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

Sunday, 16 April 2023

BBC News

• Marston Vale Line trains not returning till autumn, says LNRA train route suspended after a maintenance firm went into administration will not resume services until the autumn, a rail firm has said.
• New smart motorway plans being scrappedThe roads sometimes use the hard shoulder as a lane of traffic, which critics say causes accidents.

The Guardian

• Orient Express to axe UK section after 41 years due to BrexitLuxury train operator cuts service ahead of biometric passport checks so passengers will have to join train in ParisWhen the Orient Express began operating in the 19th century, passports were optional – the only paperwork required by British travellers was a copy of the Thomas Cook Continental Timetable.But Brexit and 21st-century biometric checks are killing off the romance of crossing borders for modern passengers looking for the nostalgia of the luxury train journey that inspired Agatha Christie and Hollywood. Continue reading...
• Rishi Sunak scraps plans for new smart motorways in EnglandThe building of new smart motorways is being cancelled as Rishi Sunak acknowledged concerns about safety and cost.

The Independent

• Look, no hands: Scotland to launch autonomous busesOf all the forms of mechanised transport, driving is my least favourite. I am not very good at it. I have a licence that has remained miraculously clean for decades, largely because I tend to drive only every few years.

The Telegraph

• Smart motorways were sold as hi-tech – but were the result of penny-pinching. [subscription]Pressure on public purse meant ’active traffic management’ was preferred to expensive road-widening
• ’Deadly’ smart motorways axed by Rishi Sunak [subscription]PM confirms 14 planned projects scrapped in victory for families of victims after Telegraph campaign

Times Online

• The crumbling viaduct causing commuter hell. [subscription]One of the country’s most important railway lines has been shut until mid-June for emergency repairs on a viaduct, disrupting the journeys of a million passengers
• It’s the end of the road for UK’s ’deadly’ smart motorways. [subscription]Smart motorways will no longer be built in England following dozens of deaths on the roads which do not have hard shoulders.

Daily Record

• Scotrail spent £200,000 on taxis to replaces cancelled trains over ten monthsScotRail bosses have forked out more than £200,000 on taxis for travellers after trains were cancelled since the service was taken into public ownership, figures show.

Northern Echo

• Newcastle level crossing 'not fit for purpose' after horror crashUrgent action has been called for after a car and a Metro train crashed on a level crossing in Newcastle that has been branded “not fit for purpose”.

Bucks Free Press

• Electric car company Geotab opens innovation hub in High WycombeA state-of-the art electric car facility is set to pioneer the future of the industry from a new base in High Wycombe.
• ULEZ car scrappage scheme launches to help London driversThe Ultra Low Emission Zone is coming close to Buckinghamshire border in the summer, including its scheme to help motorists struggling with the extra costs.

Other Regional Press

• Network Rail issues pledge over Keighley station refurb workNETWORK Rail has pledged its commitment to the long-awaited refurb of Keighley's crumbling railway station.
• Work gets under way to breathe new life into Henley Railway StationAN AMBITIOUS project to breathe new life into Henley Railway Station is steaming ahead.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Calling All Stations with Christian Wolmar, Episode 13Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker take a close look at the saga of the new ferries for island shipping services in Scotland [01:30], scrutinise promises of hands-free driving on Great Britain's motorways [11:15], reflect upon the renaissance of sleeper trains in Europe [17:00] and cheer on prospects for smoother boarding of flights from UK airports [23:45].

Other News Sources

• New East Linton Railway Station on track to open in spring 2024A RAILWAY station at East Linton is on track to open within the next 12 months.
• 'We have to fly' - NZ leading the way to solve challenge of sustainable aviationNew Zealand is at the forefront of solving challenges that come with electrifying the aviation industry, and has a "clear pathway" to seeing zero emission flights within two years, an expert says.

News from Europe

• Cut your costs by using the free public transport in these European citiesMontpellier in southern France is set to introduce free public transport.