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

Monday, 16 August 2021

BBC News

• Railroad to recovery: Trains and trowels put former addicts back on trackBefore the pandemic, a group of recovering addicts took part in a unique rehabilitation project, sprucing up a tiny train station in rural Cumbria. But lockdown, tiers and restrictions meant that, for the past year, the branch line stop has had to fend for itself.

Department for Transport

• Better Value Rail Toolkit launches for more efficient rail projectsNew toolkit launched to bring together the best ideas for rail projects and make the delivery of transport infrastructure projects faster and cheaper.

Financial Times

• Bike maker Raleigh eyes move into electric courier sectorUK manufacturer sees opportunity to replace vans with battery-powered e-cargo cycles

The Guardian

• UK net zero delay has left room for climate sceptics’ attacks, says Tory peerLord Deben says he is pressing very hard to get details of strategy published as Cop26 approaches. Boris Johnson's delay in publishing the net zero emissions strategy has left a space for climate sceptics to complain, attack and undermine on cost grounds, and other countries could do with seeing more proper leadership from the UK before Cop26, the government's independent climate adviser has said.

The Scotsman

• Kilmarnock Station's major revamp trailblazes regeneration of disused rail buildings across ScotlandA largely boarded-up station has been transformed into a trailblazing multi-purpose community enterprise that is helping to breathe new life into redundant rail buildings elsewhere in Scotland.

The Telegraph

• Rail bosses spy on phones to count passengers [subscription]Rail bosses are planning to spy on passengers’ smartphones to obtain a more accurate picture of how busy train services actually are.
• ’Levelling up’ cost will be close to £2tn price of German reunification, says think tank [subscription]Centre for Cities says schemes proposed by the Government for Boris Johnson’s flagship plan so far are a ’drop in the ocean’

Times Online

• Rail strikes threat over thousands of job losses [subscription]The biggest redundancy programme of the pandemic has been launched, with more than 10,000 jobs set to be taken out of the rail industry.

i News

• Scotland ’massively behind’ on Covid vaccine passports, says airport bossGordon Dewar, the boss of Edinburgh Airport, said asking travellers to rely on a piece of paper to prove they have had both jabs was ’ridiculous’ and ’embarrassing’

Mail Online

• 'Put HS2 out of its misery': High-speed rail link is a 'huge white elephant' that should be scrapped, senior Tories sayThe HS2 rail link is a 'huge white elephant' that should be 'put out of its misery', senior Tories will urge ministers.
• Rail firms need to be 'flexible' as demand for train travel returns to pre-Covid pandemic levels, minister saysDemand for train travel will return to pre-pandemic levels – even though it is lagging behind the growth in car use, a minister said yesterday.

Birmingham Post

• Harland and Wolff owner positions for armed forces work with board appointment of former naval chiefSir Jonathan Band he former First Sea Lord & Chief of Naval Staff of the Royal Navy
• £2bn Midlands rail scheme wins cross-party supportShadow Transport Secretary Jim McMahon described The Midlands Rail Hub as a "no-brainer"

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Road and rail upgrades in the north could create 800,000 jobs, according to ex industry chiefJohn Cridland, former head of the CBI and outgoing chairman of Transport for the North (TfN), has claimed up to 800,000 jobs could be created in northern England if infrastructure ambitions become a reality

Yorkshire Post

• One-way traffic filter to be introduced on a Harrogate street in latest active travel trial to encourage cycling and walkingThe restrictions will be introduced for 18 months on Victoria Road where vehicles will be prevented from leaving on to Otley Road by a barrier blocking traffic.

Leeds Live

• Tracy Brabin's pledge to make 'life easier for the people who find it the hardest'"We know that we need Northern Powerhouse Rail, because if you get any problems [in the Transpennine route] the whole network is closed.

Oxford Mail

• Oxfordshire roads get £500k repair and improvement boostA £500,000 package of government investment has been announced for Oxfordshire roads.

Other Regional Press

• No proposals for Hereford congestion chargeDespite what panicked readers of the Hereford Times have led themselves to believe, there are absolutely no proposals to introduce any of those measures to alleviate congestion in Hereford.
• Thameslink can’t blame covid for service cuts, says PidgeonSwingeing cuts to rail services by Govia Thameslink Railway have caused one London Assembly Member to declare that she is “totally unsatisfied with the timetable GTR are providing”.
• Transport for Wales and Police collaborating on a week of action to remind rail users face coverings must still be wornTransport for Wales and the British Transport Police are collaborating on a week of action across the Welsh rail network to remind peoplTransport for Wales and the British Transport Police are collaborating on a week of action across the Welsh rail network to remind people face coverings must still be worn on public transport.
• Southend Airport: Why reviewers gave it a low Google ratingSouthend Airport has proved popular with thousands of tourists throughout the years.
• 'Lessons to be learned from cycle lane fiasco'THE year-long battle over the Old Shoreham Road temporary cycle lanes finally came to a conclusion this week.
• Government cash for traffic light upgrades in Herts and EssexHertfordshire and Essex County Councils have each been given a £250,000 share in £15m from the Government to improve roads.
• Get on the buses with your viewsA council is urging you to get on board and tell it what you want from local bus services. Lincolnshire County Council has launched a consultation to put together a plan of how bus services should be delivered. And it hopes that will unlock government funding as part of the ’Bus Back Better’ proposal

New Civil Engineer

• DfT backs drones and 3D printing to solve UK’s pothole crisisA multimillion-pound scheme to improve the state of the UK’s local roads has been launched by the Department for Transport (DfT).
• HS2’s updated plan and timeline for Euston station redesignHS2 Ltd has revealed an update on its plan and timeline for the completion of Euston station’s revised design.

Rail Advent

• Two more coaches join LNER Coach Association’s fleetThe LNER Coach Association (LNERCA), a group dedicated to preserving and maintain ex-London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) carriages, has announced two more coaches are now under their care.

Railway Gazette

• Train companies look to get travellers ’back on track’UK: The first co-ordinated national marketing campaign since the start of the coronavirus pandemic was launched by the rail industry on August 16.

Other News Sources

• Transport department launches toolkit for better-value rail projectsNetwork Rail and the Office of Rail and Road also worked on new platform
• Preston’s Flag Market to host rail roadshow ahead of HS2 constructionPreston’s Flag Market will host a rail roadshow this month to mark the construction of Britain’s new High-Speed Two railway.
• More integration planned for city’s buses and tramsPlans are being considered to create a more integrated public transport system in Edinburgh that will see “efficiencies” across the current operators.
• Heathrow Airport: Why some reviewers gave it a low Google ratingTHOUSANDS of passengers fly in and out of Heathrow Airport every day proving to be one of the UK's largest and busiest airports in Europe.
• 'Lessons to be learned from cycle lane fiasco'THE year-long battle over the Old Shoreham Road temporary cycle lanes finally came to a conclusion this week.
• Councillor threatens to paint over Old Shoreham Road cycle laneA COUNCILLOR who called for the temporary Old Shoreham Road cycle lane to go has offered to paint out the lines herself.