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

Wednesday, 15 March 2023

BBC News

• Free electric hop on bus trial to start in LeicesterA free electric bus service to connect transport hubs with retail and visitor attractions is to start in Leicester.
• Manx Electric Railway: 130th anniversary season beginsThe 130th anniversary season of the Manx Electric Railway (MER) has begun.
• Bid to reopen rail line between Market Harborough and NorthamptonCampaigners and politicians have discussed plans to reopen a railway line closed more than 40 years ago.
• Tram runs on Edinburgh's Leith Walk for first time in 67 yearsIt travelled at walking pace along the Edinburgh street as part of testing for a new route.
• Tube strike: TfL warns passengers of 'little or no service'Union members are due to walk out on Wednesday in a dispute over job cuts, pensions and conditions.
• HS2 delay will lift costs and cut jobs, says LabourShadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh claims leaked documents show firms could go bust.

Department for Transport

• New framework to ensure road and rail development projects protect the environmentAnnouncing a consultation on an updated national networks national policy statement (NNNPS) for developers of new road, rail and rail freight schemes.

Financial Times

• 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 Guardian

• Bedford rail project is a shambles. - letterThe Luton Dart is not the only railway to be causing concern in Bedfordshire because of cost (Luton Dart: ’the most expensive train in Britain’ opens for business, 3 March). In the north of the county, we are faced with East West Rail (EWR).
• London hit by first strike across whole Tube network in eight yearsMick Lynch urges Sadiq Khan to call off pensions review and join RMT in campaign for funding. Commuters in London are facing a day of transport chaos after a 24-hour strike by Tube drivers and station staff started on Wednesday morning.

Times Online

• Ferries chaos: Ferguson Marine’s future at risk, warns watchdog. [subscription]Audit Scotland raises alarm about shipbuilder’s viability and bosses’ bonuses
• The next train is not delayed, it is rephased. [subscription]ext time your train is late, don’t say it has been “delayed”. It will have been “rephased”. This was certainly the term favoured by Huw Merriman, the rail minister, as he confirmed that some of the HS2 line would open later than planned. At that point a “bing bong” came from the Tannoy, a metallic voice said “we apologise for any inconvenience” and someone in a high-vis tabard wandered through the chamber dispensing free bottles of water.

Mail Online

• Tax hike could add £50 to the cost of flights for a family break abroadChancellor Jeremy Hunt has decided not to intervene to save holidaymakers from double-digit hikes in Air Passenger Duty (APD) in today's Budget, it is understood.

Birmingham Mail

• See Birmingham's city centre railway stations through the years in picturesNew Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill were all different in the past - some way more than others

Birmingham Post

• Humber's freeport status could be declared in days - delegates hear at final Westminster pushHouse of Commons reception hears of strong support from Department for Levelling Up

Bristol Live

• West of England mayor blames South Gloucestershire for blocking bus franchisingThe West of England metro mayor has blamed South Gloucestershire Council as the main obstacle blocking bus franchising. Dan Norris said a lack of tax-raising powers meant he didn’t have the money to bring buses back under public control in the wider Bristol region.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 'Sardine in a tin can' as train shortages in Wales leave passengers packed into carriages North Wales MS shared details of a nightmare journey north that saw passengers 'falling over each other' on one emergency stop
• Electrification of the North Wales Main Line call amid HS2 turmoilBusiness and council chiefs have renewed their demand for investment in rail services in North Wales

Kent Online

• Rishi Sunak and Emmanuel Macron relationship key to helping Eurostar trains' return to Ashford and EbbsfleetRelations between the UK and France could be key to resolving the "bloody ridiculous" situation of no Eurostar trains serving the county.

Other Regional Press

• Bus firm D&G steps in to cover under-threat Cheshire bus routes from next monthFour of the fourteen Cheshire bus routes put under threat by the closure of Arriva North West's Macclesfield and Winsford depots have been saved. D&G Bus says it has registered replacement services to cover the 31, 37, 84 and 38 routes.
• 'Critical' £25m road bypass for Teesside moves step closerNational Highways has approved the final design and it is hoped planning permission will be granted this summer
• People with disabilities hail more accessible rail travelMobility scooter users are now free to broaden their horizons by taking them on to Northern trains

New Civil Engineer

• Network Rail outlines £490M CP7 framework opportunitiesNetwork Rail has published details of framework opportunities worth up to £490M covering large projects for the North West & Central region during the forthcoming Control Period 7 (CP7).
• Historic Anderton Boat Lift handed Lottery-funded restoration boostThe Canal & River Trust has been granted over half a million pounds of lottery money to help repair what is known as the "cathedral of the canals".
• Government reveals climate-conscious revision of National Policy Statement for building road, rail and freight networksThe Department for Transport (DfT) has released its draft revised National Networks National Policy Statement (NNNPS) to bring it in line with recent decarbonisation and environment policies. This draft is now open to public consultation.
• HS2 | DfT agrees to carry out study on capacity improvements for Crewe station ’at pace’The Department for Transport (DfT) and Cheshire East Council have agreed that a feasibility study for a transfer deck at Crewe station will be carried out “at pace” to see whether its construction is justified and can be written into the High Speed 2 (HS2) Phase 2b bill.

Rail Advent

• Female Northern chief operating officer urges women to join railwayThe chief operating officer of Northern has used Women's History Month in March to urge women across the North of England to join her on the railway, declaring: “There's never been a better time to be a woman in the rail industry.”

Rail Business Daily

• Explore plans for Leicester railway station revampLeicester’s historic railway station is set for a radical overhaul and more details and new images of the ambitious proposals have now been released for people to explore.

Railnews

• Network Rail urges railway neighbours to keep objects secure People living alongside railways are being urged to keep objects in their gardens safely tied down after a wind-blown gazebo caused 60 trains to be cancelled or delayed on one London line.

Other News Sources

• Fuel types of new buses: electric 12.7%, diesel 67.3% market share full-year 2022In 2022, diesel-powered buses remained the most popular in the EU, accounting for 67.3% of all new bus sales (down by 1.5 percentage points compared to 2021). Meanwhile, electrically-chargeable buses continued to gain ground, accounting for 12.7% of the total EU bus market, up from 10.6% in 2021. In total, all alternatively-powered vehicles made up 32.7% of the EU bus market last year.
• Bucks MPs criticise "unwanted" HS2 in the CommonsConservatives Rob Butler and Greg Smith raised concerns with the HS2 minister earlier today