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

Saturday, 02 December 2023

BBC News

• The race against time to repair Edinburgh Airport's runwayEngineers have been working throughout the past month to repair cracks in the surface of Edinburgh Airport's runway.
• Names for new Western Isles ferries put to a voteThe two ships for CalMac's Little Minch routes are being built at a yard in Turkey.
• NI buses and trains cancelled due to strike actionUnion representatives criticise NI secretary of state as 24-hour action halts public transport.
• Watch: What days in December will trains be disrupted?A number of rail services will be affected by strike action between 1 and 9 December.
• US aims to limit China's role in electric carsThe US unveils rules aimed at keeping Chinese components out of electric cars sold in the country.

Financial Times

• Brookfield raises $28bn for largest-ever infrastructure fundInvestors seeking shelter from inflation plough money into airports, toll roads and pipelines
• UK train drivers vote to extend industrial action into next yearNew 6-month mandate from Aslef members comes at the start of a week of 'rolling' strikes across the rail network

The Guardian

• Rail strikes: passengers face weekend of disruption in EnglandNo trains will run on East Midlands and LNER services from London to Scotland will have a limited serviceRail passengers face severe disruption this weekend as two 24-hour strikes by train drivers from different companies halt many long-distance routes.Saturday's strikes by members of the Aslef union at LNER and East Midlands kick off a series of similar actions running until Friday, while an overtime ban across all operators in England will also hit services nationwide until next weekend. The action will also affect some cross-border services into Scotland and Wales. Continue reading...

The Herald

• A9 dualling 'will take a century' at current progress rateDualling of the A9 will take more than a century to complete at the current rate of progress, analysis by the Scottish Conservatives suggests.
• A9 dualling 'will take a century' at current progress rateDualling of the A9 will take more than a century to complete at the current rate of progress, analysis by the Scottish Conservatives suggests.
• ScotGov agrees to ten gagging clauses over ferry fiasco firmThe Scottish Government has come under fire for secrecy after confirming it has ten gagging clauses with external private companies in relation to its shipyard firm Ferguson Marine.

Times Online

• A9 dualling will take another century, Tories claim [subscription]The completion of dualling the A9 will be more than a century late if the present pace of progress continues, an analysis has shown.
• Ryanair finds ’fake parts’ from London company in engines [subscription]Michael O’Leary calls for tighter control over third-party suppliers

City AM

• Train drivers at Aslef vote to continue taking strike action for next six months Train drivers have voted overwhelmingly to continue taking strike action for the next six months in their long-running dispute over pay. Members of Aslef backed more industrial action after being reballoted, well over a year since the dispute began. The announcement was made as train drivers started a week-long overtime ban which was expected to [...]

Mail Online

• 'A shameful, appalling betrayal': The SNP promised that vital upgrades to Scotland's most dangerous road would be completed by 2025... But at this rate it would take 100 years to finishVital upgrades to Scotland's most dangerous road will take more than a century to complete under the 'shameful' current rate of progress, new research has revealed.
• EasyJet flight narrowly missed rogue weather balloon by as little as 20ft while travelling at more than 500mph packed with hundreds of passengers some 38,000ft in the airThe A320 plane carrying up to 180 passengers on a flight from Alicante in Spain to Manchester had the close call while flying at a height of 38,000ft, as it began descending
• Ryanair finds FAKE engine parts in two of its planes as Irish firm becomes the latest airline hit by bogus parts scandalThe fake engine parts were found during maintenance checks carried out in Texas and Brazil, with chief executive Michael O'Leary saying the parts came from the British supplier AOG Technics

This is Money

• Tesla hands over keys for first cybertrucksIt marks the release of the electric car maker's first new vehicle since the Model Y more than three years ago.

Sky News

• Rail strikes begin this weekend to kick off week of disruptionASLEF's train drivers are staging a series of strikes this weekend, marking the start of major disruption over the next week.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bradford Council's pothole compensation bill revealedBradford Council has revealed how much it has paid out in compensation to drivers for pothole damage.
• Clean Air Zone could be lifted in 2026 - meeting toldBRADFORD'S Clean Air Zone could be lifted by the end of 2026 - a meeting has been told.

Northern Echo

• £2m funding secured for Newcastle Central improvementsMore than £2m of funding has been put towards a major redesign of Newcastle's Central Station.
• Passengers express relief after Go North East strikes endBus passengers and businesses have expressed their enormous relief at the return of Go North East services this weekend, after a crippling strike was finally brought to an end.

Wales Online

• The 'dangerous' M4 section that's still 50mph three years after the Welsh Government said it needed to be fixedThere are temporary 50mph signs at the side of the road but many drivers are said to ignore them, thinking they have been left behind by roadworkers

Bucks Free Press

• Carousel Buses apologises to passengers after cancellationsPassengers were left to scramble for alternatives after buses were suddenly cancelled.

Cambridge News

• Plans for safer A10 crossing at Ely get one step closerTwo options are being explored to upgrade the major A-road such as a pedestrian and cyclist bridge, or a signalised crossing

Other Regional Press

• Transporter Bridge: Structural assessment of landmark expected to be completed early next yearThe iconic landmark was previously labelled as a 'death trap' - and now pledges have been made to save it
• 'The road can't cope with more traffic this development would create!'Residents living opposite land where a 67-bedroom care home is proposed say the road cannot cope with the extra traffic the development would create.

Railnews

• Industry braces for week of strikes - and drivers vote for more FRIDAY BRIEFING: Industry braces for week of strikes as drivers vote for more ++ Landslip near Woking ++ Limited services restored at Ayr ++ Rail replacement buses in spotlight ++ ORR probes Wales & Western region performance ++

Other News Sources

• Brighton and Hove Council to discuss parking reviewDrivers in Brighton and Hove could have to pay on-street and off-street parking charges based on their emissions under new plans.

EIN News Subscription

• Airport seeks €12m from Govt in bid to resume commercial flights for first time since 2016 … its last commercial flight, Waterford Airport has received a €12 … to resume business. The airport has received the investment from … the Department of Transport. In June 2016 the airport's last … travel to the UK and European destination all year round. …
• Southend Airport reveals its 'on track' to beat 2019 passenger performance … at Southend Airport and add extra flights to top European destinations after … the airport this year. Kevin Buck, Conservative councillor responsible for highways, transport … and parking, said: "This gives me the reassurance that Southend Airport …