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

Sunday, 25 February 2024

BBC News

• How a £525 bet gave birth to your morning commuteThe Industrial Revolution's Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg inspired rail travel, Dan Snow explains.
• Superloop bus route launches in south-east LondonA new express bus route enters service between Thamesmead and Bromley.
• Taxi drivers protest city's pothole 'nightmare'Drivers told the BBC their vehicle costs are rising due to damage caused by potholes on Glasgow's roads.

Financial Times

• Fewer trips, fewer planes: business travellers rethink old habitsCovid, costs and climate issues are forcing companies to cut back on work excursions

The Guardian

• Could 'Great British Railways' finally build up a head of steam?The government is again trying to create a 'guiding mind' for UK train travel - and despite the delays and inertia, almost everyone wants itRail's great zombie hope lurches on. Great British Railways, the future once unveiled by Boris Johnson - declared at times dead, or alive, or simply locked in stasis - came juddering back into the picture last week.The late arrival of a draft reform bill could, rail minister Huw Merriman claimed, still mean that plans for a new 'guiding mind' for rail, separate from government, come into law this side of an election. "We will put decision-making in the han...
• Revealed: car industry was warned keyless vehicles vulnerable to theft a decade agoExperts ‹alerted motor trade to security risks of 'smart key' systems which have now fuelled highest level of car thefts for a decade Gone in 20 seconds: how 'smart keys' have fuelled a new wave of car crimeThe car industry ignored warnings more than a decade ago that keyless technology on modern vehicles risked a surge in vehicle thefts, an investigation by the Observer can reveal.Legal and computer researchers claimed keyless entry and vehicle software would be 'subverted' because of inadequate security. Continue reading...
• Gone in 20 seconds: how 'smart keys' have fuelled a new wave of car crimeOne London resident watched on CCTV as a thief walked up to his £40,000 car and drove away. Now manufacturers say they are being drawn in to a hi-tech 'arms race' with criminals. Read more: car industry was warned keyless vehicles vulnerable to theft a decade agoWhen Steve Jessop's electric Hyundai car was stolen outside his west London house on a rainy day earlier this month, he appealed to neighbours for potential footage of the crime.He quickly secured a CCTV video and was stunned at the ease with which his car had been taken. A hooded figure approached it, opened the doors without forced e...

The Herald

• Sturgeon backed Ferguson Marine fiasco deal despite key issues warningNicola Sturgeon forged ahead with the disastrous ferry fiasco deal with tycoon Jim McColl's shipyard firm - despite being advised of key issues with its bid, it can be revealed.

The Independent

• British Airways owner set to defy recession concerns with soaring salesInternational Airlines Group (IAG), which also owns airlines Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus, will publish its financial results for 2023 on Thursday.

Times Online

• Ferry debacle shows how far we’ve sunk under SNP [subscription]Failure to replace the aging CalMac fleet is a national scandal and symbolises the scale of government incompetence across the board
• Rolls-Royce starts talks with partners on narrow-body jet engines [subscription]Tufan Erginbilgic wants a slice of the market for single-aisle jets as he continues his transformation of the FTSE 100 engineer
• Heathrow third runway shelved as airport seeks to be ’better not bigger’ [subscription]Chief executive Thomas Woldbye exploring how to squeeze millions more passengers through the airport without expanding its footprint
• Train giant Go-Ahead back up for sale a year after takeover [subscription]The pension fund behind the operator’s owners Kinetic Group and Globalvia mulls offloading public transport interests

City AM

• Docklands to Thamesmead, a new Overground and Crossrail 2: TfL planning more than just the Bakerloo extension But, newly-released filings this week show what else is in the pipelines for the capital, with the elaborate system of trains connecting all parts set to become just that little bit more... connected.
• British Airways ranked among worst airlines for passenger satisfaction British Airways has been ranked among the worst airlines in a UK passenger satisfaction survey. The airline's customer score for long-haul flights was the joint third lowest out of 17 carriers analysed by consumer group Which?, at 59 per cent. It received just two stars out of five for boarding experience and value for money, [...]

Daily Express

• I'm a car expert - this is why Chinese electric cars are bad news for the UKANALYSIS: Car expert Christopher Sharp says the new electric cars could take sales from established brands and put a lot of pressure on the UK charging network.
• New £30m UK train station to open after being closed for 60 yearsThe mayor said it was
• Rishi Sunak's £5 billion transport plan to The Prime Minister is taking the Cabinet out of London to meet in Yorkshire
• The giant £197bn railway line being built through six countries in the Middle EastThe 1,352 miles of track will link six nations separated by vast stretches of inhospitable desert and dunes.

Bristol Live

• Motoring experts say breaking EV rules could mean £2,800 in finesIf you own an EV - or are thinking about buying one - there are certain things to be aware of

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Billion-pound rail plan for North Wales is 'unprecedented' but no timetable yetThe UK transport secretary met local leaders in Llandudno to discuss the project

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Newcastle Council claims it is 'not sustainable' to keep cash payments in city car parksThere have been worries that blocking drivers from paying for their parking using coins is causing problems for the elderly, the disabled, and those on low income

Northern Echo

• New parking charges introduced across the North EastNew parking charges are being introduced across County Durham and Newcastle

Burnley Express

• The best and worst performing train stations in East LancsNew analysis from a rail performance outlet has revealed the best and worst stations in East Lancashire.

Other Regional Press

• 'Local transport fund' Cabinet meeting coming North after HS2 axeThe new fund will see Rishi Sunak visit the North of England as he discloses how money from the abandoned HS2 plans will be shared across regional councils
• New car tax rates from April 1 will hit petrol and diesel driversThe new Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) fees will come into effect from April 1, 2024

Other News Sources

• Northern confirms DalesRail to return under new nameNorthern has confirmed the return of a popular tourist train service serving parts of East Lancashire.