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

Friday, 09 June 2023

BBC News

• Staffordshire bus firm D&G blames loss of subsidies for service cutsLoss of subsidies have been blamed for one bus route being scrapped and another being changed.
• Rail services in the north of England must improve, says mayorRail services in the north of England must be "at least as good" as they are in other parts of the country, said Greater Manchester's mayor. After being elected chair of the Rail North Committee by his fellow Northern mayors and leaders, Andy Burnham said he "would not compromise" in his aims.
• Qantas: Australian airline relaxes gender-based uniform rulesUnder the new policy, women workers will no longer have have to wear heels and makeup while at work.

ITV News

• Axed bus routes on North Tyneside to be replaced but fears community still 'cut off'Communities on Tyneside could become cut off from "vital services" despite some bus services being saved.

Department for Transport

• Merger could mean Network Rail and TfL lose out on digital signalling optionsCMA’s investigation provisionally concludes that Hitachi’s takeover of Thales GTS could reduce choice for Network Rail and TfL, impacting cost and service quality for passengers
• Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, reappointed as Chair of Network RailNetwork Rail Chair will continue to play a prominent role in bringing about rail reform.

Financial Times

• FirstGroup shares rally on buoyant bus and rail boost resultsBus and train operator's adjusted profits more than double despite a key government rail contract loss
• Wizz Air expects return to profit after putting fuel hedging fiasco behind itEuropean low-cost carrier buoyed by travel rebound after decision not to hedge fuel costs contributed to loss

The Herald

• SNP MSPs tell FM to make transport a Cabinet post to tackle ferriesHUMZA Yousaf is being urged to beef up the role of transport in his government with the appointment of a new Cabinet Secretary to take responsibility for tackling the challenging brief including the ferries' crisis.
• Scottish transport giant shrugs off loss of major rail contractSHARES in FirstGroup closed up nearly 14 per cent last night after the Aberdeen-based transport giant beat profit expectations and cheered investors with an additional share buyback worth £115 million.

The Independent

• ’Patchy’ delivery of low-traffic schemes may have ended up discouraging cyclingNew report concludes government is on track to miss its targets to increase levels of cycling and walking

The Scotsman

• FMQs: Humza Yousaf considering compensating Scottish islanders for ferry disruptionThe First Minister said the move is ’not off the table’

The Telegraph

• Rail operator awarded performance bonus despite regular cancellations. [subscription]FirstGroup reports jump in profits less than a month after TransPennine Express seized. The former operator of the TransPennine Express is to bank a taxpayer-funded performance bonus despite the operator being nationalised after months of disruption and regular cancellations.

Times Online

• FirstGroup doubles profits thanks to rise in passenger numbers. [subscription]The transport company recently stripped of the TransPennine rail franchise has more than doubled its annual profits thanks to a rebound in its own-brand trains and a surge in the number of people taking the bus.
• Italian cyclists gear up for a row over number plates. [subscription]Cyclists in Italy will be forced to pay for insurance and fit number plates and indicators under controversial plans to boost road safety.
• FirstGroup doubles profits thanks to rise in passenger numbers. [subscription]The transport company recently stripped of the TransPennine rail franchise has more than doubled its annual profits thanks to a rebound in its own-brand trains and a surge in the number of people taking the bus.

City AM

• Wrightbus secures £50m government grant to boost hydrogen bus exports Sustainable bus maker Wrightbus has secured a £50m loan from the government to turbocharge exports of electric and hydrogen-powered buses. The agreement will see the UK's Export Finance (UKEF) agency guarantee 80 per cent of the loan, from Barclays bank.

Sky News

• South Uist islanders 'being driven to despair and should be compensated' for ferry cancellation, first minister toldCalMac has cut sailings from Lochboisdale to Mallaig on the mainland for the rest of June. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross told First Minister Humza Yousaf that the "failure to build a working ferry network" was "causing chaos". But the SNP government insisted more vessels are coming.

Birmingham Post

• FirstGroup stays positive despite rail strikes and TransPennine loss'The loss of the contract was a huge disappointment for our team'

Bristol Live

• Keynsham's 'optical illusion' cycle path studied by psychology experts after fallsThree university professors have suggested why people keep tripping over an 'optical illusion' cycle lane near Bristol. Psychology experts from Bristol and Cardiff universities visited Keynsham after months of complaints about the new lane and markings.
• Fears for future of St Annes train station plan after government silenceFears have been raised for the future of a planned new train station in Bristol after 18 months without a response from the government. St Annes Park station opened in 1898 and closed in 1970 leaving the wider area with poor public transport links.
• New Bristol train station will impact bus and cycling routesThe station under construction was widely welcomed but questions remain about its effects on the wider transport network

Yorkshire Evening Post

• First Bus Leeds: Residents react as 800 bus drivers set to walk out on indefinite strike actionBus drivers for First West Yorkshire have announced they will take continuous industrial action over the company’s refusal to return the date on which new pay rises are enacted back to normal. Starting from June 18, the strikes will take place daily for an undisclosed amount of time and see heavy disruption to bus traffic around the city.

Cambridge News

• East West Rail: When Cambs residents can ask questions about preferred route choiceThe proposed East West Rail line is proposed to go through new railway stations in Cambourne and Cambridge South
• The Cambridgeshire steam train ride where you can race through countryside playing board gamesThe Board Games on a Train event is taking place in Peterborough this weekend
• First debate on controversial Cambridge congestion charge plan - recapThe proposed scheme - that would see drivers pay £5 a day in the city - has divided opinion
• Voi e-scooter trial brought back to villages across Cambridge after rollout 'error' The trial was first launched in October 2020

Sunderland Echo

• Angry rail passengers say Grand Central’s Sunderland-London service is ’cancel, cancel, cancel’Grand Central has apologised to passengers, with a string of ongoing rail cancellations causing travel chaos.

Other Regional Press

• First Worcester warning after section of bus station closesCOMMUTERS are warned of changes as 'major' work is set to be carried out at Worcester bus station.
• Rail users condemn 'absolutely dreadful' Brigg weekday train service and blame it for 'killing off footfall'The train service ran on a Saturday only for nearly 30 years and has recently been replaced with a Monday-Friday service - but visitors can only stay a few hours or face a day's wait for a return train

Business Live

• FirstGroup stays positive despite rail strikes and TransPennine lossFirstGroup says its results will be in line with expectations despite losing its TransPennine Express franchise and the impact of ongoing strike action.

Coach and Bus Week

• Rotala’s Bolton depot soldFollowing the appeal by Diamond North West owner Rotala Group against the decision of the judicial review into the introduction of franchising in Greater Manchester and the city region’s forging ahead with plans for its new Bee Network, Rotala has sold its depot in Bolton, as required as part of the ongoing implementation of the franchise regime.
• Go North West launches biggest ever bus driver recruitment campaignGo North West has launched its Elite Bus Driver Academy as it looks to hire up to 300 drivers following its Bee Network contract award
• Coaches step in as rail network shuts downCoach operators helped to get thousands of sport and music fans to major events over the first weekend in June such as cup finals at Wembley and Hampden Park, the Epsom Derby, and Beyonce’s London concert, as industrial action once again struck the national rail network.

New Civil Engineer

• Costain removed from £1.3bn A66 upgrade as DfT disbands unit set up to fast track the projectNational Highways and Costain have agreed “a change in contracting strategy” on the £1.3bn A66 Trans-Pennine scheme that will see the contractor step down from the job.
• Concerns of delay to Coventry VLR due to DfT’s sluggish delivery of fundsA senior Coventry counsellor has expressed concern that the city’s trailblazing very light railway (VLR) will be delayed because the Department for Transport (DfT) is taking longer than expected to deliver the promised funding.
• Specialist highlights Stonehenge Tunnel ’sinkhole’ concernsRisk of ground collapses above the planned A303 Stonehenge Tunnel have been raised following formation of a “sinkhole” above High Speed 2’s (HS2's) Chiltern tunnels in May.
• Call for Northern Metro mayors to undertake a Senedd-style roads review for the NorthAn open letter to all Northern Metro mayors has called for a roads review panel to be set up for the region in order to assess the potential environmental impact of proposed road projects.
• Network Rail closes Severn Tunnel for 10 days for track renewal workThe Severn Tunnel will be closed for 10 days from today so Network Rail engineers can renew 3.2km of new track on the South Gloucestershire side of the tunnel.

Rail Business Daily

• Rail commuting up 8 per cent as strikes impact reducesFresh analysis published by Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) unpicks the reasons people are taking the train, as well as implications and opportunities for industry revenue.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Pulhams bought by Go-Ahead GroupThe Go-Ahead Group has bought family-run business Pulhams Coaches to expand its Oxfordshire bus operation and continue its move into the coach market.
• First Bus reveals 15% fare revenue rise in yearly accountsA 15% rise in First Bus passenger revenue despite a cut in service miles contributed to a “strong” financial performance reported by First Group in its latest annual accounts.
• Government paper focuses on increasing bus patronageImproving bus reliability and convenience are the top ways to influence people to use the bus more, according to an extensive report newly published by the Department for Transport.
• DfT report: Electric buses 70% more efficient than dieselBattery-electric buses are 70% more efficient than Euro-VI diesel equivalents and also use less energy than hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) buses, according to a newly published Department for Transport (DfT) report.
• FlixBus and Stagecoach row in Aberdeen intensifiesA dispute between FlixBus and Stagecoach over access to Union Square bus station in Aberdeen for scheduled coach services has escalated after FlixBus on 2 June accused Stagecoach of “deliberate misuse of space to keep out competitors.”
• Bee Network receives first BYD ADL Enviro400EV busesTransport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has taken delivery of the first five of its 100 electric double-decker buses ordered from Alexander Dennis (ADL) for the region’s forthcoming Bee Network.

Transportxtra

• DfT channels another £80m through bus improvement settlementsThe Government has chosen to route £80m more through additional Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP Plus) settlements to 63 local transport authorities in England as part of the Government’s longer- term approach to supporting services through to April 2025 (LTT 869).
• Rail improvements in doubt as Manchester scheme cut backProspects of rail improvements look to be in doubt as announced funding for Manchester area schemes has been revealed to omit some expected upgrades, to the disappointment of mayor Andy Burnham, and Network Rail has warned in its £44bn, five-year plan (2024-29, Control Period 7 – CP7) of a prospective worsening of performance through increasing asset condition deterioration and unreliability.

Other News Sources

• First grant awarded from Community Cycling FundA Galashiels social enterprise has been successful in accessing £7,480 from the Scottish Borders Community Cycling Fund.
• Big free bus weekendAs part of our Bus Service Improvement Plan we are offering free bus travel on all bus services running in Kent and Medway on the 24 and 25 June. This is just one of our initiatives to encourage the use of the bus.
• Enhancing commuter connectivity: Woking Railway Station sets the bar with proposed high-speed Wi-Fi implementationWoking Railway Station in Surrey has earned recognition as one of the best London commuter stations due to its convenient proximity.

News from Europe

• First self-driving urban ferry sets sail in StockholmA self-driving electric ferry set sail in Stockholm on Thursday, making the Swedish capital the world's first city to put the technology to use, the company behind it said.