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

Thursday, 02 April 2020

Government

• COP26 postponementThe COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to COVID-19.

BBC News

• Coronavirus: Workers still using Tube during outbreakThere has been a steep decline in travel in the capital, but millions of journeys are still being made in London every day.
• Are Scotland's airports still open?In the second week of lockdown, planes are still flying to and from Scotland's airports. Why?
• BA expected to suspend 36,000 staffThe airline reaches a deal with unions to furlough 80% of its workforce after grounding most of its fleet.

ITV News

• LNER Train Manager creates parody video to raise spiritsIn these unprecedented times where national mood can sometimes be low. There are some people who have made it their mission to raise spirits and lift moods. One of those people is Davey Glover.
• LNER Train Manager creates parody video to raise spiritsIn these unprecedented times where national mood can sometimes be low. There are some people who have made it their mission to raise spirits and lift moods. One of those people is Davey Glover.

Financial Times

• Uber Eats accelerates push into grocery deliveriesFood delivery platform has struck deals with major global retailers including French supermarket Carrefour
• Rolls-Royce and Airbus lobby UK in support of Virgin Atlantic bailoutAerospace groups back virus-hit airline’s efforts to secure £500m package of loans and guarantees
• Qantas investigated for suspending health and safety repRegulators launch inquiry as 11 staff infected with coronavirus in 'infection cluster’    

The Guardian

• 'Betrayal of trust': HS2 criticised over removal of woodland soilsRelocation of soil beginning at ‘completely wrong time’ for wildlife, says Woodland TrustHS2 is beginning an operation to remove soils from ancient woodlands at a catastrophic time of year for wildlife, according to the Woodland Trust.Undertaking the controversial “translocationâ€� operation – which also involves felling numerous trees – in six woods in April and not during winter as the high-speed railway originally said it would, was a “betrayal of trustâ€� said the charity’s ecologist. Continue reading...
• The Treasury should be wary of giving a bailout to Virgin Atlantic | Nils PratleyAirline’s owners need to dig deep into their own pockets before the state steps in to helpYou have to admire Sir Richard Branson’s tactics. A begging letter from an island-dwelling billionaire doesn’t gain sympathy. A co-ordinated lobbying campaign that involves Airbus, Heathrow airport and Rolls-Royce – all big employers in the UK – gets noticed at the Treasury.And, naturally, one can see why the trio want Virgin Atlantic to survive, whether by a government-backed bailout or other means. The airline is an important customer for each of them. Virgin Atlantic flies 31 planes fitted with Rolls-R...

The Independent

• ‘Too many people are not staying at home’: Sadiq Khan pleads with Londoners amid coronavirus lockdownLondon mayor’s comments come following footage of crowded tube platform

The Scotsman

• Non-key Scottish road, rail and ferry workers must be stood down - unionsBusiness continuing as usual at depots is “absolutely shocking”, Unite said.

The Telegraph

• Coronavirus lockdown rebellion begins as transport use rises ahead of warm weekend [subscription]Officials concerned by trend, while Government is warned of 'rebellion' if lockdown measures last too long

Times Online

• Rail services to shrink again as travellers fall [Subscription]Train operators are preparing to cut services again, possibly from Monday, as the fall in passengers and fears over the availability of staff mean that the low-level Sunday service that runs every day may not be sustainable.

Mail Online

• Sadiq Khan insists 'we're running maximum Tube service possible'The Mayor of London claims 'too many people are not staying at home' and again insisted they could not run any more services as he admitted only around half of all trains are now running.
• Easyjet and BA under fire as customers battle for refund for holidays cancelled due to coronavirusHolidaymakers have taken to social media in outrage after struggling to get refunds from BA and Easyjet. It comes after the two airlines cancelled flights due to the impact of coronavirus.
• British Airways 'to suspend 36,000 staff days after grounding ALL flights to and from Gatwick'The airline has reached a broad deal with the Unite union that will include the suspension of 80 per cent of BA's cabin crew, ground staff, engineers and those working at head office.

Network Rail

• Network Rail supports key workers with free parkingNetwork Rail has today announced it is offering key workers free parking at 24 locations across Britain, as the country responds to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Belfast Telegraph

• Trump weighs grounding domestic flights to contain coronavirus spreadPresident Donald Trump has said that he is weighing grounding domestic flights between coronavirus hot spots as he ramps up efforts to try to contain the pandemic’s spread in the US.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Bus drivers and passengers' concerns over lack of personal protective equipmentDwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts has raised the matter with Arriva Bus

Liverpool Echo

• Extra lanes open on M62 to help those on essential journeysReduced speed limits will still be in place along the nine-mile stretch of motorway
• Merseyrail changes timetable after fears nurses can't get to workHealthcare staff were worried they wouldn't be able to get to hospitals if services stopped at 7pm

London Evening Standard

• Blunder sees Hempstead instead of Hampstead painted on north London streetsPassers-by have been amused to spot an error in road markings in Camden Town, where the word
• British Airways could suspend 36,000 staff after grounding much of its fleet due to coronavirusA broad deal has reportedly been reached between the airline and Unite union which includes temporarily cutting 80 per cent of cabin crew, ground and head office staff.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Passenger numbers drop drastically on ferry services as people follow guidelinesCalMac has seen passenger numbers drop by 95% since new rules on essential ferry travel were put in place.
• Passenger numbers drop drastically on ferry services as people follow guidelinesCalMac has seen passenger numbers drop by 95% since new rules on essential ferry travel were put in place.

Wales Online

• Wild flowers will be planted on top of Cardiff bus stops to help attract beesWild flowers will be planted on top of Cardiff bus stops to help attract bees. As part of work to redesign the layout of the city centre "bee bus stops" will spring up at various locations.

Blackpool Gazette

• Council bus firms in plea for more aid to keep running during coronavirus lockdownCouncil bus firms in plea for more aid to keep running during coronavirus lockdown

North Wales Live

• Coronavirus: Airbus Broughton to receive massive delivery of Chinese surgical masksThe 400,000 masks are heading by truck to the North Wales site before being distributed around the UK

Other Regional Press

• Holidaymaker's fury at spending £12 on phone calls to get easyJet refund Paul Riley said that he didn't receive one response from the airline regarding his trip to Belfast
• Fourth lane opens on M20An extra lane has now opened in both directions on the M20 as smart motorway upgrades continue.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Coronavirus: Addison Lee launches ˜Donate a Ride' campaign with £50,000 worth of free rides for frontline NHS workersAddison Lee has launched its ‘Donate a Ride’ campaign which will see London’s largest PHV operator partner with its corporate clients to offer free rides to and from hospital for NHS workers across the city.  Addison Lee, which has 80% of the FTSE100 as customers, has made the first donation, contributing £50,000 to the fund. The initiative is part of Addison Lee’s commitment to support the nation’s capital in the fight against coronavirus by ensuring those on the frontline can get to and from work safely, comfortably and efficiently.
• Coronavirus: The future of bus and train services and operators in Walesby Professor Stuart Cole CBE FCILT, Emeritus Professor of Transport (Economics and Policy), University of South Wales Except for essential jobs in the NHS and transport in its widest sense – buses, trains, supply chains / production capacity especially for medicines, food and hygiene products, Covid-19 is keeping most of Wales’ population at home. However, maintaining a degree of public transport is vital for those essential workers. Wales’ railway network, vital to our economy,  is managed through four franchises whose current financial reality is one where many costs...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Railway work proceeds to keep vital lines open Staff on nationally critical routes, such as the West Coast and Chiltern main lines, are keeping essential supplies and key workers moving during the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the weekend, Network Rail maintenance teams and signallers delivered vital maintenance on the railway between London...

Green Miscellany

• Pollution levels plummet to lowest in 20 years following Covid-19 restrictionsLondon’s polluted air has improved so dramatically since Covid-19 restrictions on travel that the machines used to measure toxicity have flagged the anomalous readings as a possible fault. Road traffic and building works have slowed dramatically over the last two weeks. As a result, levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulates have fallen to their lowest since records began… The post Pollution levels plummet to lowest in 20 years following Covid-19 restrictions appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• THE BENEFITS OF CYCLE TO WORK SCHEMES AND EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH DAYSDuring the hiring process, business owners are generally looking for someone who has the right combination of skills and work ethic. But employees must also have their own list of expectations – over half of all workers in the UK have expressed that they need employers to focus more on mental health as part of their employee benefits. Here, we take a look at how employers can offer more for their staff in terms of looking after their physical and emotional well-being.
• Government still pushing for main HS2 civils work to start this monthPlans to press on with scheme despite coronavirus outbreak The government is still planning to push ahead with starting the main civils works this month on the first phase of HS2 despite the coronavirus pandemic.