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

Tuesday, 08 January 2019

BBC News

• Audi brings Disney VR to back seatThe car maker worked with Disney to create a concept that reacts to the movements of the car a passenger is riding in.
• Brexit: Operation Brock lorry park A256 trial 'too little too late'Nearly 90 lorries left a disused airport near Ramsgate to follow a route in convoy to Dover.
• Protestors call for Abellio to be stripped of rail contractProtesters demand Dutch firm Abellio is stripped of its contract to run ScotRail services amid ongoing disruption.
• Elon Musk breaks ground on first Tesla factory outside USThe carmaker wants to use the Shanghai plant to grow its presence in the world's biggest auto market.
• Carlos Ghosn says he is 'wrongly accused' Carlos Ghosn makes his first appearance in court in Japan following financial misconduct charges.

ITV News

• Greater Anglia warn drivers to be vigilant at level crossings as they prepare to test new trainsGreater Anglia are warning drivers in Norfolk to be extra careful at level crossings over the next fortnight as they prepare to take their new trains on test runs.

The Guardian

• No-deal Brexit rehearsal in Kent 'a waste of time'Only 89 trucks take part in trial of emergency traffic system designed to cope with 6,000 vehicles
• Diesel decline and Brexit uncertainty push down UK car salesCar sales in the UK declined by almost 7% in 2018, with consumer confidence declining ahead of Brexit and drivers increasingly unwilling to purchase new diesel models.

The Independent

• Silent, water-emitting trains fuelled by hydrogen ‘to be introduced to UK railways in two years’Upgrading existing rolling stock means diesel can be phased out without costly electrification of railways

The Scotsman

• ScotRail passenger compensation deal branded ‘a gimmick’ Hard-pressed rail passengers in Scotland are to be offered extra compensation by train operator ScotRail amid growing anger over delays and cancellations.

Times Online

• Airports will be allowed to bring down drones [Subscription]Drones will be banned from within three miles of airports in new laws prompted by the disruption that left 140,000 people stranded at Gatwick last month.
• Sturgeon commits £40m to building bridge over River Tay [Subscription]A bridge over the River Tay and other road improvements will be paid for as part of the area’s city region deal.
• Decline of diesel hits new car sales in Scotland [Subscription]The number of new cars sold in Scotland has fallen by more than 16,000 in a year as consumers turn away from diesel vehicles.

City AM

• Aston Martin hires supply chain chief and considers flying in car parts to prepare for no-deal BrexitLuxury carmaker Aston Martin has kicked into motion its Brexit contingency plans as the threat of a no-deal Brexit draws ever closer.
• Loan taken out by GLA to save Crossrail would have put pressure on TfL's credit rating, finance boss admitsThe Greater London Authority (GLA) agreed to take on a £1.4bn loan to save Crossrail to protect Transport for London's (TfL) less robust credit rating, it has been admitted.

London Evening Standard

• Tube lifts out of action for 306 days in year 'is insult to disabled people'Step-free access was unavailable at London Underground stations for a combined 306 days last year due to faulty lifts.
• Small firms plead with Sadiq Khan for 'soft launch' of £12.50 emissions chargeSmall businesses today appealed to the Mayor for a
• Airport drones could be shot down with missiles after Gatwick chaosLaws to allow anti-drone missiles at British airports are to be unveiled within months.
• Gatwick drone chaos: Police handed extra powers to tackle threat after Christmas disruptionPolice are to be handed extra powers to combat the threat of drones after mass disruption at Gatwick Airport in the run-up to Christmas.

Manchester Evening News

• A revolution in Greater Manchester travel: New tram stops, train stations and the birth of the tram-trainAndy Burnham said the plan was crucial to change the way people move around, bring levels of road congestion under control and achieve legal obligations to clean up the air.

Other Regional Press

• Calderdale campaigners tell rail bosses to stop making excuses over Calderdale electrificationCampaigners are demanding that rail chiefs stop making excuses and create a modern railway that is truly and modern and sustainable for the people of Calderdale and the north.
• Overcrowding on Exmouth to Exeter trains to improve, hopes MP“It is clearly unacceptable for GWR to insist that the people of Exmouth pay a full fare for standing room only on a service which is so often uncomfortably cramped that passengers can hardly move.”
• Bridging the gap on the railwayA tourist railway is hoping to close the gap on its plans to finish its extension.
• North-east MSP calls for rethink on £200 million rail improvementsThe Scottish Government should go back to the drawing board on a promise to improve rail links, an MSP has claimed.
• Colchester MP Will Quince calls for clear action plan on railsCOLCHESTER’S MP has called for Greater Anglia to publish a “clear plan of action” so commuters can see when improvements are coming to their train service.
• Rail campaigners launch 'Day of action' protest on Cambrian LineA 'day of action' is planned by rail campaigners on the Cambrian Line between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth in response to an increase in rail fares and what they describe as 'continual disruption' on the region’s trains.

New Civil Engineer

• London to Cardiff rail electrification delayed againElectrification of the Great Western Mainline between Paddington and Cardiff faces further delays, it has been revealed.
• 65 transport projects set out in five-year Manchester planA delivery plan released by the Greater Manchester leaders has identified more than 65 transport projects that will be delivered in the next five years for the Greater Manchester area.
• Euston HS2 works ramp up with towers demolitionA pair of tower blocks are set to be demolished at London’s Euston station as works ramp up to make way for High Speed 2 (HS2).

Rail Technology Magazine

• HS2 project part of new East Midlands manufacturing zones schemeA north Derbyshire HS2 project has been named as one of the locations of the UK’s first manufacturing zones in the East Midlands. Communities secretary James Brokenshire has announced that four projects have been chosen to form the new and innovative East Midlands Manufacturing Zones...
• Stagecoach took £35m from rail franchise before abandoning East Coast Main LineTransport giant Stagecoach took out £35m from the East Midlands Trains franchise before it abandoned the London-to-Edinburgh East Coast Main Line (ECML) less than a year later, it has been revealed. The massive dividend represents a £20m increase on the previous year’s payment...
• Northern owner Deutsche Bahn wants compensation from Network Rail over extensive delays and disruptionDeutsche Bahn has demanded Network Rail pay compensation for the extensive delays in electrifying its under fire Northern rail franchise. First reported in the Telegraph, the parent company of Arriva Rail North, who run the struggling operator, blames Network Rail for plunging profits reported...
• New hydrogen 'Breeze' trains unveiled by Alstom and EversholtHydrogen trains will be introduced in as little as two years after a deal has been struck to convert more than 100 trains into the first fleet powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. The new trains, to be called “Breeze” trains, are due to be employed on commuter and suburban lines...

The Business Desk

• Bus and coach operator invests in fleet to drive growthBus and coach hire firm Belle Vue Manchester has invested £650,000 to expand its fleet as it gears up for growth in 2019.

Aviation Industry

• Finnair boosts Heathrow capacity 21% for summer 2019 Finnair will increase capacity 21% on its Helsinki-London Heathrow (LHR) route for the summer 2019 season starting from March 31. read more
• FedEx, UPS holding up as Amazon Air continues to growAmazon Air’s expansion does not pose a near-term threat to express giants FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS), in part because the e-commerce company’s focus is on supporting its internal network rather than delivering packages to customers, a detailed Bernstein analysis concludes. read more

Other News Sources

• Night flights should remain banned at Norwich Airport, say councillorsPlans which could see overnight flights serve Norwich International Airport should not be allowed to take-off, councillors have argued.
• Over the last quarter century, bus use is up 52 per cent in London – and down 40 per cent in other British citiesEvery January brings the annual ritual of headlines decrying rising rail fares and deteriorating services. These headlines always miss out on mentioning that bus services are in crisis: funding cut, services withdrawn and passenger numbers down.
• MSP says Aberdeen commuters losing faith in ScotRail after weeks of disruptionA north-east MSP today said commuters were starting to “lose faith” with ScotRail over travel disruption – after the operator had to apologise again over its performance.
• Waboso to leave Network RailDavid Waboso, the managing director of Network Rail’s Group Digital Railway (DR), is to retire in March.
• Train stations at Parkstone, Hamworthy and Wool were affectedSOME railway station ticket offices have been closed for full days because of staff shortages, while at least one locally has shut for entire weeks.
• ScotRail say sorry with free travel for "unacceptable" service ScotRail has apologised for its "unacceptable service" by offering free travel for season ticket holders over six weekends.
• Planning permission granted for new £10m railway stationPlans to build a new £10.55 million railway station in east Durham have been given the go-ahead.