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

Friday, 08 November 2024

BBC News

• Up close with the 300 tonne driverless trucksBig mining firms are switching to driverless trucks and other autonomous equipment.
• Nissan to lay off thousands of workers as sales dropThe Japanese car making giant has not yet said where in its global operations the job cuts will be made.

Financial Times

• Wizz Air summer profits down a fifth after engine woes ground aircraftForty-one planes on tarmac for inspection as low-cost carrier is forced to ease ambitious growth plans
• HS2 spent £100mn on tunnel to protect rare bats Kilometre stretch of steel mesh one of many planning requirements that has driven up costs, says project chair
• Private jet emissions soar almost 50% in four yearsHigh use of aviation ‘taxis’ for big events such as World Cup, Davos — and climate summits, study finds
• UK government explores privately-funded Birmingham-Manchester rail link Mayors argue new train line is needed after northern leg of HS2 was axed on cost grounds

The Herald

• British Airways owner IAG records surge in earningsThe owner of airlines British Airways and Aer Lingus has said its earnings soared in recent months due to "the effectiveness of our strategy and group-wide transformation"

The Independent

• Qantas plane forced to make emergency landing after engine failurePassengers heard a ‘large bang’ and said the plane made circles in air before landing

Times Online

• Auto Trader unable to cash in on record demand for used cars [subscription]Shares in the online marketplace drop after rapid sales generate no extra revenue
• Bentley pushes back its fully electric deadline [subscription]Company says it will continue to make plug-in hybrids until the mid 2030s
• Rolls-Royce closes down electric flying taxi operations [subscription]The move into electric flying taxis was meant to be a showcase of the aero-engineer's electric aviation development
• HS2 spends £100m on shed to protect bats in wood [subscription]Chairman of the project says cash is being spent on orders of environmental body - even though fast trains pose no known risk to the species
• The celebrities whose jet pollution is 500 times the average person's [subscription]Researchers analysing celebrities' private aviation found most flights were taken for leisure - and there was a spike for the UN climate conference

City AM

• Bentley pushes back full all-electric switch to 2035 Bentley Motors has pushed back its switch to only making electric cars to 2035, it has been confirmed. The Crewe-headquartered luxury car maker, which is owned by Volkswagen, had originally announced in November 2020 that it intended to go all-electric by 2030. The aim was again reiterated in January 2022 when Bentley revealed plans to launch [...]

Daily Express

• Africa's longest suspension bridge that cost an incredible £600m and connects two citiesThe bridge connects two major urban centres but the cost of the project caused controversy.

Mail Online

• 'Explosion' on Qantas flight after takeoff at Sydney Airport forcing emergency landingThe NSW fire service is responding to reports of a bush fire in the vicinity of Sir Joseph Banks Park near Sydney.

This is Money

• Trainline ticket sales exceed £3bn as more Britons book onlineThe UK's largest train ticketing app reported its net ticket sales grew by 14 per cent year-on-year at constant currency rates in the six months ending August.
• Tesla jumps 18% on Trump 2.0, but will the new president ditch support for wind, solar and EVs?Among the key economic losers under trump are likely to be clean energy firms and their investors.
• Now Bentley backtracks on its EV promise: British luxury brand to delay going fully electric by five years to 2035The British luxury firm's original 2030 deadline to transition away from the internal combustion engine has now officially been scrapped.
• This luxury post-war British car maker is coming back... but would you buy their hand-made EV?Luxury coachbuilder Bristol Cars is set to make a return in time for its 80th anniversary, after announcing plans to bring out its first new model in 2026 - an EV.

Sky News

• HS2 boss reveals £100m bill for bat 'shed'HS2 is spending more than £100m on a "shed" to protect bats on a section of the line, even though there is "no evidence that high-speed trains interfere with bats", the project company's chairman has said.

Birmingham Post

• Wizz Air profits nosedive as engine problems force airline to ground planesThe Hungarian budget airline reported a 21.3 per cent dip in net profit to €315.2m (£262.7m) over the six months to 30 September.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Update on Transpennine Route Upgrade provided during university eventAn update on the Transpennine Route Upgrade was shared at a recent University of Huddersfield event.

Bristol Live

• Fury at 'traffic vandalism' bus lane plan which will make road 'chaos'Conservative councillors have criticised a plan for new bus lanes in Bristol claiming they will be 'traffic vandalism'

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Council's £300,000 legal fees bill for HGV depot that 'can't house trucks'The council is also spending £20,000 per month in rent on the building

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Hitachi sounds positive note about future of County Durham train factoryThe manufacturer said talks with Government continue as it announced trials of a battery technology which it says can be retrofitted to diesel trains

Northern Echo

• Nissan to cut 9,000 jobs globally - leaving uncertainty over Sunderland plant impactCarmaker Nissan is set to cut 9,000 jobs across the globe - leaving uncertainty over its impact on the Sunderland plant.
• Drivers face '50 mile diversion' during roadworks as it adds an hour to journeyDrivers wanting to use the bridge or stretch of road nearby will be diverted on a 50-mile diversion route, which will add an extra hour to the journey.

The York Press

• Major plans unveiled to slash York train journey timesPlans have been unveiled to upgrade the Transpennine rail route to improve journey times between York, Leeds and Manchester.
• Powerful message launched on York school busesChristina Gabbitas has joined forces with Averta Bus Advertising to launch a campaign in York to help bring a message to the city's school children.

Bucks Free Press

• Transport for London contractors thought to be the cause of Rectory Hill floodingTransport for London contractors are thought to have been the cause of a serious flooding problem that led to queues and break-downs.

Burnley Express

• Train bosses agree to meet council over disruptive cancellationsThe bosses of Northern rail have agreed to meet Blackburn with Darwen Council's leader over 'completely unacceptable' service cancellations.
• MP calls for action to tackle disruptive road worksEast Lancashire MP Andy MacNae has called for tough new government action to tackle the disruptive roadworks which are hitting businesses in his seat.

North Wales Live

• Railway line bought to make way for brand new Merseyside park It's hoped the park be delivered with nearly £15m of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority funding

Other Regional Press

• Massive £141m deal for helicopter base on PortlandA massive £141 million deal to train German Navy helicopter pilots on Portland is being hailed as 'well-needed good news' for the island
• Birmingham Airport signs 10-year air traffic deal with Whiteley-based companyBirmingham Airport has signed a contract with a Whiteley-based company to provide air traffic services for the next decade.
• Grand reopening of train station - featuring historic locomotive and TV celebThe station first opened its doors in 1847, during the golden age of railway expansion, as a halt on the London and South Western Railway line.
• Road network changes shown in new aerial footageMajor changes to a road network can be seen in new aerial footage, as a street at the heart of improvements is set to close.
• Every new car facing £2,745 increase in car tax from next April - see full listThe most polluting vehicles producing over 255g/km will see a £2,745 increase from £2,745 to £5,490 - a hike of 100% - while there will be a £490 premium for supercars
• Anger as Brighouse drivers face 'drastic' 400% parking charge hikeCouncillors have hit out at 'drastic' 400 per cent increases in parking charges at 'premium' council-run spaces in Brighouse town centre.
• Arriva cuts West Yorkshire bus services in 'driver shortage' - despite council training over 150 new onesArriva is at loggerheads with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which has paid to train 150 new drivers

Railnews

• Regulator warns operators Help Points must improve Operators are not maintaining station help points efficiently and are leaving passengers without information as a result, according to the Office of Rail and Road. The equipment is installed at more than four stations out of five, but becomes particularly important when no staff are available.

Route One

• First Bus invests £12m into Aberdeen fleetFirst Bus has announced a £12.7 million investment into Aberdeen for 24 new electric buses and 12 repowers from Wrightbus.
• Transport Committee members appointed by House of CommonsTransport Committee members have been formally appointed by the House of Commons. Seven are Labour MPs, including Chair Ruth Cadbury - who was named in September - while the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats each have two representatives on the 11-strong committee.

EIN News Subscription

• Trenitalia and Rail Europe strengthen partnership to expand high-speed rail reach to new markets and Rail Europe, leading distributor of European train tickets, spacious reclining seats, air conditioning, plug sockets for with continually updated travel information and news, FRECCE; spaces equipped for disabled passengers traveling in wheelchairs and