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

Wednesday, 10 May 2023

BBC News

• Wrightbus receives £12m to produce green busesBus maker Wrightbus has received a £12m cash boost to produce green buses at its County Antrim factory.
• Manchester Airport again among worst for delaysDepartures from the airport were on average half an hour behind schedule, analysis reveals.
• Ryanair signs $40bn deal for 300 Boeing aircraftRyanair agrees a deal which will see it purchase up to 300 aircraft over the next decade.
• Longer lorries to be allowed on Britain's roadsMore goods can be carried in fewer trips, says government, but campaigners have safety concerns.

ITV News

• Landslip blocks rail line between Basingstoke and Winchester causing disruptionA landslip has blocked a major rail line in Hampshire causing disruption to services.

Department for Transport

• UK economy boosted by £1.4 billion as longer lorries roll out on roadsLegislation change allowing longer lorries and longer semi-trailers on roads will save 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the air.

Financial Times

• Cathay CEO says labour shortages limit airline to 70% of pre-Covid capacity
• High-spending holidaymakers fill airlines’ first-class and business seatsLeading carriers rush to invest in new cabins and lounges
• Uber launches flight bookings in UK travel ‘super app’ pushRide-booking giant expands offering after rolling out train, coach and Eurostar ticket tool

The Guardian

• Air New Zealand to charge over $400 for a four hour snooze in the skyAirlines’ prototype ‘skynest’ bunk beds will be available from September 2024 New Zealand’s national airline will charge NZ$400-$600 (US$250-$380) for four hours in a six-person bunk bed cabin, under its “world-first” design for an economy class sleeper pod.Air New Zealand debuted its prototype for the “skynest” cabin designs this week, but bookings for the bunks will only be available from September 2024. Continue reading...

Times Online

• Bumps in the road for plug-in taxis. [subscription]A new law demands that London’s cabs go hybrid or electric. Drivers fear there aren’t enough charging points
• Call for payout as ferry chaos ’strangles island economies’. [subscription]Islanders are demanding compensation amid claims that their economy will be “strangled” by a reduction in ferry capacity.
• Network Rail tests engineering works on weekdays instead of weekends. [subscription]Dreaded weekend engineering works could become a thing of the past on some train lines with Network Rail testing midweek maintenance in response to shifting travel patterns.
• John Lewis leads call for fast switch to electric lorries. [subscription]John Lewis and other big firms are urging the government to speed up the phasing out of diesel-fuelled lorries in an effort clean up city air and tackle climate change.

City AM

• Explainer: Will Michael Gove protect the Victorian outlook of Liverpool Street station?What do Stephen Fry – the actor and broadcaster – and Tracey Emin – the artist – have in common? A battle with Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, apparently. Both have called on Gove to stop the £1.5bn development project that would change the Victorian face of Liverpool Street station forever.

The Mirror

• Lorries as long as bowling lanes to be made legal in bid to cut emissionsThe longer semi-trailers will mean vehicles can carry more goods and therefore take fewer journeys in a bid to boost the economy and cut emissions, the Department for Transport has announced

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Cross-party congress renews calls for rejection of controversial Ravenscraig rail freight hub appealA cross-party congress on the future of Ravenscraig renewed calls for the rejection of a planning appeal by a Lanarkshire-based transport company who want to site a rail freight logistics hub there

Manchester Evening News

• Andy Burnham on how he'll use new 'trailblazing' powers as he celebrates six years as Greater Manchester MayorThe latest devolution deal gives Greater Manchester new powers

Nottingham Evening Post

• Hundreds call for removal of 'unnecessary' Gedling bus plug causing tailbacksCouncillors have appealed for the bus plug on Burton Road in Gedling, near its junction with Colliery Way (formerly Gedling Access Road), to be removed by Nottinghamshire County Council

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Guiseley Train Station: Planning application submitted to re-instate station platforms and install shelterWork is set to start to re-instate unused parts of train station platforms in Guiseley to allow for longer trains to pass through.

Chester Standard

• Major Chester Railway Station revamp gets the green lightA MAJOR revamp of Chester Railway Station is firmly on track after the council gave the green light to plans.

Other Regional Press

• ‘Scrap the bus lane’: Anger as drivers rack up multiple finesResidents have called for controversial bus lane restrictions to be dropped after many reported racking up fines due to inadequate signage.
• New bus services launched with improvement plan fundingA new bus service has been launched and another has had its route extended to connect more local communities in Devon.
• Councillor Jim O'Boyle's speech to the Transport Select Committee on Coventry Very Light RailOn 9 May 2023, Councillor Jim O'Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change, spoke at the Transport Select Committee, making the case for Coventry Very Light Rail in parliament.

Coach and Bus Week

• Newport Transport takes delivery of more electric busesOn 17 April, Newport Transport presented its latest batch of 12 electric single-deck buses to Welsh Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters. The new buses represent the latest step in the company’s ongoing vision to have a zero-emission bus fleet in operation by 2028. With the addition of the latest Yutong buses, Newport Bus now has 44 fully electric vehicles in its fleet; once all the vehicles are in operation, the operator says that over 60% of its daily bus services will be operated by buses with zero emissions at the tailpipe.

New Civil Engineer

• Exclusive | DfT has spent a total of £52.3M on transitioning Network Rail to Great British Railways so farThe Department for Transport (DfT) has spent a total of £52.3M setting up Great British Railways (GBR) to absorb power from Network Rail so far, a Freedom of Information request by NCE has revealed.

Other News Sources

• Andy Burnham outlines devolution plans for education, housing and transportMarking his sixth anniversary since taking office, Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, has begun outlining plans following the city-region’s recent new devolution deal.
• BUSES NOW USING NEW RYDE TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE AS SCHEME PROGRESSESThe scheme to improve Ryde’s transport interchange has reached an important milestone today (Tuesday), with Southern Vectis buses now able to use the new station.
• Northern to 'double capacity' between Cumbria and ManchesterA train operator said it has increased its links between Cumbria and Manchester Airport by facilitating the running of longer trains.
• Thanks a 'Million' Enterprise! - Service sees highest passenger level in 20 yearsThe flagship Enterprise train service is celebrating a significant milestone with over 1 million passenger journeys made on the cross-border service between Belfast and Dublin in 2022/23 - the highest level in 20 years.
• Gatwick Airport among worst in country for flight delaysGatwick airport was the fifth worst in the UK for flight delays, an investigation has found.