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

Monday, 23 December 2019

The Guardian

• Manchester and Liverpool mayors ask PM for action on railway chaosJoint statement from Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram follows reports of Northern renationalisation

The Herald

• Why rail nationalisation could end up a vote loserLAST week on a morning train to Edinburgh from Glasgow, I found myself remarking at how improved the service was. The new, longer train was busy, but everyone got a seat. It left on time. The wifi worked. And, thanks to electrification of the line costing some £850m, the journey took just 43 minutes.

The Independent

• Tories urge Boris Johnson to ‘change course’ on HS2 amid fears project could reach 12-figure costNewly elected MPs in Labour’s ‘red wall’ warn business case for project is collapsing
• Christmas travel: Widespread disruption on the railways with dozens of cancellations before festive breakMany rail workers' employment contracts make Sunday working voluntary

Birmingham Post

• This is what Stoke Railway Station could look like after multi-million pound faceliftCars would be banned from driving past the station as part of the proposals

Bolton News

• Bolton TPE and Northern trains deemed ‘unacceptable’ after delaysKEY transport bosses have hit out at train companies over an “unacceptableâ€� rise in recent delays and cancellations.

Sheffield Star

• Mayors demand answers over Northern Rail's futureThe mayors of two northern cities have called for "clarity" after a Sunday newspaper was told Northern Rail would be stripped of its franchise.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Mayor calls for West Midlands Trains to be stripped of franchise if no improvementWest Midlands Trains should be stripped of its rail franchise if its "woeful" performance does not improve by the end of January, furious mayor Andy Street said today.

Yorkshire Post

• Two thirds of services from under fire rail operator Trans Pennine Express still delayed or cancelled as passengers endure more miseryTwo thirds of train operator Trans Pennine Express' services were delayed or cancelled on Sunday as the under fire operator faced growing criticism. Live public performance statistics showed that overall 65 per cent of Trans Pennine services were cancelled or late by more than 30 minutes.
• Leeds MP writes to Prime Minister to demand action over transport systemA Leeds MP has written to Boris Johnson to demand that the promises made about Leeds’ transport infrastructure during the election are now met. Alex Sobel, who was re-elected last Thursday with a much-increased majority in Leeds North West, has been a vocal campaigner for better transport in Leeds, releasing his own Transport Strategy earlier this year.
• Rail staff do not deserve abuse from passengers as they, too, are victims of inept management – The Yorkshire Post saysTHE YORKSHIRE Post makes no apology for repeatedly highlighting the unacceptable state of the region’s rail services – their poor quality continues to have a significant impact on the economy and lives of all those commuters caught up in the daily chaos.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Bid to bring electric bus scheme to Suffolk - and here's where it's likely to beElectric buses could be en route to Suffolk under plans to bid for government cash for a pilot scheme.
• Further train disruption for rail passengers to Peterborough and FelixstoweRail passengers face ongoing disruption on Greater Anglia trains this morning, and until further notice, due to major signalling problems.

Reading Evening Post

• Delayed Elizabeth Line to Reading project bosses 'very confident' on when Crossrail will finally openThe delay has already cost hundreds of millions of pounds

Other Regional Press

• Very Light Rail could be on show in Coventry for 2021The new year sees some significant steps for the project

Rail Advent

• 1000 improvements for Northern’s stationsNorthern has been improving stations during 2019 and has made over 1000 improvements due to tens of millions of pounds invested in the Better Stations project.

Transportxtra

• Change at top of Heathrow Southern RailChris Stokes has been appointed the new chief executive of Heathrow Southern Railway Ltd (HSRL), a company promoting a southern rail connection to the airport.