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

Saturday, 21 January 2023

BBC News

• National Express West Midlands engineers to strike over payServices in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Coventry and West Bromwich are likely to be affected.
• FAA outage: US airline regulators blame contractor for travel chaosThe US airline regulator says a contractor is responsible for delaying and cancelling thousands of flights.
• Stagecoach co-founder Dame Ann Gloag charged with human trafficking offencesThe Stagecoach co-founder, her husband and two members of her family strongly deny the allegations.

The Guardian

• Britishvolt: how Britain's bright battery future fell flatStartup that hoped to transform UK car production was once valued at more than £800m, but collapsed worth a tiny fraction of thatWhen Britishvolt, a startup hoping to transform UK car production by making batteries for electric vehicles, rented a seven-bedroom £2.8m mansion with a swimming pool and Jacuzzi-style bath for workers, some employees were uncomfortable with the impression it gave of lavish spending.Founded in 2019, Britishvolt began with grand ambitions – hailed by the then prime minister, Boris Johnson – to become the first domestically owned battery factory in a car industry that ...

The Herald

• Prestwick Airport needs taxpayer millions to remain in existenceEXECUTIVES at nationalised Prestwick Airport are expecting continued multi-million pound public money support to keep it in existence while public spending auditors said it is not clear that government intervention has provided value for the taxpayer pound.

The Independent

• HS2 archaeologists find scars of early Civil War skirmishAround 200 impact marks from pistol shots were discovered on a medieval gatehouse of Coleshill Manor in Warwickshire.
• Drivers missing out in pump price warsThe AA said retail giants engaged in competitive pump price cuts are primarily in northern England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The Telegraph

• 'It's pleasing to see the UK Government finally find a modicum of backbone and challenge Sturgeon'
• London school bus bursts into flames with pupils inside

Times Online

• Should you really get an electric car? [Subscription]Some say they’re hard to charge and expensive to fix. Others insist they are cheaper to run and less likely to go wrong. We check the evidence

Mail Online

• Hydrogen-powered plane takes to the skies over the CotswoldsAircraft firm ZeroAvia conducted the successful test flight of its Dornier 228 plane on Thursday afternoon at Cotswold Airport near Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

The Mirror

• HS2 uncovers 'secret' English Civil War battle unknown to history in astonishing findThe astonishing discovery was made along the route of the HS2 high-speed rail line in Warwickshire earlier this month with experts finding more than 200 pistol and musket ball marks on the remains of a medieval gatehouse
• Most dangerous countries for air travel - see full global list of banned airlinesA number of countries have all of their airlines totally banned from European airspace due being considered unsafe by the EU Air Safety Committee, including those from Afghanistan, Liberia and Sudan

This is Money

• Soaring used car prices slow to a crawl as cost-of-living crisis takes gripThe soaring price of second-hand cars are showing signs of slowing to a crawl, according to latest market data.
• Is the electric car revolution running out of juice?We're in the middle of a perfect storm for electric cars. A planned battery factory in the North East has gone bust and charging costs are soaring.
• Two in five supermarket electric car chargers found not to be workingHalf of chargers at the Tesco and Morrisons stores reviewed across the country were not working, while two in five at Lidl were displayed as having a fault.

Sky News

• Stagecoach Group co-founder charged in connection with human trafficking investigationDame Ann Gloag, co-founder of Stagecoach Group, has been charged in connection with a human trafficking investigation.
• 'Total liability': Rishi Sunak faces backlash from MPs after being handed second police fineRishi Sunak has been branded a "total liability" and "hapless" as he faced a backlash for being fined for a second time, with police handing him a fixed penalty notice over not wearing a seatbelt.

Birmingham Post

• National Express bus engineers vote for strike actionAround 200 staff at the Birmingham-based transport group have backed walkout in a row over pay

Bolton News

• Bromley Cross residents share their concerns on 'deep' potholesResidents in Bromley Cross have shared their concerns regarding potholes in their area.
• Bolton: Traffic survey to be completed after HGVs get stuckA traffic survey is expected to be carried out after concerns over heavy goods vehicles being directed near a small cul-de-sac.
• Roadworks on A666 Blackburn Road cause 'chaos' for residentsResidents across Bolton have shared their frustrations regarding the 'chaos' on the A666 Blackburn Road as works continue in the area.

Bristol Live

• The rules around wearing seatbelt after PM Rishi Sunak fined for not belting upIt is a legal requirement to buckle up

Manchester Evening News

• Overnight closures of M56 motorway postponedThe motorway will however still be shut overnight near Northwich in Cheshire next weekend

Northern Echo

• Highway Code: Driving with a dog could land you £5,000 fineTo stay safe while driving and avoid the hefty fine, ensure your dog (or any other pet) is restrained appropriately

The York Press

• UK drivers warned of common offence that carries £2,500 fineMore than half of motorists admit they have done this in the past, despite risking a fine of £60, potentially rising to £2,500 fine

Wales Online

• UK Government minister defends giving Wales £50m for a train station but not £5bn as a share of HS2UK government transport minister Mark Harper said the Levelling Up system showed a 'really good collaborative approach' but Cardiff council's leader bemoaned having to go 'cap in hand'
• Everything we know about Cardiff's first new tram line in a century that's hoped to transform public transport in south WalesThe new line to Cardiff Bay is just the start of a mind-boggling, immense and very costly project

Bucks Free Press

• HS2 boosts apprenticeship opportunities and funding for localsThe construction of Britain's new zero carbon, high-speed railway, High Speed Two (HS2), is now moving full steam ahead.

Get Surrey

• Guildford drivers 'putting fire crews at risk' by ignoring fire station warning lightsThe lights are activated when fire crews are responding to an emergency

Other Regional Press

• Drivers face delays near Coventry this weekend as huge A46 bridge is installedA stretch of the road will be closed between Coventry and Kenilworth
• Electric car drivers face problems with range, cost and broken charge pointsThe Government is being urged to do more to help electric vehicle owners, with RAC saying it's £10 cheaper to fill up a petrol car
• Councillors cover 20 miles to report 35 South Oxhey potholesIntrepid councillors covered 20 miles to measure, photograph, and report 35 potholes.
• Oxford LTNs: London schemes don't seem to offset traffic, study findsNew research shows that LTNs in London have substantially reduced traffic on roads within the schemes themselves without adding much to traffic on boundary roads.
• Change to MOT tests could make cars 'death traps on wheels'Under new plans the time between MOT tests could increase from one year to two, and from three years to four for new cars
• Met Office issues 9-hour 'do not travel warning' as urgent weather alert issued'Extremely dangerous' driving conditions are expected between 2am and 11am on Saturday, January 21
• M62 and M1 closures in force for repairs as Yorkshire drivers warned to expect delaysUpgrades to the central barrier are being undertaken on both motorways

Railnews

• Train operators make new pay offer to RMT The RMT is considering a 'best and final' pay offer, which train operators made last night. It includes increases of five and four per cent for 2022 and 2023 respectively, along with proposals to adapt the railway to allow for 'significant changes' in demand. The Rail Delivery Group also said that staff are guaranteed no compulsory redundancies until at least 31 December 2024, but the operators have stepped back from the previous demand that trains should operated by drivers only.

Other News Sources

• Shuttle bus for Hereford? Parking woes could see city dieMUCH of Britain seems to be afflicted with car parking problems.