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

Monday, 13 January 2025

BBC News

• Lower train line costs 'could mean more services'More Southeastern train services may run on the High Speed 1 (HS1) route after the government announced costs to use the line will reduce, the rail operator says.
• Rail station car park refurbishment due to startRefurbishment work to improve an Oxfordshire rail station car park is due to begin.
• Free hospital shuttle bus to be axed due to costsA free hospital shuttle service in Lancashire is to cease in April after an NHS trust said it cannot afford the £780,000 annual running cost.
• 'Five-minute fine' prompts private car parks reviewThe review aims to ensure motorists are not penalised if they are unable to pay promptly.
• Why was Glen Sannox so hard to build?The new CalMac vessel at the centre of Scotland's ferries saga has finally been delivered by Ferguson shipyard
• Magic Bus does disappearing trick after 30 yearsThe low-fare Manchester bus popular with students bows out after almost 30 years in service.
• Mind the gap - and the goosebumps: No Trousers Tube ride returnsThe annual No Trousers Tube ride has taken place - despite plunging temperatures in the capital.
• Scotland's ferries saga ship to finally set sailThe MV Glen Sannox is to make its first scheduled passenger voyage between Troon and Arran early on Monday.
• Two million discounted tickets up for grabs in rail saleMore than two million train tickets will be sold at a discount under a promotion starting next week.

Financial Times

• UK manufacturers increase pressure on government over industrial strategy Despite gloomy outlook on business costs, executives report ‘heightened optimism’ about investment
• Air India chief hails ‘climb’ phase in carrier’s ‘national mission’ of revivalFormer state-run airline now owned by Tata is spending billions to win back customers who had lost faith in its service

The Guardian

• No Trousers Tube Ride brings carnival of underwear to London UndergroundAnnual fun event sees bare-legged passengers sporting array of underwear styles and coloursThe annual No Trousers Tube Ride event has returned in colourful fashion as people stripped down to their underwear and hopped on the London Underground.Hordes of bare legs were seen at Newport Place in Chinatown before heading on to the tube in their underwear of choice. Continue reading...

The Independent

• More disruption threatened in fresh rail disputeA fresh dispute is flaring on the railways, threatening disruption to more services in the coming weeks.

The Scotsman

• Long-delayed new island ferry Glen Sannox finally makes maiden voyageA long-delayed new CalMac ferry has finally launched passenger services - more than six-and-a-half years later than planned.

The Telegraph

• Branson lines up £500m train order to smash Eurostar monopoly [subscription]Virgin Group in race to purchase high-speed models ahead of rival Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is preparing an order for a dozen high-speed trains as it bids to break Eurostar's monopoly on services through the Channel Tunnel.
• Britain's abysmal train service is ruining the return to the office and more [subscription]Improving productivity is a top priority but that can't happen with our relic of a railway system

Times Online

• Why have car headlights got so bright ? and what are the dangers? [subscription]Dazzling headlights are responsible for at least 280 collisions a year, and a trade in illegal super-bright LED upgrades is thriving
• Halt rail strikes or we'll suffer £1bn loss, say hospitality bosses [subscription]Plea to government comes as Avanti train managers vow to walk out every Sunday until the end of May in a dispute over pay for rest days

City AM

• UK to go ‘all-in’ on AI as Starmer throws weight of Whitehall behind technology Keir Starmer will throw the weight of Whitehall fully behind AI in a bid to boost growth. The Prime Minister is set to unveil his Government’s AI Opportunity Action Plan on Monday as he seeks to make Britain a world leader in the sector. He said: “The AI industry needs a Government that is on [...]

Sky News

• Travel disruption as Avanti West Coast train managers launch five months of strikesRail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) members are staging walkouts in a dispute over rest day working.

Birmingham Mail

• Motorists could see major headlight rule change as dazzling LEDs face scrutinyTransport minister Lilian Greenwood sought to calm fears over the safety of LED lights

Birmingham Post

• UK Government to confirm it is looking to address rail underfunding in WalesIt builds on discussions between Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates his UK Government counterpart Heidi Alexander and Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens
• Businesses say bypass is an 'urgent priority' for growth as they call for 'shovel ready' project to be signed offEmployers including Tata Chemicals Europe and GO Outdoors sign letter to minister

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• West Yorkshire transport public consultation events to take placePeople are being encouraged to have their say on the future of the local transport network in West Yorkshire via scheduled 'Talking Transport' events.
• Driving tests should cost 'three times more', Bradford instructor saysA Bradford driving instructor says tests should cost “three times” more with a two month wait introduced for students who fail.

Northern Echo

• Newly opened rail attraction wins award for boosting the local economyAS THE birthplace of the modern railway Darlington is set to mark a pivotal anniversary next year an achievement boosted by a win in the Visitor Economy Award for its new visitor attraction, Hopetown Darlington.

Cambridge News

• Cambridgeshire bus driver intervenes to keep 'predators' away from young girlBus drivers have new training and guidance to help them support people who may be vulnerable or at risk of abuse

Chester Standard

• Cheshire firm Alstom completes South Western Railway train refurbA £25MILLION upgrade of a railway operator's fleet of trains has been completed by a Cheshire firm.

Get Surrey

• The £10bn 'M25 for high speed trains' between Gatwick and Heathrow that never materialisedPlans for the 'HS4Air' were unveiled in 2018 but were later rejected by the Government for a number of reasons

Other Regional Press

• Shrewsbury's on-demand bus service expands to include more areasShropshire Council's new on-demand bus service will be further expanded at the end of the month, and new users will be offered a £5 credit when they register.
• Paul Donovan supports London Mayor's active travel targetThe role of cars in our society has become increasingly contentious over recent years, with the growing threat of climate change.
• MP Lillian Jones: Scottish Labour rail transport commitments... Last week on the floor of the House of Commons I asked the Transport Secretary what steps she is taking to improve passenger rail and as we move forward with our manifesto rail commitments what lessons we can learn from the fiasco of the SNP nationalisation of ScotRail.
• Transport disruption to hit west Wales services for weeksThere will be disruption to rail services in and out of Pembrokeshire in the weeks ahead as Network Rail carries out engineering work.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Celebrating 200 years of railways and marking big reforms to buses - S3,Ep7Christian interviews Alan Hyde from 'Railway 200' on the exciting programme of celebrations marking the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway and of the industry which changed not just the UK but the whole world [1:28]. Co-presenter Mark Walker discusses with Christian the big changes underway in England's bus industry with completion of Manchester's franchised Bee Network and a new Bus Services Bill being introduced into Parliament [28:27]. In his final thought, Christian reflects on the communications expertise of retiring RMT union General Secretary, Mick Lynch [35:06].

Rail Magazine

• Comment: Ashington welcomes back passenger trainsHello Ashington. The former colliery town has its passenger railway back after almost 60 years, with the upgrading of the freight-only Blyth and Tyne to become the Northumberland Line.
• Class 20s take the strain on the Drain TrainBalfour Beatty has operated on-track drain clearance trains for several years, but its decision to acquire two Class 20s to operate the train has made them of more interest. Pip Dunn finds out more.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Stagecoach East refutes CPCA 'withdrawal of winning bids' claimA row has broken out between Stagecoach East and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) over a rerun of the tender process for seven subsidised 'Tiger' bus routes that should have commenced operation in November 2024.
• Go-Ahead to enter West Yorkshire bus market ahead of franchisingGo-Ahead will enter the West Yorkshire bus market on 23 February. From that date it will operate three vehicles on tendered service 571 between Halifax and Shelf, with the group having indicated that it expects to bid for franchise contracts in the region in due course.

Aviation Industry

• Etihad Airways Will Lease American Airlines' Slot At London Heathrow AirportEtihad Airways has gained an additional daily slot at London Heathrow Airport for the summer 2025 season through a leasing arrangement with American Airlines , allowing the UAE airline to boost service to five daily flights on this important route.

Other News Sources

• JCB's hydrogen engine landmarkJCB has secured a ruling from licensing authorities allowing its hydrogen-fuelled engine to be used commercially in machines. JCB is the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen and a team of 150 engineers has been working on the exciting £100 million development for over three years.
• Majority of Irish voters want 2:1 spending on public transport vs roads kept as new government faces political stumbling blocksA majority of votes want the incoming government to keep the 2:1 spending on public transport vs roads, which was set, and an even clearer majority think the new government will not do enough to meet Ireland's climate change commitments, according to a poll published in the Sunday Independent yesterday.

News from Europe

• European Industry and Transport Associations call for change on Railway Capacity ManagementOn 10 January, 12 industry associations issued a joint open letter calling for negotiating partners on the European Railway Capacity Management Regulation to adopt an ambitious and international approach to the file.