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

Friday, 25 March 2022

BBC News

• West Midlands Metro tram services suspended for weeksThere will be no services in operation on the line while panels on the trams are replaced.
• Review of Benbecula Airport's traffic control shelvedPlans to control flights at Benbecula from the mainland are put on hold for at least five years.
• Shapps on P&O sackings: We will change the lawThe government will stop a similar firing of P&O Ferries staff after the firm “exploited a loophole”, says the transport secretary.
• Manchester Airport warns delays could last for several weeksManchester Airport says staff shortages have left it struggling as the demand for travel increases.
• Croydon tram crash: Prosecutions launched by rail regulatorSeven passengers died and 61 were injured when a tram derailed in south London in 2016.
• Doubt over PM claim that P&O sackings may be illegalThere is doubt over a Boris Johnson claim that P&O Ferries may have broken a law by sacking 800 staff suddenly.
• Uber to list New York City yellow taxis in appThe partnership with a former foe comes as the company faces a driver shortage.
• Fuel duty cut by 5p a litre to help motoristsThe cut aims to deal with soaring costs, but the RAC says prices will remain at a high level.
• Electric car chargepoints to rise 10-fold by 2030 says DfTThe number of chargepoints will be five times more than the number of fuel pumps today, DfT says.

Financial Times

• P&O chief admits breaking law over mass sackingsFerry group accused of 'thuggery' as Peter Hebblethwaite says lack of consultation was deliberate decision
• Uber/NYC taxis: co-operation wins over conflict as rides business remains toughHuge losses on both sides mean the one-time adversaries have had to adapt
• Uber to list New York City taxis on its app as old foes make peaceDeal will help tech company ease driver shortage after years of rancour over ride-hailing service

The Guardian

• Adding fuel to the fire: customers at the forecourt react to Sunak's statementThe chancellor hoped motorists would welcome drop in fuel duty, but rising price elsewhere loom largeThe dust had settled a day after Rishi Sunak swept through a Sainsbury's petrol forecourt in south east London as part of a publicity event for his spring statement.While the chancellor of the exchequer was mocked on social media for posing for publicity pictures showing him pumping petrol into someone else's Kia Rio - later telling staff that he hoped customers "would be a bit happier" with fuel duty coming down - it was the wider cost of living squeeze that was foremost in the minds of many p...
• P&O Ferries may not regret breaking law, but the UK should regret dealing with its owner | Nils PratleyDubai's DP World has proved itself an unfit partner for Britain's freeport programmeMore than a few business chancers have appeared before Commons select committees over the years, but it's hard to recall a chief executive who has admitted that his company carefully assessed its options and decided that breaking the law was its best bet.Peter Hebblethwaite of P&O Ferries, the firm that sacked 800 seafarers last week, offered candour and cynicism in the same breath. "There's absolutely no doubt that we were required to consult the unions. We chose not to do that,"he said. For good meas...
• UK government vows 10-fold increase in electric car chargers by 2030New target comes after criticism of infrastructure rollout for failing to match surging vehicle salesThe UK government has set a new target to increase the number of electric car chargers more than ten times to 300,000 by 2030 after heavy criticism that the rollout of public infrastructure is too slow to match rapid growth in sales.The Department for Transport (DfT) said it would invest an extra £450m to do so, alongside hefty sums of private capital. Sales of new cars and vans with petrol and diesel engines will be banned from 2030. Continue reading...
• More than 3,200 UK bridges need repair, local authorities sayCost of £1.2bn means only a few hundred likely to be fixed in next five yearsAn increasing number of Britain's road bridges are crumbling, with more than 3,200 identified as being substandard with a £1.2bn repair cost, local authorities say.In the past year, more than 100 council-maintained bridges have been declared unfit for the heaviest vehicles, according to research by the RAC Foundation, with 17 bridges collapsing entirely and 37 partially in that time. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Full steamer ahead for Maid of the Loch set to sail again in three yearsSHE was the largest ever vessel to be built for an inland waterway in Britain - and the last in a long line of steamers to sail on Loch Lomond.
• Nicola Sturgeon accused of throwing Derek Mackay 'under the bus' over ferries rowNICOLA STURGEON was accused of throwing disgraced ex-finance secretary Derek Mackay “under the bus” over the Scottish Government’s disastrous efforts to build two new ferries.
• SNP told lifeline ferries contract award by to Turkey is 'unlawful'THE state-owned ferry operator has been accused of acting unlawfully over the awarding of key lifeline ferry contracts to Turkey after it emerged that there is no direct Scottish community benefits from the contract.

The Huffington Post

• P&O Ferries Bosses Accused Of 'Behaving Like Gangsters' By Furious MPs

The Independent

• Grants Shapps calls for P&O CEO to resign after he knowingly broke law over staff sackingsThe transport secretary has called for the chief executive of P&O Ferries to go after he admitted to knowingly breaking the law in the mass sacking of 800 staff.

Times Online

• National Express must leave the slow lane [Subscription]It is not only passengers that National Express is struggling to win back on board — investors are still sceptical, too. Shares in the FTSE 250 constituent languish at roughly half their pre-pandemic level.
• ’Poor workmanship and lack of equipment’ delay ferries [Subscription]Equipment shortages, poor planning and shoddy standards of work have been hampering efforts by Scotland’s state-owned shipyard to finish two long-delayed lifeline ferries.
• Nicola Sturgeon blames Derek Mackay for ’reckless’ ferry decision [Subscription]Nicola Sturgeon has attempted to lay the blame for “one of the most reckless decisions ever taken by a Scottish government” at the door of her former transport minister.
• Uber gets a lift from New York’s yellow cabs [Subscription]Uber, which disrupted taxi markets across the world a decade ago by building the largest ride-hailing app, has announced an unlikely band of new recruits: New York’s yellow cab drivers.
• Renault closes Moscow factory and looks to reverse out of Lada [Subscription]The French carmaker Renault has bowed to criticism over its presence in Russia to announce a shut-down of its Moscow factory.
• Morrisons deal ’could push up prices at pump’ [Subscription]The UK’s competition watchdog has warned that the £7 billion private equity takeover of Morrisons could lead to even higher fuel prices.

City AM

• The public shaming of P&O won't help us give up the habit of exploitation for goodWe all know the playbook by now. Big corporation does something immoral or illegal, often both. Cue public outcry and calls for "something to be done". The chief exec is hauled before a parliamentary committee to account for himself (it's usually a man) and then, well - that's often where things end. But this time, [...] The post The public shaming of P&O won't help us give up the habit of exploitation for good appeared first on CityAM.
• UK flight compensation to be slashed under post-Brexit government plans: from £220 to £57UK flight compensation rules could be slashed out, consumer champion Which? warned today. Under new government plans, passengers could see their refunds go from £220 to £57, saving airlines hundreds of thousands of pounds per year. “Ripping up current compensation rules for UK flights would be a huge blow for passenger rights and embolden airlines [...] The post UK flight compensation to be slashed under post-Brexit government plans: from £220 to £57 appeared first on CityAM.

The Mirror

• Fury erupts as happy holidaymakers dump cars outside homes near airports causing mayhemResidents have reported seeing holidaymakers who are headed to Liverpool John Lennon Airport urinating in private gardens and dumping rubbish, from McDonald's and KFC wrappers to beer bottles

Sky News

• Britain's substandard bridges: Where are they and why are their numbers on the rise?More than 3,000 bridges across the UK have been identified as being substandard by local authorities, figures show.
• P&O Ferries boss admits law broken over sackings - and reveals new workers earn £5.15 an hourP&O chose to break the law by not consulting before sacking 800 staff because it knew "no union would accept our proposal", the head of the ferry company has told MPs - as he revealed new workers are being paid between £5.15 and £6 an hour.

Birmingham Post

• Covid's impact on Hull Trains laid bare as £30m in revenues derailled leading to a £10m lossFirstGroup company has had to face up to a 92.4 per cent loss in income and doesn't anticpate a return to the black this year

Bolton News

• Great British Rail HQ in jeopardy after Horwich 'betrayal' backlashA bid to bring the Great British Rail Headquarters to Bolton is now in jeopardy after sparking fury in a 'betrayed' historic railway community.
• Bolton's £50m bid to improve Horwich and Westhoughton roadsBOLTON Council has launched a bid for up to £50m from governments Levelling Up Fund to improve roads and ease congestion around Horwich and Westhoughton.
• Bolton bus users bemoan 'appalling' Diamond bus serviceDIAMOND Buses has been the subject of numerous complaints, with users unhappy with the service despite the recent increase in fare prices.

Bristol Live

• P&O Ferries boss asked by Bristol MP if he's 'clueless or a shameless criminal'P&O CEO Peter Hebblethwaite admitted that the company broke the law in not consulting with trade unions over redundancies

Northern Echo

• Tyne Tunnel price increases by 20p for certain vehiclesA TOLL increase for certain vehicles at the Tyne Tunnel will come into force next month after transport bosses called the move "a necessary task" to ensure the operating costs of the vital road link.
• Funding secured to develop Hartlepool StationThe long-awaited redevelopment of Hartlepool station is a step closer after funding was secured from the Department of Transport

Bucks Free Press

• Bucks council begin removing illegally parked vehicles from public roadsBuckinghamshire Council has launched a new vehicle removal policy enforcing tougher measure on repeat offenders.

Cambridge News

• Is it time to ditch petrol cars for EVs? CambridgeshireLive readers have their sayWith the rising cost of fuel, now could be the time to switch to an electric car

Other Regional Press

• Salisbury Reds under fire for week of travel chaosDozens of residents struggled to contain their frustration this week as delays and cancellations on key bus routes across the city left hundreds of passengers late for school, work and hospital appointments.
• Thames Clippers river bus expanding to Barking Riverside this MayLondon’s river bus service is expanding and will be reaching Barking Riverside in May. When it opens, they expect that services will run at peak times on weekdays and throughout the day at weekends, with a 20-30 minute frequency.
• A step closer to new and cheaper bus ticketsCheaper bus tickets and faster bus journeys are one step closer thanks to a partnership that has been approved by Portsmouth City Council this week.
• New bus services on cards for MorayNew bus services look set to be introduced in certain parts of Moray currently under-served by public transport.
• New cruise ships to arrive in Southampton as industry returnsSOUTHAMPTON is set to welcome seven new cruise ships and the better part of two million passengers this year in a "tremendous" boost to the city.
• Coundon cycleway still being built despite plans to open last DecemberThe roue includes access through the train track tunnel on Barker Butts Lane

C.N.N.

• China Eastern Airlines grounds 223 Boeing 737-800 aircraft after crashChina Eastern Airlines is grounding dozens of aircraft after a deadly crash earlier this week.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New electric powered buses in BelfastThe first batch of zero emission, electric double decker buses were welcomed by Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon. The first batch of buses is set to enter passenger service in Belfast from Monday 28 March 2022. The launch of these vehicles, which will be the first of their type to enter passenger service on the island of Ireland, represents a landmark moment for Belfast as the start of a move towards innovative, smarter and cleaner transport solutions for a modern city. The new zero emission fleet, made up of 80 Battery-Electric and 20 Hydrogen buses, will be gradually introduced over t...

Coach and Bus Week

• Oxford Bus Co’s Airlines bounces backOxford Bus Company has announced it is increasing the frequency of its Airline service to Heathrow after all UK entry restrictions ended.
• Caledonian Travel goes greenCaledonian Travel has unveiled a new livery as part of a campaign to highlight the green credentials of coach holidays. To promote its new ’Go Green…Go Caledonian’ campaign, the coach holiday specialist has given one its coaches a makeover, replacing the red rampant lion which has adorned its coaches for over 30 years with a new green look.
• National Express responds to Stagecoach DWS offerThe National Express Board has delivered a response to DWS Infrastructure’s offer for Stagecoach, and believes its own combination offer provides a number of advantages for shareholders over the DWS offer

Railnews

• Underground staff to get 8.4% pay rise London Underground staff will receive a wage rise of 8.4 per cent in April, as the result of a four-year pay deal which was agreed with the unions, based on the February RPI each year plus 0.2 per cent. Honouring the agreement will cost Transport for London �100 million, while it continues to negotiate with the government over a permanent funding deal.

Route One

• Preston Bus launches new website; app set to followRotala subsidiary Preston Bus has worked with Rise Digital Media to commission a new website and customer app.
• Uno celebrates 30 years of serving HertfordshireBus company Uno celebrates 30 years of serving Hertfordshire in 2022. As part of its work to mark that achievement, the business has published a commemorative booklet, commissioned a pin badge for staff, applied internal and external branding to one of its vehicles and staged a photoshoot to highlight the milestone (pictured, above).
• RHA continues call for essential user rebate ahead of Spring StatementRHA is repeating calls for an essential user fuel rebate ahead of an anticipated fuel duty cut in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement today (23 March).

Green Miscellany

• Changes to mobile phone law for driversThe law on people using their mobile phones while driving becomes stricter from 25 March 2022. Since 2003, it’s been an offence to use a hand-held mobile phone for ’interactive communication’ while driving. However, over the last decade the use of phones has evolved to include playing music and games, taking photos or videos…some motorists even use their phones to… The post Changes to mobile phone law for drivers appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• Nexus to implement £4.5m rescue package in response to bus cuts from March 27Big changes to bus services in Newcastle and North Tyneside will come into effect on Sunday, 27 March, when a £4.5m Nexus rescue package will stave off the worst effects of cuts made by commercial bus companies as their covid-relief funding ends.
• Nexus to implement £4.5m rescue package in response to bus cuts from March 27Big changes to bus services in Newcastle and North Tyneside will come into effect on Sunday, 27 March, when a £4.5m Nexus rescue package will stave off the worst effects of cuts made by commercial bus companies as their covid-relief funding ends.
• Yorkshire-based Pelican Engineering awarded contract to supply eight zero emission buses to Carmarthenshire County CouncilLong-established family business Pelican Engineering, based in West Yorkshire, has been awarded the contract to supply eight all-electric, zero emission buses by Carmarthenshire County Council following a competitive tendering process.
• What can we learn from P&O's shame?  Sacked by Zoom. To those who think that the public transport sector would not have behaved in the same way, I beg to differ   Stephen Nee, P&O's head of employee relations, sacked 800 employees on a Zoom call   It was always going to take something big to overtake the appalling situation in Ukraine as the lead news story – and that's what happened briefly last week with the decision by P&O ferries to make its 800 crew redundant on a Zoom call. Bad enough the path that the company had taken, but the way they did it caused national opprobrium and derision. Well d...
• Majority of public back bus priority measuresNew research undertaken for CPT shows local authorities that they can be bold with plans to improve bus services, while toolkit offers helpful advice   A clear majority (54%) of the general public support bus priority schemes while only 15% oppose them   Most people support measures which give buses greater priority on roads, according to new research released by the Confederation of Passenger Transport this week. CPT’s research was undertaken by Opinium and included 3,500 responses from the general public in Great Britain excluding London and 590 from business owners/senior decision...
• Bus safety shouldn't be an afterthought  England's National Bus Strategy dragged poor practice into the spotlight but left the bus safety regime to stagnate in the margins   Edinburgh is the only city I can think of, other than London, where the bus feels like a mass transit system used by all   The National Bus Strategy for England has an opinion about everything; from bus shelters to bus numbers – it knows best. However, there's one topic where it is curiously quiet. And that's bus safety. Or perhaps I should say dangerously quiet, given the yawning gulf that now exists between the approach taken in London an...
• FUEL PROOFTo date, Toyota has sold over 70 million electrified vehicles, but they've virtually all been hybrids. This bZ4X mid-sized SUV is the brand's first purpose-built EV.
• Plans for Brighton's first Low Traffic Neighbourhood in HanoverPEOPLE are being asked what they think about potential plans for the city's first low traffic neighbourhood.

EIN News Subscription

• Gatwick Airport: New travel rules for the Netherlands, Switzerland and Estonia ahead of Easter … good news though, because Gatwick Airport's South Terminal is … to be worn on public transport, taxis, coaches and ferries from … if they are Swiss, Liechtenstein, EU or EFTA nationals. Unvaccinated children …