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

Saturday, 09 July 2022

BBC News

• Stagecoach Merseyside bus workers announce all-out strikeHundreds of Merseyside bus workers are to stage an all-out strike as a pay dispute intensifies.
• National Railway Museum: City of York Council defers hall decisionA decision whether to approve plans for a central hall linking both sides of the National Railway Museum has been deferred after a five-hour meeting.
• Skelmersdale MP accuses government of station snub ’betrayal'A Labour MP has accused the government of "betrayal" after plans for a railway station in Skelmersdale were rejected.
• London Underground: Five Tube stations to get 4G coverageAll major mobile phone networks sign up to high-speed mobile coverage across the Tube network.
• Enfield train crash: Driver denies falling asleep before derailmentTrain driver Erkan Mehmet is accused of having been unfit for work through drink or drugs.
• Petrol pricing is cause for concern, warns watchdogThe UK's competition body is launching an in-depth study of the market with fuel prices at record highs.

Financial Times

• Lufthansa and KLM cancel flights and limit sales of cheaper ticketsTwo of Europe's biggest airlines put measures in place to ease travel chaos
• EasyJet under fire as flight chaos exposes carrier's operating model Severe disruption hits airline, with a major factor being its reliance on capacity-constrained airports such as Gatwick
• Airline industry: rising costs make it harder to regain altitude Despite claims of a return to profitability there are plenty of other reasons for the carriers to keep their feet on the ground

Times Online

• Smart motorway cameras ’fail to spot four in ten broken-down cars’ [subscription]Technology intended to spot hazards on smart motorways is failing to detect nearly four in ten broken-down vehicles in time considered safe by road bosses, it was reported yesterday.

Mail Online

• Life-saving' technology on smart motorways is failing to detect nearly four in 10 broken-down vehicles within a 'safe time limit'A shocking internal report found stopped vehicle detection (SVD) technology is flagging only 62 per cent of those stranded in live traffic within 20 seconds.
• Train and bus services are cancelled across UK due to staff shortagesTransPennine Express, which runs trains across the North of England, has urged passengers to think 'is my journey necessary' because 'short-notice cancellations are likely'.

Bolton News

• Work to repair Bolton miniature railway beginsRepair work has begun at a miniature railway in Bolton which was targeted by vandals earlier this month.

Derby Telegraph

• Transpeak bus connecting Derby with the Peak District saved after cash boostA bus route connecting Derby with the Peak District which was due to be heavily reduced has now been saved in its entirety. The Transpeak service connecting Derby with Matlock and Buxton was set to be reduced from an hourly service to just one bus a day in each direction from Sunday, July 10, but it has now been saved following a financial boost from Derbyshire County Council.

Liverpool Echo

• Bus firms should 'think again' over Liverpool City Region cutsBus companies have the opportunity to “think again” about proposed service cuts across Liverpool City Region (LCR).
• Huge step towards new Merseyrail trains as RMT guards deal finally agreedThe long-running dispute has been settled, meaning the arrival of state-of-the-art trains is edging closer

Northern Echo

• How Billingham rail station is being transformed with millions of poundsA £3.59m campaign to boost accessibility at a railway station is underway after several years without investment.

Other Regional Press

• Exeter train Station to be developed to promote 'greener' travelPinhoe Station is to be developed after planning permission has been granted to provide more vehicle parking, Devon County Council has confirmed.
• Skelmersdale rail station plan rejected in decision branded a 'cruel joke'The Department for Transport has rejected a bid to fund a new station and rail line
• Heathrow worker reveals airport areas public aren't allowed to see - including what really happens to your luggageThe airport is a place of mystery; most of the time we have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. What happens to our bags after we check them in? What sort of journey are they making while we're shopping in duty free or sipping on a pint in Wetherspoons?

Rail Advent

• Evidence sought on how to increase amount of freight moved by railThe Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) is calling for evidence from businesses on how to increase the amount of freight that is moved by rail.
• State-of-the-art simulator will prepare Tyne and Wear Metro’s drivers for new trainsAn innovative simulator will provide a fully immersive training experience for Tyne and Wear Metro drivers as they prepare for the arrival of the new trains.

The Business Desk

• £39m bid to improve three railway stationsAn ambitious £39m bid to improve access to Thirsk, Scarborough and Seamer railway stations has been given the go-ahead.

Trafnidiaeth Cymru [Transport for Wales]

• Introducing ’Sherpa’r Wyddfa’ – Snowdonia’s new bus serviceAn improved bus service offering more services and better integration for passengers was officially launched today (Friday 8 July) at Nant Peris in Snowdonia National Park.

Other News Sources

• Park & Ride services in and around Oxford are to trial a new combined parking and bus ticket under new proposals.The aim is to make services more attractive for customers and encourage switch from car travel, helping reduce congestion.
• Multi-million-pound rail flood protection project gets underwayNetwork Rail has begun work to install around 10,000 tonnes of rock armour alongside a stretch of the Cambrian Line to make it more resilient and reliable for passengers.
• Government’s airport slot amnesty comes to endThe government’s short, one-off “amnesty” on airport slots rules comes to an end on Friday (July 8). The policy was announced by transport minister Grant Shapps and aviation minister Robert Courts last month to help airlines deliver a “realistic summer schedule” that minimises disruption and avoids last-minute cancellations.