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

Wednesday, 15 February 2023

BBC News

• Rail bridge repairs to three historic Devon structuresThree historical railway bridges in Devon have had extensive repair work following a £243,000 investment.
• All major road building projects in Wales are scrappedAll major road building projects in Wales have been scrapped over environmental concerns.
• Not all Welsh bus services can be funded, minister warnsCash for Welsh bus services uncertain after summer despite extension of Covid-era scheme.
• Welsh roads review ignored citizens, ex-Labour transport minister saysA former Labour transport minister criticises the Welsh government as major road projects are axed.
• UK space launch: Dislodged fuel filter blamed for rocket failureVirgin Orbit says a dislodged filter caused a rocket engine to overheat, leading to a malfunction.
• London: Crashes drop by 25% after 20mph limit introducedTransport for London is planning to impose the restriction on 137 more miles of road by 2024.
• Air India in record order for new planesThe airline orders a total of 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing as it targets a major expansion.
• Ford to cut one in five jobs in the UKThe carmaker will cut 1,300 jobs, mainly at its research and development site in Essex.

ITV News

• Roads review: Welsh Government delay, change or scrap all projects in bid to reduce carbon emissionsNearly all road-building projects in Wales have been delayed, changed or scrapped altogether as the Welsh Government sets out a transport plan that aims to reduce carbon emissions.

Financial Times

• ‘Eating your young’: US airlines poach pilots from regional affiliatesHigh-flying wages for captains and first officers ripple through stretched aviation industry

The Guardian

• Welsh road building projects stopped after failing climate reviewOnly 15 schemes reassessed by expert roads review panel under ’world-leading’ policy will go ahead

Times Online

• Ford cuts 1,300 jobs — a fifth of UK workforce. [subscription]Ford is to cut 1,300 jobs, about 20 per cent of its UK workforce, in another significant blow for the diminishing British car industry.
• Rugby hero Rob Wainwright leads ferry compensation fight. [subscription]A former Scotland rugby captain is leading calls for compensation for islanders affected by ferry disruption.
• Regions with easier commutes lead office return. [subscription]Workers outside London who have shorter commutes on public transport are returning to their offices more frequently.
• Train firms accuse RMT of bad faith in strike talks. [subscription]Bosses at the Rail Delivery Group are said to be furious with the union

Daily Record

• Falkirk bus service report 'too expensive' despite 'appalling' serviceThe council agreed with officials that it could not afford the cost of a report to examine options for better bus services around Falkirk - never mind the cost of actually making any improvements.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Northern pre-empts season ticket ‘scam’ with new schemeNORTHERN has made it more difficult for fraudsters to cheat ticket checks on its trains in a scam the train operator says would have been akin to ‘Netflix password sharing’.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 'Kick in the teeth' for North Wales - Furious backlash against scrapping of region's road schemesA former transport minister has called for road and rail transport to be devolved to North Wales
• Valentine's Day roads' massacre a bridge too far for the people of North Wales Scrapping the third Menai Crossing and the Deeside red route feels like the region's creaking transport network is being martyred to hit 'net zero' targets

Wales Online

• Some of Wales' biggest road building schemes scrapped as Welsh Government releases details of its roads reviewSome of the most high profile road building schemes in Wales have been scrapped following a review of road building projects in Wales.
• Buses told not to stop at Gorseinon station after 6pm as anti-social behaviour issues are so seriousFirst Cymru has said the safety of its staff and customers is 'always the priority'

Wrexham.com

• Welsh Government scrap A483 junction upgrade plan – call for “Decisions about North Wales should be made in North Wales” by local MSUpdate: Wrexham Council have said in response to the statement, “We are writing to Welsh Government ministers to understand the wording in the transport delivery plan and our aim is to ensure the project included in this plan is fully funded by Welsh Government and delivered within the time frame of the plan.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Forbes

• All Road Building Projects Scrapped By Welsh Government After Advice From Car Dependence ExpertsThe Welsh Government has today scrapped all major road schemes, placing the climate and ecological emergency at the heart of decision making on future infrastructure spending. The decision was unveiled on February 14 by the deputy minister for economy and transport, Lee Waters.

New Civil Engineer

• Highlands funicular railway reopens after four years of setbacks and cost hikesCairngorm Mountain Railway, the only funicular railway in Scotland, has reopened to the public after more than four years of closure due to structural issues.
• Inflation hits Somerset’s A38 upgrade as costs soar by £6MA major road improvement project in Somerset has been hit by inflation with costs of the scheme forecast to skyrocket by nearly £6M.
• Reopening of abandoned Merseyside railway under considerationSt Helens Borough Council is investigating the possibility of reopening part of the abandoned St. Helens and Runcorn Gap railway in Merseyside.

Railway Gazette

• Arriva calls for open access summitArriva has called for an ’open access summit’ to enable the rail industry to ’collectively work through the barriers and agree practical steps for unleashing more of these innovative services, including through making best use of unused capacity on the network’.

Other News Sources

• Highways chiefs to review signage at dangerous ’rat run’ junction south of LancasterHighways bosses have said they will look again at signage on a dangerous junction south of Lancaster in light of residents' concerns after a spate of collisions.