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

Wednesday, 08 January 2025

BBC News

• Rolls-Royce factory to expand for more bespoke carsThe luxury carmaker will almost double the size of its factory to build more one-offs.
• New works will mark 25 years of Tube art projectTransport for London (TfL) says it hopes to "encourage meaningful conversations between artists and the public" with four new artworks that will be displayed across the Tube network in 2025.
• Level crossing work to affect rail and road usersRail and road users are being advised to plan ahead due to work on an "ageing" level crossing in East Yorkshire.
• Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnel tolls start in AprilTransport for London (TfL) has announced that the controversial Silvertown Tunnel in east London will open on 7 April.
• Delayed road scheme has gone 'disastrously wrong'A delayed road and rail improvement project has gone "disastrously wrong" and is causing serious damage to the local community, campaigners have said.
• Gatwick warns government over homes purchase planGatwick Airport has warned the government that its plans to build an extra runway could be unaffordable if it is forced to purchase up to 4,400 homes set to be impacted by aeroplane noise.

Channel 4 News

• Cuts to England's bus network cost economy £2.6bn a year, exclusive research finds
Cuts to England's bus network are costing the economy £2.6 billion a year, exclusive analysis for Channel 4 News shows.

Financial Times

• Car companies have an infuriating software problemManaging smooth updates is becoming ever important with the spread of EVs and more sophisticated systems
• Chinese airlines rush into Europe as western carriers retreatAbility to keep flying over Russia helps three big state-owned carriers undercut European rivals

The Guardian

• Rolls-Royce to invest £300m in expansion of Goodwood factoryLuxury carmaker driven to meet demand for bespoke upgrades, after recording third-highest annual sales in 2024Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has said it will invest £300m in expanding its Goodwood factory in West Sussex to meet the growing demand for bespoke upgrades, after the luxury carmaker recorded its third-highest annual sales in 2024.The investment will extend the luxury carmaker’s manufacturing facility as it gradually moves away from V12 petrol engines to battery electric vehicles, as well as increasing its capacity to fulfil the whims of some of the world’s richest people. ...
• My disabled mother paid £500 to travel near an Avanti accessible toilet … and it was closedThe nearest one was seven carriages away and my father couldn’t push her in a wheelchair that farMy disabled mother and elderly father recently travelled by train to London for the first time in years to celebrate a big birthday.They paid £500 for first-class tickets on Avanti West Coast, primarily for the use of an easily accessible toilet. However, it was a disaster. Continue reading...

Times Online

• Trains cancelled as drivers refuse to walk through snow at depot [subscription]The Aslef union said conditions were not safe for its members to reach the trains
• Glen Sannox ferry needs repairs even before it carries first passenger [subscription]The ferry requires anchor repairs as concerns were raised over the delivery date for its sister vessel, Glen Rosa
• "I can't get out": Man trapped in driverless taxi [subscription]A tech entrepreneur said he was trapped inside a self-driving taxi after the vehicle malfunctioned and began driving in circles.

The Mirror

• Tiny UK island with just 2,000 locals where London trains play major role200 miles away from the big smoke and you may still see a familiar train driving past you. However, you won't be able to use your oyster card on the Alderney Railway
• Huge year ahead for rail travel with new world?s fastest train and sleeper serviceSeveral new trains, rail routes and service are set to be launched in 2025 including exotic destinations and the world's fastest train which will travel up to 280 mph

Local Government

• Enhancing bus reliability and travel times on the A64: public engagementLeeds City Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is inviting feedback on proposals for Phase Two of the A64 Bus Priority Improvements project. This scheme aims to tackle congestion, enhance bus reliability, and promote sustainable travel options along this key route into Leeds city centre.

Network Rail

• Major upgrades coming to main road level crossing at DriffieldEngineers will be carrying out vital upgrades to Driffield?s Skerne Road level crossing to improve rail reliability and enhance safety for pedestrians, motorists and passengers.

Birmingham Mail

• The new school-run roads that will drop to 20mph in West Midlands areaSafer school roads initiative piloted in Dudley with car bans, speed limits and traffic calming with review promised as pressure group claims more than a third of deaths happen in school-run hours
• Midlands bus lanes which snare most drivers as 9,000 caught at one locationExclusive data reveals the bus lane locations where motorists get into trouble most often

Birmingham Post

• Nissan hails biodiversity plan as Sunderland factory site attracts badgers, newts and birds of preyThe car maker has been working with a solar farm partner to expand on marshland near its factory

Bolton News

• Holiday rail improvements in Bolton and beyond 'drive up' the reliability of servicesThe railway between London and Scotland via the West Midlands and the North West fully reopened after the successful delivery of these projects.

London Evening Standard

• Silvertown tunnel: TfL spends ?2m on bike bus that cyclists 'don't want to use'Concerns emerge about ?hostile? location of bus stop and whether cargo bikes will be banned from shuttle bus

Other Regional Press

• Colchester Station: Ex-MP slams Greater Anglia over disabled accessA FORMER Colchester MP says it is ?appalling? that a train company has not completed work to provide disabled access at a station after almost a decade.
• City MP continues taking action to improve transport accessibility in PortsmouthPortsmouth MP Stephen Morgan has continued to drive progress on his campaign to improve access to transport in the city.
• Buses are go, in Telford and WrekinAs part of its ongoing commitment to improving public transport, the Council is moving forward with plans to invite bids for new services, due to start in summer 2025.
• Inverness Stagecoach bus route between city centre and Ness Castle taken over by Highland Council?s in-house serviceHighland Council will add an Inverness city network route to its services after Stagecoach announced they would no longer be providing the service.
• New UK travel rules for non-Europeans arriving at Heathrow or Gatwick airportsNew UK travel rules for non-Europeans arriving at Heathrow or Gatwick airportsNon-European visitors or those transiting through the UK without a visa will need to secure a £10 digital permit from Wednesday (January 8). The Home Office is expanding the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system, first introduced in November 2023.
• The failed £10bn plans for 'the M25 for high speed trains' line between Gatwick and HeathrowProposals for the ?10bn HS4Air line between Britain's two biggest airports went down the drain in 2018

Coach and Bus Week

• Bus Users UK celebrates 50 years2025 marks the 50th anniversary of charity Bus Users UK, which aims to improve access to transport. Set up in 1975 by Caroline Cahm, the organisation was formalised in the 1980s during bus deregulation and known as the National Federation of Bus Users. Its complaints handling service was officially launched in 1985 with the backing of the Confederation of Passenger Transport.

Construction Index

• Ramboll appoints UK transport directorDanish consulting engineer Ramboll has appointed Ann Gordon as market director for transport in its UK and Ireland operations.

New Civil Engineer

• Snow forced 4 UK airports to pause operations - can they be made more resilient?Non-European visitors or those transiting through the UK without a visa will need to secure a £10 digital permit from Wednesday (January 8). The Home Office is expanding the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system, first introduced in November 2023.

Rail Business Daily

• Passenger and freight journeys improved after ?20m Christmas railway upgradesThe railway between London and Scotland via the West Midlands and the North West has fully reopened after multiple engineering projects were successfully delivered.
• East West Rail?s in-person consultation events restart this week East West Rail?s in-person consultation events restart this week after a short break over the festive period.

Rail Magazine

• Magnetic track brakes 'would save lives', safety expert claimsA former Deputy Chief Inspector of Railways has called for magnetic track brakes (MTBs) to be fitted to British main line trains, in the wake of October 21?s collision at Talerddig in Wales.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Transpennine Route Enhancements RevealedDuring the festive season, significant enhancements were made across multiple sites on the Transpennine route, bringing passengers closer to faster, greener, and more reliable journeys between Manchester and York.
• Galway terminus starts Irish rail renaissanceThe transformation of Galway city?s Ceannt Station is underway once again. Irish Rail (Iarnr?d ?ireann) is restoring and rebuilding the iconic station. The terminus serves the fast-growing community on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. The central location crowns the dramatic approach over the waters of Lough Atalia. It?s an impressive conclusion to the journey from Dublin. It?s about to get even more impressive.

Rail UK

• Northern customers report more than 32,600 items of lost propertyNorthern is appealing to customers to check they have all their personal belongings with them before leaving the train.
• TransPennine Express announces newest directorTransPennine Express (TPE) has appointed Andrew McClements as its new customer experience and transformation director.
• c2c recovers ?596,493 from fare evaders in record yearTrenitalia c2c recouped a record-breaking ?596,493 from ticketless travel in 2024, after clamping down on fare evasion through a variety of operational and data-led tactics.

Railway-News

• AECOM Appointed Lead Designer for TfL?s Elephant & Castle UpgradeDragados UK has appointed AECOM as the lead designer for the initial phase of Transport for London?s (TfL) Elephant & Castle Station Capacity Upgrade project.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Bus Users UK celebrates 50 years of championing the passengerBus Users UK is celebrating 50 years of acting as a champion for bus passengers in 2025 and says that over the period since foundation in 1975, it has become ?a powerhouse? of advocacy in that area.

Aviation Industry

• AEF responds to consultation on the future of the CAA’s Aviation Environmental ReviewBefore Christmas, the UK’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), sought views on the future direction of the UK Aviation Environment Review (AER). The first AER was published in … The post AEF responds to consultation on the future of the CAA’s Aviation Environmental Review appeared first on Aviation Environment Federation.

Other News Sources

• 'New normal': Energy overtakes transport as top climate tech investment categoryInvestment in projects to power data centres and AI growth drives clean energy funding to $9.4bn, new report claims
• Silvertown Tunnel planned to open on 7 April 2025Construction works and rigorous testing of new modern tunnel linking Silvertown in east London to the Greenwich Peninsula now sufficiently complete to set out planned opening date.
• Late services at Gobowen lead to low On Time Trains rankingShropshire has some of the worst performing railway stations in the country, it has been revealed - and the lateness of services in Gobowen?has been raised as a cause for concern.
• From horse-drawn to high-speed: Britain celebrates 200 years of rail travel in 2025At 12 noon on New Year?s Day, nearly 200 vintage locomotives around the world blew their whistles to ring in a special year for rail travel.
• One year of DB InfraGO, but rail freight sees no improvementOn 1 January 2024, the former DB Netz and DB Station & Service merged into what is now known as DB InfraGO. At the time, it was hailed as a major turning point in German rail that was supposed to bring improvements for the public good. However, a year into this new arrangement, German rail freight is not getting what it had hoped for.
• Rollout of mmWave Connectivity Solution in the US Enhances Rail CommunicationThe rollout of mmWave connectivity solution in the US marks a major step forward in rail communication, delivering high-speed wireless internet and transforming passenger experiences across Silicon Valley. This was reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
• Heathrow Express carries 20% fewer passengers over six monthsRegulator ORR has published rail passenger volumes for six months of 2024, showing that Heathrow Express (HEX) is the worst performer based on passenger numbers.