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

Friday, 03 June 2022

BBC News

• Platinum Jubilee: Severn Valley Railway unveils Elizabeth II trainA heritage railway has unveiled a train in honour of the Queen for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
• Major rail signal upgrade in Manchester over Jubilee breakNetwork Rail say 450 engineers will complete a
• ScotRail: Union says train drivers close to agreeing pay dealMore pay talks are scheduled for Monday, as ScotRail introduces a temporary timetable for Sundays.

Financial Times

• Travellers told to arrive at UK airports no more than three hours before flightsAirlines warn that people arriving too early only adds to the disruption, which appeared to ease on Thursday

The Guardian

• Shapps risks travel chaos by ruling out emergency visa for aviation workersThe transport secretary is rejecting calls for an emergency visa for aviation workers to tackle the chaos at airports that has marred the half-term holiday, industry bosses have reportedly claimed.

The Independent

• Shapps ’risking travel chaos by ruling out emergency visa for aviation workers’The Transport Secretary is risking travel chaos by rejecting calls for an emergency visa for aviation workers, industry bosses have claimed.

Times Online

• Airline bosses call for army to help ease delays [subscription]Grant Shapps refuses to loosen visa restrictions for foreign workers

Sky News

• Don't travel with hold bags to avoid airport chaos, union boss warnsHolidaymakers hoping to fly over the Bank Holiday weekend should only take cabin bags to avoid delays as the chaos continues at UK airports, a travel union boss has said.

Birmingham Post

• North East firm launches 'world's first' automated offshore wind vessel charging technologyThe kit was recently displayed at an industry showcase in Portsmouth
• New link road announced for Cornwall to create 6,000 jobsThe Government has said the multimillion-pound scheme will ease congestion in the area

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Purple loco is the star of the show at Severn Valley Railway's Jubilee eventPeople gathered from near and far at the Severn Valley Railway to enjoy the start of the four-day Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations – but there was no doubt what the star of the show was.

Leeds Live

• Leeds Bradford Airport sees 'Biblical queues' in early hours of Jubilee Friday Passengers on Jubilee Weekend getaways face a long wait

Other Regional Press

• ScotRail announces temporary timetable for SundaysScotRail is introducing a temporary timetable for Sundays "to provide greater certainty and reliability for customers". The announcement follows the introduction of temporary timetables for Monday – Friday and Saturday.
• MSP voices major concern over cuts to Eastwood train servicesEastwood MSP Jackson Carlaw has expressed outrage after dozens of train services in his constituency were axed after ScotRail put in place a reduced timetable.
• Number of electric cars in Dorset surgeThe number of electric vehicles in Dorset rose by over 50% last year, new figures show.

Coach and Bus Week

• Sir Brian to leave Stagecoach Board as share delisting loomsFurther progress has been made in DWS’ acquisition of Stagecoach, with an acceptance of the offer received in respect of the 80,167,309 Stagecoach Shares attributed to Sir Brian Souter. By midday on 26 May DWS had acquired, or agreed to acquire, 459,423,863 Stagecoach shares representing approximately 81.75% of the voting rights exercisable at a general meeting of Stagecoach.
• First completes electrification of Caledonia depotFirst Bus has completed its project to install 160 chargers at its main Glasgow depot thanks to significant investment from the Scottish Government
• Stagecoach acquires east London bus operations from Kelsian GroupStagecoach announced on 27 May that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Kelsian Group’s Tower Transit East London bus operations and depot at Lea Interchange for a total of £20m. The first £10m will be payable on completion of the sale, with a further £1m per annum payable for 10 years commencing on the first anniversary of completion, subject to certain conditions.

Rail Advent

• Network Rail finishes £600k safety work at Derbyshire quarry sidingsDove Holes Quarry sidings at Peak Forest have seen the safety project complete as part of Network Rails Freight Safety Improvement Portfolio

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Blackpool Transport adopts Ticketer Handheld devicesBlackpool Transport has extended its use of Ticketer electronic ticket machines (ETMs) with the deployment of Ticketer Handheld units across its tram fleet. They complement, and offer the same capabilities as, the fixed Ticketer machines used on the municipal operator’s buses.
• Arriva forms Zero Emission Institute as knowledge hubArriva has announced the formation of an in-house Zero Emission Institute. It acts as a central knowledge hub under one virtual roof that the group says “will benefit Passenger Transport Authorities and Arriva’s business units.”
• Over 250-mile zero-emission coach range needed by majority54% of coach operators believe that a zero-emission coach would need a range of over 250 miles for them to have confidence to invest in such technology. That is according to a response from the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) to the government’s call for evidence on setting an end date for the sale of new non-zero-emission coaches.
• Rotheram renews deregulation attack as bus flat fare plannedLiverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has again attacked the deregulated bus model and said that he is “fighting to win London-style funding” to allow the conurbation’s public transport modes to be brought together into an integrated network.

Other News Sources

• Rail unions striking the wrong note  I want to see the jobs of rail workers protected and their pay enhanced, but the way to get there is by embracing change   An eerily quiet concourse at London Victoria. It may well be that the chill of half empty commuter trains is proving a reality check for rail workers at TOCs serving the London commuter market   Now is the summer of our discontent, Made possible by the RMT. OK, less poetic than Shakespeare, but sadly more topical as we see the storm clouds of strikes gathering. We are facing the biggest national rail strike since 1982. The issues, it seems, relate to pay, ...
• TfL announces major London bus shake-upPlans would affect around 78 bus routes in inner and central London and see 16 completely withdrawn in response to Covid-19 emergency funding   End of the road? Route 12 is one of 16 routes facing complete withdrawal   Transport for London has announced a substantial shake-up of the capital’s bus network in central and inner London that would affect around 78 bus routes. It could also lead to the complete withdrawal of 16 routes. It claims the proposals to reshape the network follow the government’s requirement for significant savings from TfL and to “reduce service levels on London’...
• Electric car sales in East Lancs rise amid rising fuel pricesTHE number of electric vehicles sold across East Lancashire last year rose sharply, new figures reveal.