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

Monday, 18 July 2022

BBC News

• Businesses urged to have their say on rail route from Shrewsbury to BirminghamBusinesses across the Midlands have been urged to have their say about improvements to a rail route between Shrewsbury and Birmingham.
• Commonwealth Games 'deliberately targeted' with rail strikesSports Minister Nigel Huddleston is urging the rail unions to change their minds.
• UK set to have world's biggest automated drone superhighwayThe UK is set to become home to the world's largest automated drone superhighway within the next two years.

Financial Times

• Boeing chief defends his record amid production delaysDave Calhoun says that the company could launch a new plane without having to tap shareholders
• European Investment Bank pledges to cut spending on roadsComments from vice-president Kris Peeters come amid criticism from environmental campaigners

The Guardian

• UK braces for record temperature as first ever red heat warning comes into effectNetwork Rail says to avoid trains unless absolutely necessary, with much of country covered by extreme heat alert. The UK's first ever red warning for exceptional heat came into force at midnight, with temperatures expected to climb up to 41C (105.8F) over the next two days, breaking the country's heat records. Passengers have been urged not to travel by train from Monday as a record-breaking heatwave hits the UK, while the deputy prime minister said schools should not close and people should be resilient enough to enjoy the sunshine.

Times Online

• Ferry breakdowns ‘a rebuke from God’ for sailings on SabbathAn increase in ferry breakdowns shows “God’s displeasure” after the introduction of Sunday sailings to the Western Isles by Scotland’s state operator, says a church leader.

City AM

• Eurostar sees faster than expected business travel reboundBusiness travellers are once again letting the train take the strain, with Eurostar reporting numbers heading back to pre-pandemic highs.

Mail Online

• BA and easyJet worst culprits for flight chaos and Ryanair and Jet2 have fewest, figures showThe worst offenders are easyJet and British Airways, which have called off about three out of every 100 of their flights within 72 hours of departure.

The Mirror

• Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat promises gigantic HS2 expansion live on TVIt was not immediately clear if Tom Tugendhat's promise to expand the HS2 track all the way to Scotland - when currently it will end in the East Midlands and Manchester - was a slip of the tongue

Network Rail

• No services on routes from London King's Cross to the north on Tuesday afternoonNetwork Rail will close the East Coast Main Line (ECML) for all locations between London King’s Cross and York and Leeds due to the extreme weather expected on Tuesday 19 July. Passengers are being warned not to travel.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Nationwide rail strikes will go ahead later this monthTrain drivers’ union Aslef said the industrial action planned for the end of July will mean “virtually no serviceâ€� in areas affected.
• Claim that Council sees cars as enemy is described as 'gibberish'BRADFORD Council should “stop seeing cars as the enemyâ€� when it develops new road schemes – a Conservative Councillor has argued.

Bristol Live

• First Bus drivers allowed to ditch uniform as 'extreme heat' hits this weekDrivers will not have to wear their usual uniform
• First Bus passengers can still buy tickets through app as 'tap on tap-off' introducedThe major changes came into force at the weekend

Northern Echo

• Teesside Airport: 200 new jobs as Willis confirm £25m investmentA global aviation company is to create 200 jobs as part of a £25m investment at Teesside Airport.

The York Press

• East Coast Mainline to close on Tuesday because of heatwaveA YORK-BASED train firm has issued a 'do not travel' warning during the heatwave this week, when temperatures are expected to reach around 39 degrees. David Horne, managing director of York-based LNER, tweeted that the rail industry had taken the 'very difficult decision' to close the East Coast main line between York/Leeds and London on Tuesday, when temperatures were due to peak at 39 deg C.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Northern to reinstate over a dozen rail services connecting Leeds with Harrogate and YorkNorthern is set to reinstate a number of previously cancelled services by December this year.

Yorkshire Post

• Why York stands ready to be central to the future of rail and host Great British Railways - Keith AspdenYork is a city of innovation and unmatched railway heritage and we stand ready to be central to the future of rail, as the home of Great British Railways.

Other Regional Press

• Global aviation firm teams up with Teesside Airport for £25m investmentThe announcement comes just days after it was revealed Teesside Airport recorded losses of almost £12m

New Civil Engineer

• Manchester City Council prepares petition for changes to HS2 Phase 2bManchester City Council (MCC) has outlined the changes it will be petitioning to see in the HS2 Phase 2b bill, including a switch to a through station at Manchester Piccadilly and new Metrolink services.
• Watch: Deep dive into the bridges and viaducts of HS2HS2 head of civil structure Tomas Garcia takes an in depth look at the bridges and viaducts which will carry High Speed 2.
• TfL bemoans ‘brain drain’ as HS2 poaches long-serving directorTransport for London (TfL) has blamed ongoing funding uncertainty for an exodus of talented staff after another senior officer left to join a rival transport organisation.