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

Friday, 15 March 2019

Government

• Brokenshire announces £570 million to deliver London housing near transport linksTwo major new housing communities will be built in London alongside new railway stations.

BBC News

• Government ferry firm hits back in £97m contract rowThe public body that owns Scotland's ferries has hit back in a row over a contract to build two new CalMac vessels.
• Delayed East Coast Main Line Azuma trains to run in MayNew trains will begin operating on the East Coast Main Line five months later than planned.
• Air India suspends Birmingham Airport flightsThe airline cites
• Cardiff council drops clean air zone charge proposalCardiff Council bosses now think it would spread rather than reduce air pollution.
• Councillors approve extension to Edinburgh's tram lineEdinburgh's tram line is to be extended by 2.8 miles after the £207m plan was backed by councillors.
• London-Hastings landslip railway line 'blocked for days'Network Rail engineers said the landslip had continued to move overnight.
• Delayed East Coast Main Line Azuma trains to run in MayThe new Azuma
• Govia Thameslink fined record £5m over timetable chaosThe rail regulator fines Govia Thameslink a record £5m for weeks of chaos caused by a new timetable.
• Uber planning stock market flotation 'in April'The firm is reportedly planning a stock market flotation in April, hot on the heels of its rival Lyft.
• Musk adds new Model Y to electric car line-upThe new mass-market electric vehicle has a base price of $39,000 and a 230-mile range.

The Herald

• McColl focused on peace talks as ferry row reignitesJIM McColl’s Ferguson Marine shipyard has declared its focus is on reaching a compromise with Caledonian Maritime Assets in their ongoing ferry order dispute after the state-backed vessel and harbour organisation reignited the row in a magazine article.

The Independent

• 'A little space of freedom': Germans oppose suggestions of a speed limit on the autobahnIn Germany, cars are the national identity, so when you propose a speed limit on its motorways, drivers get angry, writes Katrin Bennhold

The Scotsman

• State of our cycling lanes tells different story to SNP rhetoric – Alastair DaltonBike lanes in some Scottish cities are now in such bad condition they look like archeological evidence of a past civilisation that once encouraged cycling.

Times Online

• Govia Thameslink fined £5m over disruptive new timetable [Subscription]Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs big commuter routes into the capital, has been fined £5 million by the rail regulator over its poor communication with passengers during the chaotic introduction of a new timetable last spring.
• Ferry delays distressing, admits transport boss [Subscription]The boss of a transport firm engulfed in a row with one of Scotland’s richest men over a £97 million ferry contract has described the delay in delivering the vessels as “sad and distressing”.

City AM

• TfL boss Mike Brown hid Crossrail testing issues from Sadiq Khan in weekly email updateTransport for London (TfL) boss Mike Brown ordered references to the difficulties Crossrail was experiencing with dynamic testing to be removed from email updates sent to Sadiq Khan, it was revealed today.

London Evening Standard

• Govia Thameslink Railway faces £5 million fine for May timetable chaosGovia Thameslink Railway faces a £5 million fine after a chaotic timetable launch caused disruption to thousands of passengers.
• Southeastern delays: Landslide causes chaos for rail commutersA landslide has blocked the main rail commuter route between Hastings and London, causing major disruption for thousands who use Charing Cross, London Bridge and Cannon Street stations.
• Plan to relocate Victoria coach station to Royal Oak is scrappedSadiq Khan has scrapped plans to move London's main coach station from Victoria to a new site in Bayswater following opposition from residents.

The York Press

• Azumas will finally be launched in MayYORK rail operator LNER's new Azuma trains are finally set to come into service on the East Coast Mainline in May, about six months later than originally planned.

Yorkshire Post

• The Yorkshire Post says: Off the rails – watchdog’s insult to rail passengers as Northern escapes fine for poor communicationHOW bad do services have to get before rail operators like Northern are actually penalised for providing a shoddy service? This question is fundamental to the Office of Road and Rail’s decision not to impose any financial censure for poor communication during last year’s timetable chaos on the region’s railways.

Cambridge News

• Call for new station at Cambridge South to speed up East-West railIt will come as part of the Oxford to Cambridge railway dream

Other Regional Press

• More spaces and faster wi-fi promised for Peterborough commuters on new East Coast Main Line trainsCommuters in Peterborough travelling on the East Cost Main Line will soon be able to enjoy new trains boasting increased capacity, more leg room and faster wi-fi, it has been claimed.
• War of words as council leader dismisses former colleague's Windsor Rail Link planA war of words over an ambitious plan to transform Windsor's rail service has put a former councillor at odds with the Royal Borough's leader.
• WATCH: How drivers get to grips with the new hi-tech trains coming to East AngliaTrain drivers are learning how to master new cutting edge trains replacing Greater Anglia’s stock by using a new £1.6m simulator at Norwich railway station.
• Reinstating Lynn-Hunstanton railway link ‘could save lives’Restoring the rail link between Lynn and Hunstanton could potentially save lives, councillors have heard.

Train Operators

• ‘Hitachi trains for Happy trains’ – ScotRail replace Class 365sMore brand-new trains will run on Central Scotland’s newly electrified railway, as ScotRail confirms the withdrawal of its Class 365 fleet.

Bikebiz

• Sustrans Scotland launches redesigned infrastructure fundWalking and cycling charity Sustrans Scotland is launching a redesigned infrastructure fund, Places for Everyone, today.
• Wiggle-CRC to join BA’s leadership group and market data serviceWiggle-CRC has confirmed today that it will join the Bicycle Association’s (BA) leadership group and participate in its new market data service.

Coach and Bus Week

• Empowering East YorkshireGo North East has revealed the new name and branding for EYMS, while also announcing major investment in the company. James Day reports
• Durham coach park to be levelled to make way for new council HQDespite protests from residents and visiting coach operators, Durham County Council has approved plans to build a new, £50m headquarters on the site of the current coach and car park.
• Midland Red receives vehicle reduction from Traffic CommissionerIn a written decision Midland Red has had the maximum number of vehicles it can operate reduced
• Oxford Bus Company’s PickMeUp service expands furtherThe Oxford Bus Company is increasing the size of its PickMeUp fleet for the second time in response to passenger demand.
• FlixBus in talks to acquire Eurolines and isilines from TransdevInternational mobility providers FlixBus and Transdev Group are entering negotiations about acquiring the Eurolines long-distance coach service.

Rail Technology Magazine

• GTR fined record £5m for 'persistent and prolonged failures' in May timetable chaosGovia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has been fined a record £5m for its role in last year’s May timetable chaos. The ORR criticised the train operator for “persistent and prolonged failures” in informing passengers as they suffered eight weeks of chaos on the Thameslink and...
• Network Rail reveals winner of final track works contract worth £1.5bnNetwork Rail has announced Balfour Beatty as the preferred bidder to carry out track upgrades across central England for the next decade in a contract worth an estimated £1.5bn. The contract covers the delivery of a wide-ranging programme of railway track renewals and upgrades in London...
• New electric 'very light rail' vehicle planned for CoventryEngineers have unveiled plans for a battery-powered, lightweight, ‘very light rail’ vehicle to operate in Coventry. A 3D simulation of the innovative light rail vehicle has been developed by engineers and researchers at WMG, University of Warwick alongside Transport Design...

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• BusyBus grows its fleet with an EVM EleganceCheshire operator BusyBus has added a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with an Elegance conversion to its fleet,
• The four-year franchise debate rumbles onManchester is still assessing the case for franchising, with untold costs to operators, while Sheffield’s Labour MP is also reviewing local operations
• Reading Buses’ Jet Black livery updated Reading Buses is rolling out newer buses on its Jet Black route to Newbury.
• Is Shearings planning to have a change of hands?The UK's largest escorted tour operator, Shearings Holidays, has declined to comment on the speculation that it is to be sold by US-based private equity firm Lone Star.
• NatEx Coventry invests £5m in uni routesNational Express Coventry has invested £5 million in 17 new buses for University of Warwick routes.
• RWT stresses that DPFs should be looked afterBob Turnock, MD of West Midlands-based RWT Commercial Services, has stressed to operators that it is vital that diesel particulate filters (DPFs) are serviced and cleaned regularly, and promptly repaired as required.
• East Yorkshire unveils plans for the future with £6m investmentLocal bus firm East Yorkshire, formally EYMS, has unveiled its plans to invest £6m in vehicles over the next two years, while unveiling a new updated brand which will start to be rolled out across the region.

Aviation Industry

• Norwegian to seek compensation from Boeing on 737 MAX grounding Norwegian Air Shuttle will seek compensation from Boeing over the MAX grounding, CEO Bjorn Kjos said. read more
• UK, US sign aviation agreement for no-deal BrexitA series of bilateral aviation safety agreements reached by the US and UK governments would ensure that cooperation on air travel and aviation safety remains mostly unchanged in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
• Lufthansa Group's 2018 net profit down 7.6% on higher fuel costs, expensesLufthansa Group recorded a 2018 net profit of £2.2 billion ($2.5 billion), down 7.6% from €2.3 billion in 2017.
• North Atlantic space-based aircraft surveillance begins in MarchAir navigation service providers (ANSP) in the UK and Canada later this month will start a joint trial of space-based surveillance of aircraft flying over the North Atlantic, a capability that will deliver immediate safety and capacity benefits for oceanic travel. read more

Other News Sources

• New bus and cycle lanes will be installed along this busy Leeds roadA £16.1 million project was given the green light on Wednesday
• Funding announced for tens of thousands of homes in London near transport linksTwo major new housing communities are to be built in London alongside new railway stations, it has been announced.
• Northern took ‘reasonable steps’ in timetable chaos, says regulatorNo further action is being taken against rail operator Northern over last year’s timetable change fiasco which led to months of disruption.
• Brokenshire announces £570m to link London’s transport to housingTwo new housing communities will be built in London alongside new railway stations, Communities Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said today (14th March).
• 13 reasons why London buses are clearly superior to the London Underground"You're all stupid for cramming yourselves into the Tube," argues Sian Elvin
• ‘Self-lubricating’ rail and car brakes prevent wear-and-tearCarbon fibre-infused polymer-based brakes for cars and trains can ‘self-lubricate’, researchers have claimed, becoming more efficient and resistant to wear-and-tear.
• Leeds firm's training partnership has potential to create 100 national jobsA new partnership between a training provider and a Leeds-based security and rail firm could create up to 100 jobs nationwide.