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

Friday, 20 September 2024

BBC News

• Deputy mayor pushes for £73m HS2 fundingA council leader has urged the government to honour almost £72.8m of reallocated HS2 funding.
• Private cabbies 'losing business' to bus servicePrivate taxi drivers at a railway station claim they are being undercut by a cheap bus service.
• Merseyrail line to close for engineering worksMerseyrail passengers are being warned they face disruption next month as a line closes for planned engineering works.
• Alstom creates new fleet for Egypt monorail projectTrains created by manufacturing giant Alstom have been test run in Cairo ahead of the launch of a new Egyptian monorail system.
• Plan for taxi drivers to carry stab wound bandagesAbout 50 taxis will carry bandage kits that could be used to treat stab wounds.
• London streets to close for World Car Free Day Hundreds of streets across London will be closed at the weekend to mark World Car Free Day.
• Boeing strike: 'My $28-an-hour pay isn't enough to get by'BBC News speaks to Boeing workers on the picket line about why they feel they have no choice but to strike.
• Cathay Airbus fault could have caused major damageThe Hong Kong airline was forced to turn a flight around after an engine problem.

Financial Times

• Europe’s battery darling runs out of juiceBattery start-up raised more than $15bn but is struggling to secure the funds amid low production
• London transport upgrades stall as financial squeeze bitesMayor Sadiq Khan argues improvements needed to stimulate housebuilding in capital and regenerate neighbourhoods

Times Online

• Net-zero targets must be reset as electric dream fades [subscription]With electric car sales beginning to lose their spark it's high time the authorities listen to consumers and the motor trade
• Plunging electric car sales add to EU manufacturers' gloomSales of battery electric models have collapsed by 44% as carmakers mothball plants and consider closures

i News

• Starmer hints at backing for HS2 North replacement rail linkProposals for a new rail line between Birmingham and Manchester were revealed last week

The Mirror

• 'I tried to work from a train for the day and came across a £18bn problem'The UK rail system received £46 billion of government support since 2020, rendering the £200million one expert predicts it would cost to fix its Wi-Fi a drop in the ocean

Birmingham Post

• Performance of Cardiff Airport comes under Senedd committee scrutinyWhile short of target the airport's chief executive Spencer Birns said it has seen passenger growth of 7% for far this year
• Bristol's proposed workplace parking charge slammed by hotel bossesThe plans have been described as "another blow" to the hospitality industry

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Communication over future of Bradford Interchange described as 'shocking'THE Mayor of West Yorkshire has defended how the closure of Bradford Interchange has been handled after a meeting heard that it could re-open in January.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Welsh Government spent £218m to get more people walking and cycling but it's not workingAn Audit Wales report has looked into the government's ambition to increase 'active travel' in Wales

London Evening Standard

• Unions must abandon outdated work practices to fix railways, says Transport Secretary Louise HaighNew Transport Secretary Louise Haigh vowed on Thursday to tackle the hard yards on making unions abandon outdated work practices on Britain's strike-plagued railways and get trains in London running on time.

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield station: Council update on plans for empty plot, footbridge and bus station to create 'wow factor'Sheffield City Council has issued an update on plans to remodel the railway station area to give it the wow factor?
• The 14 busiest roads in Sheffield, including A57, A630 and A61Drivers on Sheffield''s roads clocked up an astonishing 1.74 billion miles last year, the latest figures reveal.

Wales Online

• Electric charging points could be mandatory outside all new homes in WalesThe Welsh Government is consulting on proposals to mandate the installation of electric vehicle chargepoints in all new residential and non-residential buildings where car parking is available

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Game-changing train seat that can be converted into lie-flat bed unveiledA train seat that can be converted into a lie-flat bed has been unveiled in a bid to transform rail travel.

Chester Standard

• Chester: Statue of 'world's greatest rail builder' planned for stationA statue of "the world's greatest railway builder" is planned for outside Chester Railway Station.

Lancashire Telegraph

• Bus passenger numbers pass 40 million in LancashireThe number of passengers using public transport to get around Lancashire has returned to pre-pandemic levels, it has been revealed.

Wrexham.com

• A view from Clwyd South's Member of the SeneddWrexham.com has invited local Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home you can find them all here.

Other Regional Press

• MP meets Rail Minister to discuss station plansLocal MP Gideon Amos has vowed to keep fighting for our town's new station after holding talks with the Rail Minister yesterday (Thursday).
• Train stations getting WiFi for first time on London commuter railway lines - full listEast Midlands Railways is rolling out Wi-Fi at 97 stations used by London commuters
• Campaigners criticise WECA delays over bus franchisingA long-promised report to the region's leaders is just eight pages and proposes another study
• Rebranded park and ride buses hit the streets of ShrewsburyNew look park and ride buses have hit the streets of Shrewsbury as part of moves to improve bus services across the Shropshire Council area.
• Councillors put spotlight on Cheshire East's bus service reviewCheshire East Council proposals for bus services show it wants to improve public transport not just for existing users but make it a valid alternative to car use, a councillor said.
• Train stations getting WiFi for first time on London commuter railway lines - full listA railway operator serving London commuter stations has announced that it is installing new free Wi-Fi at more of its stations. East Midlands Railways (EMR) says this will happen at 97 stations across the region it serves.
• New plans to replace Saddleworth level crossing being devisedREVISED plans to replace a Saddleworth level crossing are being drawn up after the last one was thrown out.

New Civil Engineer

• Transport Action Network demands DfT cancel £15bn worth of unaffordable Conservative road schemesThe Transport Action Network (TAN) has demanded the Department for Transport (DfT) cancel £15bn worth of upcoming road schemes tabled by the previous Conservative government, including the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing.

Rail Magazine

• Brent Council seeks impetus for Bakerloo Line modernisationLabour councillors in London are urging the government to approve the £10 billion modernisation of the Bakerloo Line and its extension south.

Railway Gazette

• Swapping one car journey for rail can make a differenceUK: The rail industry has teamed up with the Campaign for Better Transport to highlight how swapping one return car journey for a train can make a big difference when it comes to helping tackle climate change.
• Parcel delivery by tram and cargo bike on test in StrasbourgThe delivery of parcels to the city centre by tram and cargo bike being tested in Strasbourg.

Railway-News

• CPKC's Hydrogen Locomotive Reaches Testing MilestoneCanadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has completed the first phase of testing of its high-horsepower hydrogen locomotive, designated CP 1200.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• First launches £59 million electrification initiative in West of EnglandFirst West of England has commenced work on two multi-million pound projects aimed at electrifying depots in Bristol and Weston-Super-Mare.
• Guide Dogs charity calls for halt on controversial bus stop designThe charity Guide Dogs has called for the pausing of the roll-out of floating bus stops and similar designs after a research publication made several safety recommendations regarding them.

Sustainable Bus

• MAN wins tender to provide 52 e-buses in Schiphol airport. They'll replace 10-years old BYD busesAfter Munich airport, MAN is providing e-buses also in Amsterdam Schiphol airport. 52 zero emission buses have just been commissioned, the airport reports, and are set to transport passengers between the aircraft and the terminal. MAN Truck & Bus has just been awarded the tender, that saw 5 OEMs bidding.
• ZF will support the development of Iveco Bus electric-born architecture for next generation busesIveco Bus and ZF are entering a cooperation aiming at deploying e-mobility solutions for passenger transportation.

Aviation Industry

• Should we tax aviation more?Anticipating the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Treasury invited interested parties to “submit comments on existing policy for consideration in the Budget”. In response, AEF submitted its views on aviation taxation.

Other News Sources

• MPs say rail plan 'needs to be brought back on track'It's after the incoming Labour Government said it could not see how plans for Wellington and Cullompton stations could be funded
• Alstom announces an investment plan of € 63 million over 3 years in Italy and the results of the first Impact Report conducted by EY Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has approved and is implementing in Italy, a € 63 million investment plan for the period 2024-2026 demonstrating an ongoing commitment to economic growth, technological innovation and environmental sustainability in the country. All sites will be involved and will benefit from these investments.
• First Hybrid Train from FPS Begins Operations in PolandThe first hybrid train developed by the FPS factory from Poznań has started operations in Poland, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
• Gatwick Airport expansion plans won't be supported by Surrey councils unless noise and environmental fears managedThe impacted councils say they are “concerned” that the current project “will impose unjustified adverse impacts on local communities

News from Europe

• Alstom: 63 million euros of investment in ItalyOn Thursday, rail manufacturer Alstom unveiled a 63 million euro investment plan for Italy up to 2026.