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

Friday, 17 September 2021

BBC News

• Covid-19: Overhaul of international travel rules expectedChanges to the rules on international travel are expected to be announced by the UK government later.
• Electric cars a danger to the blind, say charitiesOne man says he often has near-misses and would have been hurt if it was not for his guide dog.
• Carbon emitters 'failing to disclose climate risks'In a study of more than 100 company accounts, 80% of audits didn't assess climate risk.
• Southwest Airlines pays staff extra to get jabbedIt is the latest big carrier to offer incentives for getting vaccinated as US infections surge.

Financial Times

• Maersk forecasts record profits as global shipping goes haywireChief of world's largest container shipping line says volume of profit upgrades is getting a bit crazy

The Guardian

• Exxon and BP called to testify on climate after 'troubling' new documentsCongressman calls documents related to the fossil fuel industry's efforts to discredit climate science ˜very concerning.'
• Pollution on some new UK trains 13 times one of London's busiest roadsNitrogen dioxide levels far exceed average recorded on traffic-clogged Marylebone Road, according to a study. The amount of diesel pollution on some new trains is 13 times higher than on one of central London's busiest roads, researchers found. Passengers travelling onboard a Great Western Railway carriage running from London to Bristol, procured by the government as part of a £5.7bn scheme, were subject to huge spikes in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution when it switched to diesel from electric.
• Ministers to cut ‘red list’ countries by up to half to simplify England’s travel rulesFurther change will see amber tier removed to make clearer distinction between government’s ‘go’ and ‘no go’ destinations

The Telegraph

• Rolls-Royce’s electric plane takes to the skies for the first time [subscription]The battery-powered Spirit of Innovation will attempt a world record of 300 miles an hour later this year
• Tube accidents soar as passengers too afraid to hold escalator handrails [subscription]Intoxication cited as other factor causing spike in falls

Times Online

• Maersk is riding crest of a wave [subscription]AP Moller-Maersk, the Danish shipping group, sees no sign that the rising rates for shipping freight will lose steam this year.
• Physical driving licence could be parked in switch to phone app [subscription]Digital driving licences will be introduced for the first time as part of post-Brexit reforms designed to make the licensing system more efficient.
• Turkey to come off Covid red list in time for half-term [Subscription]Dozens of countries including Turkey will be removed from the red list banning international travel in time for next month’s half-term as the government relaxes international travel rules.

City AM

• All new London buses to be zero-emission Mayor saysSadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has announced that new Transport for London (TfL) buses will be carbon neutral, as The post All new London buses to be zero-emission Mayor says appeared first on CityAM.

The Mirror

• Unjabbed 'to quarantine for 10 days' when they return to UK in major travel shake-upUnder the major shake-up the unvaccinated may still have to take a Covid test before boarding a flight back home as well as a PCR test on day two after the return, it has been reported

Network Rail

• One of the world's oldest railway tunnels gets some tender loving careOne of the world’s oldest railway tunnels is being made more reliable for passengers this autumn.

Birmingham Mail

• Huge driving licence change announced Digital licences are set to be introduced in a bid to make the transport network "fairer, greener and more efficient"

Derby Telegraph

• Derby bidding to be home of key national rail network centreDerby is putting itself forward to become the home of Great British Railways backed by key Derby business leaders and politicians.

Wales Online

• Bus routes being changed and services cut as UK's driver shortage hits public transportFirst Cymru has kicked off a recruitment drive but other bus firms have had to take over some services
• Rail staff say they're dreading South Wales Metro's toilet-free Valleys tram-trains being put into serviceRail staff have admitted that many of them are "dreading" new toilet-free Valleys tram-trains being put into service.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Amber list scrapped as travel rules are easedThe move comes amid intense pressure from the travel industry to relax Covid restrictions.
• Relief as simplified travel rules are announced

Carlisle News & Star

• Copeland MP made Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for TransportTrudy Harrison, MP for Copeland, has this evening been appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport.

Other Regional Press

• STILL NO DATE FOR REINSTATEMENT OF ISLAND LINE SERVICE ALMOST 10 MONTHS AFTER CLOSURESouth Western Railway has still not been able to provide a date as to when Island Line services will resume between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin – and it could be several more weeks yet.
• Proposed ‘play streets’ initiative blocked as BCP Council prioritises transportPROPOSALS to create ‘play streets’ in the BCP Council area have been rejected as they do not fit the council's priorities for transport.
• Deeside Red Route – Panel of climate change and transport experts chosen to carry out roads review in WalesThe Welsh government has announced the Chair and panel that will be carrying out the Welsh Government’s roads review and confirmed the road schemes that will be considered as part of the review.
• Transport mobility hub unveiled for Woolston, SouthamptonPLANS for a new transport hub and a series of improvements in a Southampton neighbourhood have been unveiled.
• Skelmersdale railway station could finally happen - if Government says yesLancashire County Council is set to formally submit its business case for a Skelmersdale rail station in a major milestone for the long-running campaign.

Coach and Bus Week

• Go-Ahead Group appoints new MD at Sussex subsidiaryA new Managing Director, who will be responsible for 1,519 staff and 585 vehicles, has been appointed for Brighton & Hove and Metrobus
• FirstGroup restructures finance with sustainability-linked debtFirstGroup plc has announced that it has signed a new £300m sustainability-linked Revolving Credit Facility (RCF) with a group of its relationship banks. The RCF has an initial maturity of four years, with the option to extend by a further year subject to bank consent.
• Serving the communityJonathan Welch speaks to Allan Smith about West Coast Motors’ operations on the Isle of Bute
• Stagecoach East launches community-inspired campaignStagecoach East has launched a new ‘community-inspired’ campaign to celebrate its local passengers and spotlight the firm’s role within the local community.
• Passenger numbers on the risePost-covid bus passenger recovery continues with the latest figures from bus company managers who are part of industry round-table group The Ten Per Cent Club showing numbers travelling in the last week of August at 70% of pre-covid levels for fare paying passengers and 60% for concessionary passengers on commercially-run bus routes. The figures show that the industry’s recovery continues to vary around the country with numbers of fare payers as high as 87% in one company and as low as 52% at another.
• Modal shift is key to achieving net zero CPT tells Transport for the NorthResponding to Transport for the North’s consultation on its upcoming decarbonisation strategy, the CPT has called for modal shift to be prioritised to reach net zero goals.
• Scotland promises up to £42 million to maintain bus servicesBus operators in Scotland will receive continued help from the government to maintain bus services as passenger numbers begin to recover from the pandemic

New Civil Engineer

• Network Rail bags cash to solve Stratford station congestion conundrumThe Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded Network Rail £2M to develop plans to tackle congestion at London’s Stratford station.
• Crossrail boss: Fixed end date would be ‘deadly’ for Elizabeth lineCrossrail chief executive Mark Wild has shied away from committing to a specific opening date for the Elizabeth line but remains confident that it will be operational by June 2022.

Railnews

• Government helps to fund Stratford upgrade FRIDAY BRIEFING: Government helps to fund Stratford upgrade ++

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Stagecoach outlines net zero ambitions for Scotland’s Climate WeekStagecoach has outlined its net zero plans in Scotland to mark Scotland’s Climate Week event, held 13 – 19 September.
• Yellow Buses supports World Car Free Day with discounts and giveawayYellow Buses is showing its support for World Car Free Day (taking place on 22 September) by offering a discount on its Flexible 5 ticket and taking part in a giveaway.
• CPT: ‘More budgetary control would help TCs overcome resourcing issues’The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has said that “more budgetary control” would help Traffic Commissioners to overcome resourcing issues which have led to delays to their services in recent years.
• Flexility solution blends bus season tickets with rental car membershipGo North East and car rental provider Co-Wheels are collaborating to launch a new mobility solution in Newcastle which blends using a bus and a rental car when needed.
• DVSA supports the IRTE Skills Challenge to engage maintenance technicians and keep the industry movingThe IRTE Skills Challenge returned in 2021 with the support of DVSA and an industry eager to keep its apprentices and technicians engaged in their vital occupation to keep our coaches and buses on the road.
• Quantron zero-emission bus platform set for UK in 2022German e-mobility specialist Quantron has confirmed that it plans to offer its zero-emission 12m single-deck bus in the UK market, starting in 2022. The platform will be available with both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell-electric power.
• CoacHyfied seeks industry input into hydrogen coach workThe EU-funded CoacHyfied project is seeking feedback from coach operators on fleet and operational requirements as part of its work towards developing and demonstrating hydrogen fuel cell-electric power solutions for the sector.
• Belle Vue commences retrofit work ahead of Manchester CAZBelle Vue Manchester has commenced exhaust retrofit work to achieve Euro VI compliance on 22 members of its fleet ahead of the introduction of the city region’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which is scheduled for 30 May 2022.
• Did DfT misread the market when it created ZEBRA?Whether England’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme will be delivered precisely to the format planned at launch is unclear after the Department for Transport (DfT) progressed to the business case stage multiple bids that are much smaller than it initially envisaged.

Trafnidiaeth Cymru [Transport for Wales]

• Additional services between Wrexham and Bidston from spring 2022Additional Transport for Wales services between Wrexham and Bidston are set to be introduced from spring 2022.

Other News Sources

• Grant Shapps retains transport role in cabinet reshuffleGrant Shapps remains as transport secretary amid the cabinet reshuffle, despite widespread criticism about his performance from the travel and aviation sectors.
• Digital driving licences to be introduced in bid to make transport 'fairer, greener and more efficient'The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is aiming to develop an app featuring the licences, required by those learning to drive, by 2024. It is understood that if the digital rollout proves to be a success then full driving licences could follow suit.