 2020, after revealing another year of billion-euro losses.
• Hydrogen project fuels rising ambition at Logan Energy [subscription]Logan Energy has won the contract to deliver what will be the largest hydrogen hub in the north of Wales.

Mail Online

• Fuel duty hike 'may stop UK bouncing back', campaigners warnAverage petrol prices have soared 7.5p per litre since December, adding £4.13 to the cost of filling up a 55-litre family car, an AA report revealed.

Birmingham Post

• North being 'marginalised' as rail schemes are finalised, leaders warnPolitical and business leaders are angry at having to wait to finalise plans for Northern rail improvements
• Nissan shows 'full confidence' in Sunderland plant with major investment plansAutomotive giant said the post-Brexit trade deal had allowed it to maintain almost all of its current production in Sunderland
• Bentley gears up to develop recyclable electric motorsThe luxury car maker is teaming up with four other companies and a university on the project.

Liverpool Echo

• 'Cheap and nasty' Liverpool to Manchester rail link plan rejected by leadersRegional leaders have united to reject a 'cheap and nasty' government plan for a new rail link between Liverpool and Manchester.

Manchester Evening News

• Leaders fear 'cheap and nasty' rail network as Government delays plan for north"This is not the point to go quiet given everything else that is happening to Transport for the North right now."

Northern Echo

• Up to £65,000 funding available for study into possible rail link on Derwent WalkFUNDING for a study into whether creating a rail link between Consett and Newcastle is viable has been made available, the MP behind the scheme has confirmed.

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield transport leader warns of ‘bad deal’ from Government over Northern Powerhouse Rail projectA Sheffield transport leader has cautioned that the city is likely to get a "bad deal" from the Government amid uncertainties surrounding the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) proposal for high-speed Leeds to Manchester line project.

The York Press

• £300k boost for North York Moors Railway THE North York Moors Railway is to receive almost £300,000 from the Government's Culture Recovery Fund.

Yorkshire Post

• North 'will not just roll over' if transport plans are downgraded, leaders sayNorthern leaders have said they feel their voice has been “marginalised” at a time when decisions are being made which will “define the North of England for the rest of this century”, and into the next.

Bucks Free Press

• HS2: Bucks Road Safety Fund available from next week An HS2 Road Safety Fund will open next week after the disruption caused by the HS2 project is recognised by the Department for Transport.

Other Regional Press

• MPs and Councils support exciting Solent freeport bid COUNCILS and MPs have come out in support of a bid to create one of the UK's first freeports in the Solent.
• Avanti West Coast to donate £93k worth of food to homelessA local train provider has vowed to deliver nearly £93,000 worth of surplus food to people in need.
• 'Why a new Harrogate train station could help fix traffic in this area of town'A Harrogate councillor has called for another train station to be built in the town in a move he says could cut congestion in one of the worst areas for rush hour traffic.

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Woodall Nicholson adds new Technology DivisionWoodall Nicholson, the specialist vehicle design and manufacturing group behind Coleman Milne, Mellor, Treka Bus and VCS, has added a fourth division to its group portfolio
• Woodall Nicholson adds new Technology DivisionWoodall Nicholson, the specialist vehicle design and manufacturing group behind Coleman Milne, Mellor, Treka Bus and VCS, has added a fourth division to its group portfolio
• Irizar in autonomous electric firstThe City of Malaga and Avanza have put an Irizar high-capacity zero-emission autonomous bus into service. Malaga has thus become the first European city to have an autonomous bus on its streets.
• National Express gets five-star safety ratingNational Express is celebrating recognition for its continued commitment to safety.
• UKinbound backs coaches in letter to the ChancellorTravel trade association UKinbound has backed coaches in a plea to Sunak to include the industry in Business Rates Relief Scheme
• Go North West depot could close in pay dispute600 jobs would be lost if solution not found to employment-agreement dispute
• Coventry to fund 297 electric busesCoventry is to receive £50m to fund 297 all-electric buses that will be on city streets by 2025.
• National Express Accessible Transport plays its part in vaccination programmeWith the continued roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, National Express Accessible Transport (NEAT) is playing its part by taking vulnerable customers to get their vaccinations.

Coach and Bus Week

• McGill’s to go battery electric with substantial order from Pelican YutongMcGill’s, the largest independently-owned bus operator in the UK, has placed a substantial EV bus order with Pelican Yutong.
• Rural revivalSargeants Brothers has a long tradition of operating rural bus services in Herefordshire, but a change in ownership in November 2019 has seen the company become ‘21st century ready.’ Richard Sharman paid a socially-distanced visit to find out more

New Civil Engineer

• Heavyweight backing for Bristol Airport expansion appealThe Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has thrown its weight behind plans to expand Bristol Airport, as the airport owner attempts to overturn the council’s decision to block expansion.
• Crossrail | All but one central London station is ‘ready for use’All but one of Crossrail’s central London stations has been signed off as “ready for use”, Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild revealed in his latest update to the London Assembly.
• Northern Powerhouse Rail | Business plan setback ‘won’t necessarily delay’ constructionThe delay to the submission of the business plan for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) “won’t necessarily delay” construction of the project, according to Transport for the North (TfN) chief executive Barry White.
• Network Rail seeks contractors to restore abandoned Portishead rail lineNetwork Rail has launched a search for contractors to build the proposed Portishead to Pill rail line.

Rail Business Daily

• TravelSafe Partnership marks 50th lockdown day of actionThe TravelSafe Partnership has marked its 50th ‘day of action’ by clamping down on people making non-essential journeys on public transport.
• GBRf kick off new service from PortburyGB Railfreight (GBRf), one of the largest rail freight operators in the UK, has officially begun a new service from Portbury to Acton, in partnership with AI.
• Northern leaders reluctantly agree to hold off submitting Northern Powerhouse Rail business planTransport for the North (TfN) has agreed delaying submitting the business plan for Northern Powerhouse Rail until after the publication of the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP).

Railway Gazette

• App to keep passengers up to date with Tyne & Wear Metro depot worksUK: Contractor VolkerFitzpatrick has worked with software developer SitePodium to launch a community engagement app to help people living and working around the Tyne & Wear Metro’s Gosforth depot gain a better understanding of the works to rebuild the facility to accommodate new Stadler trainsets.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• EPM Bus Solutions buys transport software specialist OmnibusEPM Bus Solutions has completed the acquisition of transport software specialist Omnibus.
• National Express awarded five-star safety rating from British Safety CouncilNational Express’ UK coach and bus fleets have both been awarded a five-star safety rating from the British Safety Council for the seventh and fifth years respectively.
• Oxford set to develop coach parking and drop-off strategyOxford City Council (OCC) has allocated £20,000 from its 2021/22 draft budget to develop a coach drop-off and parking strategy for the city. The proposal forms part of OCC’s wider investment plans to help Oxford’s visitor economy to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• LowCVP renames to Zemo Partnership; net zero is new targetThe Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) has announced today that it is to change its name to the Zemo Partnership. The name change reflects the Partnership’s ambition to achieve net zero UK road transport emissions by 2050.
• Scotland coach operators’ support fund opens for applicationsThe Scotland Coach Operators – COVID-19 Business Support and Continuity Fund opened for applications on 16 February. It will close at 1700hrs on 23 February.
• Blackpool Transport introduces contactless to its busesBlackpool Transport introduced contactless fare payment on its buses on 14 February as a further part of its customer interface improvement work. It will follow that up by extending the acceptance method to its tram fleet and rolling out ‘tap and go’ ticketing.
• Go North West dispute ‘threatens depot’s future’Go North West (GNW) says there is a risk of its Queens Road depot in Manchester closing with the loss of 600 jobs if no solution can be found to a dispute with union Unite that is set to involve indefinite strike action by some drivers from 28 February.

Other News Sources

• Loch Lomond one of the 'most picturesque' views in the UK, say LNER travellersLoch Lomond has been picked amongst one of the UK's favourite views by railway passengers.