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

Friday, 01 March 2024

BBC News

• MPs hail 'record investment' in city transportMPs have hailed transport projects in North Staffordshire, which they say amount to more than half a billion pounds of government spending.
• Record profits for BA owner as demand for travel returnsAirline group IAG sees profits jump as the travel industry recovers from the pandemic
• Plan to double power of e-bikes sparks fire fearsCycling groups and charities have criticised government proposals for more powerful e-bikes.

Financial Times

• British Airways owner IAG posts record profits on travel boomCarrier credits strong and sustained demand as holidaymakers shrug off high prices
• Bidding war for Wincanton drives up UK logistics group sharesGXO proposal comes after board had recommended shareholders accept improved bid from CMA CGM
• How a British Airways comeback may offer hope for legacy airlines There are several good reasons to suggest scepticism is overdone

The Guardian

• US spends billions on roads rather than public transport in ’climate time bomb’New analysis finds money from Biden’s $1.2tn infrastructure bill has overwhelmingly been spent on widening highways for cars
• Two worlds colliding: Berlin transport workers and climate activists unite over rightsTwo groups are striking for better working conditions and investment in Germany's underfunded public transport. t first sight, the gathering in an office complex in east Berlin resembles a self-help group. But the public transport workers and climate protesters sitting in a semi-circle introducing themselves have been thrown together, they say, to fight for a common cause.
• Boeing agrees to pay $51m over export violations in China and other countriesCompany accused of violations including Chinese employees improperly downloading files relating to Pentagon programsBoeing said on Thursday it had reached a $51m settlement with the US state department for numerous export violations including Chinese employees in China improperly downloading documents related to US Pentagon programs.The state department said from 2013 through 2017 three Chinese employees at Boeing facilities in China downloaded technical data involving programs including the F-18, F-15 and F-22 fighter jets, the E-3 airborne warning and control system, the AH-64 Apache attack ...

Times Online

• Sadiq Khan admits south London’s new low-traffic neighbourhood ’not great’. [subscription]New Streatham Wells LTN, a main route out of the area, is ’causing huge problems’ with gridlocks and some buses taking two hours to travel three miles

The Mirror

• Train passengers hit by triple whammy of fare hikes, overcrowding and delaysRegulated fares in England will rise by up to 4.9% from this Sunday - on top of a near 6% jump last year. Passengers in Scotland face hikes of 8.7% in April

Local Government

• Midlands Rail Hub work begins with £123m funding injectionWork on the Midlands Rail Hub is set to begin after ministers provided an initial £123 million funding injection.

Birmingham Mail

• Dangerous drivers to be targeted with raft of new measures as campaigners say 'fix this'New raft of measures to tackle dangerous, reckless and careless driving on region's roads announced by West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Call for volunteers to help out on Settle-Carlisle railwayVolunteers are being sought to help turn the Settle-Carlisle into a 'sustainable tourist attraction'.
• Grim 2024 for Bradford passengers worsens as rail strike hits districtA RAILWAY strike today has heaped further misery on Bradford's public transport passengers, who have already had to put up with disruption caused by a concrete fall at the Interchange, a landslip at Baildon and a bomb scare at Apperley Bridge in recent weeks.
• Northern reacts to reports of unpleasant incident on Bradford trainA TRAIN company has apologised for the inconvenience caused by out of order toilets after reports of an unsavoury incident on a train into Bradford.

London Evening Standard

• Sadiq Khan says changes coming 'ASAP' to LTN where bus took two hours to travel three milesThe Mayor said his team have been in touch with Lambeth Council ’to see what we can do to resolve the issue’

The York Press

• Haxby Railway Station: plans in to City of York CouncilNew images have been released showing what Haxby’s new multimillion pound railway station could look like.

Bucks Free Press

• Rail workers accused of littering in Bucks villageA chicken caesar salad and risk assessment documents have been dumped by workers building a new railway line through Buckinghamshire, it is alleged.

Plymouth Herald

• Major new Plymouth transport hub will improve bus and cycle linksLong-awaited works to enhance St Budeaux as a £1.2 million transport hub to make it easier for people to get around the city will start in the next week. The project, which has faced a year-long delay, will be completed by the end of June and will include new bus shelters, better footpaths, lighting and seating areas, a Beryl Bike (bike and e-scooter hire scheme) hub, new cycle parking and signage.

Other Regional Press

• The problem Greater Manchester train station needing ’immediate attention’ as council plots £65m refurbishmentThe area around it has been the focus for redevelopment in recent years.
• Sadiq Khan’s off-peak Friday fares start next week — and will apply on National Rail tooLondon mayor Sadiq Khan’s trial of scrapping peak-time rail fares on Fridays will begin next week — with a senior figure at Southeastern branding the idea “fantastic” .
• Merrywalks bus hub in line for £100k revampA MAJOR bus revamp project in Stroud has been awarded nearly £100k. 
• Campaign against ’floating bus stops' reaches Downing StreetCampaigner Mik Scarlett demands rethink over layouts making life worse for disabled and visually impaired

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Taskforce driving forward rural bus zero-emission transitionIn an event hosted at the House of Commons, the CPT-led Rural Zero Emission Bus Taskforce (RZEBT) launched a report outlining how
• Scottish travel still downA survey of Scotland’s transport and travel habits has found that there was a reduction in travel in 2022 compared to 2019.
• Operators make final push as franchise decision loomsWest Yorkshire bus operators have made a push to promote their case as a decision on bus franchising in the area is due to be made.
• Flix achieves €2bn revenue milestoneGlobal travel tech company, Flix SE, has for the first time reached €2billion (£1.71billion) in annual total revenue.
• National Express first to trial GTe14National Express is to be the first UK scheduled coach operator in the country to trial Yutong’s new GTe14 tri-axle battery-electric coach.

New Civil Engineer

• £24M Haxby railway station a step closer with planning application submittedPlans for a new £24M railway station at Haxby in North Yorkshire are making progress as Network Rail has said it has submitted a planning application and has released new images showing what the station could look like.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Hydrogen key for rural bus, says shadow ministerLabour would invest heavily in hydrogen manufacturing, shadow Transport Minister Simon Lightwood reiterated in addressing the challenges of decarbonisation for rural bus services.

Other News Sources

• Angela Rayner and Michael Gove to headline Convention of the North 2024Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove MP, and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner MP, will deliver keynote speeches at this year’s Convention of the North, it can be revealed.
• Extra Birmingham-Worcester trains as part of new rail projectWork on Midlands rail links will include an additional train every hour between central Birmingham and Worcester.
• Rail minister Huw Merriman asks for 'patience' on Northumberland Line delaysStations at Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park won't open until 2025
• Newcastle bus lane clash as council transport chiefs set for grilling after Coast Road plan denialThe Coast Road, Stamfordham Road, and Grandstand Road are all named as locations for new bus lanes under a regional transport strategy, which has become the source of a political row
• Cheshire to receive £350m from axed northern leg of HS2 for transportCHESHIRE councils are set to receive nearly £350 million to spend on local transport – money saved from HS2.
• Rotala to place more Enviro200s into service on Bee NetworkFurther new buses will imminently enter service on the Bee Network in Greater Manchester as part of the 67 Alexander Dennis Enviro200s ordered for those duties by Rotala subsidiary Diamond Bus North West (DBNW).
• First Bus service to link Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon and BathA new bus service is to be launched in April to provide faster connections between Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon and Bath.

News from Europe

• Transport: EUR 1 billion for alternative fuels infrastructure projectsA call for proposals has been launched today under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport Programme - Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF), making EUR 1 billion available to support the deployment of alternative fuels supply infrastructure along the Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T).