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

Thursday, 11 November 2021

BBC News

• Arriva bus drivers plan pay-row strike in north WalesArriva's bus services across north Wales could be hit from Sunday if action goes ahead.
• Translink: Most bus routes to return to normal after hijackingsSome Metro services will be diverted, after another bus was set alight on Sunday night.
• New Manchester bike scheme aims to do better than doomed MobikesGreater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham says lessons have been learned since the failed cycle network.
• Shares in electric truck maker Rivian leap 30% on openingAmazon-backed Rivian has become the second-most valuable car company in the US.
• COP 26: Four major carmakers fail to back zero emissions pledgeFour of the world's biggest car manufacturers decline to back COP 26 agreement on cutting emissions.
• Boeing agrees deal with families of Ethiopia crash victimsThe planemaker has accepted responsibility, in return families of the victims will not seek punitive damages.

Financial Times

• Emirates pares back losses on rebounding travel demandRevenues for Dubai-based airline surge 86% as half-year losses shrink to $1.6bn

The Guardian

• Uber raises London prices by 10% in effort to lure back driversRide-hailing app says increase will provide better rider experience after lockdown led to driver departuresCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageUber is to increase its rates by 10% in London in an attempt to lure drivers back on to its platform, as cab companies across the UK struggle to meet booming demand.Customers using the ride-hailing app have faced longer waits and more cancellations from drivers cherry-picking jobs in recent weeks, as well as more surge pricing as requests exceed the numbers of cars available. Continue reading...
• SpaceX launches four astronauts into orbit, including 600th person to reach spaceThe flight to the International Space Station had been repeatedly delayed by medical issues and bad weatherA SpaceX rocket carried four astronauts toward orbit Wednesday night, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years.The repeatedly delayed flight occurred just two days after SpaceX brought four other astronauts home from the International Space Station. Continue reading...
• Elon Musk sells $5bn in Tesla stock days after Twitter pollBillionaire offloads around 3% of his holding – though £1bn was already in train before he asked Twitter users about reducing his stakeElon Musk has sold about $5bn in shares amounting to roughly 3% of his Tesla holdings, the billionaire reported in filings on Wednesday, just days after he polled Twitter users about selling 10% of his stake.About $4bn worth of the sale – 3.6m shares – could be considered as counting towards his 10% pledge on Twitter. Another $1.1bn worth, amounting to 934,000 shares, was sold under an options arrangement to acquire nearly 2.2m shares that was already in train ...

Times Online

• Town halls are losing the war on potholes [subscription]In the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, half of the roads surveyed were given the lowest rating for their state of repair. In Derbyshire, 43 per cent of roads were graded red, and 35 per cent in Wolverhampton. On average, 17 per cent of local roads are in need of repair.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Calls for re-think over future location of South Bradford Park and RideRESIDENTS living near the site of a proposed park and ride have urged decision makers to re-think where they develop the multi million pound scheme.

Bristol Live

• Bristol's Metrobus service could stop at night if brick attacks continue"This has a huge impact on us and for the community"
• Clean Air Zone map: Where the borders for the scheme will fall street by streetThe charges will operate 24 hours a day

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Direct railway links from Holyhead to London still well-below pre-covid levelsBut Ynys Môn MS Rhun ap Iorwerth warned the pandemic must not become an excuse for longer term cuts
• A55 roundabout removal project gets decision date update from Welsh Government's roads panelThere are plans to change junctions 15 and 16, replacing existing roundabouts at Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr with "grade separated" junctions
• Five-week Arriva bus strike confirmed after last-ditch talks collapse without dealBus services will face major disruption as a result of the action

Nottingham Evening Post

• HS2 announcement ‘imminent’ with ‘pretty good deal’ for Nottinghamshire, says Ben BradleyNottinghamshire County Council has invested more than £22 million in allocating land for development around the potential Toton HS2 hub

Yorkshire Post

• Northern Powerhouse Rail: Bradford named UK's worst-connected major city in rail journey analysisRenewed pressure is being put on the Government to ensure Bradford is not cut out of the Northern Powerhouse Rail route after new analysis of over 3,000 railway journeys found it is Britain’s worst-connected major city.

Other Regional Press

• Stansted Airport MD: 'I'm confident we are finally on the road to full recovery and together we will have a very bright future'Stansted Airport managing director Steve Griffiths, who stepped up to the top job in July 2020 after joining from Transport for London in October 2018, sets out his reasons for optimism...
• Will battery trains come to East Anglia?Diesel engines on passenger trains could be replaced by battery power-packs to eliminate carbon emissions over the next few years - engineers are already preparing an experimental unit to be trialled on Greater Anglia.
• Kent among worst in country for roadworksThe county has been listed in the top 10 in the UK for the amount of roadworks - with more than 70,000 in two years.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Port of Felixstowe makes major decarbonisation investmentCoinciding with COP26 in Glasgow, Hutchison Ports’ Port of Felixstowe has announced a major investment in new equipment to help decarbonise its operations.    The UK's largest container port has placed orders for 48 battery-powered terminal tractors and 17 zero-emission Remote controlled Electric Rubber-Tyred Gantry cranes (ReARTGs).   The new two-wheel drive tractor units, to be supplied by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co Ltd (ZPMC), will be the first electric tractors at the UK's largest container port.    ZPMC are working with their partner Shacman to dev...
• CILT reveals 18-point action plan to deliver net-zero at COP26The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK, the leading professional membership organisation for those working in transport and logistics, has today revealed its 18-point action plan to combat emissions and deliver a net-zero economy. As part of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow this week, the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in the UK, CILT(UK), has produced a series of policy papers covering the challenge of decarbonisation across current and future transport operations and practice. Developed as part of CILT(UK)’s larger policy ca...

New Civil Engineer

• COP26 | Aviation commitment fails to limit further airport expansionsAn aviation climate declaration launched at COP26 yesterday has failed to place any firm limits on future airport expansions.
• Backers of restoring abandoned Northumberland railway line make case at public inquiryThe public inquiry into the benefits of the proposed Northumberland line project began this week.
• Need for Northern Powerhouse Rail laid bare as Britain’s worst connected cities revealedThe need for better rail connections in the North and Midlands has been laid bare in an analysis of the country’s best and worst connected cities.

Railnews

• Intercity battery hybrid train to be createdHitachi and Angel Trains have announced a project to create a battery hybrid train for intercity services on TransPennine Express

Other News Sources

• COP26 Covered Podcast episode 12: The Transport Day grand tour - Electric planes, hydrogen trains and autonomous automobilesA fast and furious Transport Day sees Luke venture across Glasgow to explore three game-changing examples of zero-emission mobility - including the UK's first hydrogen-powered train, Rolls-Royce's new all-electric aircraft, and a connected and autonomous vehicle experience.