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

Sunday, 31 October 2021

BBC News

• Southampton-Bournemouth rail line closed for five daysThe railway line between Southampton and Bournemouth is to close for five consecutive days for engineering work. Tracks and wiring will be replaced, bridges repaired and drainage improved during the work starting on Monday.
• UK's electric Arrival promises greener deliveriesA modular design lets vehicles carry the batteries needed for expected trips, avoiding extra weight.
• COP26: Zero emission buses to transport delegates in GlasgowA fleet of sustainable shuttle buses will be operated between Glasgow city centre and the COP26 summit venue.

ITV News

• Major jobs boost at Heathrow Airport as airlines start to bounce back from pandemicThere is a major jobs boost at Heathrow Airport as airlines start to recover from the pandemic. Recovery at airports like Heathrow, Gatwick and Southampton has been slow, but as travel restrictions ease, British Airways is recruiting thousands of staff after mass layoffs last year.

Financial Times

• Bamfords seek firmer foothold in UK green economy with hydrogen dealFamily behind JCB strikes agreement to import millions of tonnes of zero-emission fuel by end of decade

The Guardian

• Reasons to be hopeful: the climate solutions available nowWe have every tool we need to tackle the climate crisis. Here's what some key sectors are doing The climate emergency is the biggest threat to civilisation we have ever faced. But there is good news: we already have every tool we need to beat it. The challenge is not identifying the solutions, but rolling them out with great speed.Some key sectors are already racing ahead, such as electric cars. They are already cheaper to own and run in many places and when the purchase prices equal those of fossil-fueled vehicles in the next few years, a runaway tipping point will be reached.

The Scotsman

• Transport Scotland official in ‘extraordinary’ outburst at agency halting high-speed rail workA Transport Scotland official has vented his frustration as it emerged the agency has halted joint work with the UK Government to bring high-speed rail north of the Border despite ministers clamouring for years for faster progress from Westminster.

Times Online

• Is Bristol as green as it seems? [subscription]When Lily Fitzgibbon, 18, was elected to Bristol city council for the Green Party in May, she not only became Britain’s youngest councillor, but also an emblem of Bristol’s unofficial status as a forward-thinking eco-paradise.

Sky News

• Commuter rail journeys still at just 45% of pre-pandemic levels, new figures showCommuters appear to be staying at home or using other transport, but train journeys for leisure purposes are increasing in popularity.

London Evening Standard

• Avanti pledges £117m investment in Welsh electric trainsvanti West Coast is set to invest more than £100 million to replace 20 old polluting diesel trains in Wales with greener alternatives, its co-owner has said.

The York Press

• Northern in train ticket fraud crackdownNORTHERN Rail say they have saved more than £10 million in fraudulently claimed refunds on train tickets in the last 18 months.

Other Regional Press

• Re-open Amman and Gwendraeth railways to get Wales’ climate change ambitions on track, says Plaid MSCalls are being made for the reopening of the Amman Valley and Gwendraeth railway lines to be included as part of the Welsh Government’s ambitious plans to tackle carbon emissions.
• Coventry University's bid to make transport more accessible for disabled peopleOne in five people live with a disability yet not all public transport is fully accessible to use

C.N.N.

• Biden administration details new plans for air travel for foreign nationals starting next monthThe Biden administration on Monday outlined new details of its plans to allow Covid-19-vaccinated foreign nationals to travel to the United States again starting November 8, including details on which vaccines will be permitted and who will be exempted from requirements.
• American Airlines cancels hundreds of flights during Halloween weekendAmerican Airlines canceled hundreds of flights during the weekend, citing bad weather and staffing shortages, the company announced in a statement.

Rail Advent

• Huge upgrade on Cambridge train depot will mean fewer trains this DecemberA huge upgrade by Govia Thameslink Railway will be carried out on Cambridge’s train depot and will bring both servicing facilities and stabling for the new fleets of Thameslink, Great Northern and Greater Anglia trains.
• New rail safety project launched by South Western RailwaySouth Western Railway has invested £40,000 in an initiative with leading charity UK Youth in an attempt to raise awareness of rail safety in young people.

Other News Sources

• £106m of bus improvements outlined for across NorfolkAn overhaul of Norfolk’s bus services has been outlined in a £106 million bid for Government cash, but Labour says the plan lacks ambition.
• Belfast City Airport Reaches For The Sky With Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform –George Best Belfast City Airport has been able to halve IT operational costs in the data centre as well as enhance performance, security and availability to cope with rapidly escalating business demand post Covid by migrating its legacy IT infrastructure to Nutanix Enterprise Cloud.
• HS2 new train station in Leeds to be constructedThe construction of a new train station in Leeds is also part of the government’s plans for the High Speed 2 (HS2). Despite claims that the eastern leg of the railway would significantly get scaled back. It seems the government has now backpedaled on the idea that it would axe the whole eastern leg, but will still be making notable cuts.