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

Saturday, 21 December 2024

BBC News

• Historic railway platform in city park restoredA historic train platform in a park in Leicester has been restored as part of a wider £1.8m revamp of the area.

Financial Times

• FedEx to spin off freight unitDivision could be worth more than $30bn, analysts say

The Guardian

• Britain braces for big Christmas getaway amid weather and travel warningsAirports, train operators and motoring bodies forecast traveller numbers unseen since before pandemicBritain’s biggest festive getaway in years was expected to start on Friday, as millions of people took to road, rail and skies to see their loved ones over Christmas.Airports, train operators and motoring organisations have all forecast traveller numbers unseen since before the pandemic.

The Telegraph

• Train driver pay rise has made rail delays worse, says Transport Secretary [subscription]Drivers no longer volunteer for extra shifts after Labour's 15 per cent increase, but the service relies on these workers to run

Times Online

• Glen Sannox 'performing well' and will take passengers in January [subscription]The ferry, which will run on the Arran route, and its sister vessel Glen Rosa have cost the taxpayer £400m after years of delays

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• Expanding ORR's rail environment dataEach year, ORR publishes statistics on annual energy use and estimated emissions for passenger and freight trains in Great Britain. This is based on their electricity and diesel traction consumption the energy used to power passenger and freight trains.

Birmingham Post

• New accounts reveal Hitachi Rail performance in build up to £500m rescue deal Hitachi Rail received a contract to build new trains for FirstGroup in a move that is said to have safeguarded jobs

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 'Elephant trap' pot holes leave people in North Wales' 'forgotten valley' in despairCarers can't reach clients and 4x4 sales are soaring

London Evening Standard

• Revealed: New train timetable will make Flying Scotsman from Edinburgh to London slowerIconic four-hour express will take an additional 13 minutes - though other LNER cross-border trains should be faster

Manchester Evening News

• Former rail minister told off for breaking rules after Andy Burnham announcementThe Greater Manchester mayor announced Huw Merriman would chair the board working on plans for a new train line to Liverpool

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Tyne and Wear Metro statement in full as Nexus warns all services south of Tyne may be shut offAs the Gateshead Flyover transport crisis is set to continue into the new year, Tyne and Wear Metro bosses say they may not be able to keep running trains to Sunderland and South Shields

The York Press

• LNER trains: Firm gets award for safeguarding on railwaysLNER has been recognised for its efforts in identifying vulnerability and ensuring customer and colleague safety.

Other Regional Press

• Warwick Castle light trail welcoming dogs for the first timeDogs will be allowed to visit the light trail on Wednesday, January 1, 2025
• East West Rail says it will drive economic growth and create jobs in Bedfordshire - but it can't say how manyEast West Rail (EWR) has announced that its new railway promises to drive economic growth and create jobs across the region.
• Petition calls for review of East West Rail plansA petition calling for plans for the Cambridge section of East West Rail to be paused so an independent review can be carried out has gathered almost 2,000 signatures.
• New Wiltshire train operator Goop needs £2.6m to get startedA new railway operator hoping to make journeys through Wiltshire easier needs more than £2 million to get up and running.
• Work on second platform at Newquay Train Station on track to openThe scheme is being carried out as part of the £56-million Mid Cornwall Metro Project
• Major milestone in plans for rail innovation centre in Barrow HillPlans to create a modern rail innovation and training centre in Barrow Hill, Staveley which will create jobs and skills opportunities for local people, and bolster Chesterfield's ambitions to be a leading destination for the rail sector ? have reached a major milestone.

New Civil Engineer

• How Aggregate Industries? upgrades at Tilbury Docks will benefit major infrastructure projectsMaterials supplier Aggregate Industries has created an innovative dome silo at Tilbury Docks as just one of its upgrades to facilitate better supply of cement to major infrastructure projects like Sizewell C and Lower Thames Crossing.
• HS2 celebrates completion of 8km tunnel drive under LondonEngineers from Skanska Costain Strabag JV (SCS) and High Speed 2 (HS2) have marked a significant milestone with the successful completion of an 8km tunnelling drive under London.

Rail UK

• Rail passenger revenue grows by 11% year-on-yearThe latest Office of Rail and Road (ORR) statistics reveal that total rail passenger revenue, adjusted for inflation, was up 11% (£284 million) in July -September (Q2 2024-25), compared with the same period last year.

Other News Sources

• Showing the international potential of the Global Centre of Rail ExcellenceThe Global Centre of Rail Excellence has the potential to transform technology innovation in UK and international rail that was the message from its Chief Executive Simon Jones as the facility held its first industry demonstration day earlier this month.
• Heathrow launches 'Nature Positive Plan' to tackle biodiversity lossHeathrow Airport has introduced its first 'Nature Positive Plan', aiming to tackle the interconnected challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
• New A-road providing direct access to Birmingham Airport opens to driversA new A-road and motorway junction which provides direct access from the M42 to Birmingham Airport has now opened.?