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

Sunday, 20 August 2023

BBC News

• Babbacombe Cliff Railway closes again for repair workA cliff railway that was closed for 10 months after the death of an engineer has been forced to temporarily shut again due to technical difficulties.
• Have airlines gone too far with their extra fees?Airlines increasingly charge for perks like speedy booking and seat selection, but some passengers say the costs are too high
• London: Superloop network brings more frequent busesThe fast service has doubled the service frequency on a pre-existing routes around outer London.

Financial Times

• Italian rail group aims to launch high-speed links between European citiesState-owned operator FS suggests a Brussels to Amsterdam route could be extended to Paris and Berlin

STV

• Forbes demands urgency after car ferry services suspended on key routeSNP MSP says 'ancient relief vessel' is not a long-term solution for people who rely on the Corran Crossing in Lochaber.

The Herald

• Ministers 'lose taxpayer millions' in new ferry fiasco 'farce'MINISTERS have been accused of wasting millions over major changes to plans for the launch of vessels at the centre of Scotland's ferry fiasco.

Times Online

• Great British Railways may rise from the dead. [Subscription]Great British Railways, Boris Johnson’s proposed quango to revitalise UK train services, is poised to be saved from the policy scrapheap under new plans that will leave ministers in far greater control than had been envisaged.

The Mirror

• Join Save Our Ticket Offices rally with Tanni Grey-Thompson, Mick Lynch and Andy BurnhamThe Mirror is hosting an online event to fight railway ticket office closures on Thursday, August 24 at 5pm. You will be able to watch live on this page or our social media channels

Belfast Telegraph

• Beauty spot more Silent than ever as bus shuttle haltedHealth and safety concerns have led to one of Northern Ireland’s top beauty spots being left high and dry this summer.

Bolton News

• Bolton Trading Standards warning over e-bikesResidents are being warned to be careful when charging their e-bikes after a rise in

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Liquid rules at UK airports ahead of change in 2024The 100ml limit on liquids allowed through security is set to be relaxed in 2024 - ahead of this change here are the current rules in place in UK airports.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Disused railway line could become haven for walkers and cyclists under plansA disused railway line in Walsall could become a haven for cyclists and walkers if current proposals are passed.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Going Green: Buses are a Great British institutionThe fabulous ’Get around for £2’ scheme is valid until October 31st this year. The tickets for single journeys are available on over 5,000 routes across the UK outside London for just £2.
• Leeds buses: The best and worst bus services in Leeds named by residents - including 16 and 91Multiple companies operate in the area, most notably First and Arriva, meaning there is plenty of competition to keep services at their best. Despite this, Leeds locals are vocal about their bus services – recommending good ones and criticising those that aren't performing.

Other Regional Press

• TfL forced to deny twice that it is working on 'pay-per-mile scheme' to replace ULEZTransport for London (TfL) has denied working on a so-called ’pay-per-mile’ scheme to replace the capital’s ultra low emission zone (ULEZ). The £12.50 daily fee to drive a non-compliant car (broadly pre-2005 petrol and pre-2015 diesel) is set to be expanded to nearly all of the city’s roads on August 29.
• Thousands of people sign petition calling for removal of Aberdeen city centre bus gatesOnly a few days have passed since the petition, calling on Aberdeen City Council to scrap plans for three new bus gates, launched but thousands of signatures have been obtained.
• Call to re-open closed but existing railway lines at recent Calderdale Transport ForumRe-opening closed but existing railway lines could increase travel options on West Yorkshire’s rail network in the short term, a transport forum heard.
• 'Total mess' of running Bath railway station without ticket office is taste of things to come, warn staffGreat Western Railway insisted that the current temporary measures are not a reflection of how ticket sales would work in the future
• Save Corby rail ticket office - campaign under way to stop the closureLabour activists are leading a push to save the threatened ticket office
• Lyme Regis: concerns over park and ride buses in town centreA LYME REGIS business owner warns 'an accident is waiting to happen' as park and ride buses battle through the town's narrow roads.

Rail Advent

• New mesh system protects rail services between Newport to GloucesterThe Severn Estuary line has reopened this week (Friday 18 August) after three weeks of work to mitigate the impact of landslips.

RMT

• RMT to march on Parliament to save ticket officesRailway workers will take the fight for the future of ticket offices to the doorstep of 10 Downing Street on 31 August.

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair challenges increase in Spanish airport chargesRyanair has formally appealed against Aena’s attempt to bypass the Spanish Government’s 2021 decision of a 5-year freeze on airport charges at Spanish airports. This freeze contributed significantly to Spain’s post-Covid recovery and growth in tourism and employment.

Other News Sources

• New Colnbrook park and ride plan hoped to alleviate ULEZ pressures on Heathrow staffHeathrow is applying to turn a golf driving range on the greenbelt of Colnbrook into a park and ride – to help its staff be able to afford to get to work in the wake of ULEZ restrictions.
• The end of the line for Dartmouth’s bus depotDartmouth’s bus depot is being closed by Stagecoach bus company.
• Finnair CEO Topi Manner leaves the company to join Elisa CorporationFinnair’s CEO, Topi Manner, has given notice of his resignation from the company to join Elisa Corporation as their new CEO, starting at the latest on 1 March 2024. Until then, Manner continues as normal in his CEO role at Finnair.
• Railway ticket office closures protest heading for Downing StreetA protest against railway ticket office closures is to be held on the final day of consultation on the controversial plans.