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

Tuesday, 07 March 2023

BBC News

• Bridge work to start for Midland Main Line electrification schemeWork on three bridges is due to get under way to allow for the electrification of more track on the Midland Main Line.
• South Yorkshire transport schemes granted £44m to move forwardTransport schemes in South Yorkshire have been granted £44m to move ahead.
• Talks to avoid more rail strikes on brink of failureUnion members and rail bosses are negotiating ahead of more strikes on Thursday.
• Trains: How can it take so long to fix a struggling railway?Many have had that feeling when your last train home becomes a dreaded rail replacement bus - or even worse, it's cancelled.
• Northumberland Line expected to open in summer 2024A passenger rail line which shut in the 1960s is set to reopen with six new stations next year.

Department for Transport

• Transforming transport in the North - Mark Harper MP, SpeechOur plans to increase transport connectivity and devolve more power to the North.

The Guardian

• France braced for huge disruption as transport workers start rolling strikesFrance is facing street protests and heavy disruption on Tuesday as transport workers and refinery staff begin rolling strikes over Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the pension age to 64.

Times Online

• Battle to let Stansted spread its wings. [subscription]Britain’s third-biggest airport is stymied by its failure to open routes to the US and its poor rail links
• Cars will run on seawater and planes on ammonia ’within two decades’Cars powered by batteries made from seawater or baking powder, and planes fuelled by ammonia will become common in the next ten to 20 years, an Oxford professor has predicted.

Bristol Live

• Busy commuter route north of Bristol set for major transport improvement plansSouth Gloucestershire Council is consulting on the major project to upgrade the A38

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Airbus teams up with rival Boeing for 400 job Broughton military helicopter bidThe Ministry of Defence is looking to replace its ageing fleet of Puma HC Mk2

Liverpool Echo

• More Merseyrail trains brought back to station after campaignMerseyrail reversed a decision to cut back services after a campaign by Labour and Green councillors

London Evening Standard

• Rail bosses issue ultimatum to Mick Lynch as commuters face more strike miseryTrain companies say national talks may not continue unless pay offer put to union members
• Transport Secretary has ’frank conversation’ with boss of struggling train firmTransPennine Express passengers have suffered from widespread delays and cancellations over the past year.

Manchester Evening News

• New £53 million road opens to traffic for first timeIt is claimed it will be a 'huge boost' to parts of Stockport and east Cheshire

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Transport secretary tight-lipped on dualling of the A1 in NorthumberlandQuestions remain over the future of plans to dual the A1 in Northumberland after the Transport Secretary declined to commit to the project.

Northern Echo

• Ben Houchen cancels appearance at Transport for the North conferenceTees Valley mayor Ben Houchen cancelled his appearance at a northern transport conference on Monday.
• Rail and bus services will improve with North East devolution - mayorRail and bus services in County Durham will improve once a new devolution deal starts next year, a regional mayor has assured residents.

The York Press

• TransPennine Express on track to cancel over 23,000 services in 2023A RAIL firm, which operates in York, is on track to cancel more than 23,000 services this year if reliability remains at current levels.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• New photos show progress of Wolverhampton Metro extensionInch by inch, the long-awaited extension of Midland Metro to Wolverhampton Station is making progress.

Cambridge News

• £9.3million Peterborough Nene Parkway junction improvement scheme moves step closerThe scheme includes a new lane for traffic and a new footpath

Other Regional Press

• Greater Anglia to introduce more Stansted Express services as of MayThe train operator says it is continuing to increase timetables in line with recovering customer demand following the pandemic

Train Operators

• Joint statement from Network Rail and Southeastern about London Bridge stationSoutheastern’s and Network Rail’s top priority is always safety. Disruption to train services can result in crowding particularly at large stations like London Bridge. You may have seen reports of this recently and we know crowding can be confusing and frustrating. But we have thorough plans in place to ensure that if our stations are crowded, they are still safe.

New Civil Engineer

• Abandoned Northumberland line reopening confirmed for summer 2024The historic Northumberland railway line between Ashington and Newcastle will be restored and reopened for passenger services in summer 2024, the Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed.

Other News Sources

• North West Multimodal Transport Hub is officially openedThe completion of the North-West Multimodal Transport Hub project was marked today with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Councillor Sandra Duffy.
• Surrey wheelchair user asks 8 rail staff for help when using train but 'cuts will make travel impossible'Vikki Walton-Cole invited SurreyLive to join her on a typical train journey to highlight how meticulously she has to plan her trip