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

Saturday, 18 May 2024

BBC News

• People encouraged to walk, cycle or travel by busPeople in Jersey are being encouraged to use alternative modes of transport as a week-long campaign returns.
• Passenger queue stretches outside airportLong queues have formed outside Birmingham Airport with some people reporting having to wait several hours.
• EasyJet returns to UK airport after Covid slumpEasyJet has said it will reopen a base at London Southend Airport for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Plan to run new trains from London to RochdaleThe new FirstGroup service, which will go via Manchester Victoria, could be in place by 2027.
• Boeing boss's £25m pay package approvedBoeing shareholders approved a $33m pay package for outgoing boss Dave Calhoun.

Financial Times

• Boeing shareholders rebuke chief executive Dave CalhounObjections to pay package and re-election to the board fall short but point to shareholder frustration
• EasyJet's new pilot faces a fight to convince investors on growthNerves about the airline industry are never far away
• British investor in talks to buy 49% share in Teesside International AirportMichael Flacks wants to transform the facility into a cargo, repair and maintenance hub

The Guardian

• Train operator Lumo plans new direct service from Greater Manchester to LondonFirstGroup submits application for alternative route between capital and Rochdale

Daily Express

• The UK train station in a quiet village that's the oldest in the worldHeighington and Aycliffe Railway Station in County Durham is believed to be the world's oldest.

The National

• Transport Secretary rubbishes union's role in peak fares suspensionSCOTLAND’S Transport Secretary has dismissed a trade union’s long-running fares campaign – saying it had no role in the suspension of peak fares.

Network Rail

• Stairway to Surbiton complete with overcrowding delays set to reduceNetwork Rail has completed a £6.7m upgrade of Surbiton station with the construction of a new deck and staircase to help reduce overcrowding and improve passenger safety.
• Network Rail and partners provide perfect blend to improved performanceSenior leaders, infrastructure experts, engineers, and operations specialists from the East Coast Partnership boarded a 09:00 LNER service between Edinburgh Waverley and London King’s Cross for the networking event known as the Coffee Cup Run.

Sky News

• Border Force to stage more strikes at Heathrow Airport during half termThe PCS union said it expects the walkouts to disrupt passport checks for travellers coming into the UK. Airport bosses said they will work with the Home Office on contingency plans to minimise delays.

Birmingham Mail

• New UK law will see drivers given 'curfew' and 'banned' from road after darkThe Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (New Drivers) Bill, which already has backing from motoring groups and experts, suggests banning motorists from driving at night within the first six months of them having gained a licence.

Birmingham Post

• Electric vehicle battery recycling firm secures £640kAltilium will use the cash to scale its cutting-edge technology
• High-tech zone for testing future air travel to be created in Somerset and DevonIt will be used to test and commercialise aerospace technologies such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• No mention of Interchange on transport agenda "staggering"MONTHS after Bradford Interchange was closed for safety reasons, West Yorkshire councillors will be asked to agree to £3.5m in funding for a new bus station roof – in Leeds.

London Evening Standard

• Rail firm Lumo to launch new London to Manchester low-cost trainsService could offer alternative to Avanti West Coast from 2027

Nation. Cymru

• Controversial transport plan adoptedA transport plan that raised the prospect of reintroducing tolls on the Severn bridges has finally been adopted.

Chester Standard

• Improvement work planned near Cheshire railway stationMORE than £24m is being invested over the late May bank holiday weekend to improve journeys on the West Coast main line between London Euston and Scotland.

Doncaster Free Press

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Investor now expected to be selected in late summer following requests from potential candidates for more time to prepare their business casesMayor Ros Jones has shared today (Friday) that the timescale to find a new investor to re-open Doncaster Sheffield Airport has been pushed back.

Oxford Mail

• East West Rail project will make developers 'shedloads'The East-West Rail project has been criticised for costing the taxpayer a huge amount while making huge profits for house builders.

Other Regional Press

• Bus tracker will go live in the middle of JuneThe council installed 330 bus trackers on the street in the last several months, but confusingly the system has not shown up to date information on bus movements of any of the 15 operators which use it until now.
• Huddersfield bus station security guard says 'Working here is worse than the doors, there is abuse and attacks daily'West Yorkshire Police are clamping down on antisocial behaviours at Huddersfield Bus Station amid a string of recent incidents

Rail Business Daily

• Bow Street marks third anniversary with continued passenger growthIt’s three years since the first brand new station opened under Transport for Wales and since then it has gone from strength to strength, with almost 30,000 using it in 2023/24.
• Leading UK rail companies combine to form Buckland RailBuckland Rail – a new leading integrated rail services company – has been announced. It is made up of W.H. Davis, Davis Wagon Services and Yellow Rail, replacing W.H Davis (Holdings) Limited.

Rail Magazine

• Fleets due to come off-lease in next 12 months - some scrapped, some soldAs more new fleets come into traffic, plenty of trains currently in service should come off-lease in the next 12 months - some without new homes to go to. 

Trafnidiaeth Cymru [Transport for Wales]

• Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership Celebrates National Walking Month With The Launch Of New Bilingual Circular Walks From StationsThe Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership is excited to announce the launch of its new website, designed to promote sustainable travel and outdoor exploration along the scenic railway route.

Aviation Industry

• AEF responds to government consultation on night flight restrictions: Heathrow, Gatwick and StanstedThe UK government is seeking views on continuing the existing night flight regime for its three ‘designated’ airports, Stansted, Gatwick and Heathrow. Starting from October 2025, the proposed regime would … The post AEF responds to government consultation on night flight restrictions: Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted appeared first on Aviation Environment Federation.

Other News Sources

• More London Underground stations to get 4G or 5G internetA growing number of London Tube and Elizabeth Line stations now have 4G or 5G internet – with more on the way.
• New bus routes planned in Peterborough to start in autumn 2024The new routes have been funded by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority.
• Bristol Airport Hits Milestone with 10 Million Passengers in One YearFor the first time in its history, Bristol Airport has recorded ten million passengers traveling through its terminal over a consecutive twelve-month period.
• FOR EV electrifies Network Rail Scotland sitesElectric vehicle (EV) charging solution provider FOR EV has completed the first of two major charging hub installations at Network Rail Scotland’s key operational depots in Irvine and Cowlairs, Glasgow.
• Rebirth of a Norfolk station: a new railway hub unveiledPlans for a new South Lynn railway station aim to rejuvenate Norfolk’s train network, spurring economic growth and connectivity