Public Transport news

• Scottish rail franchises will be open to bids from public sector – Sturgeon

  19-04-2016 17:40
  
  SNP leader says party will use devolved powers under Scotland Act 2016 to alter franchise rules if re-elected next monthPublic sector bodies will be able to bid to run Scotland’s railway next time the franchises come up for renewal, the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said.Before next month’s Holyrood elections, the SNP leader announced that her party would enact legislation, under new devolved powers of the Scotland Act 2016, to alter the “absurd” franchise
  
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• Southern train conductors vote to strike over role change

  19-04-2016 13:58
  
  RMT union say plan to turn conductors into onboard supervisors poses threat to jobs and public safety Conductors employed by Southern have voted to strike over plans to change their roles, which unions say will threaten jobs and public safety. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union voted overwhelmingly for action, on an 80% turnout, in a move that underlines rising industrial tension on the railway and could spell further misery for passengers on some of Britain’s worst performi
  
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• Vivarails first rebuilt D-Train close to main line run

  19-04-2016 02:00 via railmagazine.com
  
  Rail Magazine - The first D-Train is entering the final phase of testing and approvals, ahead of running on the main line.
  
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• VIDEO: Stand-only escalators 'ease congestion'

  19-04-2016 02:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - An experiment by Transport for London has found congestion is eased when commuters stand on, rather than walk up, escalators.
  
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• Union warns ScotRail 'playing fast and loose' with passenger safety

  19-04-2016 02:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The Herald - TRADE union bosses have accused ScotRail of "playing fast and loose with passenger safety" after running a number of train services with only a driver on board.
  
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• The five best 'easter eggs' of Tesla all-electric cars

  19-04-2016 02:00 via birminghammail.co.uk
  
  Birmingham Mail -How Tesla is adding owner surprises to its cars.
  
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• Taxi cab group leader loses appeal

  19-04-2016 02:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - The chairman of Cardiff's taxi cab association loses his appeal against suspension after being accused of refusing to take short-distance fares in the city.
  
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• STAT launched to address skills gap in transport sector

  19-04-2016 02:00 via ciltuk.org.uk
  Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport - The government has launched a Strategic Transport Apprenticeship Taskforce (STAT) to group together employers as a response to the skills gap that has appeared in the transport sector. STAT aims to support the government's initiative to treble the number of apprenticeships in the industry over the next four years. Members of the taskforce met up for the first time on 15th April with stakeholders to share ideas on best practice and the priorities o
  
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• Sepura Group to Provide Complete Communications Solution for Brasilia Metro

  19-04-2016 02:00 via railway-technology.com
  Other News Sources -Teltronic, part of the Sepura Group, has been selected to provide a complete communications solution for Brasilia Metro.
  
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• Scania Touring HD tri-axle for Fourway Coaches

  19-04-2016 02:00 via ciltuk.org.uk
  Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport - Leeds based Fourway Coaches has recently taken delivery of a new Euro 6 Scania Touring HD to full executive specification. The equipment fitted includes 57 seats with leather headrests and three-point seatbelts, toilet, Bosch Professional Line audio/visual system and alloy wheels.The investment sees the introduction of the first Scania tri-axle vehicle into this prestigious fleet. The Touring HD provides excellent leg room and specification and as
  
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• Repeated attacks by rail cable thieves trigger appeal

  19-04-2016 02:00 via railnews.co.uk
  RailNews.co.uk -A spate of attacks on railway cables in the Nottingham area has prompted an appeal for information from British Transport Police and other industry bodies. The damage caused by attempts to steal cable has disrupted 331 passenger and 27 freight or engineering trains, some of which had to be cancelled while others ran late, with the total of disruption minutes standing at 2,654, or more than 44 hours. The cost to the industry has been put at almost 120,000.
  
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• Rail route investment costs outlined

  19-04-2016 02:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - A council report has outlined details of the financial commitment given in order to "maximise the economic benefits" of the Borders Railway.
  
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• Qatar Rail reveals horse-inspired metro and dhow-style tram designs

  19-04-2016 02:00 via railwaygazette.com
  Other News Sources - QATAR: The designs for the future Doha Metro cars and Lusail Light Rail Transit vehicles were...
  
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• Parking levy 'would hold back Birmingham's growth'

  19-04-2016 02:00 via birminghampost.co.uk
  
  Birmingham Post -Business leaders issue stark warning over the possible introduction of a levy on workplace parking by council chiefs striving to combat congestion
  
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• Nicola Sturgeon: We will allow Scottish public-sector bids for our rail services

  19-04-2016 02:00 via thenational.scot
  
  Other Regional Press - A PUBLIC-SECTOR rail operator will be able to bid for the future rail franchises in Scotland, under SNP plans to be unveiled today.
  
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• New rules will see out-of-date road signs torn down

  19-04-2016 02:00 via ciltuk.org.uk
  Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport - Power will be given to local councils to tear down pointless road signs that cause distractions for those on the road. These out-of-date signs will be allowed to be torn down from 22nd April and will help to make sure that traffic signs are visible on unlit roads. Taking down these road signs will also stop temporary messages from being cluttered with adverts and distracting logos. According to the Department for Transport, signs on English roads
  
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• New 4m roadworks for York: These 63 streets are affected

  19-04-2016 02:00 via yorkpress.co.uk
  
  The York Press -The city's transport boss has approved the plan for 2016/17
  
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• Network Rail: no easy options

  19-04-2016 02:00 via ft.com
  Financial Times - Selling assets to plug funding gap will be complex and controversial
  
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• MP: drones like the one that hit Heathrow plane pose risk of causing mass casualties

  19-04-2016 02:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - A London MP has called for high-powered drone owners to be forced to sign a register after a British Airways flight was struck by a device as it came in to land at Heathrow Airport.
  
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• Metrolink bosses spend 20,000 on safety kit to stop motorists driving on to Holt Town tracks

  19-04-2016 02:00 via manchestereveningnews.co.uk
  
  Manchester Evening News - Stopping them in their tracks: new bollards and signs among new measures
  
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• May Day rail investment programme promises improvements in Anglia

  19-04-2016 02:00 via ciltuk.org.uk
  Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport - Work that will improve the reliability of journeys to and from London during May Day will aim to be minimally disruptive, while they deliver benefits for passengers who consistently use this line. Services will only be affected during 1st and 2nd May between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield, meaning that the Saturday of the bank holiday weekend will be completely uninterrupted by the upgrades. More than 11,000 members of Network Rail's engine
  
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• London Victoria station: Train services resume after major signal failure

  19-04-2016 02:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - Train services to and from Victoria station have resumed normal service after a signal failure closed seven platforms during the morning rush hour.
  
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• Holborn 'standing only' escalator trial gets off to rocky start as Londoners simply ignore the signs

  19-04-2016 02:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - A "standing only" escalator experiment at Holborn Tube station got off to a rocky start today as hundreds of Londoners ignored advice and walked anyway.
  
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• Helsinki-Tallinn rail tunnel: a future European link?

  19-04-2016 02:00 via railway-technology.com
  
  Other News Sources -Plans for a rail tunnel between Helsinki and Tallinn accelerated after the Estonian and Finnish ministers signed a memorandum of understanding promising to push ahead. The undersea tunnel could treble travel and boost trade between the two cities sig
  
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• Half of hit and run drivers justify fleeing

  19-04-2016 02:00 via ft.com
  Financial Times - Many claim they thought the incident was not very serious or did not need to be reported
  
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• Gushing Gatwick 'can supply 25 of UK's oil'

  19-04-2016 02:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - The Gatwick Gusher and associated oil reserves in the Weald Basin could account for more than quarter of the UK's daily oil needs, respected professional services firm EY has said.
  
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• Govia Thameslink launches legal action in row over new Gatwick Express trains

  19-04-2016 02:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - Govia Thameslink Railway has announced it will take legal action against Aslef over its members' refusal to drive new Gatwick Express trains.
  
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• Government-backed bike scheme mothballed

  19-04-2016 02:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Scotland's first government-backed bike hire scheme has been mothballed, BBC Scotland learns.
  
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• Government announces 150 million connected roads trial

  19-04-2016 02:00 via birminghampost.co.uk
  
  Birmingham Post -Highways England to trial radar and wireless data systems in bid to improve UK roads.
  
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• Ffestiniog Railway train steams 80 miles through Snowdonia

  19-04-2016 02:00 via dailypost.co.uk
  
  Daily Post (North Wales) -Six steam locomotives used on the run between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Caernarfon
  
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• Easyjet considers bid for Monarch Group

  19-04-2016 02:00 via buyingbusinesstravel.com
  Aviation Industry- Reports suggest Easyjet could make move for fellow UK aviation firm
  
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• Dublin tram drivers suspend strike action

  19-04-2016 02:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Drivers on the Luas tram system in Dublin have called off strike action planned for this weekend.
  
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• Cyclists scratching heads over Birmingham's shortest 'cycle lane'

  19-04-2016 02:00 via birminghammail.co.uk
  
  Birmingham Mail - Markings have appeared next to the tram lines in Corporation Street, but are NOT cycle lanes
  
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• Crossrail 2: Londons next necessary rail project

  19-04-2016 02:00 via railway-technology.com
  
  Other News Sources -Crossrail - or the Elizabeth Line - is still three years away from commencing full operations. But, as concerns regarding the ability of the rail network to function in the face of a growing population intensify, another development has emerged: Cros
  
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• Bootle MP set to demand answers from Government over rail links to Liverpool's port

  19-04-2016 02:00 via liverpoolecho.co.uk
  
  Liverpool Post - Bootle MP Peter Dowd is to demand answers from the Government over rail links to Liverpools expanding port.
  
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• Andrew Adonis: Why it must be full speed ahead for HS2

  19-04-2016 02:00 via yorkshirepost.co.uk
  
  Yorkshire Post - HS2 is the biggest infrastructure project in Europe; it is remarkable how rapid the progress has been from conception to the verge of construction, thanks to effective policy and project planning and strong cross-party support.
  
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