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

Thursday, 29 June 2023

BBC News

• Bus stop bollards: Leeds City Council sorry for cycle lane errorLeeds City Council has apologised after bollards were installed in front of a bus stop on a key commuter route. On Tuesday, bollards were put in place to create a segregated cycle lane along the A660 Otley Road in Far Headingley
• First of £1bn Arterio trains set to be four years lateThe first of a £1bn fleet of trains will not enter service until the end of 2023 - four years behind schedule, the BBC understands. The high-capacity Arterio trains were initially due to run from December 2019 on South Western Railway (SWR) routes to Reading and Windsor in Berkshire.
• Manchester Airport and Unite deal sees workers' pay rise by up to 17%Staff at Manchester Airport will also get a lump sum payment and pension benefits, a union says.
• Manchester Airport and Unite deal sees workers' pay rise by up to 17%Staff at Manchester Airport will also get a lump sum payment and pension benefits, a union says.

Financial Times

• The Chinese carmakers planning to shake up the European marketBYD, Nio, Chery and others want to use their expertise in electric vehicles to take advantage of the continent's coming ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars

The Telegraph

• Second-hand car prices up 45pc thanks to Ulez expansionOnly around 5,000 cars under £5,000 available that are able to drive into zone without charge, data suggest

Daily Express

• Virgin Galactic to launch its first commercial trip into spaceA three-man crew from Italy will be on board the rocket plane. Along with an astronaut instructor they will carry out 13 scientific research experiments.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham Airport security area explained as major construction works shut down parts of terminalSome travellers have expressed concern around queuing times

Birmingham Post

• Barratt Group signs deal with Pod Point to put EV chargers into its new homesPrevious deals between the two firms have seen EV chargers put into more than 3,000 Barratt properties

Bolton News

• Bolton: Plan to 'electrify' Weston Street bus depotPlans are in motion to start the “electrification” of Bolton buses at one of the town’s key depots as public transport in Bolton and across Greater Manchester is transformed.
• Bolton: Plan to 'electrify' Weston Street bus depotPlans are in motion to start the “electrification” of Bolton buses at one of the town’s key depots.

Northern Echo

• 'Crucial' Arriva Darlington services saved from cutsSeveral “crucial” bus services connecting North East residents have been saved from cuts after a "last-minute agreement".

Nottingham Evening Post

• 'Huge step forward' as Stagecoach says it is 'willing' to keep Nottinghamshire bus service goingThe service covers destinations including Nottingham City Hospital

Other Regional Press

• TfW's pledge to improve Wrexham to Bidston train serviceTransport for Wales restored train services to the Wrexham-Bidston line in April 2023 by bringing new Class 230 trains into service. The new trains are refurbished London Underground stock and are yet to perform to their full potential, with services not yet running on time and experiencing a number of “teething” issues.
• First Minister Concedes: Transport for Wales’ rail service falls short of acceptabilityFirst Minister, Mark Drakeford, has conceded rail services provided by Transport for Wales (TfW) “are not up to the standard that passengers expect.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​
• New Lincolnshire to London direct train line takes step closerProgress on a new direct train line between Lincolnshire and London has taken a key step forward, with LNER testing the route and stations. If the new route is given the green light, it would connect Cleethorpes to the country's capital - meaning residents in Market Rasen Grimsby and Barnetby could hop on direct.
• Brighton and Hove Buses to completely change colourBuses running through the city will be given a lick of paint as a company has announced a landmark branding overhaul.
• Bluemull Sound ferry down to single vesselTHE BLUEMULL Sound ferry service has been reduced to a single vessel this morning (Thursday) after a technical fault with the Geira.
• Cardiff wins award for Central Square Transport SchemeCardiff Council has been awarded Civil Project of the Year Award for 2023/24 for the Central Square Transport Scheme.
• Redditch Railway Station: Public consultation launchedCoinciding with the public consultation, which is running until Monday, August 7, new illustrative plans have been released of what the station could look like.
• The ’forgotten’ suburb of Bristol where a new railway station could still be on trackRegular trains pass through St Annes every day, but they haven’t stopped at this ’forgotten’ area of Bristol for 53 years.
• As bus fares rise and services seriously decline, more people are returning to use their carsThe impact of bus cuts, the threat to our green spaces and the ousting of a courageous PM are some of the topics tackled by our readers this week.

Train Operators

• TPE commemorates 200 years of rail history with ’Diligence’TransPennine Express (TPE) has named a Nova 1 train ’Diligence’ in honour of the bicentenary of the world’s first locomotive works.

New Civil Engineer

• New £16M railway station in Exeter completed five years later than plannedA trading estate in Devon will see trains visit it for the first time from 4 July as contractor Graham has finished the construction of a new £16M railway station.
• Network Rail’s planned footbridge at listed Dumfries station criticised for appearanceNetwork Rail has applied for listed building consent at Dumfries station to build an accessible footbridge, but its appearance has been criticised by the local council.
• Birmingham’s Camp Hill line reopening postponed due to station construction challengesThe reopening of Birmingham's Camp Hill line to passenger services has been postponed by a year to the end of 2024 because of delays in the delivery of the three new stations.
• Revealed: National Highways spend on legal fees to defend its RIS2 road schemesNational Highways has spent £330,000 on legal fees for six of Roads Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) schemes, including more than £200,000 on its A303 Stonehenge tunnel, a freedom of information request from NCE has revealed.

Rail Advent

• Welsh Government commits to improve Wrexham-Bidston (Borderlands) lineLobby group Growth Track 360 has welcomed commitments to improve services on the Borderlands Line from Transport for Wales and the Welsh Government.
• TransPennine Express celebrates the world’s first locomotive works 200th anniversaryThe rail operator has named one of its Nova 1 trains 'Diligence' in recognition of the works.
• Redeveloped Stirling station celebrates official openingFiona Hyslop MSP, Minister for Transport in the Scottish Government, officially opened the redeveloped Stirling railway station yesterday
• Rail industry enters partnership to develop carbon calculatorBusiness travellers will soon have access to a calculator that will provide them with detailed, accurate, and reliable data on the environmental benefits and carbon emissions of their rail journey when they purchase their ticket.
• Progress reports for three new railway stations for Birmingham’s Camp Hill lineConstruction crews are pushing forward with the construction of Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road stations. 

Rail Magazine

• Analysis: Unwanted rolling stockBuying new trains is an expensive, long-term business. It can also be a lucrative one, as evidenced by the dominance of major international financial institutions and pension funds in the British rolling stock market. 

Railway Gazette

• Alstom to build Vande Bharat sleeper EMUsINDIA: Indian Railways has named Alstom as low-bidder for a contract to supply and maintain 100 aluminium bodied Vande Bharat 4.0 trainsets with sleeping car facilities for use on longer-distance routes.

The Business Desk

• £61m new rail line hit by year long delayThe £61m scheme to reintroduce rail services in Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell is facing a year long delay. Work by VolkerFitzpatrick began on the three stations in November but has since found a plethora of issues, meaning the stations will not be open until the end of 2024.

Other News Sources

• £39m Thanet Parkway Station set to open in JulyWork on the £39 million Thanet Parkway railway station is complete, and the station is set to open on July 31. The opening of Thanet Parkway will mark the first rail station opening in Kent for eight years.
• Brittany Ferries to partner with British Firework Championships to celebrate their 50th anniversary Celebrating half a century in business, Brittany Ferries has partnered with this year’s British Firework Championships, which will once again be hosted in the city of Plymouth on the Hoe. Returning to Britain’s Ocean City for its 26th year, the championships will take place across the 16 and 17 August, welcoming over 100,000 visitors to the city, who will enjoy 6 stunning 10-minute displays by some of the leading firework display companies in the UK as they compete for the title – British Firework Champions 2023.
• Data tool launched to support active travel policyThe Sustrans Walking and Cycling Index Data Tool will provide vital data to policymakers across the UK and Ireland, to inform developments in active travel.
• West London neighbourhoods 'gridlocked' as residents demand better transport links with more homes on wayA local councillor called for more reliable and frequent public transport services in the neighbourhoods
• with the first car certified to fly, are eVTOLs about to radically transform air transport?In October 2022, Alef Aeronautics revealed that it had developed Model A, an electric flying vehicle with eVTOL capabilities, packed with a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles.
• Why is light rail still in the sidings? The case for tramsBusses and metros are commonplace throughout Europe, so are trams. So why has the UK let this mode of transport fall by the wayside?
• Making fleets more resilient to high temperaturesPorterbrook has been working alongside Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems and East Midlands Railway (EMR) to trial a new approach to managing the impact of high ambient temperatures on passenger comfort and train reliability.