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

Monday, 12 August 2024

Cogitamus

• Moving faster with decisions key to fixing rail's challengesLouise Haigh, the new Secretary of State, has certainly hit the ground running, consistent with her mantra of 'move fast and fix things'. The most striking early move was the appointment of Lord Peter Hendy as her deputy and Rail Minister.

BBC News

• County's app-based bus service to expandAn bus service based on demand rather than using fixed routes and timetables has been expanded in Worcestershire.
• Heathrow rail link project withdrawnPlans for a rail link between Great Western mainline and Heathrow Airport have been put on hold. The long-anticipated scheme would have allowed people living to the west of Heathrow to travel direct to the airport, instead of having to go into London.
• Will railways really be expanded across the island?As the saying goes, wait hours for a bus and two come at once. Wait years for an All-Island Strategic Rail Review, and you get 32 recommendations including new or restored railway lines on both sides of the border, external.
• Crackdown on fare dodgers in London costs £22mFare evasion fell slightly in the last year despite journeys increasing, said Transport for London.
• 'Serious concerns' about CrossCountry rail serviceIn a scathing letter to the rail operator's interim heads, the transport secretary puts the company on notice.

Financial Times

• The new maritime statecraftA deal between the US, Canada and Finland to build icebreakers is a model for smart friendshoring
• Shipping chief warns of dangers of Trump presidency to tradeSecretary-general of International Chamber of Shipping says threat is now at its highest level since second world war

The Guardian

• Number of UK drivers concerned with state of local roads hits record levelsRAC urges government to give councils funding to fix pothole-ridden roads after years of underinvestment. The number of UK drivers concerned with the state of local roads has hit record levels, according to the RAC, as the government faces pressure to fix the country's battered infrastructure.

Times Online

• Scottish EV drivers complain about cost and reliability. [subscription]Drivers say public charging points are too expensive and unreliable, hindering the EV revolution

The Mirror

• Lumo vs LNER - comparing 'Ryanair of the rails' with the UK's 'fit for royalty' train firmEarlier this month I put the train firms to the test to see which is best - riding in LNER's premium seats on the way up to Edinburgh and back down on the cheapest Lumo ticket on offer
• Rail passengers hit by 1 million minutes of delays due to signal failures since 2018The constant interruptions to passenger journeys are a result of the 37,000 signal failures - leading to 10,078 partial cancellations and 4,266 full cancellations

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Community groups get funding boost for walking and cycling initiativesAlmost £500,000 has been awarded by the Mayor of West Yorkshire to organisations supporting people to walk, cycle, and wheel.

London Evening Standard

• Signal failures delayed rail passengers by almost one million minutes since 2018The Liberal Democrats are calling for a freeze on rail fares in response to poor service.

Yorkshire Post

• Electric buses in South Yorkshire 'temporarily' powered by a diesel generatorThe £15m scheme has seen 23 zero-emission electric buses take to the roads of South Yorkshire, in a bid to reduce congestion and improve air quality. However, minutes from a transport meeting state that just seven of the buses were in daily service as of July – and delays mean that the bus chargers were powered by a diesel generator for six weeks.

Leeds Live

• Leeds Bradford Airport 'set for long haul flights in next three years'Long-haul holiday options are only currently available from larger airports

Other Regional Press

• Glasgow subway misery as suspensions triple since £288m trains brought into serviceCommuters have faced rail hell in recent months with many online complaining about the increased service suspension since the custom-made carriages were introduced in December, last year.
• Bluestar offers cheap Hampshire bus journeys for familiesBluestar offers cheap Hampshire bus journeys for families
• Anger as Cupar bus passengers left standing after Stagecoach axe express stopsOpposition to bus stop cuts in north east Fife has now spread to Cupar.
• Watford takes strides in pedestrian and cyclist safety with improvementsNew infrastructure to help people walk and cycle around Watford has been installed by Watford Borough Council.

Rail Magazine

• Network Rail helps building group open new freight yardAt a site in West London, Network Rail has been supporting a construction firm to open a new freight yard next to its existing aggregates base.

Railway Gazette

• Scotland’s Railway publishes five-year Climate Action PlanUK: The Scotland’s Railway partnership of Network Rail and ScotRail has published a five-year Climate Action Plan setting out aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2024-29.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Catch the Bus Month 2024 partner pack is launchedBus Users UK has launched its partner pack for Catch the Bus Month 2024 ahead of the start of that celebration in September.

The Business Desk

• Leeds Bradford Airport to fly long haul ’in next three years’Flights to the Middle East and North America could be operating from Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) within three years as part of a new strategy backed by £200m of private equity.

Aviation Industry

• Fresh diplomatic row brews as Minister writes UK over Heathrow slot, may bar BA from prime airportsThe Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo has written to his British counterpart and lodged a formal complaint over the refusal of the British authorities to allow Air Peace to fly to Heathrow Airport.

Other News Sources

• CitySwift puts the Spotlight on ManchesterBee Network aims to grow bus use by around to 30% by 2030 from 2022-23 levels
• ’I’m now very concerned that removing this important bus service following the ULEZ expansion will leave many in our community struggling for reliable transport’ -Julia Lopez MPTfL announce the possible scrap of 347 bus route. Transport for London have revived their plans to scrap the 347 bus service which runs throughout the Hornchurch and Upminster constituency. Now the local MP Julia Lopez is once again calling for residents’ feedback on the proposals.
• Manchester Airports Group hails passenger growth in JulyManchester Airports Group (MAG) has revealed its passenger numbers in July were 5.1.% higher than the same month last year, with Manchester airport recording its busiest month on record.
• Key information for pedestrians accessing rail services in YstradYstrad Rhondda Railway Station users are advised that Brook Street bridge, the main footbridge serving the station, will be brought out of use from next week for completion of contract works. A series of temporary measures will be in place to help pedestrians access the station platforms and local rail services.
• Stobart Ports launch second daily train serviceStobart Ports, the UK’s leading Logistics Supply Partner for Container Transport, announce the commencement of a second daily train service between the Port of Felixstowe and Widnes. This new service, launched in partnership with GB Railfreight, comes as a response to the substantial demand following the initial service’s success since October 2023.