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

Tuesday, 07 January 2025

BBC News

• Consultation opens on future of bus servicesWest Midlands mayor Richard Parker wants the privately-run network to become a franchise system.
• Station approval delay indefensible - council leaderCardiff council's leader calls for the first minister to end uncertainty over the proposed station.
• No plans for clean air zone charges - ministerTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander is ruling out pollution charges for Greater Manchester drivers
• Euston cab rank 'virtually impossible' to accessAt busy times passengers outside Euston station can be left waiting hours for a cab, it is claimed.

Department for Transport

• Secretary of State for Transport's expectations for how open access will operate alongside a publicly owned railwayThe Secretary of State for Transport's expectations for how the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) will consider new open access applications.
• Phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and support for the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) transitionMy Right Honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander), has made the following Ministerial Statement.

Financial Times

• Nvidia chief calls robots ‘multitrillion-dollar’ opportunityJensen Huang unveils AI models for humanoids and self-driving car partnership with Toyota at CES keynote
• UK high-speed rail line told to cut charges Regulator rules fees should come down by 3.8% compared with HS1’s proposal
• New jets help passengers avoid congestion at hub airportsAirlines launch long-haul routes using smaller but more fuel-efficient aircraft

The Guardian

• Regulator forces HS1 rail line to cut charges in push to open up route to Eurostar rivalsORR hopes £5m cut in fees will attract new operators on line from St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel

Times Online

• ScotRail train ticket offices fail checks as cutbacks announced [subscription]Performance inspections show station staff and sales booths are getting the worst possible scores, sparking concerns from campaigners
• Charge-point surge heralds UK electric car revolution [subscription]More than 120 planning applications for plug-in stations for EVs have been approved

Birmingham Post

• Heads of the Valleys £1.4bn road project on track for summer completionIt's been one of the most difficult road building projects ever, but the A465 between Hirwaun and Dowlais is almost finished
• HS1 Eurostar route to cut ticket prices after watchdog orders 3.8% reductionThe Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has ordered HS1 to reduce its charges compared with its most recent plans, which will save passengers and freight trains up to £5million annually
• Rolls-Royce shares tumble after broker slaps 'neutral' rating on themAnalysts at Citi downgraded the FTSE 100 heavyweight from a 'Buy' to a 'Neutral' rating
• Welsh Government planning decision delay on Cardiff Parkway indefensible says council leaderHuw Thomas has written to First Minister Eluned Morgan warning that the continued delay could also be deterring investment into Wales
• Buy British Airways owner shares and 'sell' Wizz Air, say analystsPanmure Liberum analysts have picked the British Airways owner as their 'most preferred' stock within transport, with a target price of 500p compared to its current 287p share price
• Nissan produces two of UK's top five car sellers at Sunderland plantThe Qashqai and Juke were both in the top five cars sold in the UK in 2024, new figures show
• Consultation launched over future of West Midlands bus serviceMayor Richard Parker is urging businesses and the public to have their say as transport chiefs examining future franchising model

Bolton News

• Yellow 'Bee Network' buses trialled in Bolton will create a buzz across whole regionBright yellow buses that were first rolled out in Bolton will now become everyday sights across the whole region

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Huge rail projects take place in Leeds and Mirfield - but Huddersfield work delayedA SERIES of major upgrades have taken place over the Christmas and New Year period across several railway sites in West Yorkshire
• Long-suffering bus passengers face continued disruption despite Interchange reopeningBus users in Bradford remain to be convinced whether re-opening the bus Interchange is a positive move for the city.
• Exciting times ahead for Leeds Bradford Airport as LBA:REGEN takes off!LBA:REGEN Takes Off!
• New bus lanes planned for Bradford 'hot spots' that 'delay journey times'TWO “hot spots” in Bradford that lead to “significant delays to bus journey times” will undergo major changes.

Wales Online

• Nearly three year wait on Cardiff Parkway decision indefensible says Cardiff leader Huw ThomasHuw Thomas has written to First Minister Eluned Morgan warning that the continued delay could also be deterring investment into Wales
• 'The train service is a mess' Anger as 650 trains cancelled in parts of Wales in just a yearWales Online readers have reacted to the news that over 650 Transport for Wales trains meant to transport people to Swansea and further west were cancelled in just one year

Other Regional Press

• Hopes in Reading for Heathrow rail link and Thames bridgeHopes for a third Thames bridge and rail link to Heathrow are growing in Reading as the government has announced planned changes to local government.

Rail Magazine

• Transport Secretary raises open access concerns in letter to ORRTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander has raised concerns about the impact of open access operators on contracted train services.

Railnews

• Rail suppliers ‘remain strained’ since election The immediate outlook for companies supplying the railway has remained ‘strained’ since the Labour government was elected in July, according to the Railway Industry Association. RIA is asking the government to take the opportunity offered by the Treasury’s Spending Review 2025, due in the summer, to smooth out ‘boom and bust’ work cycles.
• Transport secretary gives open access a yellow light Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has sounded a note of caution over future open access services, and has issued new advice to the Office of Rail and Road, which decides whether to grant licences. She emphasised in her letter that the formal guidance had not changed, but added that ‘I hope it will be helpful to the ORR by setting out my expectations’.

Aviation Industry

• Which Airlines Carried The Most Passengers Between The US & London In The 1st 9 Months Of 2024?The international market between London and the United States is extremely busy, with more than one million passengers traveling monthly. According to data from the Department of Transportation (DOT), nine airlines operated flights from London to the US in 2024 (including diversions):

Other News Sources

• Statement to Parliament: Phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and support for zero emission vehicle (ZEV) transitionGovernment has commenced a consultation on phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, driving forward the commitment made in our manifesto, supporting delivery of both our clean energy mission and our economic growth mission.
• Greater Manchester takes back control of buses after 40 yearsPeople living in deprived areas of England have suffered disproportionately larger cuts to bus services, according to a new report.
• Train fire sees passengers evacuated from station: all we knowA fire under a train temporarily closed Gatwick Airport railway station.