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

Thursday, 12 September 2024

BBC News

• Paused long-distance rail service reinstatedA long-distance train service will call at a West Yorkshire station once again - three months after it was paused by a rail operator.
• Plan to restore town rail link put to governmentPlans to reconnect a Shropshire town to the railway network are to be put to the government later.
• Boeing boss in last-ditch plea ahead of strike voteNew chief executive tells staff that a strike would put the embattled firm's "recovery in jeopardy".

ITV News

• Local MPs angry as government postpones decision on planned railway in LeicestershireThe Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange has been called "wholly inappropriate" by a MPs and condemned by councillors and is likely to be rejected by the inspectorate, so why does the secretary of state need more time to decide whether to go ahead with it?

Financial Times

• Heathrow reports record summer as it considers new push for expansionAirport’s highest-ever passenger numbers leave it operating close to capacity

The Guardian

• Britain has two kinds of buses but the days of second-class services could be numberedWhen the Liverpool City Region mayor, Steve Rotheram, was an MP he had a late-night epiphany.
• Scottish opposition pushes Swinney on free school meal and flat-rate rail fare cutsOpposition parties in Scotland have urged John Swinney to reverse unpopular cuts to free school meals and flat-rate rail fares after he suffered two defeats at Holyrood.
• Near clean sweep for Labour MPs in parliament select committee electionsEmily Thornberry becomes head of foreign select committee, while Karen Bradley is sole Conservative given leading role

The Telegraph

• Starmer refuses to rule out scrapping pensioners' bus passes [subscription]Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out scrapping free bus passes and council tax discounts for pensioners in the Budget next month.

Times Online

• HS2: The inside story of why the project went off the rails [subscription]The Institution of Civil Engineers' report reveals the mistakes made in planning the high-speed line

Transport Committee

• Ruth Cadbury elected as Chair of Transport CommitteeFollowing nominations and elections, Ruth Cadbury has been elected Chair of the Transport Committee.

The Mirror

• Airports face 'huge financial losses' as £10 UK travel fee confirmed by LabourEven holidaymakers with a two-hour connection at Heathrow Airport will be forced to pay the £10 'ETA' from next April, in a move that could affect millions of travellers each year

Network Rail

• Green light for new station at BalgrayPlans for a new railway station in East Renfrewshire have now been approved.
• Survey finds regional railway workers underrated in public importanceNew findings* released today (Thursday 12 September) reveal railway professionals are underrated in public importance compared to other key workers.

Birmingham Mail

• Robot dog is latest JLR recruit as car giant reveals 'Rover' - who has his very own kennelMechanical mutt will never chew the furniture or leave a puddle in the corner of the room - and can work 24/7

Bolton News

• Update on Trafford school services ahead of arrival of Bee NetworkPhase One and Phase Two are in operation in other parts of the region after starting in the autumn of last year and the spring of this year respectively

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bradford Interchange bus station to re-open in New YearBRADFORD Interchange bus station could re-open by January after extensive surveys found the risk of future safety issues was “low.”

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Eluned Morgan names first cabinet with new role for Mark Drakeford and Ken Skates staying on transportMrs Morgan officially became First Minister on August 6

Kent Online

• New ?2.5m train maintenance depot opens at TonbridgeA new ?2.5m maintenance depot has opened for the rail freight industry. GB Railfreight (GBRf), one of the UK?s largest transporters of consumer and business goods, commissioned the building in Tonbridge.

Wrexham.com

• New FM reveals reshuffle - Ken Skates MS retains Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales roleThe new First Minister Eluned Morgan has announced the outcome of her government reshuffle.

Other Regional Press

• Transport for Wales partners with Hitachi for revolutionary digital transformationTransport for Wales has selected global company Hitachi to help digitally transform public transport within Wales, making it easier for customers to plan, book and pay for different modes of travel.
• First look at under-construction Cambridge South railway station as mayor describes it as a cut aboveThe opening date for Cambridge South railway station is now set to be the end of 2025, according to mayor Dr Nik Johnson, as a tour of the construction site gave an early impression of what it will look like.
• OPENING DATE REVEALED FOR ASHLEY DOWN RAILWAY STATIONAfter waiting for almost a century for a new station, Bristol will soon have two that will open just over 12 months apart.
• 'Poor public transport removes opportunity': MP renews call to reopen 'transformational' railway'Threatened plans to reconnect a Shropshire town to the main railway network were discussed in a debate in Westminster on Wednesday.
• Infilling of dock begins to make space for cars at portStriking pictures show the start of work that will eventually lead to the infilling of a docklands area to prepare for new EU border rules.
• Drivers 'modify' cars to escape impact of new EU driving lawAll new cars that are launching or have been launched in the EU need to be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA)

New Civil Engineer

• Campaign to reopen abandoned Tavistock Line seeking £1.5M to complete business caseA campaign to restore an abandoned railway line that was promised £150M government investment by the cancelled Restoring Your Railway fund has stated it only needs 1% of this, £1.5M, to complete the business case and pave the way for work to begin.

Rail Industry Association

• RIA Budget 2024 submission: Invest in rail to drive future economic growthThe Railway Industry Association (RIA) has today set out its key policy asks as part of its Autumn 2024 submission to HM Treasury ahead of the Budget on 30 October. On Budget submission deadline day 10 September RIA calls on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to bring forward a steady pipeline of capital projects and rail investment, to lower costs, create jobs, boost growth and ultimately secure the UK's industrial and manufacturing capacity.

Rail Magazine

• GBR ?will create complication? in Scotland, Hyslop warnsIntegration of track and train in England ?cannot be at the expense of Scotland going backward?, SNP Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop has said.
• Capacity fears as private operators apply for accessA total of 85 separate applications have been lodged to launch new rail services or extend existing ones, prompting concerns that the busiest parts of the UK network could fall under increasingly intense pressure over the next five years.

Rail UK

• Glasgow Central to get new ticket office and first-class lounge as part of ?5 million upgradeNetwork Rail and Avanti West Coast will create a new ticket office and first-class lounge within Glasgow Central station this autumn.
• SLC appoints Stephen Barker as regional lead for IrelandSLC has appointed Stephen Barker as regional lead for Ireland, reinforcing its commitment to advancing rail development in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• FirstGroup appoints Lena Wilson as incoming Board ChairFirstGroup has named Lena Wilson CBE as Board Chair. She will take up that position on 1 February 2025 and succeed longstanding busman David Martin, who retired on 10 September.
• Centrebus credits £2 bus fare cap in usage uplift as clarity awaitedPressure on the government to find an appropriate solution for the future of the £2 bus fare cap in England beyond 31 December continues, with one operator believing that the scheme has contributed to patronage growth of around 40%.

Transport Network

• Hyslop to headline Road Expo Scotland 2024Scottish Government transport secretary Fiona Hyslop will deliver the keynote address on the opening day of Road Expo and Bridges Scotland in November.

RMT

• SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO SCRAP PEAK RAIL FARESRail union, RMT today called on the Scottish government to scrap peak rail fares on Scotrail.

Other News Sources

• Failures of HS2 are all political, say engineersA study of lessons to be learned from the cancellation of the northern legs of HS2 says that politicians are to blame for the spiralling costs, not engineers or the construction industry.
• £4.5m to put railway AI tech on track to other sectorsPurple Transform an AI data analytics business that helps to identify and prevent incidents such as theft, trespass and antisocial behaviour on railway lines has raised £4.5 million.
• RIA urges UK government to prioritise rail investment in upcoming budgetThe Railway Industry Association has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to prioritise rail investment in the upcoming Budget, highlighting its importance for job creation, economic growth and the UK?s industrial strategy.
• Supporting Network Rail with an improved and greener network from Carlisle to Euston, UK Providing further support to Network Rail, we have been appointed to Lots 1 and 2 of its professional services framework for the North West & Central (NW&C) region.
• Per-mile charge on electric vehicles could plug £5bn tax black holeAdvocacy group Campaign for Better Transport is urging the Government to reform vehicle taxation as it warns of a massive revenue gap from the switch to EVs.