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

Tuesday, 29 March 2022

BBC News

• Tyseley rail death: Train inquest finds no explanation for crush pathAbdul Rehan took a route between two carriages as they were being coupled together, a jury hears.
• Eastern Airways: What's the future for Cardiff-Anglesey air link?The Eastern Airways operated route hasn't been flying since the pandemic took hold in March 2020.
• P&O Ferries given deadline to reemploy sacked workersGrant Shapps says the firm has
• Manchester Airport reputation 'nosediving' as delays continueAn
• Bus strike: Hundreds of services stopped by 48-hour actionIndustrial action brings a halt to 21 out of 30 bus routes run by Arriva in south London.

Financial Times

• Rising petrol prices drive Americans on to public transport [Subscription]Use of trains and buses rebounds in large cities but remains lower than before pandemic
• Creaking Scottish ferry network undermines SNP's competence credentials [Subscription]Ageing fleet and delays in deploying new vessels lead to mounting public anger on western islands
• Floating LNG: lack of vessels could stymie a good option for Europe [Subscription]Getting hold of niche vessels would be tricky, and supply of the ships will not improve right away
• P&O needs to sack its chief executive to salvage reputation [Subscription]Even if ferry operator accepts error of its ways, Peter Hebblethwaite must be held accountable
• London shouldn't be levelled down as the UK is levelled up [Subscription]The capital's new railway highlights woes elsewhere and is a provocation to some

The Guardian

• BA makes U-turn over cash for vouchers after Covid cancellationsAirline encouraged people to take eVouchers rather than full cash refund to which they were entitledBritish Airways has done an about turn over eVouchers it issued for flights it cancelled in 2020 because of Covid. Possibly in an attempt to stave off action by regulators, it now says passengers who received an eVoucher for a cancelled flight between 9 March and 19 November 2020 can swap it for cash. Its website, Ba.com, has the details. Continue reading...
• Can P&O be forced to reverse its mass sacking of workers? - podcastThe company's sacking of 800 UK employees without notice prompted outrage from politicians and unions alike. But will anything change? Joanna Partridge explores a low point in the recent history of industrial relationsOn 17 March, P&O Ferries employees in the UK arrived at work to the news they had been made redundant. Without any warning, 800 people were unemployed. Among them were Lee and Adele (not their real names). Like their colleagues, they were told in the same video message that their careers with P&O Ferries were terminated. The pair tell Nosheen Iqbal of their shock ...

The Herald

• How can Scotland's turbulent state-run CalMac ferries get back on even keel?Ten vehicle ferry operators provide all-year scheduled services in Scottish waters.
• Kate Forbes: 'Derek Mackay signed off disastrous ferry deal' SCOTLAND’S Finance Secretary has rejected tycoon Jim McColl’s allegation that the botched Ferguson Marine ferry deal was rushed into “for political purposes”.
• FreeFlow gears up for production following £1.65m funding roundFreeFlow Technologies (FFT) of East Kilbride is set to begin rolling out its e-Bike motors following a £1.65 million funding round led by investment syndicate Kelvin Capital.

The Huffington Post

• Grant Shapps Says He Will 'Block' P&O Ferries 'Brazen' Move To Sack 800 Workers

The Independent

• P&O Ferries boss to appear before Holyrood committeePeter Hebblethwaite will face the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.
• Second P&O ferry detained after safety inspection, coastguard agency saysThe firm sparked outrage after sacking 800 seafarers without notice on March 17, amid plans to bring in cheaper agency staff.

Times Online

• Islanders pay high price for SNP ferry fiasco [Subscription]The CalMac scandal reeks of incompetence, secrecy and favouritism, with those reliant on the service being forgotten
• Ferry contract not rushed through to give SNP a boost, says Nicola Sturgeon [Subscription]Nicola Sturgeon has said it is “flatly not the case” that the contract to build two beleaguered ferries was rushed through to give the SNP a political boost.
• Wheels come off Tandem as cycle stocks mount in stores [Subscription]Up there with acquiring a puppy, buying a bike for lockdown was one of the Pandemic retail booms. Not any longer. Tandem, the Birmingham-based Aim minnow behind grand old names of British cycling such as Dawes and Falcon, has warned that shops are sitting on unsold bikes and that it is struggling to source cycles from abroad.
• Second P&O Ferries ship seized for failing safety check [Subscription]Law will force company to pay minimum wage

Daily Record

• More ferries will be built in Scotland despite Ferguson Marine scandal, predicts SNP ministerEXCLUSIVE: Jenny Gilruth told the Record a "substantial" number of vessels in the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet would need replacement in the coming years and Fergusons could bid for the work.

Mail Online

• Coroner slams smart motorway after father-of-four killed crashing into Land Rover stranded on M4Zoltan Torok, a 42-year-old engineer, suffered 'multiple catastrophic injuries' when he struck a broken down Land Rover Discovery stuck in the 'inner slow lane' of the M4 near Slough on May 7 last year.
• Qantas airline leaving customers on hold for six hours with woeful customer serviceDisgruntled Aussie Qantas customers vented after enduring four-five hour long waiting times over the phone, sudden flight cancellations and a whopping $800 cancellation fee.
• Grant Shapps gives P&O Ferries one last chance to U-turn on sackingsIn a letter to the firm's boss, Peter Hebblethwaite, the Transport Secretary vowed new laws to close a 'loophole' in national minimum wage rules exploited by the firm.
• British Airways warn passengers they must wear face masks on flights to 50 destinationsBA customers will only need to wear a face covering on board flights if their destination requires it, the airline said earlier but it has since written this includes where it is unsure masks are required.

Sky News

• Another P&O ferry 'Pride of Kent' being detained after failing inspectionA second P&O ferry, the Pride of Kent, is being detained after it failed safety checks by authorities amid the backlash over the company's decision to replace 800 seafarers with lower-paid crew.

Birmingham Post

• Grant Shapps warns P&O Ferries boss of law changes to protect seafarers after 800 workers sackedHe also called on Mr Hebblethwaite to offer all 800 workers their jobs back
• Green jet fuel takes off for British Airways as first supplies received from Humber refineryPhillips 66 has invested £20m at leading European plant at South Killingholme
• Airbus A380 plane powered by used cooking oil completes flightA second flight with the same aircraft will take place this week to test the use of sustainable fuel during take-off and landing

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• ASLEF slams Northern timetable cutsTRAIN drivers' trade union, ASLEF, has welcomed West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin's comments on Northern Trains' plans to cut more services from Bradford, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Wakefield and Halifax from May.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Drivers have their say after another weekend of parking chaos in SnowdoniaThe visitor season has not yet begun but already scores of motorists are parking illegally and blocking roads

Wales Online

• We put questions to Transport for Wales about why train services are still operating a reduced timetableTransport for Wales have said that they have been slowly restoring services since February, with the final services expected to be restored in April.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Fuel prices 'fall like a feather' despite Rishi Sunak's duty cutThe average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts has fallen by just 3.7p per litre since the reduction was announced.

Bucks Free Press

• Little Missenden HS2 vent shaft 'screen' approved'Improved screening' of a controversial rail project has been accepted.

North Wales Live

• Manchester Airport workers offered £20 and overtime pay to skip breakThe airport has suffered long queues amid staff shortages

Other Regional Press

• New P&O ship Arvia to launch this year (with Southampton cruises)IT IS set to launch later this year and Southampton will play a major part in its life.
• Oxford County Council passes new speed limits on key Bicester roadsA REDUCED speed limit of 40mph is set to be introduced on most of the roads that encircle Bicester – despite the measures being labelled “draconian”.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Ambitious transport plans in Southampton over the next three yearsSouthampton City Council approved the three-year Implementation Plan at the recent Full Council meeting. The Implementation Plan sets out proposals to invest in supporting the growth of Southampton, including the Freeport, and helping support people move around Southampton easily and sustainably. The Plan sets out spending on transport projects and infrastructure over the next three years to ’Get Southampton Moving’. This includes investment in road maintenance, continuing with infrastructure developments already made across Southampton through the Transforming Cities programme, ...

Green Miscellany

• Get cycling to improve nation’s health, urges Sir Chris WhittyThe government’s chief medical officer for England, Sir Chris Whitty, has urged people to get cycling to fight obesity. Speaking at the annual conference of the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Public Health, Whitty said people should be encouraged to incorporate walking or cycling to work into their daily lives to help combat obesity and that… The post Get cycling to improve nation’s health, urges Sir Chris Whitty appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• Britain to Force Ferry Firms to Pay Minimum Wage After P&O RowBritain said on Monday it will force ferry operators docking in its ports to pay the minimum wage as it stepped up pressure on P&O Ferries to rehire 800 workers who the company fired without notice in favor of cheaper staff.P&O, which is owned by Dubai ports firm DP World…
• Second P&O Ferry Detained Amid Sackings ScandalBritain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is detaining a second P&O ferry, the Pride of Kent, following safety checks by the authorities, Sky News reported on Monday.The MCA earlier in the day said the ferry was undergoing checks to ensure it was safe to put to sea without passengers or cargo,
• Gatwick Airport: New France, Italy and Iceland travel rules ahead of EasterFrance is a hit with Brits, with many choosing to visit Paris, the glamorous Côte d'Azur and the French Alps

EIN News Subscription

• Dublin Airport apologizes for lengthy delays, advises arriving earlier … busy times. Like other airports all over Europe, we are currently work … , Irish airline Ryanair is advising even more time. "Passengers should arrive … hours to get through security: #DublinAirport chaos! 3hours through airport security. pic.twitter.com …
• Green jet fuel takes off for British Airways as first supplies received from Humber refinery … piped down to Heathrow Airport using existing infrastructure. The … has been welcomed by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, with … production. Parent company International Airlines Group is investing $400 … , Phillips 66's European strategy manager added: “The …
• British Airways to Power a Number of Flights With Sustainable Aviation Fuel as it Marks The Delivery of its First Supply from Phillips 66 Limited … Transport’s Jet Zero Council Delivery Group. British Airways … Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s great to see British Airways … customers on short-haul European flights can help fund … of an average British Airways European return flight per customer, …