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

Thursday, 02 January 2025

Cogitamus

• Happy New Year from TransportInfoThe team at TransportInfo would like to send our very best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025 to all our readers

BBC News

• Bus firm to make January timetable changesA bus firm's timetables are changing in the new year to "better suit customer needs".
• Celebrating 200 years of pioneering railwayA nine-month long festival will celebrate the 200th anniversary of a pioneering steam-powered passenger railway.
• Emergency track repairs cause rail disruptionEmergency track repairs between Brighton and Haywards Heath are causing delays and cancellations.
• New minibus a 'lifeline' to rural communityA charity which has been described as a "lifeline" by elderly people has been awarded more than £200,000 to buy a new minibus.
• New rail system moves towards on-road testsOn-road trials for the Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) system are set to take place within months.
• Six-month road closure for rail upgrade workA road has been closed to traffic for six months as part of a major improvement of railway infrastructure.
• 'Green' ferry emits more CO2 than old diesel shipOne transport expert tells the BBC it might be better to run the new CalMac ferry on diesel.
• Bus passengers in England face £1 fare cap riseOne leading lobby group said it would result in a "costly start" to 2025 for many bus passengers.
• China's BYD closes in on Tesla as sales jumpChinese firm got a boost from subsidies encouraging consumers to replace old cars with greener ones.

Department for Transport

• Bus passengers to save hundreds as government prevents cliff-edge fare hikeGovernment sets £3 national bus fare cap until the end of 2025.

Financial Times

• BA passenger loyalty programme shake-up sparks backlashIndustry figures warn leisure travellers may struggle to gain perks such as access to the airline’s lounge
• China steps up drive to break Boeing and Airbus grip on plane marketState-owned Comac opens offices abroad and pushes for overseas certification as it increases output of C919 jets
• Shipowners switch to smaller vessels as world trade reroutes from ChinaAttacks on Red Sea ships have also hit demand for bulkiest carriers

The Guardian

• UK needs to ban full hybrid cars by 2030 or face net zero ‘catastrophe’Motoring body says hybrids without a plug should be banned or else confidence in electric cars will be damagedBritain needs to press ahead with a ban on the sale of new hybrid cars with no plug from 2030 or risk taking “a catastrophic misstep” on the road to net zero, ministers have been warned.Cars such as the Toyota Prius, which charge a battery from an internal combustion engine, need to be excluded from the list of vehicles sold in the UK from 2030 or there will be a “profound” fall in confidence in the government’s commitment to electric motoring, according t...

Times Online

• All aboard the Starlink Express, a marvel of wi-fi connectivity [Subscription]Superfast internet with speeds of more than five times the average UK household is being tested on a German train ? including using Elon Musk?s satellite network
• Heathrow's New York service clings to spot in top aviation routes [subscription]Britain holds on to its status by a thread with the London-New York service as passenger numbers rise in the east

Mail Online

• Inside the 443ft long Green cruise ship of the future with wind and solar sails, battery banks and 'smart' cabinsHurtigruten, which has run trips along Norway's coast for 130 years, is developing what may be the world's most energy-efficient ship of its class.

This is Money

• Autobesity! Cars should be taxed by how heavy they are to help consumers pick the greenest, expert claimsA leading automotive expert has called for drivers to be taxed based on how heavy their vehicle is in an attempt to help to the environment.
• Shell shock warning on plot to move listing to New York could fuel oil and gas exodusShell chief Wael Sawan (pictured) has warned he will consider moving its listing to New York if attempts to boost its valuation in the UK do not pay off.

Sky News

• Bus cap rises across England today but Labour mayors buck national trendThe cost of a single journey rises to £3 from New Year's Day in much of England.

Birmingham Mail

• Final plans for HS2 bridge submitted to councilChelmsley Wood residents given the chance to have their say on design of new HS2 bridge
• One in three drivers will to give up petrol or diesel car next yearA nationwide poll of 1,000 people has shown that almost one-third (30%) of drivers would consider switching to an EV when buying their next car

Derby Telegraph

• 2025 is set to be the year of the train in Derby as Railway 200 is celebratedIt is 200 years since Stephenson's Rocket made the first passenger journey and Alstom is opening its site to the public in celebration

Edinburgh Evening News

• Leith cycleway scheme under fire for narrowing pavements, removing bus lanes and taking away bus stopsPlans for a walking and cycling route in Leith have come under fire because they include narrowing pavements, removing bus lanes and taking away bus stops.

Northern Echo

• North Yorkshire Council on criticism over school transportChanges to North Yorkshire Council's (NYC) home-to-school transport policy are causing anger and frustration among parents across the county.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Train managers to strike for second time in dispute over rest-day workingPassengers on busy rail routes will suffer fresh disruption on Thursday because of another strike by train managers.

Yorkshire Post

• Transpennine Route Upgrade: Yorkshire road to be closed for six months as part of Transpennine Route Upgrade worksA section of Thornhill Road in Dewsbury under the railway bridge will close to vehicles from the start of January to the end of June 2025. The route will remain open to pedestrians. Advance warning signage will be displayed prior to the closures, along with signposted diversions.

Bucks Free Press

• Villagers petition for road safety improvements as 'cars endanger residents'A petition has been launched to address 'escalating safety and infrastructure concerns caused by traffic' in a village.
• HS2 update: Progress on deep tunnel drives and earthworksThe majority of the deep tunnel drives and earthworks needed for HS2 have been completed.

Other Regional Press

• GWR January sale offering 150,000 discounted train ticketsGreat Western Railway has launched a January sale, offering 150,000 lower-cost train tickets.
• New £8.8m A2 slip-road set for green light...againA long-awaited new slip-road off the A2 is set to be given the green light next week for a second time.

Construction Index

• HS2 chief commits to fix HS2 crisisThe man who finally brought home Crossrail has vowed to do the same for HS2 and is planning "a fundamental reset" of the mega project.

Rail Magazine

• Calls grow for full East West Rail electrification to boost freightRail Minister Lord Hendy has told MPs on the Transport Select Committee that he is in favour of discontinuous electrification on the East West Rail line.
• New consultation into closing crossings on North Wales Main Line set to startA new consultation to close two level crossings on the North Wales Main Line that would enable timetable improvements is set to begin in early 2025.
• Two major Midland Main Line engineering projects complete - one more to take place next weekA nine-day blockade at the southern end of the Midland Main Line has been completed, but a week-long closure at the northern end is set to get under way next week.

Railnews

• New Year Honours include knighthood for Network Rail chief The New Year Honours list includes a number of railway people who have been recognised for their services to the industry, including its staff. Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines has received a knighthood.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Power procurement: Imperative for coach and bus electrificationAlasdair Wilson - Power Procurement and Renewable Solutions Director, Zenobe. Anyone can buy power. They can search on the internet, or they can call a supplier to get a rate. By contrast, power procurement is a service-led approach that goes much deeper into the process and uses different methodologies to respond to an operator's needs.

Aviation Industry

• The net zero journeySenior director for environmental protection and sustainability, Jennifer Desharnais, explains how ACI World is guiding airports in their decarbonisation and noise management journeys.

Other News Sources

• 'Bristol Airport's expansion can unlock the entire region's potential'Our region is at a crossroads. After years of delays, Bristol Airport has finally secured planning approval for a vital phase of its expansion.
• The major development set to change the future of Blackpool Airport in 2025Work is due to begin early in the new year on a new passenger handling facility at Blackpool Airport as part of major investment in the air hub in 2025.
• Rail chaos for travellers to, from and within the Highlands as all Inverness services hit by flooding and landslidesLandslides and flooding are causing chaos for train travellers journeying to, from and within the Highlands.
• 'Only reduction has been in services' - Transport Secretary challenged over £200m north-east rail upgradesIt was recently revealed just £16.3million of the £200million budget had been spent on upgrading the line between Aberdeen and the Central Belt, with only two minutes of time savings due by 2026.
• Swedish Transport Administration takes over freight shunting from Green CargoTrafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration, is taking over freight wagon shunting services at eight shunting yards from Green Cargo. The move is supposed to make shunting more accessible to other rail freight companies, one of which filed a complaint with the Trafikverket because Green Cargo refused to deal with its wagons.
• All the upgrades and new services coming to London's transport network in 2025From new Piccadilly trains to the Silvertown tunnel, 2025 is going to be a big year for TfL
• Government invests £150m to keep bus fares down until end of 2025The investment ensures that single bus fares on designated routes remain capped at £3 until the end of 2025.
• Rail officer bitten on shift as more than one a week assaulted on Sussex trainsOver 60 members of staff were assaulted on board trains in the past year.