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

Saturday, 11 March 2023

BBC News

• Snow disruption: M62 drivers stranded due to blizzard conditionsSeveral drivers reported being stuck for up to six hours on the busy route across the Pennines.
• Delaying HS2 will increase costs, industry saysThe rail and construction sectors criticise the move to delay the Birmingham to Crewe leg by two years.

Financial Times

• FirstGroup raises full-year profit expectations as travel recoversUK transport company says bus passenger numbers rose to 83% of 2020 levels
• "We are full": the rebirth of Europe's sleeper trainsWell-heeled passengers are eager to rediscover overnight rail travel but suitable carriages are scarce
• Short cuts: fast rail transfers, at last, for Luton airport - plus Georgetown gets London link Central London will be reachable within 30 minutes thanks to the opening of the Luton Dart; British Airways starts direct flights from Gatwick to the Guyana capital

The Herald

• Scotland travel: Free bus travel scheme 'fuelling rise in disorder'Bus operators in Scotland have seen an increase in anti-social behaviour since a flagship scheme allowing young Scots to travel for free was launched, The Herald can reveal.

The Independent

• UK weather - latest: Snow and ice warnings as Brits warned conditions 'worse rather than better'Saturday and Sunday slapped with fresh set of alerts for snow and ice

Times Online

• FirstGroup raises guidance after passengers return [Subscription]FirstGroup, the listed public transport operator, has raised its full-year profit guidance after a stronger than expected recovery in demand for bus and rail services over the winter.
• #Heathrow will need to mind the sliding doors in its runway plan [Subscription]Big companies are used to having their wishes thwarted by regulators and governments. It is one thing, though, to be told, “No”, and another to be told, “No, and what is more your arguments are dumb and you haven’t been paying attention for the past couple of years.”
• Low-traffic zone success ’based on inaccurate data’ [Subscription]Traffic counters used to monitor the impact of low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) are not accurately recording vehicles during heavy congestion, The Times can reveal.

This is Money

• Third of drivers don't want electric and will stick with petrolWith the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars just seven years away, 32% of motorists said they will never buy an EV and will instead keep running combustion cars until they stop driving for good.
• Half of drivers have to swerve past potholes EVERY dayBritain's pothole crisis has been laid bare by a survey revealing nearly half of us swerve to avoid them on a daily basis. Two-thirds of drivers polled said their roads had got worse over the last year.

Birmingham Post

• Rolls-Royce Submarines planning up to 200,000 sq ft of new manufacturing and office space in DerbyExisting space is no longer fit for purpose and it wants to add two new buildings to its Raynesway campus

Bolton News

• Bolton needs more electric charging points to push EV salesOwners of electric cars are calling for more charging points in Bolton to encourage more people to ditch fuel-based vehicles.
• Bolton: Metrolink plan 'yet to see movement' 4 years onPlans to brings trams to Bolton are 'yet to see any movement' nearly four years after being promised by a government minister.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Driving habits which made M62 queues in snow worse - RACThe RAC has shed light on M62 traffic chaos as drivers were left stranded in lanes and heavy snow continued to fall.
• Number of trains between Bradford, Ilkley and Skipton to be slashedTHE number of trains running between Bradford and Ilkley and Skipton will be slashed from May in a bid to make the service more reliable.
• How to save money on your commute as rail ticket prices rise againExperts reveal how to save money on your commute as train ticket prices rise again amid the cost of living crisis.
• Call for rail services facing chop in May to be restored by year's endNORTHERN Rail will be pushed to restore the services it plans to cut in May by December.
• Interchange works will create 'world class gateway' to BradfordTHE £22 million project to improve access to Bradford Interchange will make it a 'world class gateway' to the city - meeting has been told.

Bristol Live

• EasyJet Bristol passengers left 'stranded' after flight diverted to GatwickFlights to Bristol Airport were diverted because of snow and bad weather in the city

Daily Post (North Wales)

• New bus depot could be built in St Asaph if planners give go-aheadA planning application has been submitted to Denbighshire County Council

The York Press

• Councillors launch petition to restore York Hospital bus linkHEALTH chiefs have defended a decision to stop funding a special bus service to York Hospital from a city Park & Ride site.

Wales Online

• Welsh easyJet passengers left stranded at Gatwick at 3am after flight diverted in middle of the night'At one point we were all talking about going upstairs and doing a silent protest because they couldn't just leave us in Gatwick'

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Full steam ahead as Severn Valley Railway hopes to resume full service by AprilBosses at the Severn Valley Railway say they are on track to have trains running the full length of the heritage line next month.
• Money 'must be found' to save Black Country bus service facing axe after others savedMoney needed to save a Black Country bus service still at-risk of being scrapped must be found, a campaigner has said.
• £250m shortfall for major Metro projects as soaring costs bust budgetsTwo of the region's biggest Metro schemes are facing a funding shortfall of up to £250million, transport chiefs have warned.
• Metro and rail misery as work costs soar by £75m leaving huge funding gapsTransport schemes in the region - including Metro extension works - have seen costs rocket by more than £75 million.

Bucks Free Press

• Chiltern Railways announces changes ahead of rail strike next weekTRAIN CUSTOMERS were warned of travel disruption ahead of industrial action next week.

Cambridge News

• New Tesla car dealership planned north of CambridgePlans have been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council to build a new Tesla car dealership in Bar Hill.

Reading Evening Post

• Network Rail announces £4m upgrade to Tilehurst stationBoth lifts and walkways will be installed

Other Regional Press

• Cars stranded and schools shut as snow blanket and icy cold temperatures hit TeessideA yellow weather warning remains in place across the weekend following a snowy day on Teesside
• 'Horrendous potholes will cause a pile-up'Drivers say 'horrendous' potholes which cover a large section of road are likely to lead to a multi-vehicle collision.
• Around 30 motorists rescued after being trapped by heavy snow in West Yorkshire Search and rescue teams join emergency services in digging out drivers in 'pretty wild' Yorkshire weather
• London airport scraps hand luggage rule with more to followPassengers at London City Airport will be allowed to take two litres of liquid on to flights with them in hand luggage
• Jaguar Land Rover is 'losing ground' to its competitors on electric cars says motoring expertCharles Tennant says BMW, Porsche, Audi and Tesla are outgunning JLR on vehicle electrification

Railnews

• Warnings from railway industry in response to HS2 delay Construction of HS2 north of Birmingham to Crewe is to be delayed by two years, in a bid to contain the costs of the project. Transport secretary Mark Harper said �40 billion will be invested in 'transformational' transport schemes over the next two financial years around the country, which would help to 'level up' local communities and fulfill one of the Government's five priorities to enlarge the economy.' Transport for the North reacted by calling for the complete London to Manchester scheme to go ahead.

Green Miscellany

• How do we solve a problem like cycle theft?Nobody knows for certain how many bicycles are stolen each year in the UK. A figure of 70,000 is banded about, but estimates vary wildly and it’s accepted the vast majority go unreported. Worse still, nobody seems to know how to reduce bike theft. The problem has been made worse by the advent of the cordless angle grinder – a… The post How do we solve a problem like cycle theft? appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• Xelabus to end X10 service from Southampton to Waltham ChaseA bus route used by schoolchildren which may be about to disappear could be replaced - if the county council agrees.
• Surrey train services to be cancelled as South Western Railway staff strikeThe train company has told passengers to only travel if "absolutely necessary" and warned that it will be running a "severely reduced service" over the two days
• Snow chaos: Trains cancelled, roads blocked and schools closedBlizzard conditions and high winds across large swathes of the country have brought more widespread disruption - with trains cancelled, roads blocked and hundreds of schools closed.
• DVLA data finds Southeast England has most drivers with penalty pointsDrivers in the Southeast have racked up the most point on their licenses, a study has found.
• Rail tour will leave Brighton to celebrate Southern trainsPassengers will send off one of the country's oldest trains in style with a special trip around the county.
• Brighton activists against low-traffic project create radio stationActivists opposed to a 'liveable neighbourhood' project have launched their own radio station.