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

Friday, 31 May 2024

BBC News

• Ban on passenger drop-off outside airport terminalDrivers dropping or picking up passengers at the Isle of Man Airport have been banned from stopping at the front the terminal.
• Heathrow Border Force to stage three-day strikeHundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport will stage a three-day strike from Friday in a dispute over rosters.
• New city bus station to open after years of delaysIt's been a long wait for passengers, but the long-awaited bus station is finally set to open.
• The train service that is mimicking London's TubeThe first step towards the Welsh valleys getting its own underground starts on Sunday.
• Stowaway migrants causing 'unprecedented' problemsAn Irish shipping company says it will no longer accept freight that has come through Cherbourg.
• Home Office says Eurostar e-gate issue fixedEurostar said there was a technical problem with UK Border Force e-gates at Gare du Nord.
• Off-peak Friday fares trial on London transport endsFriday marks the end of the three-month trial, which meant reduced prices for commuters.
• Railway line reopens after freight train derailmentWhile the train has been removed, passengers continue to face disruption on Thursday evening.
• Train firm seeks name for office catA train company has asked the public to help choose a name for a stray cat who "has become part of the team".

Financial Times

• Tesla investors should reject Musk's $56bn pay, says proxy adviser ISSAdviser supports proposal to reincorporate electric-car maker in Texas
• How to ship sunlight and deliver green energy Repurposing railways for solar energy transportation is one way to address the energy challenge
• Boeing vows to improve training and eliminate defects in FAA planAviation regulators accept aircraft manufacturer's long-awaited plan and say they will closely monitor it

The Guardian

• "Termination shock": cut in ship pollution sparked global heating spurtSudden cut in pollution in 2020 meant less shade from sun and was substantial factor in record surface temperatures in 2023, study findsThe slashing of pollution from shipping in 2020 led to a big termination shock that is estimated have pushed the rate of global heating to double the long-term average, according to research.Until 2020, global shipping used dirty, high-sulphur fuels that produced air pollution.

Times Online

• Auto Trader shares hit high after demand drives up profitsThe used-car platform bought back £169m of shares last year and paid out dividends of £80m

City AM

• Elizabeth Line, Thameslink and Heathrow Express: London commuters ’failed’ by train firms as punctuality plummetsLondon commuters are being “failed” by train companies after new figures showed punctuality has dipped significantly at major operators in the capital.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• Passenger rail performancePassenger rail performance in the latest quarter (1 January to 31 March 2024) was better than the same quarter one year ago for the main measures of punctuality and reliability. In the latest quarter, there were 1.8 million trains planned in Great Britain. This was up 6% compared with the same quarter one year ago.

Derby Telegraph

• Alstom deal looks set to fail 'end of May' deadline - but could be signed very soonBut hopes are still high that a contract could be signed by the end of June - or even as early as next week

Nation. Cymru

• Cardiff Bus Interchange opening date revealedThe highly anticipated opening date for Cardiff Bus Interchange has been announced by Transport for Wales.

Other Regional Press

• Performance figures show Tories’ total failure on railways, says LabourNew train performance figures demonstrate “the Tories’ total failure on the railways”, Labour has claimed.
• New bus service will link rural communities with BicesterNew bus services starting from July will restore timetabled public transport coverage to many villages to the north of Bicester, linking rural communities.
• Rail Partnership celebrates National Walking Month with new website launchThe Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership has launched a new website, designed to promote sustainable travel and outdoor exploration along the scenic railway route.
• Colchester Station to install new lift amid accessibility grant 2 hrs agoA COLCHESTER train station is set to install a new lift after receiving a grant from the Government which encourages the expansion of accessible travel for all.
• 'Do not travel' warning for customers using Glasgow Central serviceA 'do not travel' warning has been issued for customers using a Glasgow train service.

Train Operators

• Liverpool City Region on track to have most accessible train network in the country as Mayor announces £19m investmentThe Liverpool City Region is on track to have the most accessible train network in the country with a further £19m set to be invested in improving accessibility at four stations.

Business Live

• The Go-Ahead Group acquires four coach companies to grow Yorkshire presenceThe deal adds a fleet of 140 vehicles as well as 200 new staff members
• Rail devolution a process not an event says Welsh GovernmentTransport Minister Ken Skates says while it is still calling for rail to be devolved it is being seen as an incremental process which has drawn criticism from Plaid Cymru

New Civil Engineer

• ORR says Network Rail Wales & Western performance ’not good enough’, pinpoints asset renewalsPerformance in Network Rail’s Wales and Western region “has been worsening […] since 2021” according to an investigation by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), which focused on asset maintenance and renewal.

Rail Advent

• Merseyside stations to become accessible thanks to £19m investmentThe Liverpool Metro Mayor has announced this investment to provide step-free pavement to platform access to four more stations.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• TV and video advertising part of Arriva and FlixBus campaignsArriva and FlixBus UK have each launched brand awareness campaigns for their respective services that major on video advertising across multiple media channels.
• Cardiff bus station to open in June after almost seven-year delayThe long-awaited new Cardiff bus station will open on 30 June after an almost seven-year delay to the flagship project.
• Brighton and Hove disputes Unite claim of on-bus audio recordingBrighton and Hove Buses has firmly rebutted a claim by trade union Unite that recordings of audio feeds from alleged cab-mounted equipment are made on some of the operator’s bus fleet without consultation or informing those who may be included on any such recording.

Transport Scotland

• Clyde and Hebrides ferry contract extensionThe current contract to operate the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) network will be extended for a year.

Other News Sources

• Will transport policy define the new terms of metro mayorsMetro Mayors offered more on transport policy than any other area in their manifestos, so what should we be looking out for?