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

Monday, 04 March 2024

BBC News

• London bus and Tube fares frozen as caps increaseThe price of daily and weekly Tube caps increase, along with River Bus services.
• Nissan accused of dumping its electric car pioneersOwners of older vehicles tell the BBC of their anger that their cars' apps will stop working.

Financial Times

• 'Simply good' Chinese electric cars power ahead of inferior US rivals Better performance and affordability are driving the market Beijing's way, according to battery materials maker Umicore

The Guardian

• UK ministers look to install highly paid boss to spearhead rail reform planSalary of new senior post could dwarf DfT pay scales in effort to speed up troubled Great British Railways project
• Thameslink chief executive Angie DollThe train operator's boss has faced adversity and anger in the past. But she, like many, believes the industry is at a turning point.

The Telegraph

• UK’s £400m electric bus scheme accused of ’subsidising China’. [subscription]British manufacturers say current scheme is slowing net zero transition

Times Online

• Siemens’ cutting-edge tech centre ’will transform rail travel’. [subscription]German industrial giant’s investment underlines commitment to modernising UK network’s infrastructure

City AM

• Drivers won’t back EVs as they are ’scared of change’, ’Europe’s Tesla’ boss warnsDrivers “scared of change” are behind the slowing shift to electric vehicles (EVs), the boss of the company dubbed ’Europe’s Tesla,’ has said.

Mail Online

• Britain's e-bus ticking timebomb: How nearly TWO THOUSAND electric buses worth £800m face urgent recall over fears they could see burst into flamesSafety watchdogs have ordered the recall of almost 2,000 electric buses over fears they can catch fire if left unattended.

Network Rail

• Railway between Rainham and Sittingbourne reopened as Network Rail completes landslip repairsWork to repair a landslip at Newington in Kent has been completed by Network Rail

Sky News

• Passengers 'punished' as rail fares hiked by nearly 5%People will decide to drive or fly as a result of increases in the cost of tickets, which are "bad news" for people's finances and the environment, says critics.

Birmingham Mail

• New European airline coming to Birmingham Airport in time for summer holidaysThe brand new airline will operate flights from summer 2024 and is looking to "gradually expand its network and offer further destinations in Europe"
• Average speed cameras could be removed from Birmingham roads as council considers changesBirmingham City Council says it may need to prioritise roads most in need of new safety measures

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Penalty fares due to rollout on Transport for Wales trains in North Wales for anyone without ticketNot having a valid will lead to £20 fine or having to pay double the full fare

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Rail minister Huw Merriman claims decision on Leamside Line is 'up to North East'The minister said he "hoped" the project would be funded via the devolved settlement

Northern Echo

• Plans for £40m regeneration of South Bank railway stationA plan to regenerate an old Teesside railway station with £40m has been announced.

The York Press

• Keir Mather MP leads Parliament debate on road safetyKeir Mather, the MP for Selby and Ainsty, led a debate at the House of Commons on road safety in North Yorkshire.

Bucks Free Press

• Marlow Film Studios decision pushed back by new transport plansA decision on the Marlow Film Studios planning application will not take place until the end of this month after developers submitted new transport plans.

Cambridge News

• Ryanair and other budget airlines could be banned from charging for seats togetherThe Petitions Committee of the European Parliament has agreed to examine a complaint against airlines' random seat allocation policies

Hull Daily Mail

• New train lines and seaside ferries at top of transport wish-list for Hull Live readersResidents put forward suggestions for how Government's £330m transport funding should be spent in region

Kent Online

• Launch of Dover Fastrack bus service between Whitfield and Dover delayedThe launch of Kent’s first zero-emission bus route has been delayed until later this year – despite signs stating it will open in “early 2024”.

Plymouth Herald

• Plans in to extend Plymouth walking and cycling routeThe multi-million pound scheme would extend the route along the old railway line from a recently-built section of path back to Elburton Road by opening up an old blocked off rail bridge under Colesdown Hill.

Other Regional Press

• Calls to fully restore vital Dursley 62 bus link to BristolCALLS have been put forward to restore a vital bus service to connect the Dursley and Berkeley areas to Bristol.
• Railway Station Addition To Finish In Late 2024Darlington has been renowned for centuries as a ’railway town’, known for its connection to the revolutionary advancements of the English railway, and so naturally, it is an exciting new development to see the production of the two new platforms which work started on in 2023, and seems to be taking shape.
• Simon Fell welcomes Simon Hoare to BarrowIf variety is the spice of life, then this week has provided plenty, here and in Westminster. On Monday, I was delighted to host Local Government Minister Simon Hoare who visited Barrow to discuss transport funding, visit key sites, and get a feel for the work being done here.
• The Surrey town that could get an Elizabeth line stationImprovements to access to Heathrow line are also being discussed as well as more trains per hour

Rail Advent

• Alstom completes train refurbishment in SwedenAlstom has completed a seven-year refurbishment of 270 carriages for the Stockholm metro.

The Business Desk

• GMB has finalised a union agreement at HS2’s Curzon Street station in Birmingham today. This agreement, negotiated with MaceDragados, the joint venture responsible for constructing the station, grants GMB access to the workforce involved in the statGMB has finalised a union agreement at HS2’s Curzon Street station in Birmingham today. This agreement, negotiated with MaceDragados, the joint venture responsible for constructing the station, grants GMB access to the workforce involved in the station’s development.
• New Government railway funding not enough for ’desperately inadequate’ East Mids infrastructureLong-anticipated government funds of £123m allocated to Midlands Rail Hub – a project to improve connectivity between train stations across the Midlands – is to be welcomed, however, does little to meet the needs of those in the East Midlands, say East Midlands Chamber.

Other News Sources

• Siemens’ flagship UK railway will revolutionise rail transportSiemens is set to announce its intention to invest £100 million in constructing a cutting-edge facility, aimed at replacing its historical railway signalling and control industrial complex situated adjacent to the Great Western main line in Chippenham, Wiltshire
• Bus Dispatch Management Systems Software Market Booms: 10% CAGR Forecast by 2032Projected to reach a valuation of USD 2.2 billion in 2023, the bus dispatch management systems software market is on a robust growth trajectory, expected to register a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 10% from 2024 to 2032. This surge is primarily fueled by increasing investments in public transport technology startups, enabling innovation in bus fleet optimization solutions.
• Swindon's City Centre Transformation: From Underpass to Premier Bus HubSwindon is undergoing a major transformation, turning its town centre road into a premier bus boulevard for improved public transport.