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

Saturday, 23 July 2022

BBC News

• Police loaned electric motorbikes for Commonwealth GamesThe Harley Davidsons are to be used for escort duties throughout Birmingham 2022.
• Summer holidays: Travel warning as record numbers get awayAnyone setting off is advised to leave early or late to try to avoid hold-ups on the roads.
• Manchester Metrolink trial allows pet dogs on board tramsOwners can take two dogs on the Metrolink for free but must follow rules on safety and cleanliness.
• London Tube cooling system trial for deepest lines beginsAfter this week's record-breaking temperatures bosses hope the technology will mean cooler commutes.
• Cost of living: Fuel and clothing at top of family spending cutsRetailers say record price rises are making households concerned over what they can afford.
• British Airways staff call off Heathrow strike after 8% pay rise dealHundreds of staff at Heathrow were set to strike over the busy summer holiday period.
• Rail strikes to go ahead next WednesdayThe RMT union says walkouts across the network will happen after talks failed to find a breakthrough.

Financial Times

• Passengers face chaotic trips as flight disruption sweeps EuropeChronic staff shortages across sector have led to surge in cancellations, delays and lost luggage
• Dover set for more chaos as ‘critical incident’ declaredHolidaymakers told to expect long delays as French authority’s ‘woefully inadequate’ staffing comes under fire

The Guardian

• Rail strike of more than 40,000 workers across Britain to go ahead on 27 JulyMembers of RMT union will strike next week after talks over pay, jobs and conditions broke downA planned strike of over 40,000 workers at Network Rail and more than a dozen train companies will go ahead next week, after the latest talks broke down.Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at 14 train operating companies and Network Rail will go on strike on Wednesday 27 July in a dispute about pay, jobs and conditions. Continue reading...
• Warning Dover port chaos could spill into weekend as queues last six hoursKent port apologises for delays and blames French border control as summer getaway kicks offHolidaymakers have been warned chaos that triggered six-hour queues at Dover could spill into the weekend, after the port declared a “critical incidentâ€� that it blamed on “woefully inadequateâ€� French border control staffing.The Kent port apologised to travellers facing long waits to cross the Channel on an extremely busy day for travel across the UK, as schools across England and Wales break up for the holidays. Continue reading...

The Independent

• TfL reviewing long-term funding settlementTfL said it would respond to the Government’s proposal ‘as soon as possible’.

The Telegraph

• Friday evening UK news briefing: British holidaymakers hit by six-hour bottleneck at Dover port
• Rail strikes will go ahead next week after talks break down

Times Online

• Irish Rail rules out all-night services over safety fears [subscription]Irish Rail has rejected suggestions that it could run train services through the night or at much later or earlier hours.
• Dover port delays: French blamed for six-hour queues to cross to Continent [subscription]France has been told to properly staff its immigration checkpoints at Dover or risk a summer of the six-hour queues endured by holidaymakers yesterday.
• Charge of the electric bike brigade [subscription]Sales exploded during the pandemic — and the revolution shows no sign of slowing down, writes Ben Clatworthy. Plus: Hugo Rifkind on why his e-bike is the future

City AM

• French border police blames ‘unexpected’ incident for Dover bottlenecks The French border police has blamed an “unexpected technical” incident for the hour-long bottlenecks at the port of Dover. Authorities said they will work closely with the UK counterparts to handle surging traffic levels. The remarks come after the Port of Dover said the queues were caused by “inadequate French border capacity.â€� “Resource at the [...] The post French border police blames ‘unexpected’ incident for Dover bottlenecks appeared first on CityAM.

Daily Express

• Potential solution to airport chaos as London Southend offers to host cancelled flightsLONDON SOUTHEND Airport have contacted airlines offering to host flights cancelled by other busier airports.

Daily Record

• ScotRail cancels hundreds of trains as RMT confirms Network Rail walkoutJust nine Scottish train services will operate every hour on the day of the industrial action by railway network staff.
• ScotRail alcohol ban to continue indefinitely with 'no timeframe' for removalEXCLUSIVE: Opposition parties have called on ScotRail "to be straight with people" over the reasons for continuing the booze ban.

Mail Online

• Families face ANOTHER day of gridlock around Dover with 19m cars hitting the roads this weekendTens of thousands of Britons face having their holiday plans ruined at the start of the busiest school break for England and Wales in nearly a decade.

Sky News

• Airport with spare capacity offers to host flights being cancelled by bigger, crowded hubsLondon Southend Airport has contacted airlines offering to host flights being cancelled by busier airports.
• Delays for Channel ferries could be worse today, as UK and France argue over who is to blameBritain's travel chaos could get even worse today, with further delays expected at the Port Of Dover as the UK and France continue to argue over who is to blame for the gridlock.

Birmingham Post

• Rolls-Royce secures engine service deal with airline VietJetThe aerospace giant, which has bases in Derby and Bristol, will maintain its Trent 700 engines powering the Vietnamese carrier's first widebody aircraft
• Meet the sailboat pioneers turning the tide on global shipping New Dawn Traders in Cornwall are among a growing band of entrepreneurs carrying cargo under sail

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Become a bus drivers with new Realise training scheme in West YorkshireResidents in Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale who are over the age of 19 are eligible to pursue a new career as a bus driver.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• New Airbus military helicopter that could create hundreds of jobs touches down in North Wales The new H175M landed at the manufacturer's plant in Broughton for the first time today
• More dangerous drivers taken off the roads of North Wales - and the crimes that got them bannedTheir actions put the lives of law-abiding motorists and pedestrians at serious risk

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Rail strike to go ahead next week crippling services across the UKMore than 40,000 workers at Network Rail and 14 train operating companies to take action after talks failed to resolve the dispute

Bucks Free Press

• Carousel Buses and Heathrow re-launch airport connectionThe route was suspended in 2020 during the pandemic.

Cambridge News

• Rail strikes: Cambridgeshire trains face disruption as drivers strike over pay and conditions90 per cent of services by Greater Anglia will not run during the 24-hour strike

Leeds Live

• Leeds Bradford Airport issues key advice to passengers before big weekend summer getawayThe airport has given advice on how soon you should arrive
• KLM pilots at Leeds Bradford Airport forced to clean own cockpit windows amid staffing crisisThis was seen amid the understaffing crisis affecting airports across the country

Reading Evening Post

• Heathrow Airport strikes called off in boost to passengersBritish Airways staff were considering industrial action
• When are the next train strikes? Dates of the RMT and ASLEF rail strikesThere are four days of strikes planned for July and August

Other Regional Press

• LISTED: All the roads in Witney that will become 20mph after council decisionDozens of 30mph roads are set to be lowered to 20mph by the county council this year, in an attempt to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Southampton bus fares cut ahead of school holidays to ease cost of living crisisBUS users will be able to enjoy slashed prices as part of a drive to ease the cost of living crisis.
• Major M20 diversion in place amid port chaosYet more traffic misery will be piled on motorists this weekend as they face having to endure a huge M20 diversion towards the coast.
• M20 shut amid summer getaway chaosRoad bosses have warned journeys will take longer after shutting a huge section of the coastbound M20 to reduce congestion at a Kent port.
• RAC issues warning to drivers over UK roads this weekendMotorists have been issued a warning before heading out in the car this weekend.

C.N.N.

• Cadillac thinks its hand-built electric car can take on Rolls-RoyceCadillac is going back into a market segment it hasn't occupied in decades: the world of true ultra-luxury cars with huge six-figure price tags. General Motors unveiled the Cadillac Celestiq on Friday, and the company wants it to beat the best in the world.

Other News Sources

• South Western Railway strike next week will 'severely reduce' number of trains as timetable publishedPassengers have been urged only to travel by rail if absolutely necessary on Wednesday, July 27
• Gatwick Airport hires hundreds of security staff to ease summer rushGATWICK Airport said it has hired 400 new security staff in recent weeks to help ease queues.

EIN News Subscription

• Virgin Atlantic seeks to hire 200 pilots amid transport staffing shortage         … summer, even as the European air-transport industry remains in the … attractive employer than other airlines due to the attractions … during the coronavirus crisis.  European transport chaos this summer is … 2 million workers across the EU, the World Travel …
• How airports like Dubai handle the heat while UK runways are melting … week between stories of raging European wildfires and government heat wave … temperatures, sparking concerns that other airports could face sticky situations of … resistance.â€� Could other modes of transport be affected by climate change …
• Boeing outmaneuvers Airbus at first Farnborough since COVID … up more orders than its European rival Airbus at the first Farnborough … firm Aviation Capital, and Qatar Airways. Airbus failed to keep up with … to industry body the International Air Transport Association. Aviation has yet to …