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

Tuesday, 28 February 2023

BBC News

• Track upgrade in 175-year-old railway tunnel in Stoke-on-TrentRail services will be disrupted in part of Staffordshire next month while a £2m track upgrade project is carried out.
• Transport for Wales: Railway shelters get access improvementsThe shelters replace waiting areas which were difficult to access for people with reduced mobility.
• Bank station: Major revamp for one London's busiest Tube stopsBank station has an extra 40% capacity which will help ease overcrowding, Transport for London says.
• London cycle hire scheme: Scam victim blames TfL for lossesJeremy says Transport for London continued to charge him even after he reported being scammed.

The Guardian

• Final piece in £700m overhaul of Bank tube station in London opens to publicThe £700m upgrade of Bank station has been completed after seven years of construction, transforming London Underground’s major hub in the City into a “like-new, world-class” station.

Times Online

• EU delays rollout of visa travel scheme again. [subscription]The European Union has delayed the launch of a new visa-waiver scheme in what amounts to a boost to British holidaymakers.
• RMT under pressure to give rail workers a vote on pay offer. [subscription]The RMT union is under pressure to give members a vote on pay offers after another union overwhelmingly accepted a deal the RMT turned down.
• Electric car drivers ’pay far too much’ for leasing. [subscription]Drivers leasing new electric cars are being overcharged by hundreds of pounds a month, a report claims.

Birmingham Post

• 'Don't dither and deliver HS2 all the way' says Midlands Connect chiefSir John Peace makes plea head of regional transport body's annual conference in Birmingham today

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Northern hails recycling trial at Bradford InterchangeITEMS recycled at a Bradford train station have increased almost 10 times after an innovative trial, which means less refuse is going to waste.

Bristol Live

• First Bus boss not satisfied with Bristol's bus services but promises improvements soonIn a revealing interview Doug Claringbold gave his views on franchising, inflation and the driver shortage

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Metro took delivery of its first new train this morningThe Swiss-built Class 555 the first of 46 to be delivered to the company this year

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• HS2 to bring golden decade of prosperity says transport chiefThe chairman of Midlands Connect is today calling for HS2 to be delivered without delay.

South Wales Argus

• 'Wales deserves a transport network fit for the 21st century'. - Natasha Asghar, MS for South Wales EastFor nearly two years, we have all been waiting patiently to find out the results of Labour’s ridiculous road building freeze.

Other Regional Press

• £15m Stoke-on-Trent train station could open in 2024 - but some think it's 'barmy'MP Jack Brereton says the bid to reopen Meir Station after more than 50 years is making 'huge progress'

C.N.N.

• Hyperloops, supersonic jets and electric aircraft: Here’s what transport could look like by 2050It’s the home of Henry Ford and the first moving assembly line, rightfully earning the nickname “Motor City.” Known the world over as a leader in transport innovation, Detroit, Michigan put the world on wheels, says Alisyn Malek, an urban mobility expert and a native of the city.

Construction Enquirer

• Luton Airport submits ambitious expansion planLondon Luton Airport has submitted revived plans for a major airport expansion to raise capacity from 18m to 32m passengers per year.

New Civil Engineer

• Roads minister ’hopeful’ of upgrade to dangerous stretch of A64 in YorkRoads minister Richard Holden has said he is “pushing for” improvements to the A64 in York and is “hopeful” that the road will be transformed.
• Work completed on £700M Bank Station upgradeBank station’s new entrance on Cannon Street officially opened to customers yesterday, marking the completion of the £700M station upgrade.
• Buckinghamshire Council works with HS2 and East West Rail to repair roads damaged by constructionBuckinghamshire County Council has allocated £5M to repair roads damaged partly by heavy good vehicles (HGV) working on the nearby High Speed 2 (HS2) and East West Rail projects.
• Network Rail to change electrification delivery on Midland Main Line to make cost savingsNetwork Rail is aiming to change the way electrification is delivered on its £1.3bn Midland Main Line (MML) electrification programme to make cost savings amid continued budget constraints.
• Interview | Transpennine Route Upgrade boss Neil Holm on progress and future challengesHistorically the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has been the UK’s biggest infrastructure project that nobody had ever heard of, according to Network Rail TRU managing director Neil Holm.

Railnews

• Transport Focus chief to step downThe chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus Anthony Smith is leaving after 25 years.

Aviation Industry

• Crazy Idea? A Circular Airport On Top Of A Tube StationToday we will look at a proposed airport in the center of London that could have changed how people travel to and from the United Kingdom forever. With a rich history dating back two millennia, London has seen architectural wonders come and go.
• 2022 Was Another Loss Making Year For London Heathrow AirportDespite passenger numbers tripling, 2022 was a challenging year for Heathrow, with some external wounds and some self-inflicted ones.

Other News Sources

• James Heath's speech at Northern Transport Summit: Connecting the North’s towns, cities and communitiesJames Heath, Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, gave a keynote address at the Northern Transport Summit held in Liverpool today (23 February 2023).
• £133m for highways and transport in Norfolk over the next yearCarbon-cutting transport schemes are set for a £29 million boost in Norfolk, despite the tough financial climate.
• Hawkins Brown to ’re-evaluate’ £150m Elephant & Castle tube upgradeHawkins Brown and consultant Arcadis have been appointed by Transport for London (TfL) to “re-evaluate” the £150m plan to upgrade Elephant and Castle tube station in South London.
• Rail firm hosts awareness events to encourage conversation on suicideA rail operator has teamed up with the Samaritans to empower the public to start a conversation that could help save a life.