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

Saturday, 16 November 2024

BBC News

• Ten things we have learnt about East West RailLong-awaited details of a multi-billion-pound rail project which would link two university cities were unveiled this week.
• Week-long rail disruption due to train shortageServices between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International will terminate at Wolverhampton.
• Anger over London HS2 station's disruption to WalesAn MP says passengers from south Wales face years of delays when travelling to London.
• China megaport opens up Latin America as wary US looks onA new China-backed megaport in Peru may create whole new trade routes that will bypass North America entirely.

Financial Times

• Nissan to warn jobs at risk as UK EV targets push car industry to ‘crisis point’ Carmakers fear goals unreachable as consumer demand softens
• Why Trump’s tariffs won’t necessarily sink shippingThe US is a sizeable, rather than giant, tassel in the global trade tapestry
• London bus crashes are the result of an unsafe model Individual tragedies indicate a systemic problem that Whitehall needs to look at fast

The Guardian

• Green signal given for first UK co-operatively owned railway serviceRegulator approves bid by open-access operator Go-op to run trains in south-west England from late next year

Network Rail

• We're upgrading parts of our railway around Crewe in Cheshire this Christmas and New Year.Crewe is an important junction for freight journeys on the West Coast Main Line and this work will help us continue moving essential goods through here for years to come.
• Vital engineering work to impact services across Network Rail's Wessex route this ChristmasNetwork Rail is encouraging passengers to plan ahead and check before travelling over Christmas and New Year, as tens of thousands of railway engineers will be working round the clock across the country to improve our railway aiming to make it better, and more reliable.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• Regulator approves new Go-op train service between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-MareThe rail regulator has given the go ahead for new train services between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare from the end of 2025. The regulator has also set conditions on its approval to ensure the new, co-operatively owned operator has sufficient finance and rolling stock in place in good time.

Bolton News

• 'On demand 24/7' driverless pods on track to come to Bolton as more details releasedNew 24 hours a day, seven days a week driverless pods could be on track to link up the town centre with Royal Bolton Hospital.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Group will help deliver new tram line between Bradford and LeedsTHE people who have delivered mass transit systems in London, Toronto and Melbourne will now help deliver West Yorkshire’s new tram system.
• New images show progress on Transpennine Route Upgrade - including Mirfield station'Significant progress' is being made on the Transpennine Route Upgrade - including the transformation of Mirfield Railway Station and nearby Heaton Lodge Junction.

London Evening Standard

• Paddington station: Rail minister questions why HS2 work needs to be 'so disruptive' as first shutdown loomsThe rail minister has offered to make a last-ditch attempt to reduce the years of disruption that passengers face getting in and out of Paddington station.

Burnley Express

• Borough's 'worst roads' get a major makeoverBlackburn with Darwen Council has revealed that 65,000 square metres of carriageway has been resurfaced in the borough since April.

Other Regional Press

• Safety changes planned for Manorbier level crossingsSafety improvements are being proposed for two open railway crossings on the Pembroke Dock branch line.
• Why Kent’s first ‘zero-emission’ route is launching this weekend - with no electric busesA new £34 million “zero-emission” bus route has been branded a “joke” - as it will launch with diesel-powered vehicles instead of electric ones.
• Buses pelted with missiles in Huddersfield village in 'reckless attack caught on CCTV'First Bus and West Yorkshire Police working together after vandalism on Thursday evening
• Controversial Exeter bus lane changes approved after three and a half hour County Hall debateDevon County Council claims £2.4 million 'intelligent corridor' upgrades along Heavitree Road and Pinhoe Road routes could save up to approximately four minutes journey time and bring economic benefit of around £2,150,000 each year.
• Campaigners call for King's Lynn to Dereham railway line to be reinstatedCampaigners are urging County Hall to reinstate a long-lost railway line between two towns.

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Liquid hydrogen station at Crawley depot now operationalA liquid hydrogen refuelling station at Metrobus' depot in Crawley is now operational. The site is to house one of the largest hydrogen bus fleets and refuelling stations in the UK. It fuelled nine buses onsite on its first day
• "This Government recognises the potential of buses and coaches"This was the opening statement in an enthusiastic address to Euro Bus Expo 2024 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forLocal Transport, Simon Lightwood MP but appears to have included the only specific reference in it to coach.

Rail Business Daily

• Rail Partners' sustainability conference brings together industry experts to discuss opportunities and challenges for the railwayRail Partners held a sustainability conference with a focus on two key themes: cutting carbon and connecting communities. Hosted by Mark Gaynor, Director of Operator Services at Rail Partners, the conference provided an opportunity for industry experts to discuss how the railway can improve sustainability on the railway, further contributing to national sustainability objectives.

Rail Magazine

• New open access operator given go-ahead to launch service between Swindon and TauntonA new open access operator has been given the go-ahead to launch a new regional service in the South West.

RMT

• RAIL FOR LONDON INFRASTRUCTURE STRIKE TO GO AHEAD AFTER BOSSES REFUSE TO NEGOTIATERMT members working for Rail for London Infrastructure (RFLI) will go on strike Saturday, after the company failed to meet with the union to resolve a raft of serious issues.

Other News Sources

• Uber granted licence to operate taxis in Blackburn and DarwenHackney Carriage and private hire drivers have expressed concern after ride-sharing app Uber was granted a taxi licence in Blackburn with Darwen.
• Light Rail News RoundupIn this week's news from the light rail sector, the Environmental Award for NET is announced, seasonal celebrations get underway in Edinburgh and Seaton, West Midlands Metro joins the national anti-social behaviour campaign, and Pre Metro sponsors a popular military vehicle parade.
• Ed Davey visits shops in call to stop bus fare cap hikeSir Ed Davey visited high-street businesses calling for a Government U-turn on the rise of the bus fare cap. The £2 cap on single fares that applies on most routes outside London will be replaced by a new £3 cap until the end of 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the Budget.
• Clarus Networks Leads Global First in Rail Connectivity with StarlinkIn a groundbreaking step for rail connectivity, The Clarus Networks Group is now offering Starlink for trains. Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency internet access, tackling connectivity challenges that have long hindered rail operations and passenger experience in remote areas.
• Siemens Mobility welcomes Austrian Ambassador to Goole Rail VillageThe company welcomed the Austrian Ambassador, Bernhard Wrabetz, to its state-of-the-art Rail Village in Goole.
• DP World doubles rail linksLogistics company DP World has doubled its rail capacity between London Gateway and Southampton, two of the UK's largest container ports.
• Collaboration is key for a smooth transition to Great British Rail - Dominic Booth, CEO | Transport UKThe government must discuss the specifics of the handover with the wider industry to ensure success and safety for passengers and workers.
• Starlink to help boost rail infrastructure in the north of ScotlandSTARLINK is to be deployed on ScotRail trains in the north of Scotland in a move set to enhance trackside infrastructure.
• How is the rail transport of dangerous goods evolving?The rail transport of dangerous goods is still somewhat of a mysterious topic. Difficulties in gathering data and new trends do not make it easy to get a proper grasp of the issue. RailFreight.com had a chat with Giovanni Adamo, Dangerous Goods Risk Manager, to have a clearer picture on how this world works.

News from Europe

• German Greens Advocate 'Women Only' Train CarriagesIncreasing sexual violence on public transport prompts misdirected proposal from collapsing governing coalition partner.