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

Thursday, 25 November 2021

BBC News

• What is wrong with West Midlands trams?Earlier this month tram services were suspended again after cracks were found on some of the fleet.
• Castlefield Viaduct: National Trust plan to create 'park in the sky' passedThe National Trust's plans to turn a disused railway viaduct in Manchester into a "park in the sky" have been approved by the city's council.
• Rail upgrade plans dismissed as 'chaotic shambles' by Northern leadersThe government's proposals are described as

ITV News

• Northern leaders back Andy Burnham's plan for rail network rethinkLeaders from across the North of England have called on the Government to rethink its plans for the future of rail, claiming the proposals do not make economic sense.

The Guardian

• UN shipping summit criticised for ‘dangerous’ delay on emissions planA decision by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and its member states not to revise its emissions reduction strategy until the spring of 2023 has been criticised as “dangerous” by environmental campaigners.

The Independent

• Aviation minister ‘completely out of touch’, says pilots’ unionThe general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa), has accused the aviation minister, Robert Courts, of being “completely out of touch”.

Times Online

• We’ll pay for northern rail lines, say northern leadersAndy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, said that the rail plan was “deeply flawed”. At a Transport for the North meeting in Leeds, Burnham said that contributions towards the cost of improvements, including completing the Northern Powerhouse Rail network, could be gleaned from rising land values.

Reuters News

• Shell ponders biofuels plant to meet rising Asian aviation demand Global major Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) may build a biofuels plant in Singapore to meet the region's rising demand for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), the head of its downstream business said on Wednesday.

Birmingham Post

• Government rail plans will provide 'less for the North, and later'Northern leaders unite to attack the Government's Integrated Rail Review and agree to push for changes

Bristol Live

• Bristol Clean Air Zone has 'narrow' focus on replacing cars with cars says opposition councillorThe city council said the Government refused to fund measures such as new cycle routes as part of the scheme

Manchester Evening News

• "Let's help pay for it ourselves": Northern leaders battle to 'unlock cash' to fund new line from Manchester to Leeds“Other countries around the world give parliamentary powers at a local level to pay for infastrastrucure by land value capture. It’s not a tax on local people.”

The York Press

• People travelling on A64 between York and Leeds feel 'overlooked'PEOPLE travelling on a major road between York and Leeds, feel that road planners view their needs as
• Bus firm Transdev wins award for Covid recovery campaignA BUS firm is celebrating after landing an award for its campaign to promote safe travel during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• York is 'oven ready’ for rail HQ, says MP Julian SturdyYORK is “oven ready” to be the home of the new Great British Railways (GBR), according to city MP Julian Sturdy.

Yorkshire Post

• https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/19739121.julian-lewis-contacts-rail-minister-waterside-proposal/It had been hoped that Hull would be connected to the Northern Powerhouse Rail network and given faster electrified connections to places such as Sheffield and Leeds in the Integrated Rail Plan.
• Why this HS2 U-turn is good news for levelling up – John LongworthWHEN the Government unveiled its new Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) last week, I felt great relief that Grant Shapps and Boris Johnson had (finally) seen sense and decided against ploughing more money into the HS2 black hole.
• Tracy Brabin warns Government must think again on Yorkshire rail plans - or need new proposals in a decadeWest Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin has said the Government must alter its Integrated Rail Plan - or face having to draw up revised proposals in a decade.
• Andy Burnham leads plan to save full Northern Powerhouse Rail route through landowner taxesNorthern politicians and business leaders are to seek talks with the Government about delivering the full Northern Powerhouse Rail network - indicating they would be prepared for the region to pay towards covering the current £25bn funding gap.
• Ministers have stripped Transport for the North of powers to 'prevent levelling up', MP claimsThe Government has stripped Transport for the North of its powers to “prevent levelling up,” a Labour MP has claimed, as Ministers continue to face an angry response to the Integrated Rail Plan.

Sunderland Echo

• https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/19739398.york-oven-ready-rail-hq-says-mp-julian-sturdy/Last week Boris Johnson admitted he crashed the car when it came to sleaze, as it became clear just how much money Tory MPs have been raking in from outside jobs.

Other Regional Press

• Work starts on development of Weymouth rail stationWORK has started on the £1m transformation of Weymouth rail station.
• Julian Lewis contacts rail minister over Waterside proposalA TORY MP has criticised the government's "alarming" decision to spend £7m on developing the case for reopening a Hampshire railway line.
• Julian Lewis contacts rail minister over Waterside proposalA TORY MP has criticised the government's "alarming" decision to spend £7m on developing the case for reopening a Hampshire railway line.
• Plans in place for new footbridge at Johnstone train stationJohnstone train station is set to become fully accessible for the first time next year with plans in place for a new footbridge.
• Glasgow residents left stranded without proper public transportA plea has been made to bring a rail service to Castlemilk, with residents currently left cut-off from public transport and lacking basic conveniences such as a supermarket.
• The two images that paint a stark picture of how badly the North has been 'let down' on rail plansTransport leaders have slammed the government's Integrated Rail Plan, releasing two images that show just how badly Whitehall has let the north down.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Transport for Wales partners with CitySwift to embark on AI-driven bus strategyTransport for Wales and CitySwift have partnered on a pilot programme to optimise public transport services using data and machine learning.    The programme aims to deliver efficiencies and improve service levels across the country’s bus network.   Through CitySwift’s platform, Welsh bus operators will be able to make more informed data-driven decisions and understand new travel patterns, which will enable them to improve journey times, reliability and enhance the on-board experience for passengers.    This will help encourage a modal shift from private ca...

New Civil Engineer

• National Highways appoints first chief road safety adviserRoad safety expert Nick Reed has been appointed as National Highways' first ever chief road safety adviser.

Other News Sources

• UN shipping body considers zero emissions goal, defers decision to 2023While the US, Japan and Panama backed setting a zero carbon shipping goal for 2050, emerging economies said rich countries needed to go first and provide finance
• Aviation needs ‘huge amounts’ of government money to hit net zero targets, says Jet2 bossInvestment from government and ringfencing taxes is the only way the aviation sector will be able to reach net zero by 2050, says the boss of Jet2holidays.