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

Thursday, 25 May 2023

BBC News

• West Yorkshire buses could be brought back under public controlBuses in West Yorkshire could be brought back under public control, the county's mayor has announced.
• Cambridgeshire transport plan aims for 'Dutch-quality' infrastructureInvesting in "Dutch-quality" facilities could make walking and cycling people's first choice in Cambridgeshire, according to its combined authority.
• Virgin Orbit: Branson's rocket dream ends after mission failureThe British billionaire's bankrupt satellite launch firm had been looking to boost its finances.
• Autism: 'Try-before-you-fly scheme lets our holiday go ahead'A free scheme helps parents with young autistic children experience a busy airport setting together.
• Half of outer London vans not fit for ULEZ - dataThe data was released under a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London.
• Prestwick Airport impact fears over Kirkconnel wind farm plansExperts say plans for a site near Sanquhar could have an
• Turkey building four new CalMac ferries 'on time'All of the ships are said to be on course to be delivered on time and on budget to Scotland by 2025.

Department for Transport

• £72 million boost for train services in Manchester and the northThis package will improve the passenger experience by having more reliable trains and fewer delays. Passengers across the north are set to benefit from fewer delays and more reliable trains after the government announced a £72 million package in Manchester today (25 May 2023).

Times Online

• Humza Yousaf promises transparency over CalMac ferries report. [Subscription]An investigation is under way into the procurement process to build two vessels that are over budget and years late

Mail Online

• Richard Branson is shutting down Virgin Orbit  - and selling off assets worth $36 millionBillionaire Richard Branson announced the shutdown of his satellite launch company Virgin Orbit. The decision is due to a lack of funding and the disastrous failed mission in January.

The Mirror

• Ship runs aground in Suez Canal as tugboats race to clear busy shipping laneAround 30% of the world's shipping container volume passes through the canal and with it 12% of total global trade

Birmingham Post

• Turntide Technologies named as preferred supplier for Hitachi intercity battery train trialThe partnership could trigger a bigger deal for mass production of battery management systems for Hitachi
• Clock is ticking for UK car making unless battery supply chain is urgently established, say expertsA panel of automotive industry experts, including those with links to the North East, gave evidence to MPs this week
• Fewer delays and more reliable trains part of £72m promiseThe package comes after TransPennine Express (TPE) lost its contract due to 'continuous cancellations'

Bolton News

• Manchester Airport: Power outage causes disruption at T3A power outage has caused disruption at Manchester Airport.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Franchising is 'preferred option' to improve local bus servicesPROPOSALS to bring West Yorkshire's buses under greater public control will take a major step forward today and two local towns will see £4m worth of improvements to existing services.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Anglesey Council's rural bus funding plea to Welsh GovernmentFears over the ending of an "essentially important" scheme to keep buses running on Anglesey has prompted council action. The Welsh Government's Bus Emergency Service (BES3) support is due to end on July 24.

Manchester Evening News

• Long-held plans for two new Piccadilly platforms to solve Manchester's rail chaos have been pulledLong-held plans for two new platforms at Manchester's Piccadilly station have been pulled with a 'new approach' to ease congestion on the railways to be prepared. The application which also affects Oxford Road station has been withdrawn by Network Rail with 'alternative options' set to be developed.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• White Rose Leeds: New route in Morley to be named after city legend Beryl Burton as daughter 'delighted'A new bike and walking network around Morley is set to be named after Beryl Burton, after the cycling legend’s family gave their blessing to the idea.
• West Yorkshire bus franchising 'preferred option' as £7m investment in services unveiledPlans for better bus services are to take “a huge step forward” if franchising goes ahead, according to the West Yorkshire mayor.

Other Regional Press

• Welsh Government extend Bus Emergency Scheme and ’successor arrangements’ for the whole financial yearWelsh Government have pointed to lack of funds and changing demand models on bus services in Wales, as the Deputy Minister told colleagues there were ’no quick fixes’ to solve issues, and it was ’just tough stuff’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​
• Oxford businesses demand LTN council 'compensation'Oxford business owners have called on Oxfordshire County Council to 'compensate' them due to 'damage' inflicted by low traffic neighbourhoods

New Civil Engineer

• Ministers overrule council’s decision to restrict HS2 Balsall Common Viaduct construction lorriesThe government has overruled two rejections from Solihull Council to stop High Speed 2 (HS2) construction lorries from driving on village roads for the Balsall Common Viaduct works.

Rail Business Daily

• TfN launches consultation on transforming the North’s transportTransport for the North (TfN) has launched a 12-week statutory-consultation for its revised Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for the North of England.

Transport Scotland

• Ministerial statement following the publication of latest road safety statistics for 2022“Any increase in road deaths and injuries is deeply concerning. Behind every number we see in the statistics today is a loved one who is now tragically no longer with us or a life changed forever. To see lives cut short in this way is deeply unfair and I refuse to accept that road casualties are in some way inevitable – they are avoidable and can be stopped. One death on our roads is simply one too many.

Transportxtra

• Willcox joins Portsmouth as transport advisorPortsmouth City Council has appointed Keith Willcox as transport advisor to assist rolling out high profile transport schemes within the city, including the city’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)., said the council. Willcox spent more than 12 years at Hampshire County Council in various transport roles, most recently as assistant director – transport.

Aviation Industry

• Schiphol Airport slamming on the brakes to try to meet green targetsCould Schiphol Airport be a bellwether for the need to reign in not just airport growth but also current flight numbers in order to get a grip on environmental impacts? This … The post Schiphol Airport slamming on the brakes to try to meet green targets appeared first on Aviation Environment Federation.

Other News Sources

• 'Calls for rail service to be transferred to another operator' - Mark IsherwoodMS for North Wales In the Business Statement I raised the Transport for Wales (TfW) service on the Wrexham-Bidston rail line, quoting the Wrexham-Bidston Rail Users’ Association Committee who have said: “that something, has to change as TfW appears incapable of delivering an acceptable service on the Wrexham-Bidston line' and called for it to be transferred to another operator.
• Stretford getting slice of £40m for active travel infrastructureTrafford is getting a £4.7m slice of a £40.7m investment into Greater Manchester’s active travel infrastructure.
• Gateshead awarded nearly £1m in funding for active travelVital projects to encourage more active travel in Gateshead have won close to £1m funding from the fourth round of the national Active Travel Fund.
• Andy Burnham promises 'London-style' transport system for Greater ManchesterThe Greater Manchester mayor said there would be "tap-in, tap-out" services across bus and trams and announced plans to reform education under devolved powers.
• MPs in ’levelled up’ areas still rely on cars instead of public transportPublic transport in the government’s flagship “levelling up” areas is still so inadequate that even their own MPs do not rely on it, openDemocracy has found.