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

Tuesday, 13 June 2023

Cogitamus

• The Chris Stokes Column - Determined and motivated rail management key to passenger revenue recoveryLeaving aside the corrosive impact of continued industrial action on passengers’ confidence in the rail industry, the seemingly endless drift in the Government’s implementation of the Williams-Shapps Review is also enormously damaging. It’s clear that there will not be legislation to set up Great British Railways before the election, and increasingly it seems both the Department for Transport and the Treasury know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

BBC News

• East West Rail: Could a new rail link 'tear apart' a village?A new £5bn railway line connecting Cambridge and Oxford will transform much of the area between the two university cities. It could see one Bedfordshire village grow from a population of about 600 to more than 44,000. What would that change mean for people living there and how do they feel about it?
• Castleford set to receive £720,000 of station improvement fundingA West Yorkshire town looks set to receive £720,000 to fund improvements to its railway station and surrounding areas.
• Train drivers union rejects ScotRail pay offerAslef says the pay offer was below inflation and calls for pay talks to be reopened immediately.
• Call for new transport minister to be a senior roleWestern Isles Council said it should be a cabinet job due to serious ferry problems.
• Heathrow workers call off first summer strikesMore than 2,000 staff said they will postpone industrial action on 24 and 25 June.

Financial Times

• Battery boss urges UK to close subsidies gap with EU and USAMT's chief says ministers must offer more financial support to become competitive

STV

• Trains delayed after flooding damages tracks amid thunderstormsEngineers are currently at the scene of the damage in the Tomatin area while services across Scotland are facing delays and cancellations.

Times Online

• ’Glacial pace’ on A9 road dualling might be deliberate, engineers suggest. [subscription]Civil engineers in Scotland knew “for many years” that the promise to dual the A9 road by 2025 would not be met, a trade body has said. It said the “glacial” progress on the scheme could be deliberate.
• Scores of easyJet flights cancelled as severe weather causes chaos. [subscription]A yellow weather warning is in place as more thunderstorms are expected

Birmingham Post

• How the outside of hoped-for underground HS2 station at Manchester Piccadilly could lookManchester leaders are calling on MPs to amend the current plan for a surface turnback station
• Driverless pod maker which works with Jaguar Land Rover, Morgan and Aston Martin buys parts manufacturerAurrigo makes six autonomous vehicles, which can cut costs, resolve operational issues and tackle labour shortages

Nation. Cymru

• TfW performs U-turn on Merthyr line re-opening due to safety concernsTransport for Wales (TfW) was forced to perform a U-turn on plans to re-open the Merthyr Tydfil line at the weekend following major engineering works.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• 'Good for the city' - Behind the scenes look at Sunderland railway station's £27 million transformationWork on the entrance to the railway station in the city centre is set to be completed in October this year

Leeds Live

• Tory Rail Minister Huw Merriman 'embarrassed' by 18-month wait for Leeds HS2 reportHe says the report is coming soon...or should that be 'very soon'?

Other Regional Press

• Leighton bus route backlash may bring in changes council admitsCentral Bedfordshire Council has said it may review new bus routes after a fierce backlash from residents.
• UK's first self-driving bus coming to Oxfordshire's roadsThe project is a partnership between First, Oxfordshire County Council and others.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• CILT(UK) welcomes the launch of the Bus Centre of Excellence (BCoE)CILT(UK) is pleased to welcome the launch of the new Bus Centre of Excellence (BCoE) BCoE is a community of bus sector professionals that will need your support to grow. We invite you to actively contribute and engage with the BCoE. Your insights, experiences, knowledge and ideas are invaluable in shaping the future of our bus sector! Together, we can drive innovation and improve the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of bus transportation systems within England and beyond.

Rail Advent

• Network Rail Southern Region announces new Operations DirectorNetwork Rail's Southern Region has announced that David Davidson has been appointed to lead its operations in Kent and South East London, one of the busiest rail networks in the country.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Rail Minister launches ’Rail Day’ to raise awareness of the railways green credentialsRail Minister Huw Merriman officially launched Rail Day, the first day of Better Transport Week, at King’s Cross Station in London today (Monday 12 June).
• Major Transpennine route upgrade project to get underway in JuneWork is due to begin on planned major upgrades at Morley station between 17-25 June Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), has confirmed.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Coach and bus to be promoted during first Better Transport WeekCampaign for Better Transport has launched its first Better Transport Week, which is set to promote public transport, shared mobility, walking and cycling on 12-18 June.

Other News Sources

• Cambridgeshire takes on six district challenge and hops on board public transportCambridgeshire’s mayor Dr Nik Johnson spent yesterday (Monday) highlighting Better Transport Week by taking on his own Six District Challenge.
• Sadiq Khan says there are 'no concerns' over pollution levels on London UndergroundThe Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has reassured those that travel on the Underground that “no concerns” have been raised with him nor Transport for London (TfL) about the air quality on the Tube amid concern from some experts about the presence of metallic particles small enough to enter human bloodstream collating on station platforms. Nevertheless, Mr Khan said that officials are working with Imperial College London in order to detect potential problems that "we don’t know about yet".