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

Thursday, 06 April 2023

Cogitamus

• The Chris Stokes Column - HS2 fights on despite savage woundsSadly, High Speed 2 has become the ultimate Keynesian make work project. The timescales constantly slip, the costs constantly inflate and the scope is constantly reduced. I have always been at best sceptical about the project but never in my wildest nightmares did I imagine that it could all go so badly wrong. 

BBC News

• Barriers fitted at last level crossing of its kind in ScotlandThe crossing in Aviemore is on a line used by Strathspey Railway's steam locomotives.
• Virgin Orbit boss blasts leaders in parting emailTony Gingiss, chief operating officer at the rocket firm, tells staff they

Financial Times

• Dutch court blocks flight cutback at Schiphol airportClosely watched court ruling against the government is a boost for the airline industry
• Dover sets out emergency steps to avoid more post-Brexit travel chaosUK’s busiest port plans to limit coaches on Friday in bid to ensure ‘better experience’ for travellers

Times Online

• Dover installs extra border control points to head off travel chaos. [subscription]The port of Dover is installing temporary border control points before the Easter getaway to try to avoid a repeat of the chaos last weekend.
• Smart motorway blamed for crash that killed two men [subscription]A crash that killed two people on a smart motorway would not have happened if there had been a hard shoulder, a coroner has said.

The Mirror

• Dover officials scramble to avert Easter ferry chaos and warn travellers NOT to arrive earlyThe Port of Dover declared a critical incident last Friday when queues of vehicles trying to board ferries built up, and they want to avoid a repeat over the long weekend

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Hundreds sign petition opposing planned cycling route in HalifaxWard councillors, opposition candidates and members of the public are opposing a planned cycling route citing loss of trees and parking spaces which will result.
• Northern trials new dry ice technology for leaves on the lineLEAVES from the line delaying trains in Bradford could become a thing of the past following a trial of new technology.

Bristol Live

• Number of Bristol Clean Air Zone fines a mystery as council boss refuses to confirm figuresThe Clean Air Zone has been running for four months but details of effects so far remain unclear

Manchester Evening News

• One of Greater Manchester's 'most dangerous roads' will be upgradedThe programme is expected to reduce the risk of collisions, congestion, journey times and emissions
• How Greater Manchester's aging railway stations could be about to changeThe city region is working to identify opportunities to drive investment and commercial and housing development around them

Wrexham.com

• Clwyd South politician calls for direct Wrexham-Liverpool train serviceA local politician has called on UK ministers to approve plans for direct Wrexham-Liverpool train. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other Regional Press

• Delayed £16m Marsh Barton railway station still has no opening dateIt is still yet to be confirmed when the severely delayed opening of Exeter's £16m Marsh Barton railway station will take place. At the beginning of the year, Devon County Council (DCC) announced it would be up and running ahead of opening 'this spring' but no further date has been provided.
• ’Don’t make Carmarthen the final stop’ Stephen Crabb MP tells rail bossesWITH GWR announcing 65 additional direct services between Carmarthen and Paddington, Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb has called on rail bosses to put Pembrokeshire services back on their route map.

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Awards success for TicketerTicketer as the winner for ’continued innovation, consistent improvement of operational efficiencies, driving down overhead costs and being brilliant at improving its client satisfaction’.

Coach and Bus Week

• Working with Flix: the inside viewBelle Vue is the latest coach company to partner with growing express intercity operator FlixBus. Richard Sharman talks to both companies about the reasons behind the latest service announcement
• Wales’ longest electric bus route goes liveTransport for Wales has officially launched a new electric bus route between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth using a fully electric fleet. Martin Curtis reports from the launch event
• Equipmake expands repower offering to coach sector with Westway dealBuilding on its work on buses, the Norfolk-based electrification specialist Equipmake is now offering repower options to both coach and bus operators

New Civil Engineer

• How UK rail maintenance is managed to avoid incidents similar to the fatal Dutch derailmentThe UK rail network has a number of safety-critical procedures and practices to prevent trains colliding with plant and other vehicles on the railways which resulted in a fatal derailment in the Netherlands this week.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Hope Valley Railway Upgrade works to accelerate over EasterThe next phase of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade has begun, as Network Rail engineers set about installing renovations that will enable passengers to benefit from a more reliable railway service.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Translink marks 50 years since Citybus formed in BelfastTranslink has celebrated 50 years since the inauguration of Citybus in Belfast. It began on 2 April 1973 with the staff, vehicles and depots of the former Belfast Corporation Transport Department (BCTD). Despite the operation having been rebranded as Translink Metro in 2005, its legal name remains Citybus Ltd.
• Regulatory reform: Not a ’one size fits all’ solutionOperators, watchdog Transport Focus and Ireland’s National Transport Authority had their say on regulatory reform at the CPT conference on 30 March
• Alexander Dennis to expand Larbert facilityAlexander Dennis has announced plans to create a third manufacturing site by converting warehouse space at its Larbert headquarters.
• CPT and Scottish operators launch #ChooseTheBus campaignThe Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Scotland last Thursday teamed up with 13 operators to launch the #ChooseTheBus campaign in a bid to get people back back on buses.
• Port of Dover plans to smooth coach transit at EasterThe Port of Dover has released details of a plan to smooth the passage of outbound coach traffic over the Easter period.

Other News Sources

• Brighton and Hove: More than a third of roads in poor conditionMore than a third of roads in the city need repairs, new data has revealed.