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

Tuesday, 23 January 2024

BBC News

• LNER train drivers call off five days of strikesTrain drivers' union Aslef has called off five consecutive days of strikes on LNER services that were set to begin next month.
• Southampton city centre train station mural completedA city centre train station has a new look after a mural was completed on one of its exterior walls.
• 20mph: Average speed in Wales drops 2.4mph under new lawAverage speeds in Wales are down 2.4mph since the new speed limit came into force, report says.
• Airport scanner delay will prolong 100ml liquid banSome UK airports will not have all the technology in place by 1 June to do away with carry-on limits.
• E-bike numbers to increase in London by more than 200%TfL says the increase from 600 to 2,000 e-bikes will improve access to the scheme across London.
• All ScotRail trains to be halted by Storm Jocelyn weather warningStorm Jocelyn will hit Scotland on Tuesday with Met Office yellow and amber warnings in place.
• United Airlines to lose money over Boeing groundingsUnited Airlines is the biggest operator of Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes.

ITV News

• Five-day strike by train drivers at LNER in February ’called off’A five-day strike by train drivers at LNER next month on top of a rolling programme of national walkouts has been called off, sources said.

Financial Times

• Britain’s ageing railways struggle to deal with impact of climate changeRecord tenth winter storm on its way as workers clean up damage caused by high winds and rain brought by Isha
• Red Sea reroutings to further disrupt car supply chains, warn shipping executivesThe Asia to Europe trade route had already been squeezed because of a lack of car carriers before Houthi attacks began
• UK rail and air passengers suffer travel disruption in wake of Storm IshaAirlines work to restore schedules after flights were diverted to other airports
• US aviation regulator calls for checks on older Boeing 737 jetsFAA recommends inspections of aircraft with same kind of door plug as Alaska Airlines plane involved in blowout
• UK train drivers call off extra walkouts as threat to use anti-strike law dropped Industrial action remains set to go ahead next week but Aslef union cancels plan for subsequent stoppages at LNER

The Guardian

• Train drivers call off extra strike days after LNER minimum service law U-turnWorkability of new law in doubt after threat of action pays off for Aslef staff

Times Online

• Most new cars are too wide for minimum standard parking space. [subscription Cars are growing an average of 0.5cm a year as the SUV market booms, campaigners say
• LNER’s climbdown leaves new strike laws ’in tatters’. [subscription]The rail company has rescinded its decision to implement the minimum service regulations, which would have guaranteed 40 per cent of timetabled services, next week

Reuters News

• German union calls longest train strike in Deutsche Bahn's historyGerman train drivers are set to stage a record six-day strike from Wednesday after their union rejected state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn's (DBN.UL) latest wage offer.

Manchester Evening News

• Millions of train tickets slashed in price from TODAY with up to 50 per cent offRail passengers will need to be quick because the Great British Rail Sale lasts for one week only

The York Press

• GMB union and Deliveroo riders seek cycle lane in York transport planA call has been made for a new cycle lane in York City centre.

Wales Online

• Average speed in Wales drops 2.4mph under new 20mph lawCompliance with the new law is 'broadly good' according to Agilysis

Bucks Free Press

• Beaconsfield: Rishi Sunak says HS2 funds will improve local transportDuring a visit to Buckinghamshire today, Rishi Sunak responded to criticism of local transport infrastructure and promised to redeploy ‘every penny’ of scrapped HS2 plans towards ‘road maintenance and potholes’.
• Chiltern Railways train update after ASLEF announces strikeChiltern Railways has warned passengers ahead of planned industrial action.

Other Regional Press

• Gatwick and Heathrow airport scanner delay means 100ml liquid limit to continue over summerThe delays mean some UK airports will allow you to travel with liquids up to two litres but others still face restrictions
• Scrapped HS2 local rail link could be back as secret talks take placeThe scrapped project between Birmingham and Manchester could be back on as Andy Street and Andy Burnham have reportedly teamed-up
• Excitement for Peterborough's Railworld as historic railway station to be relocated to tourist attractionThe historic station was set to be demolished to make way for an A47 dualling scheme.
• Thousands more HS2 jobs to come as major DWP deal is announcedThe Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has joined HS2 to help brings thousands more jobs to areas in Warwickshire, Coventry and the West Midlands. Three new dedicated Recruitment Hubs for the project in the West Midlands.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Scotland's transport strategy drives rail innovation, LNER's big ticket changes, tripping over e-bikes and possible HS2 resurrectionChristian interviews Scotland's Railway's Managing Director Alex Hynes about how having a national transport strategy and the greatest possible collaboration between trains and track is powering innovation across the business [1:25] before taking a quizzical look with co-presenter Mark Walker at LNER's radical ticket reform proposals on its Edinburgh-London route [30:25]. The podcast also reflects on the continuing proliferation of abandoned e-bikes on the streets of UK cities and asks why so little is being done to regulate the providers [32:50]. Finally, Christian asks whether the possibility of a private sector solution for HS2 north of Birmingham may breathe new life into the cancelled project [36:33].

Rail Business Daily

• Exciting development for One Big Circle in depot-based train monitoring capabilityWinners of the ’First of a Kind’ (FOAK) competition for ’Reliable and Maintainable Assets Rail Demonstrations’, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK KTN, were announced at the end of 2023, and this year sees them progressing to deliver their innovations.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Data is key element of Blackpool Transport service changesBlackpool Transport introduced data-driven service changes on 7 January in work that it says provides additional options – including new direct links – and improved frequencies, while delivering what supplier CitySwift adds will be a projected £160,000 cost saving.

Other News Sources

• Tackling the Tube’s Roar: TfL’s battle against tube tunnel noiseTransport for London (TfL) is exploring new ideas to reduce screeching noise from trains inside tube tunnels.
• Gatwick set to miss deadline for new security scannersGatwick Airport is set to miss the deadline for the roll-out of new security scanners that will scrap restrictions on liquids

News from Europe

• Paris T12 line launched: good results for the newest tram-train lineThe T12 express linee, the Greater Paris’ newest tram-train line, which connects Massy-Palasieau to Évry-Courcouronnes in 39 minutes, entered into service on 10 December 2023, is enjoying excellent public acceptance after only a month. Paris public transport is facing a real revolution. The extension of line 11 to the east of Paris, with 6 new stations, […]