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

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

BBC News

• Community transport funding boost a 'positive step'The announcement that community transport providers will get a funding increase of 4.2% has been described as a "positive step".
• Scotland's wrong and winding road that never was Almost five miles long, the road up one of Scotland's highest mountains would have had 14 hairpins.

Financial Times

• The fury of the frequent flyerAirline loyalty programmes have tested customer patience and now face government probes

The Scotsman

• The £22m SNP tax power that would have paid for ScotRail peak fare banCampaigners have insisted a new tax on the use of private jets could have tallied up enough funding to scrap peak rail fares into next year amid calls for Scotland?'s two governments to urgently unlock taxation to tackle the climate crisis.

City AM

• Khan on the pedestrianisation of London’s streets: ‘Watch this space’ The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street earlier this week, which he said will revitalise the area and bring customers back. It’s the second time the Mayor has tried to pedestrianise the street, which welcomes some 500,000 visitors a day, with his last attempt in 2018 blocked by Westminster council. [...]
• Extremely frustrated and angry Harland & Wolff shareholders despair as buyers circle beleaguered Titanic builder The crisis at Harland & Wolff reached a head on Monday when the shipyard revealed it would likely enter administration later this week.

Daily Record

• ScotRail peak fares must be permanently scrapped, demand unions and environmental groupsUnions and climate action groups have written a joint letter to Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop urging her to reverse the return to peak rail pricing.
• ScotRail peak fares must be permanently scrapped, demand unions and environmental groupsUnions and climate action groups have written a joint letter to Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop urging her to reverse the return to peak rail pricing.

Network Rail

• Network Rail to complete second phase of M62 Castleton bridge replacement this weekendThe second phase of Network Rail's multi-million-pound project to rebuild Castleton bridge over the M62 in Rochdale takes place this weekend.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 'No evidence' 20mph limit has cut casualty numbers on North Wales roads, police chiefs sayPolice chiefs grilled by crime panel on the impact on the new law one year after it's roll-out

Kent Online

• What is behind Southeastern trains revival? Three yeas after franchise was stripped from Govia we ask what's changedIt has long been a tradition for Kent commuters to complain about the county's rail services.

South Wales Argus

• Pontypool & New Inn railway car park £7.2m revamp restartsPontypool & New Inn railway car park enhancement works have finally begun after delays for safety reasons.

Other Regional Press

• Coventry bus gate branded 'cash cow' as feature set to be made permanentThe bus lane at Hales Street in Coventry was brought in last year in a bid to reduce traffic problems in the area - it has since been branded a 'cash cow'
• North Yorkshire mayor 'would support' extension to £2 bus fare capThe Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, has said he would support an extension to the £2 bus fare cap beyond December.
• Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) launches new Aviation Generation programme at Heathrow Employment and Skills AcademyOutstanding organisations from across the aviation industry have marked the launch of the Aviation Generation programme at Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) at an inspired event featuring leading figures from organisations including British Airways, Boeing and Heathrow.
• Call to ditch busway and open new Haverhill train lineConcerns rise over plans for a new Cambridge busway, with calls to reopen the Haverhill train line instead
• Buses and bikes to get priority on key York city centre routeYork?s first sustainable transport route will put buses and bikes first on key roads in the city centre.
• Electric bike company starts operating 'without permission'An electric bike company has started operating in Oxford without permission from the council, traders have bemoaned.

Train Operators

• HS2 reveals enhanced designs for Birmingham Curzon Street StationHS2 has revealed a series of improvements to the design of the railway's landmark Birmingham Curzon Street station - further enhancing the passenger experience, accessibility and internal layout.

Construction Enquirer

• Timber roof dropped in flagship HS2 station design rethinkHS2 Curzon Street station contractor Mace Dragados JV have redesigned the station dropping a striking internal timber roof design for aluminium panels.

New Civil Engineer

• New 42m long bridge to be installed over M62 at Castleton in coming daysNetwork Rail is to complete the second phase of its M62 Castleton bridge replacement this weekend.

Rail Magazine

• In-house Supertram hailed as a successGrowth in passenger numbers and a massive reduction in ticket fraud are two of the successes claimed by South Yorkshire Supertram in its first five months after taking the business in-house from Stagecoach.
• Records broken on Elizabeth line as passenger numbers rise againLondon?s Elizabeth line continues to set new records, with a total of 18.3 million passengers carried in the four weeks to July 20.
• New TransPennine consultation underwayA public consultation is underway over the next phase of the TransPennine Route Upgrade.

Rail UK

• New ETCS role for Northern?s Tony PlumbleyNorthern has announced that Tony Plumbley will lead the organisation?s engineering preparations for the roll-out of ?European Train Control System? (ETCS) signalling across its network.

Railway Gazette

• Hitachi shrinks battery technology for use on local trainsUK: A smaller and lighter version of the battery pack currently being tested on a Hitachi Rail inter-city train is being developed for regional, commuter and suburban trains on non-electrified lines.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• 44% of driver recruits given in-house training at GoBCOIn-house training is fast growing as the prime way to recruit new drivers, the Guild of British Coach Operators reports

Other News Sources

• East Kilbride Rail Skills Academy kicks off with MSP visitA cohort of 11 young people taking part in South Lanarkshire?s first Rail Skills Academy had the opportunity last week to meet local MSPs as part of their first week of the programme.
• Heathrow passengers rocket but workers hit with parking riseHeathrow Airport is set to enjoy record breaking passenger numbers this year, yet has hit low paid workers with extortionate car parking charges.
• What's Happening With Heathrow Airport's Third Runway Plans?Will Heathrow's third runway ever happen? And what will be lost if it does?
• Hopes to reopen Portishead railway line revivedMetro mayor Dan Norris is 'quietly confident' the ?152m project will go ahead after all despite government funding axe
• Network Rail says there are no plans to electrify Peterborough to Doncaster line which serves Spalding, Sleaford and LincolnRail bosses say there are no plans to electrify a busy route - despite including it within their vision for the county.