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

Monday, 11 March 2024

BBC News

• A66 dual carriageway project approved by governmentThe plan to widen a major road running across the north of England, first proposed in 2016, has been approved by the transport secretary.
• Nottinghamshire: On-demand bus service for gets launch dateAn on-demand bus service will soon replace three scheduled routes in part of Nottinghamshire.
• North Yorkshire: Funding for £44.6m transport plan set for approvalA £44.6m scheme to transform the centres of Harrogate, Selby and Skipton is set to receive final funding approval.
• New Midlands rail link would benefit universities, report saysUniversities have backed £100m proposals to restore direct rail links between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry, according to new research.
• New rail line tickets to start from £1Tickets on a new rail line will start from as little as £1 when it partially opens later this year. The Northumberland Line will carry passengers between Ashington and Newcastle, with three of its six stations to open in the summer.
• Major rail works progress from Cornwall to DevonA major signalling upgrade in Cornwall is due for completion - ahead of a second phase of works in Devon. Network Rail said 13 days of disruption were drawing to a close, with final safety checks under way by helicopter.
• 20mph will be seen as right says quitting ministerThe minister behind Wales' 20mph default speed limit says he feels "battered" by the job but "the tide has turned" on the controversial change.

ITV News

• Lack of support by Transport for Wales ’makes me question my place as a disabled person in society'A visually impaired woman says the accessibility of Transport for Wales trains makes her question her “place in society as a disabled person”.

Financial Times

• UK not ready for new post-Brexit border controls, warn importers Vital information is said to be missing just weeks before key inspection site opens in Harwich
• Aviation industry likely to miss net zero target, warns former Schiphol bossRuud Sondag is one of the very few industry executives to publicly cast doubt on sector’s environmental targets
• US airlines under fire for raising baggage fees againCarriers have come to rely on check-in charges as a source of revenue but face new disclosure rules

The Guardian

• The Guardian view on low-traffic neighbourhoods: spread the word these schemes work | EditorialRejecting green transport policies was a backwards step by Rishi Sunak. New research proves itIt should be a no-brainer. In a country where 63.8% of adults are overweight, millions of people do not take the minimum amount of recommended exercise, and air pollution is a serious risk to health, encouraging walking and cycling rather than driving short distances is good public policy.
• Airbus boss warns of threat to Europe from Russia and TrumpAerospace group chief executive urges UK and Europe to pool efforts and merge fighter jet programmes. Europe is unprepared for war with Russia or the risk that Donald Trump could withdraw the US from Nato and needs to ramp up spending on defence equipment, the boss of Airbus has said.Guillaume Faury, the chief executive of Europe's biggest aerospace and defence company, said it was a defining moment for the continent's defence industry, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 brought war to western Europe's borders.

The Telegraph

• Where it all went wrong for Germany’s railwaysAs Bremen Hauptbahnhof is named the worst station in Europe, here’s how Germany’s rail network fell from grace – and how it might be revived

Times Online

• Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary predicts highest fares in Europe at Dublin airport in 2024. [subscription]Ryanair boss blames council’s passenger restrictions for the higher cost of flights

The Mirror

• Dirty air puts 50,000 kids in hospital with Manchester 'five times over pollution limit'A leap in the number of cars on the roads of the Greater Manchester area could be the cause of a sharp rise in the number of children having to be hospitalised with breathing difficulties and lung problems

Network Rail

• Network Rail and Lambeth Council unveil future vision for London Waterloo station and its surrounding areaLambeth Council and Network Rail have joined forces with many partners to develop an ambitious long-term plan for the future development of London Waterloo station and the surrounding Waterloo and South Bank area.

Bristol Live

• Redundant cyclepath could be removed next to M49 ‘ghost junction’The new link road will block off the current cyclepath

Nation. Cymru

• Transport for Wales racked up more than a million minutes worth of delays last yearTransport for Wales train services recorded more than a million minutes worth of delays in 2023. The figures have been revealed as part of an investigation by the S4C current affairs programme, Y Byd ar Bedwar into the standard of service provided by the public transport provider.

Bucks Free Press

• UK motorists could be banned from parking on pavementsJulie Pilsworth launched the campaign in a bid to stop 'dangerous' cars parking on pavements.

Other Regional Press

• Major bus changes planned for Cornwall from end of the monthTransport for Cornwall is making a whole raft of changes to bus routes and timetables, which will come into force at the end of the month. The bus operators have said the changes have been designed to improve reliability or are in response to passenger feedback.
• Isle of Wight bus firm turns off USB ports on some busesPassengers travelling on certain Isle of Wight buses are unable to charge their mobile phones, after an 'issue' was discovered with some USB ports.
• Dorset Council gets HS2 cash to repair roads and potholesDORSET has scooped more than £4 million to help with repairing potholes and damaged roads.
• 'Tram line needed in Southampton' to tackle air pollution, residents saySouthampton needs a tram line in the city centre linking up bus services and railway stations.
• Secret London Underground map that's geographically accurate is kind of mind-blowingThe map shows all the Tube lines and stations in their accurate geographical location and it's pretty baffling

Rail Advent

• Alstom holds insight day at West London rail depotAlstom welcomed students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities to the depot as part of a collaboration with HS2 Ltd.

Railtech

• Alstom secures order for 103 MF19 metros to upgrade Paris region networkAlstom secured a significant contract with Île-de-France Mobilités and RATP for the supply of 103 state-of-the-art MF19 trainsets, marking a milestone in modernising the Paris region’s metro network. This contract, valued at over 800 million euros and fully financed by Île-de-France Mobilités, underscores the commitment to enhancing passenger experience and safety through technological advancements.
• The rail sector needs harmonisation in EU cybersecurity legislationMarta García, Technical Affairs Manager at the European Rail Supply Industry Association (UNIFE), sheds light on the current cybersecurity-related legislative framework impacting the rail industry, as well as the urgent need for harmonisation and collaboration across Europe.

Railway Gazette

• Cheaper rolling stock financing predicted as Luxembourg protocol comes into forceINTERNATIONAL: A global treaty designed to make it easier and cheaper for the private sector to finance railway rolling stock came into force on March 8.
• Scheidt & Bachmann rethinks the ticket machineTICKETING: Scheidt & Bachmann is testing a prototype ticket vending machine it has developed for the UK market as the result of its first ’total rethink’ in more than 20 years.
• More Paris metro trains orderedFRANCE: Paris transport operator RATP has awarded Alstom a firm order to supply a further 103 five-car MF19 metro trainsets.

Other News Sources

• Siemens bets on India's growth, move towards sustainabilityThe company will also have a sharp focus on expansion into new fields, either through organic or inorganic investments
• TfL considers alternative delivery for Bakerloo infraTransport for London (TfL) has opened a market sounding on a major Bakerloo Line supporting infrastructure project.
• High speed rail: Why the USA is starting to get on boardEconomic benefits, environmental benefits and an established industry are converging to make high speed rail an increasingly attractive new market for investors
• Midlands Connect highlights benefits from linking cities by railA new report by Midlands Connect has highlighted ’massive’ benefits to universities throughout the region if the rail link between Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham is delivered, with academics saying it would support growth at the universities and help collaboration.
• HS2: Burton Green cut and cover tunnel gets planning approvalHigh Speed 2’s (HS2’s) “green tunnel” at Burton Green in Warwickshire has been granted planning permission by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
• Midlands universities would benefit from new rail link, according to researchA new report by Midlands Connect highlights the ’massive’ benefits to major universities throughout the region if the rail link between Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham is delivered.