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

Saturday, 22 July 2023

BBC News

• Railway ticket office closures: Legal bid over ’finding where the humans are’Two disabled activists have initiated a legal challenge over plans by train operators to shut nearly all railway station ticket offices.
• Hogwarts Express steam train cancelled over safety issuesThe Jacobite steam train seen in the Harry Potter films has been suspended by rail inspectors.
• Tube strike: Unions call off action following talksHundreds of Tube staff were set to walk out from 23 to 28 July amid an ongoing dispute.
• More children can use passport e-gates after UK rule changeThe expansion of the service is expected to benefit over 400,000 children this year.

ITV News

• Sunderland ticket office closure branded a "complete and utter waste of money"The new ticket office at Sunderland railway station may close before it has even opened amid proposed nationwide cuts. A new ticket office is part of a £27 million renovation project aimed at dramatically transforming Sunderland station into a transport hub fit for the 21st century.

Financial Times

• Cruise liner supplier halts sales of deficient fire-resistant panelsOperators search for remedies after learning that as many as 45 ships in operation are affected
• E-bikes should be exploding, just not literallyI’m a believer in this mode of transport but the batteries that power some cycles need checking out

The Guardian

• UK rail strikes: passengers face further day of disruptionRMT union stages second 24-hour strike in three days as Aslef overtime ban nears end. Rail passengers across Britain are facing another day of limited and disrupted services, as the RMT union stages a second 24-hour strike in three days in the long-running pay dispute.
• UK drivers shocked as car insurance costs soar by up to 90%The price of petrol and diesel may have dropped but households are being hit by another rising costIn 2022, Stephen Sangster had an uneventful year behind the wheel of his brand-new Dacia Jogger, covering 6,000 miles with no accidents or traffic offences.

The Herald

• Glasgow buses: Bar group owner in bus, train subsidy callA Scottish hospitality group owner has called for subsidised night-time transport services as Scotland’s largest city faces the threat of the withdrawal of late-night buses.

Times Online

• Electric planes: how near are we to take-off and what are the obstacles? [subscription]Developers are confident in their designs but convincing regulators of their safety remains a significant hurdle

Birmingham Post

• Port of Tyne falls to loss but highlights 'significant progress'The port saw revenues fall in its cargoes and car sections, but there was growth in other areas

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Permanent cycle lanes planned for Wakefield Road, BradfordCycle lanes on Wakefield Road in Bradford will be removed - but more permanent ones are on the way.

London Evening Standard

• ’Absolute scandal’ - Concern over lack of step-free platforms at Old Oak Common stationMayor Sadiq Khan agreed with Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon that it would be “heartbreaking” if the station was not fully accessible

Manchester Evening News

• Mayors launch legal action over railway station ticket office closure plans as 'more than 100,000' respond to consultationA group of mayors including Andy Burnham have now initiated legal action against train operating companies over controversial plans to close railway station ticket offices. The news was confirmed as a rail union claimed more than 100,000 people across the country have officially responded to the proposals.

Nation. Cymru

• Council steps in to help as two crucial bus services are cancelledA Welsh council has arranged for two free to all shuttle vehicles to act as a temporary last-minute solution to the axing by a local transport company of two vital bus services.

Lancashire Telegraph

• Blackburn Council backs rail ticket offices closure campaignA local authority has voted to back the campaign to stop the closure of ticket offices at three East Lancashire railway stations, after a warning that Blackburn's was next for the axe.

Leeds Live

• Leeds Bradford Airport Jet2 warning as airline braced for 'busiest weekend in history'Jet2 are braced for 170,000 people travelling with them over Saturday and Sunday alone

South Wales Argus

• Caerphilly's new transport interchange moving forwardPLANS for a new transport interchange in Caerphilly have moved a step closer after the council's cabinet backed moves to push the project forward.

Other Regional Press

• Caerphilly’s elderly bus passengers frustrated and left waiting by lack of timetablesA lack of roadside bus timetables around Caerphilly County Borough causes elderly passengers frustration and confusion – and can leave vulnerable people waiting, says a resident.
• Lisa Nandy MP: Let rail operators know your viewsEarlier this month the rail industry confirmed plans to axe the majority of rail ticket offices across the country and reduce the operating hours of the few that will remain.
• Protests over train ticket office closure in LiskeardPeople are wondering how this is fair if it's no longer inclusive
• Westmorland and Furness councillor slams railway ticket office closureTHE closure of railway ticket offices would a have a 'severe' impact on people in Westmorland and Furness, a councillor has said.
• Transport for London opens consultations on new ’Superloop’ routeProposals for route SL2 mean that it would run alongside part of the existing route 123 between Walthamstow and Ilford, and would serve Barking and the eastern Royal Docks
• Today kids on bikes are greeted like the four horsemen of the apocalypseRemember when children used to cycle everywhere with their friends? Why have attitudes changed so dramatically?
• Queues form as port braces for summer travel chaosQueues are forming outside Dover as the port braces itself for a weekend of travel chaos as schools break up for the holidays.
• Free bus travel for families who claim free school meals this summerFamilies with children on free school meals, disabled and older people are being offered a summer of free bus travel.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• CILT gives evidence at Transport Select Committee on rail and road infrastructure planning policyCILT (UK) appeared before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee today to give evidence on major rail and road infrastructure planning policy and be questioned on whether industry feels the National Networks National Policy Statement (NNNPS) will help meet the needs of travellers and business, and whether it will meet future transport demand while aligning with wider priorities like net zero.  Julian Worth FCILT, Chair, CILT(UK) Rail Freight Policy Group said: “There’s a lot of good within the NNNPS, and the section on strategic rail freight interchanges is excel...

Rail Advent

• Transport Focus receives 100,000 responses to railway ticket office consultationTransport Focus and London TravelWatch say they have received 100,000 responses to the consultation into the changes to ticket offices in England.

Rail Industry Association

• The UK Rolling Stock Industry: Making 2023 the year of opportunity not crisisA new report from the Railway Industry Association (RIA) has shown that unless action is taken now on rolling stock orders for upgrade or replacement of the oldest trains on our network thousands of jobs will be at risk across the railway industry.

Rail UK

• UK jobs are at risk without new rolling stock orders says RIAA new report from the Railway Industry Association (RIA) shows that unless action is taken now on rolling stock orders for upgrade or replacement of the oldest trains on the network, thousands of jobs will be at risk across the railway industry.

Railnews

• Industry body warns of rolling stock supply crisisA new report is warning that train-building centres in Britain such as Alstom in Derby and Hitachi in Newton Aycliffe will run out of work within 12 months from now, putting thousands of jobs at risk.

Railway Technology

• RIA says new rolling stock orders needed for UK industry’s survivalThe rail supply chain organisation says that 30,000 jobs could be at risk when the current set of rolling stock orders are completed in 2026.

Transport Focus

• 100,000 responses to ticket office consultation so farAs the public consultation on proposed changes to ticket offices enters its final week, Transport Focus and London TravelWatch have received more than 100,000 responses.

Other News Sources

• Mayors initiate legal process with deadline for rail companies to halt ticket office consultationMayors across England have now written to train operators with an up to seven-day warning, setting out the legal action they will take if a consultation to close the majority of rail tickets offices and drastically cut staff available to support passengers across the country, is not halted.
• Siemens Mobility and Newag to Supply 8 Inspiro Trains for SofiaMetro Sofia has ordered an additional eight Inspiro trains from the SIMETRO consortium comprised of Siemens Mobility Bulgaria, Siemens Mobility Austria and NEWAG SA.
• £18m of funding for local transport, housing and skills as part of devolution plansMillions of pounds in funding, made possible because of plans for devolution in the East Midlands, has been agreed and will be spent on improving housing, transport and the skills of local people.