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

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Cogitamus

• Regulator reveals huge variations in post-pandemic rail useThe Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes quarterly figures for passenger numbers by Train Operating Company (TOC) at https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/passenger-rail-usage/ , and it’s fascinating to look at the changes since before the pandemic. The working hypothesis is that commuter operators, especially into London, will have shown the biggest decline with more leisure-oriented InterCity operations performing The post Regulator reveals huge variations in post-pandemic rail use appeared first on Cogitamus.

BBC News

• Northern rail services embarrassing, mayor saysAndy Burnham calls on the government to make rail services in the North a "top priority".
• Huge Australian 'fiasco' ship to be mothballed in EdinburghNewly-built Spirit of Tasmania is too large to fit the port facilities in Tasmania, so will be stored at Port of Leith.
• Hourly inter-city rail service on trackFifteen services will operate in each direction between Belfast and Dublin from Mondays to Saturdays.
• Bus fare cap to stay at £2, mayor confirmsAndy Burnham says Greater Manchester's bus network will be exempt from a nationwide increase to £3.
• London mayor is 'hopeful' over upcoming budgetThe Mayor of London says he wants an "injection of funding" for the NHS, schools, TfL and housing.
• TfL photocards still unavailable after cyber attackTfL contacted about 5,000 customers saying their details may have been accessed in September's hack.
• Euston allows early boarding to curb station rushesNetwork Rail will advertise platforms earlier on some services at the central London station.

The Guardian

• Nuclear submarine shipyard fire at Barrow-in-Furness leaves two in hospitalResidents told to stay indoors with doors and windows closed as emergency services say there is no nuclear risk from ongoing fire at BAE Systems complexTwo people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at BAE Systems’ Barrow-in-Furness shipyard in Cumbria where British nuclear submarines are built, police said.Cumbria constabulary said the fire at the nuclear submarine shipyard broke out about 12.45am. Police said there was “no nuclear risk” but residents should stay inside with doors and windows closed. Continue reading...

The Huffington Post

• Bus Fare Cap Would Have Risen To £10 If Labour Had Not Acted, Minister Claims

The Independent

• November tube strikes: When are they and which lines are affected?Two unions are taking action next month

Times Online

• Ending the £2 cap on bus fares hurts working people [subscription]Buses are the heart of the public transport system, in desperate need of care and love

Daily Express

• BAE Systems fire Barrow-in-Furness: Huge blaze breaks out at nuclear submarine shipyardFlames and smoke have been seen filling the night sky at the headquarters of BAE Systems Submarines in Barrow-in-Furness, where UK's nuclear submarines are made

Mail Online

• Huge fire erupts at UK nuclear submarine shipyard: Barrow site is currently building new £1.6bn Astute-class vessel - local residents tell of fears as smoke pours from historic dockA shipyard building the UK's next-generation nuclear submarines is on fire this morning, sparking a huge emergency response and concern among locals. Two people have been hurt.

This is Money

• Budget air passenger duty hike will hit jobs and economy warns aviation boss - as travellers book now to dodge riseChancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to hike charges on passenger air travel in tomorrow's Budget, with some decrying the move as a 'holiday tax'.

Sky News

• Major fire at UK's nuclear submarine shipyard in CumbriaA significant fire has broken out at a nuclear submarine shipyard in Cumbria.

Birmingham Mail

• Jeremy Clarkson says new £175 charge for drivers starting today is 'disaster'The former BBC Top Gear star who is now an ITV Who Wants to be a Millionaire host has spoken out over the decision to unfreeze fuel duty.

Birmingham Post

• Park and ride spaces at travel hub set to 'boost town centre''A lot of work has gone into making this happen'
• £220m investment by BAE Systems set to transform Rochester site into 'state-of-the-art' facilityThe aerospace and defence firm expects the expansion to create 300 jobs over the next five years on top of the current 1,600 Rochester-based employees

Bolton News

• DVLA £1,000 fine warning as drivers aged over 70 risk losing their licenceFailing to return an expired licence to the DVLA is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and can be punished with a £1,000 fine

Bristol Live

• Millions raised from Clean Air Zone to pay for better buses in certain parts of BristolBristol Live has been campaigning for better buses for Bristol

Liverpool Echo

• Sign at London Euston to be corrected after Liverpool history 'snub'The ECHO pointed out that the wording on the sign could be seen to be erasing a crucial bit of Scouse railway heritage

Manchester Evening News

• 'No nuclear risk' after fire breaks out at BAE Systems' shipyard in North WestTwo people have been taken to hospital

Northern Echo

• A68 bypass: Five ways new County Durham link road could be builtThe five proposed routes as part of plans for an A68 bypass in County Durham have been revealed.

The York Press

• Bus fair cap is 'vital lifeline' for rural communitiesA pre-budget announcement that the cap on most bus fares – currently set at £2 – would not be scrapped but would increase to £3 has been met with mixed reaction in England’s largest county where many coastal and rural communities rely heavily on bus services.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• New bus depot strategy set to improve 'failing' West Midlands networkA new strategy to increase competition for bus operators and help improve the ‘failing’ West Midlands network is set to come into force.

Bucks Free Press

• Free travel for military personnel and veterans on SWR servicesSouth Western Railway (SWR) is offering free travel to service personnel and veterans attending Remembrance Sunday events
• Outrage over government's 'failure to stop' new motorway servicesA local MP has criticised the Labour government's decision not to 'call in' plans to build a motorway service station near a Buckinghamshire village.

Cambridge News

• 'Severe congestion' in Cambridge forces Stagecoach to change bus scheduleSome journeys have been reduced, while others have been increased

Other Regional Press

• First electric-bus route launched for key Oxford locationsStagecoach West announced the first route to benefit from the upcoming rollout of their 55 new electric vehicles in Oxford.
• Motorists 'avoiding road closure' by 'pavement driving'People living in North Hinksey Lane say drivers are simply ignoring a road closure in place due to Thames Water works.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• DFDS rolls out 10 heavy-duty electric trucks across the UKDFDS has said they are on route to becoming one of the largest operators of heavy-duty electric trucks in the UK. This follows the ferry and logistics provider’s announcement introducing 10 electric trucks delivering goods in east and northwest England and in Ireland. According to DFDS this is part the company’s push for low-emission transport in the UK and they have said it is possible more trucks will follow in 2025. Allan Bell, Vice President and head of DFDS Logistics in UK & Ireland said: “DFDS wants to drive the transition to low-emission road tra...
• London strengthens truck safety mandating enhanced visibility to protect road usersTransport for London (TfL) has strengthened its Direct Vision Standard (DVS) for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in a move to improve road safety in the capital. From 28 October 2024, HGVs over 12 tonnes must meet a minimum three-star DVS rating or be fitted with an updated Progressive Safe System (PSS) to operate in Greater London. Operators who fail to comply face penalties of up to £550. The DVS measures how much HGV drivers can see directly through their cab windows, with the aim of protecting vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The system has already shown pr...

Rail Magazine

• Avanti West Coast's Class 807 makes 'soft' passenger debut between London Euston and BirminghamAvanti West Coast put its first Class 807 Hitachi AT300 electric multiple unit into passenger use at the weekend.
• Rail group promotes private sector concession to fund HS2 an alternative Manchester planThe government has been urged to consider a private sector concession model to help fund the paused HS2 route to Euston and an alternative to the scrapped northern leg to Manchester.

Railnews

• New boarding plan to ease London Euston overcrowding Network Rail has taken action to improve London Euston station, where there have been complaints of congestion on the ramps leading to the platforms after departures had been announced almost at the last minute. Transport secretary Louise Haigh intervened after protests from passengers and claims that the overcrowding was dangerous.

Railway Gazette

• Network Rail to be abolished under rail reforms as Haigh rejects 'BR reboot'UK: Great British Railways will provide a 'cultural reset' where 'every part of the workforce feels empowered to challenge the orthodoxy of years past, supported by an entirely new and reformed organisation', according to Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh, who emphasised it 'will not be British Rail Rebooted or Network Rail 2.0.'