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

Friday, 17 February 2023

BBC News

• Strike shuts Dundee Airport to flightsSome staff walk out in a pay dispute with their employer, Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.
• Thurrock Council proposes 9.99% tax increase and budget cutsConservatives in Thurrock propose cuts to youth work and bus services in next year's budget.
• Hattersley railway station's £750,000 upgrade completedAbout 10,000 passengers a year will benefit from improvements at Hattersley station, its operator says.
• Rail workers to stage more strikes in pay disputeThe RMT union announces a series of new strikes in March and April.

Financial Times

• Aviation sector pushes EU for green investment statusIncluding jet-fuel powered aircraft in finance framework would be greenwashing, say environmentalists
• Air France-KLM chief warns on western airlines access to China's post-Covid travel boomFlight route restrictions imposed due to Ukraine war will give Chinese operators an advantage, says Ben Smith

The Guardian

• RMT announces further national rail strikesStrikes to begin on 16 March after union rejects offers from train operators and Network Rail. The RMT union has announced further national strikes and wider action on the railways after rejecting offers from both train operators and Network Rail last week.

The Telegraph

• Surrey joins county councils taking Sadiq Khan to court over planned Ulez extension [subscription]Bromley, Bexley, Hillingdon and Harrow previously joined together to look into avenues for blocking the August extension of the scheme

Times Online

• Cheaper fares on Mondays to lure back commuters. [subscription]It has become one of the great post-pandemic riddles of the railway: how to entice commuters back to the office on Mondays and Fridays.

City AM

• The congestion charge has saved us from the tyranny of highways The congestion charge covers jsut 1.3 per cent of Greater London, but has led to a 30 per cent reduction in congestion, as well as a revenue stream for public transport. The post The congestion charge has saved us from the tyranny of highways

Mail Online

• Sadiq Khan fumes he'll take 'no lectures' from Boris Johnson after ex-PM blasted plan to expand ULEZIn a video, Boris Johnson urged people to stop Sadiq Khan's 'mad expansion plan', which he labelled a 'lefty tax on people's lives and livelihoods'.

Birmingham Post

• Airbus earnings up despite supply chain issues impacting outputThe aerospace giant which employs thousands of people at its UK sites in South Gloucestershire and North Wales has announced its production target for commercial aircraft in 2023
• Bentley starts work on £35m project to accelerate fully-electric plansThe buildings are expected to be completed by the end of the year
• Use of hydrogen in aviation sector being explored by Wales & West UtilitiesThe review will look at how hydrogen could be used to power aircraft

Daily Post (North Wales)

• End dates for A55 roadworks that caused three years of delays, diversions and finesOne politician is now hoping there won't be 'another speed bump' before the £30m scheme finally finishes
• Welsh Government has spent nearly £20m on axed road projects in North WalesThe government had already forked out large amounts of funding on developing several plans

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Flybe employees may take legal action after finding out they had lost their jobs on Zoom callA number of employees affected by the collapse of Birmingham-based airline Flybe may take legal action over the way redundancies were managed.

Bucks Free Press

• Buckinghamshire Council receive £120k grant for projectA COUNCIL environmental protection team has been awarded £120,000 to carry out a travel planning and eco-driving project.

Other Regional Press

• Call to cut speed limit on Swindon dual carriageway to 30mphThe speed limit on a major central Swindon dual carriageway could be dropped to 30mph if councillors agree to a new motion which calls the change a matter of urgency
• More rail disruption as workers to stage further strikesFour more days of strike action have been planned as the RMT Union accuses employers of refusing to put any new offers on the table.

New Civil Engineer

• TfL selects developer to secure funding for over-station projectsTransport for London (TfL) has appointed Helical as an investment partner for its central London train station oversite development.
• HS2 civils delivery director to depart roleHS2 Ltd phase one civils delivery director Mike Lyons will be departing “shortly” and replaced on an interim basis by David Speight, currently HS2 client project director phase one (north).
• What is the potential impact of the NIC’s infrastructure planning review?Earlier this month it was revealed that the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has been asked by the government to provide recommendations on the infrastructure planning system and in particular the role of National Policy Statements (NPS).

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Ampcontrol supports First Bus electrification ambitionsFirst Bus has selected electrical engineering specialist Ampcontrol to support the electrification of its bus fleets.
• Go-Coach to fit Wheely-Safe across fleetIndependent bus operator Go-Coach is to install Wheely-Safe technology across its whole fleet after a successful trial on one of its vehicles picked up a potential brake temperature hazard.
• First Bus names Head of Operational ExcellenceFirst Bus has appointed former Arriva man Simon Mathieson (pictured) into the newly created role of Head of Operational Excellence. He will work with the group’s six local business units on all operational matters.
• FlixBus: Partnership expansions amid ’most successful year ever’FlixBus has announced growth with its UK launch partner Turners Coachways of Bristol, as well as with Cambridge-based Whippet, amid the announcement that 2022 has been its “most successful year ever”.
• Five Scottish operators to drop concessionary receiptsFirst Bus, McGill’s, Stagecoach, West Coast Motors and JMB Travel are to cease issuing ticket receipts to concessionary bus users in Scotland from 20 February.
• Pawel Polewski promoted at Go-Ahead subsidiariesPawel Polewski has been promoted to Operations Manager of Go-Ahead Group subsidiaries Carousel Buses and Thames Travel. He will be responsible for over 100 vehicles.

Other News Sources

• We rode the electric Uber-style buses in Mole Valley that's a 'lifesaver' for passengersThe on-demand bus can take passengers to Leatherhead, Box Hill and Ashtead
• Sussex rail passengers offered cheaper tickets for commuteCommuters will be able to get cheaper rush-hour train tickets as part of a campaign to bring workers back to the office.