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

Thursday, 07 December 2023

BBC News

• How China's buses shaped the world's EV revolutionIn the 2010s, China rolled out a rapid and widespread electric bus network. Today, China's electric buses are influencing not just the country's EV uptake, but the world's.
• Urgent removal of crumbling bridge beginsUrgent work is under way to remove a damaged footbridge over a railway line in Surrey, Network Rail says.
• New bidder expresses interest in Prestwick AirportA new expression of interest has been made in buying the Scottish government-owned Prestwick Airport.
• Nottingham's e-scooter network to be extended until 2026Nottingham's trial of rental e-scooters has been extended until 2026, the city council has confirmed.
• Cambridgeshire car restriction traffic schemes to be permanentFive temporary traffic schemes aimed at encouraging more people to walk and cycle will become permanent, a county council has said.
• Cornwall Council says it pays school taxi drivers too muchCornwall Council has admitted it pays school taxi drivers too much. It was discussed as part of talks about the council's finances which have been hit by a £16m overspend so far this year.
• Wirral Council approves 20mph speed limit on 1,000 more roadsPlans to reduce speed limits to 20mph on almost 1,000 more roads have been approved by a council.
• Alstom: We have six weeks of work left, says rail firm bossThe boss of Derby-based train builder Alstom has told MPs the company only has six weeks worth of continuous manufacturing work left.
• EU to delay tariffs on UK electric cars until 2027It comes after EU and UK carmakers said they were not ready for the change in post-Brexit trade rules.
• Translink: Further NI bus and train strike dates for DecemberTranslink staff are to stage three more strikes in December bringing services
• Wandsworth Council first in London to publish new night-time planThe strategy focuses on safety, transport, night-time workers and entertainment in the borough.
• Work on £22m road project to start in new yearThe £22m road improvement in East Renfrewshire will start January and last for 12 months.

Department for Transport

• Government response to Union Connectivity ReviewStrategic approach builds on £36 billion funding from Network North plan to help strengthen connections across the UK.
• Transport Secretary announces £70 million boost for more rapid electric vehicle chargers at COP28EV chargepoint pilot scheme at motorway service areas to support government’s vision of transition to electric vehicles.

Financial Times

• UK fraud agency opens probe into aircraft parts supplierSFO raided a site in connection with suspected fraud at AOG Technics Ltd

The Guardian

• Driverless cars were the future but now the truth is out: they’re on the road to nowhereFor all the billions spent, the dream of these vehicles ruling the roads remains just that. It would be much smarter to focus on public transport
• High-speed rail project bridging Las Vegas and LA receives $3bn in US aidThe complete cost is estimated to be $12bn and is expected to be completed before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

The Independent

• Cop28: Mark Harper announces trials to boost EV charging at motorway servicesThe Transport Secretary said a £70 million pilot scheme will raise electrical network capacity at up to 10 sites in England.

The Scotsman

• Prestwick Airport’s £52m debts ’may not be repaid to Scottish Government until sale’South Ayrshire site focusing on cargo and military flights – but expects Ryanair traffic to grow further

Times Online

• Plans for 20mph limit on most urban Scottish roads by 2025. [subscription]Plans to enforce 20mph speed limits for most urban roads in Scotland will be introduced by 2025, the transport minister will confirm on Thursday.

Mail Online

• Bus services across the UK look set to be brought back under public control after Manchester becomes the first to take its fleet out of private handsBus services are across the UK could be set to be brought back under public control after Manchester became the first to take its fleet out of private hands.

The National

• Prestwick Airport: Expression of interest made in sale, MSPs toldAN expression of interest has been made to buy the Scottish Government-owned Prestwick Airport, MSPs have been told.

Local Government

• Parking changes and safer roads – committee round upRoad safety and the future of parking in Brighton & Hove were the main themes from a busy Transport and Sustainability committee meeting last night (Tuesday 5 December).

Network Rail

• Developer announced for York CentralMcLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate have been selected as the strategic developer for one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration schemes.
• Transport Minister takes first electric passenger train on Glasgow-Barrhead lineScotland’s Transport Minister, Fiona Hyslop, has today travelled on the first electric passenger service from Glasgow Central to Barrhead.

Sky News

• Train network: What it's like travelling on some of the worst rail routes for delays and cancellationsAndrew Holstead is among the thousands of commuters who rely on Britain's rail network each morning. Sky News joined him on his journey into Manchester Piccadilly as he ended up being a little late for work.

Derby Telegraph

• Alstom UK boss: Give clarity over Derby plant future or ’it all goes’Suppliers of Alstom’s embattled Derby plant are already facing liquidation, its UK chief has warned, as a six-week deadline for clarity over its future rapidly approaches.

Nation. Cymru

• Ministers insist North Wales mainline electrification ’a priority’Ministers are unable to reveal how much plans to electrify North Wales’ main railway line will cost, but have insisted the project is a priority.
• New rail service delayed due to train shortagesTransport for Wales has confirmed it will delay the introduction of increased services on a south Wales line due to a shortage of trains after a number suffered wheel damage.

The York Press

• York will have fewer car park spaces, says Cllr Pete KilbaneYork must learn to live with fewer car parking spaces, the city council’s transport executive told frustrated opposition councillors.

Chester Standard

• Dismay as TfW delays return of Chester to Liverpool hourly serviceTHE planned reintroduction of a train operator's hourly Chester to Liverpool service has been delayed until next month.

Other Regional Press

• Stagecoach East wins gold at this year's UK bus awardsCambridgeshire and Peterborough’s largest local bus operator has been acknowledged for its outstanding outreach work at the prestigious UK Bus Awards.
• Portsmouth buses launch tap on, tap off technology so bus users get the best priceCatching the bus in Portsmouth is now even easier thanks to the introduction of 'tap on, tap off' (TOTO) technology on local buses.
• Return of hourly Transport for Wales service pushed back for fourth timeTransport for Wales has once again broken promises to Cheshire commuters as it announced today it is pushing back the return to hourly frequency of its Chester to Liverpool service. Services were reduced during the Covid 19 pandemic, and were due to return to pre-covid frequency on Sunday (December 10).

Intelligent Transport

• One-third of nations neglect public transport in climate action plans, says new UITP reportUITP’s latest report indicates that one in three nations are omitting public transport in their climate action plans, emphasising the urgent need to prioritise public transport for sustainable urban development and climate resilience.

New Civil Engineer

• Manchester and West Midlands mayors form private sector group to explore improved rail linksThe mayors of the West Midlands and Manchester, with support from Arup, have formed a private sector group to explore how rail connectivity can be improved between their two regions.
• California High-Speed Rail receives over $3bn White House funding after successful yearUS president Joe Biden has announced a further $3.1bn (£2.5bn) for the California High-Speed Rail scheme, the latest in a year that has seen many governmental sums afforded to rail projects in the United States.

Rail Advent

• Transport for Wales delays increasing train frequencyTransport for Wales (TfW) has announced that it will increase train service frequency on its Liverpool-to-Chester route (via Liverpool Airport), and on the Ebbw Vale branch, next month (January 2024), not on 10 December as originally planned.

Railway Gazette

• Comment: Freight’s miserable yearAccording to UIRR, the European rail freight industry is facing a downturn. Our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley highlights the critical importance of intermodal transport for the future of rail freight and the need for policy support to decarbonise global supply chains.
• Doncaster rail freight terminal expansion dealUK: Expansion of industrial property developer Verdion’s iPort Rail multimodal freight terminal in Doncaster is to go ahead, after the UK subsidiary of MSC Group’s Medlog business agreed terms to operate the facility under a long-term lease.

Aviation Industry

• British Airways Removes The Airbus A380 From April Washington Dulles FlightsAccording to Cirium, the aviation analytics company, British Airways will not operate any Airbus A380 flights between LHR and IAD in April 2024. By May 2024, however, the airline is scheduled to operate the double-decker to the United States capital daily again, in addition to the daily flights operated by a Boeing 777.
• London Heathrow Airport delayed on CT screening tech deployment

Other News Sources

• New operator secured for rail freight terminalAn operator has been secured for the multimodal freight terminal at iPort in Doncaster.
• Network Rail launches Cardiff masterplanning for key city centre regeneration opportunityNetwork Rail is launching its masterplanning process around Cardiff Central Station, which will see the comprehensive design and redevelopment of over 10 acres of railway land and the delivery of new homes.
• London Underground’s mobile coverage adds more of the Northern and Central linesOn the Northern line, coverage has been expanded to add the tunnels between Belsize Park, Archway and Tottenham Court Road, a distance of more than four miles underground, and within stations along the line. Also, on the Northern line, coverage inside Goodge Street station has been switched on, in addition to the station’s existing WiFi service.
• A review of Britain’s airport slots is long overdue
• MPs call for 10-year plan to improve lives of disabled peopleA cross-party committee of MPs has urged the government to produce a targeted 10-year plan to improve the lives of disabled people and has called the current strategy ’superficial’ and ’un-coordinated’.

News from Europe

• Paris officials warn against metro price hikes during OlympicsParis (AFP) – The mayor's office in Paris has urged the regional transport authority to abandon its plan to near-double metro fares during the Olympics this summer.
• Toyota to deliver inclusive electric mobility solutions for Paris 2024 Olympics and ParalympicsToyota, the worldwide mobility partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), has unveiled two inclusive mobility products to transport people at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.