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

Thursday, 30 March 2023

BBC News

• HS2: Where does the phase two delay leave the town of Crewe?With news the long-awaited Birmingham to Crewe leg of high speed railway HS2 will be delayed by two years, I went to Crewe to hear how confident residents were in the project.
• Diesel 17p more per litre than petrol despite oil price fallsDiesel is being sold for about 17p per litre more on average than petrol, despite wholesale costs falling to similar levels, a motoring group said.
• Easter holiday travel: No repeat of airport chaos, industry saysAirports and airlines say they have enough staff to cope as they expect near 2019 levels of travel.

ITV News

• South Wales Metro: Transport for Wales defends closing Treherbert line for the rest of 2023How do you build a new railway while continuing to operate the existing one? That's the challenge faced by Transport for Wales engineers as they develop the South Wales Metro.

Financial Times

• Time is money and it's being wasted in the northImproved transport is vital if the UK chancellor's Canary Wharf investment zones are to succeed
• European flights disruption to continue, say airlines French air traffic controllers strike in support of protests against Macron's pension reforms

The Guardian

• Plans for rail pass for UK staycationers axed over cost concernsExclusive: extensive consultations since idea was proposed 18 months ago have found it would not be commercially viable. Plans to boost domestic tourism by introducing a rail pass for British staycationers have been axed, the Guardian can reveal.The idea was initially heralded by the government as a way to help struggling businesses get back on their feet as the final Covid restrictions were being lifted in the summer of 2021, but extensive consultations since have found that the plan would not be commercially viable.

The Scotsman

• Who will cover transport in Humza Yousaf’s new Cabinet as key portfolio disappears from list of titles?Transport has been dropped from the title of the new cabinet secretary believed to be responsible for it at the highest level of the Scottish Government.

Times Online

• E-scooters and e-bikes are biggest emerging fire threat in London. [subscrption]Exploding batteries on e-scooters and e-bikes pose the biggest emerging fire threat in the capital, the London Fire Brigade has warned.
• April flight cancellations ahead in French air traffic control strike. [subscription]British passengers face disruption as workers walk out ’in solidarity’ over Macron’s pension plans
• Ban on sale of petrol and diesel cars in EU watered down – and UK could follow. [subscription]The European Union has watered down plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2035 in a move that campaigners believe will influence UK policy.

Transport Committee

• Greater support needed to realise ambitions of the National Bus Strategy, Transport Committee tells GovernmentThe Transport Committee’s new report, ’Implementation of the National Bus Strategy’ argues that while the Government’s 2021 National Bus Strategy was ambitious, full of good ideas and supported by extra, much-needed funding, the Government must maintain its focus to achieve it and build a network fit for the post-pandemic world with more investment in cashless payments, smart ticketing, priority bus routes and demand responsive services.

Daily Record

• Boost for cyclists and public transport users in Renfrewshire as £1.5m earmarked for sustainable projectsSix projects in the local authority will land funding as works are planned to boost travel infrastructure.

Northern Echo

• New cycle route to be built along Stockton and Darlington railwayNew walking and cycling routes are due to be created along an historic railway path thanks to a multi-million funding boost.

Other Regional Press

• National park presses councils to transform access to public transportMEMBERS of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority have voted unanimously to press local authorities to help transform access to public transport across the area.

Train Operators

• Train operator Northern’s call to put more women in the driving seatTrain operator Northern is calling for more women to apply to be drivers along its network of 3,000km of track.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Government announces new digital transport strategyThe new Transport Data Strategy, announced by the government, hopes to improve access to digital apps and sites to help plan, pay and access the transport system.  The Transport Data Strategy sets out plans for the greater use of data in transport and aims to improve how people find, use and get value from transport data to support greater innovation in the sector and deliver better services.

New Civil Engineer

• National Highways extends £8.7bn Delivery Integration Partner Framework into 2026National Highways has entered into deeds of variation with the suppliers on its Delivery Integration Partner Framework, which will see it extended until the end of February 2026.
• Second judicial review to stop reopening of Manston Airport grantedA second judicial review aimed at halting the conversion of Manston Airport into an air freight hub has been granted by the High Court.
• Government sets out plan to drive multi-billion pound investment in UK green energyThe government’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero has revealed plans to scale up affordable, clean, homegrown power to boost the UK’s energy security and reduce household bills in the long-term.

Rail Advent

• New bridges allow Leicestershire railway to reopen main lineDuring the last 12 months, four bridges have been replaced on the Great Central Railway, which is a major undertaking for the visitor attraction.
• Birmingham train operators welcome new £20m accessibility fundThe launch of a new £20m accessibility fund by the Department for Transport (DfT) for station improvement works has been welcomed by London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Government launches Transport Data StrategyThe government yesterday released its first Transport Data Strategy (TDS), which is designed to make it easier for the public to plan journeys and support the industry in enhancing services.

Other News Sources

• Bromsgrove and Barnt Green train station could benefit from schemeMidlands Rail Hub is an ambitious £1.5bn rail scheme set to improve rail travel across the whole of the Midlands.
• Launch for new South Wales Metro trainsThe first of the brand-new South Wales Metro trains have been launched at a ceremony in Caerphilly. The Class 231 Fast Light Intercity and Regional Trains (FLIRTs), built by manufacturer Stadler, are part of the £800m investment Transport for Wales is making in new trains for the Wales and Borders network.
• £35m investment to support walking, cycling and public transport including new e-cargo bike sharing schemeWestminster City Council is investing £35m in active travel and sustainable transport by improving infrastructure and safety for journeys by public transport, foot and cycle.
• Brighton: Volk's Railway to reopen for 140th year this weekendA historic seafront railway is set to reopen for its 140th year this weekend.