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

Thursday, 14 December 2023

BBC News

• Concerns over council's £22m Toton land purchase after HS2 scrappedConcerns have been raised about Nottinghamshire County Council's £22m purchase of land at Toton after the cancellation of the eastern leg of HS2.
• Council approves Mid Cornwall Metro schemeCornwall Council has approved a project to "transform transport links" in the county. Cabinet members agreed to provisionally accept £50m of levelling up money towards the £56.8m Mid Cornwall Metro.
• Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone: Mayor rejects driver chargesInvesting in electric buses and taxi upgrades will cut pollution more than charges, Andy Burnham says.
• Elizabeth line not meeting high standards, says London mayorSadiq Khan is requesting to meet the head of Network Rail after passengers were stranded on Thursday.

Financial Times

• Manchester scraps clean air charging zone planMayor Andy Burnham says investment in public transport will reduce pollution more quickly than imposing costs on drivers
• Former Siemens chief to lead new Labour rail reviewJürgen Maier to oversee report on UK railway and transport infrastructure delivery ahead of general election
• West's love for Shein and Temu drives ecommerce boom for air freightersLogistics groups see sustained demand for fast delivery of goods from China to western markets

The Guardian

• Andy Burnham rejects clean air zone that would charge drivers in Greater ManchesterRegion’s mayor says increasing investment in buses and taxis would cut pollution more effectively
• Night trains and border crossings: Europe's best new rail routesOur slow travel expert checks out what's new in the European train timetables unveiled this month. Warsaw has just moved closer to Munich, Berlin nudged towards Paris, and Aachen slipped nearer to Salzburg. These are just three examples of city pairs that are newly linked, as of this week, by direct night trains.

Times Online

• Labour appoints former Siemens boss to steer rail projects review [subscription]One of Britain’s leading captains of ­industry over the past decade and a sometime adviser to Conservative prime ministers has been appointed by the ­Labour Party to lead a rethink of rail­infrastructure before the next general election.

City AM

• Oil firms have a hill to climb to justify a voice at climate summits Perfect may be the enemy of the good, but oil giants need to earn their place at Cop, writes Steve Sedgwick.
• TfL savings target upped to £650m amid concerns over ’managed decline’ Transport for London must find £650m in savings by 2025/26, according to its draft business plan and amid calls for a funding arrangement.

The National

• East Linton: New train station opens in Scottish villageThe £15 million project reconnects the East Lothian village to the national rail network for the first time in almost six decades.

Birmingham Post

• Range Rover fires engine on new all-electric modelLuxury car maker opens waiting list and begins prototype testing of its first-ever electric model ahead of 2024 launch

Bolton News

• Daisy Hill train station: Plans lodged for new liftA lift is set to be installed at a Bolton train station after a 'long, hard slog'.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Leeds Bradford Airport withdraws applications to extend flight timesCAMPAIGNERS have welcomed Leeds Bradford Airport’s withdrawal of five applications that they say could have resulted in more night flights.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Still no fines for breaking 20mph limit in North Wales as poll shows support dropThe new limit is less popular than when it was introduced in September, according to data

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• MP calls for electrification of Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line using HS2 millionsA Shropshire MP has called for funding that was earmarked for the now scrapped HS2 line to be used to electrify the train line from Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton.

Other Regional Press

• Cornwall public transport: Call for extra train station in Truro city centreIt's been suggested it could strengthen rail links if and when the Mid Cornwall Metro starts
• Huddersfield Railway station revamp underway as part of multi-billion pound planThe station is a key point of the TransPennine Route Upgrade

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Panama Canal continues to disrupt global tradeSue Terpilowski OBE, CILT’s Public Policy Chair (PPC) appeared on BBC Radio 4’s ’World At One’ show discussing the current challenges faced for shipping imports in the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is a significant cog in the maritime trade industry, providing a route between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Climate change is having an unprecedented effect on the canal as a current draught has resulted in shipping delays causing a pattern of supply chain issues. On BBC Radio 4, Sue Terpilowski said: “This issue has been going on since the summer, and it is progr...

New Civil Engineer

• Network Rail gears up for festive Yorkshire route worksNetwork Rail is gearing up to deliver key upgrades to the route network in Yorkshire over the Christmas period.

road.cc

• Scottish Government urged to spend more on public transport and less on cyclingStrathclyde Partnership for Transport councillors claim “sense of balance” lost as country spends record levels on active travel

Transportxtra

• Network Rail secures deal to deliver 2,000 homes near rail stationsNetwork Rail has struck a long term deal with residential landlord Grainger and property developer Bloc Group to deliver 2,000 build to rent homes on brownfield sites near rail stations.

Other News Sources

• Mid Cornwall Metro is on track despite risk concernsThe Mid Cornwall Metro – which many at Cornwall Council believe is a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to revolutionise rail travel in the Duchy – is now on the fast track to reality. However, some councillors have raised concerns about the financial risks involved.
• Transport secretary Mark Harper's neighbours endure 'nightmare' before Christmas with road closures and diversion leaving bus users strandedMorse Road in Ruardean has been closed since December 4 and is expected to remain shut until December 22 while Gigaclear work there