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

Wednesday, 05 August 2020

Government

• Getting Building FundThe government has agreed projects with mayors and local enterprise partnerships funded by the Getting Building Fund.

BBC News

• UK government in 'dialogue' with Airbus, says Alok SharmaThe company plans to cut 1,700 jobs in the UK, mainly at its wings plant at Broughton, Flintshire.
• Coronavirus: Are people wearing masks on public transport?One Covid-19 survivor is refusing to use public transport because so many are failing to wear masks.
• Cornonavirus: Crisis-hit Virgin Atlantic files for bankruptcyAt the same time Virgin Australia's new owner Bain Capital is cutting around 3,000 jobs at the airline.
• Coronavirus: TfL 'stops 2,000 passengers a day' without masksStaff stop 53,900 bus users who are not wearing mandatory face coverings in a month.
• EasyJet increases flights to cope with holidaymaker demandThe airline adds more flights to cope with increasing demand from holidaymakers.
• New car registrations to see first rise this yearFigures due for July are expected to show an 11% post-lockdown increase in new vehicles registered.

Financial Times

• Ford to replace chief executive Jim HackettJim Farley will take over the carmaker’s top job as it continues restructuring efforts
• EasyJet to increase flights after passenger demand risesLow-cost carrier to boost capacity to 40 per cent despite concerns of new surge in coronavirus infections

The Guardian

• Virgin Atlantic files for bankruptcy as Covid continues to hurt airlinesAirline seeks protection under US’s bankruptcy code, allowing it to shield assets in the countryVirgin Atlantic has declared itself bankrupt and is seeking protection from creditors in the US, according to a court filing in New York on Tuesday.The airline is seeking the protection under chapter 15 of the US bankruptcy code, which allows a foreign debtor to shield assets in the country. The announcement comes little more than a month after Virgin Atlantic announced it had secured funding to survive for another 18 months. Continue reading...

The Telegraph

• Space holidays in a year, says Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic [subscription]Space tourism could become a reality as early as 2021, with Sir Richard Branson acting as a guinea pig passenger, according to Virgin Galactic.

Times Online

• Easyjet wants air passenger duty scrapped [subscription]Easyjet has urged the government to scrap air passenger duty “to support the recovery of UK aviation”.
• British company designs balloon to take tourists to the edge of space [subscription]If you fancy rising gently above your fellow earthlings to the edge of space using nothing more than gas and hubris, a British designer may have a solution for you.
• Virgin Atlantic seeks protection from creditors [subscription]Virgin Atlantic is seeking protection from creditors in the United States.

Network Rail

• Waverley Masterplan concept revealed

Birmingham Post

• Up to half of security staff at city airport could lose their jobsDeclining passenger numbers have had a knock-on effect on the airport's security needs
• Rolls-Royce experts to work on new Virgin Galactic supersonic jetEngineering giant partners with Sir Richard Branson’s firm to develop high-speed commercial aircraft
• The £120m train station for South Wales at the heart of a new business districtSubject to planning work on Cardiff Parkway and Cardiff Hendre Lakes will start next year

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Transdev – operator of Keighley Bus Company – is shortlisted for national awardTRANSDEV – which runs Keighley Bus Company – has been shortlisted for a prestigious national marketing award.
• Upgrade planned for 3km of canal towpath between Shipley and Apperley Bridge THREE kilometers of canal towpath will be given a major upgrade as part of a scheme to improve cycle links between Leeds and Bradford.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Plans for huge revamp of Edinburgh's Waverley Station unveiledA proposed Concept Masterplan, which cost £500,000 to develop, has been drawn up, outlining Edinburgh City Council, the Scottish Government and Network Rail’s ‘exciting and ambitious’ vision for the station’s future.

Liverpool Echo

• Richard Branson's airline Virgin Atlantic files for bankruptcyThe billionaire's company is on the brink of collapse after a number of attempts to save it were rejected

Other Regional Press

• Multi-million pound upgrade will make West Coast Mainline more reliable, say rail bossesThe West Coast main line near Preston is undergoing a major upgrade with a multi-million project from Network Rail.
• Middlesbrough station revamp now 'fully funded' as Tees projects get £17mGovernment money has also been pledged for works at Redcar's former steelworks
• £1m boost for Redditch railway station reinventionA SCHEME to reinvent the railway station in Redditch has received an additional £1million to help to get the project in motion.

Business Live

• The £120m train station for South Wales at the heart of a new business district for 6,000 workersSubject to planning work on Cardiff Parkway and Cardiff Hendre Lakes will start next year

Construction News

• HS2 delays loom after judges overturn planning rulePlanning permission required for HS2 work could be delayed after the Court of Appeal ruled councils are responsible for assessing the local impact of works for the project, rather than HS2 itself.

Rail Magazine

• Competition authorities approve Alstom takeover of BombardierAlstom’s purchase of Bombardier Transportation has been approved by the European Commission and is set to take place in the first half of 2021.
• 1-in-11,000 chance of contracting COVID-19 on trainsTwo studies into the spread of COVID-19 on railways have found that the chance of contracting the disease by travelling on a train is extremely low.
• Crossrail’s nine-car Class 345s back in trafficNine-car Class 345s have returned to traffic, having been withdrawn from service over safety concerns (RAIL 910).

The Business Desk

• Series of ‘shovel ready’ projects boosted by £66m funding packageEight ‘shovel ready’ projects, ranging from the National Brownfield Land Institute to the redevelopment of University Station in Edgbaston and investment in the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley, are to benefit from £66m of Government funding secured for the region.

Transport Network

• New Kent station among winners of £900m for shovel-ready schemesMinisters have announced the 300 schemes that will receive a share of the £900m Getting Building Fund and confirmed £360m for mayoral combined authorities to fund homes on brownfield land.

Other News Sources

• TfL rolls out travel app to help passengers plan safe, accesible journeysThe app features – which include real-time train times, alternative routes and accessibility options – will be developed further based on customer feedback.
• New international coach company launched in BrightonA NEW coach company has been launched offering a service across Europe.