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

Friday, 05 April 2019

BBC News

• Flybe boss calls for air passenger duty to be cutChristine Ourmieres-Widener has been meeting with staff at Cardiff Airport after an announcement to cut jobs.
• New car registrations in Scotland drop by 9%The industry body blames political uncertainty caused by Brexit for the decline in new car registrations.
• ScotRail passengers 'fainted on overcrowded trains'MSPs are told a pregnant woman also fell ill on overcrowded services on the Borders Railway.
• Flybe cancels more Belfast flightsAfter two days of cancellations, six Flybe flights in and out of Belfast City Airport on Friday are axed.

The Independent

• Boeing 737 MAX: Company reveals new software problem detected in jets which 'must be fixed before planes can fly'Boeing has promised 'to own' the problem
• Ethiopian Airlines tragedy: the fatal flaws that killed 157The pilots followed the right procedure to overcome the anti-stall system, but were unable to save the aircraft

The Telegraph

• Boeing promises to take 'any and all' steps necessary to make the MAX 8 safe [Subscription]Boeing has said it will take “any and all” measures necessary to make their planes safe, after Ethiopian investigators concluded their report into last month's crash that killed 157 and caused the grounding of all Boeing 737 MAX 8s

Times Online

• ScotRail ‘chaos’ reflected in rising delay claims [subscription]The number of passengers claiming refunds for delayed ScotRail trains has risen sharply in the past nine months.
• Boeing admits 737 system may have triggered disasters [Subscription]Boeing, facing the first of several lawsuits that could cost it $1 billion or more, has acknowledged that two fatal crashes of its new 737 Max airliner may have been triggered by the same malfunction.

Reuters News

• Deutsche Bahn asks Siemens, Bombardier to fix train quality issuesBERLIN (Reuters) - German railway operator Deutsche Bahn has asked Siemens and Bombardier to fix quality issues with its newest ICE 4 high-speed trains, the state-owned company said on Thursday.

City AM

• Ethiopia urges Boeing to review controls after findings show pilots not at fault in fatal crashEthiopia has urged Boeing to review its flight control technology after a preliminary report found that the pilot flying the doomed flight was not at fault when the plane crashed.

Mail Online

• Miami gives Branson celebrity welcome for train renamingMIAMI (AP) - Billionaire businessman Richard Branson got a rock star's welcome at Wednesday's public rollout of his Virgin Group's partnership with Florida's privately owned, higher-speed passenger rail service that backers hope will soon stretch from Miami to Orlando.

Liverpool Echo

• Major bus and travel diversions expected as controversial three month road closure starts todayThe closure could triple the time it takes to get to local schools and shops

London Evening Standard

• Frozen rails cause delays for thousands as de-icing trains stand idle in depotsTens of thousands of rail commuters suffered major disruption today as rails froze — while de-icing trains remained in their depots overnight.
• Expand Ulez faster to save our children's health, Mayor toldMore than 800 parents, doctors and teachers have written to Mayor Sadiq Khan urging him to extend the ultra low emission zone, which comes into force in central London next week, to the rest of the capital

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Transport secretary to consider plan to move more whisky by railTransport Secretary Michael Matheson is to look at setting up a task force to encourage the transportation of whisky distilled in the north and north-east by rail.

Yorkshire Post

• Get real over how pensioners renew bus passes in Leeds and West Yorkshire – Yorkshire Post lettersWHILE appreciating the world is controlled by the use of technology, there are occasions when it does not assist everyone.
• These six Yorkshire railway stations will get better access for disabled passengers by 2024Six railway stations in Yorkshire will have improved access for disabled passengers by March 2024 after being chosen to share part of a £300m government funding package.

Kent Online

• Forecast changed too late for Network Rail to clear the tracksNetwork Rail said the late change to the forecast meant it was too late for them to "mobilise the snow and ice treatment trains."

Other Regional Press

• Thousands more ScotRail passengers claiming refunds for delayed journeysThe number of passengers claiming refunds for delayed ScotRail trains has risen sharply in the last nine months, according to Scottish Labour.
• Coventry welcomes Lady Godiva train on maiden voyage Coventry Railway Station welcomed a special guest to the station earlier today - the Lady Godiva train.

Christian Wolmar

• The railway’s annus horribilisThis has been the railway’s annus horribilis. Nothing may have burnt down but almost everything else that could have gone wrong has done so. The list is almost too painful to go through: the timetable meltdown; the new Hitachi trains that seem to have endless problems and seats that make you wish you had brought your own cushion; the laughable failure of Crossrail’s promise to be on time and on budget;

Coach and Bus Week

• DfT allocates funding for transport appOn the 26 March, Buses Minister Nusrat Ghani announced the allocation of £4m for a platform which will provide passengers with location information about bus services. This will enable passengers to have more knowledge about bus arrivals in rural areas and reduce uncertainty which has been identified as one of the biggest factors dissuading young people from bus travel.
• Stagecoach appoints new Managing Director of East Scotland Bus OperationsStagecoach East Scotland has announced a new Managing Director, Douglas Robertson, who who takes on the role from 1 April.
• Growing the coach marketSnap is a service which has been expanding rapidly in the last few years, providing independent coach operators with a doorway into the intercity coach market. Its CEO, Thomas Ableman, tells James Day the full story
• Electrifying HarrogateIt has been a sometimes challenging journey, but the Harrogate electric bus project is now fully operational. Transdev Blazefield’s Alex Hornby, Gordon Irvine and Ben Mansfield talk to Andy Izatt about what is a pioneering project
• ArrivaClick is coming to LeicesterFollowing a unique partnership with the landowner, the Drummond Estate, Arriva is set to introduce ArrivaClick, its demand responsive ride-sharing service to the residents of New Lubbesthorpe from April 29.
• Deutsche Bahn considers sale of ArrivaThe sale will help reduce Deutsche Bahn’s debt pile which reportedly stands at €20bn Arriva’s German owner, Deutsche Bahn (DB), announced on Wednesday 27 March that it was exploring options for selling Arriva in a bid to lower its debt pile, which news agency Reuters reported to be around €20bn after its €1bn investment in high-speed trains in 2018.
• 13.2m Plaxton Elite now available on the Volvo B8R chassisThe B8R chassis is now available for the Plaxton Elite coach. At 13.2m in length on two-axles, it seats up to 53 passengers and offers a centre sunken toilet at the continental exit door. The increased wheelbase maximizes the luggage locker space available. This can be fully utilised due to the lighter chassis, which delivers an increase in luggage carrying capacity of around half a tonne compared with the 12.6m Plaxton Elite on B11R chassis.

New Civil Engineer

• UK rail stations set for £300M upgradeSeventy-three railway stations across the UK are to benefit from a new £300M funding pot aimed at improving access for all across the transport network.
• 10 private-financed rail proposals in frame for government backingTen privately-financed rail proposals are still in the running for government backing as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) call for ideas.

Rail Technology Magazine

• DfT’s £300m scheme to see disabled access at 73 railway stations improvedThe DfT has announced a £300m investment to see disabled access improved at 73 UK rail stations.
• RAIB to investigate lorry's near miss with train at level crossingThe RAIB has launched an investigation after a passenger train came close to a collision with a lorry that had become trapped at a level crossing. The cement mixer lorry drove onto the crossing at Mucking in Essex just as the barriers began lowering, causing the lorry to become stuck until the...
• MPs 'not convinced' two-year delay and £3bn overspend will be enough as committee slams Crossrail's 'disastrous' governanceMPs have said they are “increasingly alarmed at the continual shortcomings” of Crossrail and the DfT as its nearly £3bn overspend and substantial delays still “may not be enough.” The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has slammed Crossrail and the DfT’s lack of...
• DfT's £300m scheme to see disabled access at 73 railway stations improvedThe DfT has announced a £300m investment to see disabled access improved at 73 UK rail stations. Lifts, adjustable ticket counters, and footbridges will be among the new measures announced by transport accessibility minister Nusrat Ghani to be brought in over the next five years. The...

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Lothiancountry sets up base in LivingstonLothiancountry has acquired new premises in Deans, Livingston for its operations across West Lothian.
• Volvo 9900 wins prestigious Red Dot AwardThe Volvo 9900 coach has won a Red Dot Award for Product Design 2019 thanks to what the manufacturer describes as “a distinct design language that has both a professional expression and operational functionality.”
• McGill’s makes £4.75m ‘major investment’ in new vehiclesMcGill’s has purchased 26 new Euro 6 Alexander Dennis (ADL) buses to serve Glasgow and the west of Scotland in “a major investment” worth £4.75m.
• Adam Keen takes on ‘New Adventure’Adam Keen, General Manager of Morebus, Damory Coaches and Excelsior of Bournemouth, will be leaving to take up a new posting in Cardiff.
• Plaxton adds Volvo B8R-based Elite to line-upCombination launched at 13.2m with 10-coach order for Logan’s of Dunloy. Luggage capacity is key with major increase over closest comparable B11R-based Elite, says Plaxton; accessible option also available
• DfT permit response avoids non-commercialNew, flexible short-distance exemption to come; otherwise, JR awaited before guidance is issued

Aviation Industry

• AIX Hamburg 2019: Airbus promotes lower-cost business class seat Airbus is promoting the newly created “Settee Cornerâ€� concept for business class, combining flexible use and lower production cost. read more
• FAA joint task force to scrutinize Boeing MAX certification FAA is launching a joint task force with NASA and international regulators into the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and its maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS), part of an effort to “ensure the safetyâ€� of the jetliner, the agency announced April 3. read more

Other News Sources

• Glasgow bus drivers fined by police for skipping red lightsMore than one bus driver a week in Glasgow was caught by police last year running red lights across the city.
• HS2 already delivering high speed boostCompanies across the West Midlands are benefiting from the HS2 infrastructure project, ahead of its arrival in 2026, by accessing tailored funding streams to grow their businesses, delivering new jobs across the region.
• Yeowart plans first competition for GWROpen access entrepreneur Ian Yeowart is planning a new London-Cardiff service that would provide the first competition to Great Western Railway since privatisation 25 years ago.
• Birmingham receives first ever UK 5G train station trialsVodafone is rolling out 5G to 19 towns and cities this year, including Wolverhampton