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

Tuesday, 16 April 2019

BBC News

• Airport boss raises Brexit and tax concernThe boss of Scotland's busiest airport has said the industry is currently "not a comfortable place to be", because of high taxes and Brexit uncertainty.
• Lyft removes faulty bikes from three US citiesRiders report that brakes were being jammed on sharply on some motor-assisted bike journeys, said Lyft.
• Strike at Glasgow Airport suspended after pay talksUnions say progress has been made after members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action earlier this month.
• Jet Airways fails to secure emergency fundingThe troubled Indian airline has only seven operational aircraft left.
• Former VW boss charged over diesel emissions scandalMartin Winterkorn is charged with a

The Guardian

• Virgin Trains and avoiding chaos [Letters]Iain Cameron Williams praises Richard Branson, but Robert Snape does not harbour such fond memories of his train service. Ian Pickles approves of the Guardian’s coverage of railway upgrades
• This is a final chance to scrap HS2. What the north really needs is ‘HS3’David Cameron’s vanity rail project should be ditched in the upcoming review. It’s commuter journeys that need investment

Times Online

• The low cost airline has announced it'll base a 17th aircraft at the airport which could account for an extra 45,000 passengers a year.The low cost airline has announced it'll base a 17th aircraft at the airport which could account for an extra 45,000 passengers a year.
• Tunnel could replace busy west Highland ferry route [Subscription]One of Scotland’s busiest car ferries could be replaced by a tunnel or bridge. The Corran ferry, nine miles south of Fort William, which transports more than half a million passengers the 500 yards across Loch Linnhe every year, could be replaced within 20 years.
• Cruise liners may face speed limit to cut emissionsCruise ship passengers face having to spend more days at sea and fewer stops at ports under proposals for the first speed limits for shipping on the high seas.

City AM

• Jet Airways' future hangs in the balance as it fails to secure emergency funding from lendersTroubled airline Jet Airways has failed to secure emergency funding from its lenders, forcing it to extend the cancellation of its international flights.
• MPs demand action from pensions regulator over 'staggering' deficit in rail sectorMPs on the Committee for Work and Pensions wrote to TPR chief executive Charles Counsell last week to demand he state how the watchdog aims to tackle the shortfall, which is estimated to be between £5bn-£6bn.
• Lyft shares tumble after tough week of tradingRide-sharing company Lyft saw its share price fall to a fresh low today as Wall Street caution continued to loom large weeks on from the firm's initial float.

The National

• Rail staff strike fears over 'scandalous' pension threatsRAIL staff could be forced to take industrial action if pensions are threatened after firms were barred from bidding for franchises, a union has warned.

Sky News

• Millions of older motorists driving while drunkA new motoring survey has suggested that more than one-and-a-half million drivers over the age of 55 have driven while over the alcohol limit.

Derby Telegraph

• MP backs proposed plan to reopen Ivanhoe rail link between Burton and LeicesterSouth Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler has thrown her support behind a campaign to reopen the Ivanhoe rail link between Burton and Leicester after 55 years.

Other Regional Press

• More than 1,000 passengers demand Fife Circle price cutTRANSPORT Minister Michael Matheson has been urged to do the “right thing” after rejecting a call to reduce fares on the Fife Circle.

Rail Technology Magazine

• First of CAF’s new Nova fleet accepted by TPE ahead of rollout across north of EnglandThe first of TransPennine Express’s (TPE) Nova 3 fleet has been officially accepted after completing testing with its manufacturer CAF. The new fleet has been hit by delays due to technical issues and was due to roll out before the end of 2018, but are now expected to enter service “in the coming months” between Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough and later on the Manchester Airport to Middlesbrough service.
• RAIB launches investigation after 'vulnerable' man fell on Metrolink tracks as tram departedAn investigation has been launched after a “vulnerable” passenger fell onto the track on the Manchester Metrolink after the tram he was leaning on pulled away, the RAIB has said. The man, described by the RAIB as “in a vulnerable condition” had alighted from a tram at...

Aviation Industry

• British Airways promotes Gunning to IAG CFO helen British Airways CFO Steve Gunning will become group CFO, replacing Enrique Dupuy de Lome who is stepping down in June. read more
• Alitalia unions threaten more action as deadlines loomAlitalia unions said they were ready to take action to protest the delay in presenting a new business strategy for Alitalia even as the Italian government said there would be good news soon about the airline. read more
• Embraer E195-E2 is certifiedEmbraer’s E195-E2 has been awarded simultaneous Brazilian, European and US type certification, clearing the way for initial deliveries of the stretched 146-seat airliner to begin early in the second half of the year. read more

Other News Sources

• Heathrow welcomes 6.5m passengers in MarchHeathrow’s passenger numbers continued to climb in March, with over 6.5 million travellers passing through the airport.
• New survey ranks Leeds Bradford Airport as best in the countryIt's been rated as the best UK airport to travel from
• Ticketless parking introduced at Greater Anglia stationsTICKETLESS parking has been rolled out at train stations across Essex.
• The old Waterloo International station platforms have reopened to trainsThe Eurostar is undeniably brilliant. You can get from London to Paris in 2 hours and 23 minutes, as well as Amsterdam, Brussels, Strasbourg and Cologne.

EIN News Subscription

• Let Virgin Trains connect with Orlando, just leave taxpayers out of it | EditorialRemember back in 1999, when Central Florida was just one Orange County Commission vote away from building a light rail line along Interstate 4? Remember back in 2011 when newly elected Gov. Rick Scott turned down $2 billion in federal money for high-speed rail between Orlando and Tampa? Let’s hope we’re not going to remember 2019 as the year Florida passed up yet another …
• EUROSTAR LATEST: Union warns delays in Paris could worsen over EasterAfter more than a month of travel chaos at the Paris terminal of Eurostar, things had seemed to be returning to normal in recent weeks. However on Sunday evening and Monday morning passengers were again reporting long queues for passport control with delays on trains. One Twitter user reported "500m long queues and no information on what's happening".
• European Commission receives air traffic recommendationsThe European Commission has received recommendations from aviation experts on the future of air traffic control (ATC) in Europe following a year of severe disruption across the continent. The commission set up the “wise persons group” to consider developments in European aviation, listen to the views of major air traffic management stakeholders and produce proposals on the future …
• Is The European Air Cargo Market Cause For Worry?There are worrisome economic signals coming from Europe as airports and airlines across the continent report dismal February volumes. The Airports Council International reported a 3.3 percent decline in air cargo volumes for airports in the region, the fourth consecutive decline and the worst reading since 2013. Germany's top four airports combined handle more than 90 percent …