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

Tuesday, 01 August 2023

BBC News

• Petition launched to save Moreton-in-Marsh railway station ticket officeLiberal Democrat councillors have launched a petition to save a train station ticket office from closure.
• East West Rail: Part of £5bn scheme now 'feasible'Part of a £5bn rail project linking Cambridge and Oxford is now regarded as "feasible" - but still has "significant issues", a report states.
• Vandalism blamed for bike hire scheme scale backAbout 800 of the 1,000 bikes on the Bee Bikes network in Greater Manchester are damaged or missing.

The Guardian

• Dear Rishi Sunak, you've declared war on people who want to curb car use. It's one you'll lose | Christian WolmarThe PM is misguided to focus so strongly on Ulez and popular low-traffic schemes. Keir Starmer should know better, too. Isn’t it extraordinary that the Tories scent blood over that most prosaic of innovations, the ponderously named low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) – and yet the idea that a few bollards and barriers strewn across residential areas should still become their main line of electoral attack is just further proof that the Tory government has abandoned any attempt to demonstrate serious intent.

The Telegraph

• How Gatwick became Britain’s most unreliable airport. [subscription]All of the UK’s airports face the same challenges, so why is Gatwick performing particularly poorly this year?

Times Online

• HS2 has gone from shambles to red alert - William Hague. [subscription]Warning that high-speed rail and other infrastructure projects may never be completed is a matter of national shame
• EV charging stations 10 years behind schedule. [subscription]Lack of electric car charging points frustrates motor industry

City AM

• Heathrow boss: Aviation sector can’t bank on soaring demand continuing into winterThe aviation sector should not bank on soaring demand continuing, the boss of Heathrow airport has warned, amid concerns that airlines could struggle after summer without corporate travels’ sustained recovery.

Birmingham Post

• Pro-growth group launches campaign for a third Menai crossingBritain Remade wants Ministers in Cardiff to reverse the decision to halt proposals for a new crossing
• First new Bristol railway station in almost a century launchedThe new £5.8m Portway Park and Ride station is the first of seven planned stations to boost the local rail network

Bolton News

• Radcliffe: Replacement Irwell bridge signed off in Bee Network meetingMore than £2m has been signed off to build a bridge over the River Irwell in Radcliffe to replace a previous structure which was destroyed more than seven years ago.

London Evening Standard

• London Underground’s new Piccadilly Line train undergoes testing in GermanyThe line’s existing trains have been in use since 1975, and are expected to be replaced with the new models in 2025
• Will HS2 be cancelled, and how much has been spent so far? Government watchdog calls project ’unachievable’The High Speed 2 rail project has been given a red rating after “unsolvable” problems with the first two phases

Nottingham Evening Post

• Major international airport bans common travel item impacting millions of passengersTravelling is thirsty work and tourists often carry bottled water around the airport, but this is set to change at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The Californian hub has joined a number of UK airports in battling single use plastic by banning the sale of one-use plastic water bottles.
• Fears for future of Nottingham bus service after operator confirms cutsAn elderly Sherwood resident who has been fighting to save a bus service in the area says she now fears for its future after major cuts were confirmed. A petition with around 200 signatures was handed in to CT4N opposing major alterations to one of its "lifeline" services, which have now come into force.

Wales Online

• Plans approved to upgrade Cardiff train station which has caused disabled passengers problems for decadesPlans to upgrade Cathays train station in Cardiff have been given prior approval. The station is in the student heart of the city and is one of Wales' busiest but currently has no step-free access between its two platforms.
• First look at Wales' new tram trains as huge £100m depot takes shapeBrand-new electric tram trains that it is claimed "will revolutionise transport across the South Wales Valleys" have been unveiled. As part of the South Wales Metro project the light rail vehicles are the first to be introduced in Wales, operating on both electric lines and battery power. Travelling up to 100km an hour on rail they will also be able to run on tram lines and at 40m long will hold up to 252 passengers.
• First look at Wales' new tram trains as huge £100m depot takes shapeThe long-awaited Metro aims to 'revolutionise' travel

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• 'It's about time': Traffic-calming plans welcomed in 'dangerous' Wolverhampton streetResidents have celebrated as two Wolverhampton roads prepare to see new traffic-controlling measures put into place to curb speeding.

Bucks Free Press

• Bucks Council slams Sadiq Khan’s plans to scrap London travelcardsBuckinghamshire Council has called on the Mayor of London to withdraw a proposal by Transport for London (TfL) for scrapping the sale of Day Travelcards for individuals travelling into and around the capital.

Other Regional Press

• Flights from Humberside Airport to Esbjerg in Denmark are pulled after just over six monthsA route launched between Humberside and Denmark to help support the offshore wind industry has been pulled.
• Oldham bus drivers fight for 'value' and 'respect'Hundreds of bus drivers in Oldham have taken industrial action in recent weeks as they continue to strike for better working conditions and fair pay.
• PASSENGERS GATHER AT PORTWAY PARK & RIDE TO GREET FIRST TRAINRailway enthusiasts gathered in one corner of Shirehampton on Tuesday morning to welcome in the first train at Portway Park & Ride on its first public day of opening.
• Alnmouth railway station groups welcome extension of ticket office consultation periodTwo Alnmouth station groups have welcomed an extension of the consultation period for the proposed closure of the ticket office.
• Brand new Piccadilly Line train undergoes testing, set to revolutionise London’s tube networkThe first new Piccadilly line train off the production line is being tested in Germany today, as transport bosses prepare for the new model’s introduction to London’s Tube network.
• Despair as passengers face 'chaos' as Birmingham Airport admits it is a 'building site right now'It comes amid building work at BHX

Bus and Coach Buyer

• MP thanks Nottingham driversLilian Greenwood MP joined Campaign for Better Transport in Nottingham to celebrate the city’s bus drivers. The Nottingham South MP presented bus drivers from Nottingham City Transport (NCT), trentbarton and Kinchbus with a thank-you card from bus passengers across the country at NCT’s Lower Parliament Street depot.

New Civil Engineer

• Thanet Parkway becomes newest station on South Eastern rail networkThanet Parkway station has opened to services today (31 July), becoming the first new station on the South Eastern rail network in eight years.
• Long-running campaign to reinstate abandoned railway line in Lake District gathers paceCampaigners trying to reinstate an abandoned railway line through the Lake District National Park are confident momentum is gaining after more than 25 years fighting for their cause.
• HS2 TBMs complete first mile of London tunnellingThe first two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) launched for High Speed 2 (HS2) in London have completed the first mile (1.6km) of their drives for a twin bored tunnel.

Rail Advent

• First Tram-Trains unveiled for new South Wales MetroA new era for transport in South Wales has arrived with the unveiling of the first of South Wales Metro's electric tram-trains at their new £100 million depot at Taff's Well.
• Hitachi Rail’s digital transport app enters service in ItalyAnyone using public and private transport systems in Genoa in Italy can now plan, book, and pay the cheapest fare through a new app. that has now entered full commercial service after a successful year-long trial.
• Rail regulator issues annual assessment of High Speed 1According to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in its annual assessment of HS1, the company has missed expected key performance targets.

Rail Business Daily

• PTSG just the ticket for Network Rail Premier Technical Services Group Ltd (via constituent company HCS) has been contracted to support Mitie with specialist water treatment services for Network Rail.

Rail Magazine

• Minister learns of Wrexham issuesWelsh Deputy Minister Lee Waters has called for an improvement to services on the Wrexham-Bidston Line.

Railway Gazette

• RENFE expands its open access operations in FranceFRANCE: RENFE Viajeros began running open access international high speed services between Madrid and Marseille on July 28, having introduced a Barcelona – Lyon service on July 13.
• DB Cargo UK withdraws Class 90 electric locosUK: DB Cargo UK has taken what it calls ’the bold decision’ to withdraw its entire fleet of Class 90 electric locomotives, citing ’the cost of running and maintaining this fleet given the extraordinary economic pressures facing our sector’.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Catch the Bus Month 2023 partner pack launchedPreparations for Catch the Bus Month – which for 2023 will again be held in September – have begun after organiser Bus Users UK launched a partner pack to accompany the campaign.

Aviation Industry

• British Airways ’mid-way through’ business transformation: DoyleBritish Airways is halfway through a transformation of the business under the leadership of Sean Doyle, focused on building the brand’s ’premium’ reputation, improving engagement with staff and increasing the resilience of the technology that underpins operations.

Other News Sources

• The Value of Onboard Data for Predictive MaintenanceA new survey of critical transportation and military operators found three-quarters of rail leaders reported that their current tooling fails to provide the access and observability needed to conduct predictive maintenance effectively.
• Alstom participates in first phase of the world’s biggest automated networkREM will serve residents of Montreal with a rapid transit service, providing one of the world's largest automated train systems which operates 20 hours a day.
• CAF MiiRA and Euskotren test wheel soundproofing systemTo address the problem of train noise and its impact on communities, CAF MiiRA and Euskotren, the Basque transportation operator, are testing new wheel soundproofing systems on Euskotren’s train fleet. The primary objective is to significantly reduce the noise generated by train wheels, thus enhancing the quality of life for residents living near the tracks.
• Free Bus and Metro Travel for Care Leavers in South TynesideA pioneering scheme which offers free bus and Metro travel to young people who have recently left local authority care has been rolled out in South Tyneside following a successful pilot.
• All Island Strategic Rail Review: Ireland develops roadmap to better railIreland’s rail network suffers from significant deficiencies, including inadequate coverage, low service frequencies, and slower speeds compared to similar rail systems. That’s one of the main conclusions of the All Island Strategic Rail Review published this week. The proposed recommendations for improvements carry a capital cost estimate of 1.8 billion euros in 2021 price, the review of Ireland’s railway network shows.

News from Europe

• Switching domestic flights to rail could reduce CO2 by 1m tonnesEurope could reduce CO2 emissions by one million tonnes per year by switching domestic flights to rail journeys, according to research from data intelligence provider Mabrian Technologies.