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

Saturday, 10 June 2023

BBC News

• Croydon tram crash driver denies he was asleepAlfred Dorris denies failing to take reasonable care over the crash in which seven people died.
• More than 600 Glasgow City Council vehicles not LEZ compliantGlasgow City Council is having to hire vans as vehicles in its fleet are banned from the low emission zone.

Department for Transport

• Transport Secretary confirms £18 million to protect vital services in Greater ManchesterExtraordinary funding settlement will enable the city’s transport network to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Financial Times

• Car and battery makers to miss out on benefits from Atlantic declarationLatest UK-US trade agreement to support supply chains of materials for electric vehicles but not fully assembled cars
• Sunak orders inquiry into hidden fees hitting consumers in pocket Business department to review ‘drip pricing’ of extra booking, joining and other charges

The Guardian

• We must steer clear of all cars, including EVs | LettersReaders respond to Rowan Atkinson’s growing disillusionment with electric vehiclesAndrew Gould’s letter (4 June) highlights one flaw in Rowan Atkinson’s critique of electric cars (I love electric vehicles – and was an early adopter. But increasingly I feel duped, 3 June). Another serious flaw was to suggest it would be “sensible” to use electricity to produce synthetic fuels for petrol engines, rather than use electric cars.This would be highly inefficient. A Guardian article last month (E-fuels: how big a niche can they carve out for cars?, 5 May) noted that only about 16% of the electricity ...
• You can rely on public transport in London, but not out here in the sticksReaders say they’d love to ditch their cars as Stuart Jeffries has, but it’s not easy in rural areas

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.

Times Online

• Airline hand luggage fees could be banned [subscripton]Government is seeking more transparency in online travel and retail pricing and an end to ’drip-selling’ and hidden charges
• The Caledonian Sleeper train is being nationalised — can it still thrive? [subscripton]As the Scottish service celebrates its 150th anniversary, Scots can be rightly proud. But what next for one of Britain’s last truly romantic railway experiences, asks David Meara

Network Rail

• Rail passengers on the move again through Nuneham as major project to replace 160-year-old viaduct support completes ahead of scheduleEngineers have worked around the clock to safely reopen Nuneham Viaduct, in Oxfordshire, a day early, on Friday 9 June, following an intensive ten-week programme of work.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Making bus and rail an 'attractive alternative' to car must be transport priority in North WalesMaking rail and bus trips a genuinely 'attractive alternative' to the car should be the aim of transport bosses in North Wales. The North Wales Transport Commission has published its interim report into the problems, opportunities, and challenges for the region's transport network.

Liverpool Echo

• Major Merseyside transport projects hit by significant delaysUpgrades to motorway junctions and the reconstruction of a train station worth millions of pounds across the region are to be pushed back after being signed off by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA). The Combined Authority has today confirmed a series of changes to its previously approved strategic investment fund projects.

Nottingham Evening Post

• BBC's Head of the Midlands Stuart Thomas announces new role at LNERHe will be leaving the BBC for a new role at LNER as communications director. However, he will still be at the BBC for a few more months before this to help finish the first stage of it's "vital transformation."

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• New chairman for Birmingham AirportSir Hugh Robertson will take up the role on July 18 after an airport board meeting on that date.. It comes after an extensive external search process following the current chairman, Tim Clarke, notifying the board in January of his intention to retire this summer.

Cambridge News

• Cambs Stagecoach 904 bus saved as coach company comes on boardThe service runs between Huntingdon and Peterborough and the timetable will remain the same

Carlisle News & Star

• Carlisle MP calls for 'Northern Powerhouse 2.0' in major policy speechCarlisle MP John Stevenson has called for 'Northern Powerhouse 2.0' in his keynote speech at the Northern Research Group (NRG) conference in Doncaster.

Other Regional Press

• Bedfordians deserve full assessment of East West Rail plans council toldBedford Borough Council “owes it to the people of the borough” to carry out an assessment on East West Rail’s plans, a meeting has heard.
• Lincoln’s unfunded footbridge: a key part of city’s transport visionThe City of Lincoln Council said plans to construct a new footbridge linking Lincoln’s transport hub to Sincil Bank are still a priority, but that no funding is currently available to build it.
• Transport on agenda as senior figures come together for tour in ShropshireA three-day fact finding tour of government and regional specialists has taken place in Shropshire to look at key issues in transport.

Rail Business Daily

• Rail Safety Week – Rail Safety Spotlight with Andrew HainesWith less than three weeks to go until Rail Safety Week (RSW), Elaine Clark, CEO of Rail Forum, recorded a short podcast with Network Rail’s CEO Andrew Haines.

Rail Technology Magazine

• How can the UK catch up with its rail decarbonisation targets?The UK Government is failing to meet its rail decarbonisation targets. What can be done about it?

Railnews

• Nuneham Viaduct reopens ahead of schedule The Victorian railway viaduct which spans the Thames south of Oxford has reopened a day earlier than planned, after weeks of major reconstruction was completed. The first passenger train across the bridge this morning was a shuttle service from Didcot Parkway to Oxford. Network Rail said about 800 people have worked nearly 60,000 hours since the first week of April.

Trafnidiaeth Cymru [Transport for Wales]

• TfW and Visit Shropshire shine sustainable light on exploring the Midlands county by trainTransport for Wales (TfW) and Visit Shropshire and have signed a new partnership to highlight and promote the ease of exploring the county by train.

Aviation Industry

• London Gatwick Serves 3.2 Million Seats During Month Of Airport's 65th AnniversarySince the late Queen Elizabeth II first opened it on June 9th, 1958, London Gatwick Airport is celebrating its 65th anniversary today as it continues to recover from the pandemic. Although the airport is slightly below pre-pandemic levels, its recovery is significantly faster than the UK average, especially for the June forecast.

Other News Sources

• More reliable services are needed to help encourage 5.4 million outer Londoners onto greener forms of transport such as railA Centre for London report (6th June) has revealed that due to a lack of public transport options, people living in Outer London are using their cars for journeys at twice the rate than those in Inner London – 38% of journeys made vs 19%.
• Next stage of £21million Glasgow transport plan set to be unveiledGLASWEGIANS are being invited to have their say on the next stage of a new £21million project which is set to transform one of the busiest parts of the city.
• ’Change in attitude’ needed to improve accessibility on London’s transport network, campaigners warnA “change in attitude” is needed to tackle accessibility problems on London’s transport system, campaigners have warned.
• Residents to be asked for views on Shropshire Council’s highways and transport servicesShropshire residents are to be asked for their views on Shropshire Council’s highways and transport services – from the condition of roads and footpaths to the quality of cycling facilities – in this year’s annual National Highways and Transport (NHT) Public Satisfaction survey.