Public Transport news

• Heathrow runway activists face no penalty over motorway protest

  22-12-2016 17:20
  
  Campaigners who pleaded guilty to wilful obstruction of M4 and A4 roads given conditional discharges
  Twelve campaigners will face no penalty after staging a protest near Heathrow against airport expansion. A small group of people ran on to the M4 and A4 roads and lay down in front of oncoming traffic, causing a temporary disruption on 19 November. Fifteen of them, aged between 21 and 67, were charged with wilful obstruction of the highway.Continue reading...
  
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• Out now: Issue 150 of Passenger Transport

  22-12-2016 17:03 via passengertransport.co.uk
  Issue 150 of Passenger Transport is published on December 23
  Contents include:
    
  LEAD STORYSouthern strikes have cost DfT £65m – so far
  Franchise holder Go-Ahead has revealed figures that suggest £50m in lost revenue, in addition to £15m already set aside for ‘hardship’ compensation
   
  NEWS
  Bus Users blasts NHS chief’s bus pass plan
  Simon Stevens suggests bus pass funding should move to care
  Reluctant Grayling is dragged into dispute
  South
  
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• Head of Commercial – Stagecoach East Scotland

  22-12-2016 16:52 via passengertransport.co.uk
   
  Head of Commercial – East Scotland
   An opportunity has arisen for a motivated, organised and imaginative individual to lead our Commercial Team at our head office in Dunfermline.
  We are one of Scotland’s largest bus operators with local services running throughout Fife, Dundee, Angus and Perthshire whilst our multi award winning coach services also link the area to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Such a varied operating area brings different challenges an
  
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• Southern strikes have cost DfT £65m – so far

  22-12-2016 16:44 via passengertransport.co.uk
  Franchise holder Go-Ahead has revealed figures that suggest £50m in lost revenue, in addition to £15m already set aside for ‘hardship’ compensation
    
  The industrial dispute by guards and drivers on the Southern network is estimated to have cost the Department for Transport a total of £65m since June – and with no sign of a resolution this figure looks set to rise in 2017.
  In a statement published last week, Go-Ahead Group estimated that revenue at i
  
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• Bus Users blasts NHS chief’s bus pass plan

  22-12-2016 16:40 via passengertransport.co.uk
  Simon Stevens suggests bus pass funding should move to care
    
  Passenger lobby group Bus Users has hit out at suggestions made by the chief executive of NHS England that free buses should be phased out in favour of extra funding for social care.
  Simon Stevens told MPs on the communities and local government select committee  last week that there is “no point” in funding ring-fenced free concessionary bus travel when the care system was struggling.Arguing in favour of r
  
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• App aims to create crowdsourced buses

  22-12-2016 16:34 via passengertransport.co.uk
  Transdev Blazefield is in the process of finalising its new VAMOOZ app that promises to bring the concept of crowdsourcing to the bus industry
    
  Many businesses are turning to alternative means in order to finance business expansion with crowdsourcing amongst the most popular method, but could the trend be about to make its debut in the bus industry?
  Next year Harrogate-based operator Transdev Blazefield will launch a new app – VAMOOZ – that could turn on its head the way
  
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• Is Maynard the man with the radical plan?

  22-12-2016 16:28 via passengertransport.co.uk
   
  Our Whitehall insider imagines what’s going on inside the minds of the mandarins at Great Minster House, home of the DfT
   You’ve got to admire our secretary of state’s bravado! He has told the RMT to stop playing politics with the railways over their strike action on Southern. Yet that’s exactly what Chris Grayling is doing with his resolve to overturn Patrick McLoughlin’s earlier decision to devolve responsibility for the inner suburban services on the
  
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• Storm Barbara: fears over Christmas travel as Met Office issues warnings

  22-12-2016 15:04
  
  Heavy rain and gusts of up to 90mph predicted as 12 million UK drivers prepare to take to roads ahead of holiday weekendStorm Barbara is threatening to play havoc with Christmas getaway plans as winds are forecast to reach up to 90mph.Around 12m cars are expected to hit the roads on Friday and conditions are likely to be challenging across most of the UK, with predictions of heavy rain adding to concerns. Related: Fog delays pre-Christmas flights from London airportsRelated: UK heading for warme
  
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• London Underground staff to stage 24-hour strike in new year

  22-12-2016 14:58
  
  Thousands of union members will walk out on 8 January as part of dispute over job losses and ticket office closuresThousands of London Underground workers are to stage a 24-hour strike in the new year in a dispute over jobs.Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) will walk out from 6pm on Sunday 8 January. Continue reading...
  
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• Cyclist's near-miss with train at level crossing caught on CCTV

  22-12-2016 12:13
  
  Footage shows train missing cyclist by inches as he crosses tracks in Pudsey, LeedsDramatic footage of a cyclist coming within inches of being killed by a train has prompted fresh warnings about the dangers of level crossings.The near-miss was filmed by trackside cameras and CCTV on board trains as they passed the Ducketts level crossing in Pudsey, Leeds, in the summer. Continue reading...
  
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• Festive fare deals give public transport fillip - Belfast Telegraph

  22-12-2016 12:06
  
  Belfast Telegraph
  Festive fare deals give public transport fillip
  Belfast Telegraph
  More than half-a-million more journeys are expected to be made by public transport this festive season than last year. It has been estimated the switch will remove some 312,500 cars from local roads and significantly cut down on the amount of congestion.
  
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• Cyclist's hairbreadth escape at level crossing – video

  22-12-2016 11:56
  
  A cyclist in Leeds narrowly escapes being hit by a train on Ducketts level crossing, Pudsey. It was captured on CCTV and shows a man pushing his bike over the crossing after one train passes and realising only just in time that there is second train coming. The British Transport Police describe the incident, which happened in June but is released now as part of a safety warning, as horrifying. Network Rail says a series of safety improvements have since been made at the crossing Continue reading
  
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• Fog delays pre-Christmas flights from London airports

  22-12-2016 09:33
  
  Holiday travel plans disrupted as Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports experience hold-ups owing to weatherFlights from three London airports have been hit by delays after fog shrouded the capital, Britain’s largest airline has said. Festive travel plans faced being thrown into chaos on Thursday morning when Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports all experienced hold-ups owing to the weather.Fog is affecting flights at London Heathrow, Gatwick & City today. Check your flight
  
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• Vossloh Electrical Systems sold to Knorr-Bremse

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railwaygazette.com
  
  Railway Gazette - GERMANY: On December 21 Vossloh signed a contract for the sale of its Electrical Systems business...
  
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• Vital upgrade to railway at Leeds station

  22-12-2016 01:00 via examiner.co.uk
  
  Other Regional Press - £2m project should be done by just after Christmas
  
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• UK prepares tighter laws on drones after air safety scares

  22-12-2016 01:00 via feeds.reuters.com
  
  Reuters News - LONDON (Reuters) - The British government is preparing to tighten drone regulations after a series of near-misses with passenger planes over the last two years and growing concern about their use near prisons.
  
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• Uber stops California self-driving car program after DMV puts the brakes on

  22-12-2016 01:00 via rss.cnn.com
  
  C.N.N. - Uber is halting its self-driving car program in San Francisco after the California DMV revoked the registrations for the test vehicles.
  
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• Uber self-driving car registrations revoked

  22-12-2016 01:00 via ft.com
  Financial Times - Blow to transport company after permit battle over its 16 autonomous vehicles
  
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• Uber halts California self-driving cars test

  22-12-2016 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Uber halts its self-driving car pilot in San Francisco after regulators say it needs a special permit.
  
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• Tyne and Wear Metro completes 3m tunnel track replacement

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railtechnologymagazine.com
  
  Rail Technology Magazine - A mp;pound;3m programme of track replacement in the tunnels of the Tyne and Wear Metro has now been completed, the Metromp;rsquo;s operator Nexus has reported. Four kilometres of track has been successfully replaced in the tunnels which run from Jesmond to the Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge, which...
  
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• TransLink to purchase 28 Bombardier SkyTrain vehicles

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railway-technology.com
  Rail Technology Magazine -British Columbia Transportation Authority TransLink has signed a C$93m ($69m) contract for the purchase of 28 Bombardier Innovia Metro 300 vehicles for service on the Vancouver SkyTrain network.
  
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• Train surfer called the Silver Shadow caught on CCTV riding carriage roof in Birkenhead

  22-12-2016 01:00 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Mail Online - The man, who is thought to be in his 20s, was captured on camera lying on the roof of the train after squeezing in between two carriages at Rock Ferry station in Birkenhead and climbing to the top.
  
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• This train company is ranked the worst at helping passengers get compensation for delays

  22-12-2016 01:00 via oxfordmail.co.uk
  
  Other Regional Press -CHILTERN Railways has been ranked the worst train operator in the country at helping passengers get compensation for delays.
  
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• Testing begins, with Class 385s due in traffic next September

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railmagazine.com
  
  Rail Magazine - Commissioning of the Class 385s for passenger service begins in July, and they enter traffic in September.
  
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• Swansea's metro bus scheme was "one of the worst ever delivered", says city leader

  22-12-2016 01:00 via southwales-eveningpost.co.uk
  
  Other Regional Press - SWANSEA'S ill-fated bendy bus has been labelled "one of the worst schemes ever" by the current leader of the council.
  
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• Southern Rail train delays motorists after becoming stuck at junction in south-east London

  22-12-2016 01:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - A Southern Rail train has caused unexpected delays on a road in south-east London.
  
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• Southern Rail train carriage gets stuck on corner holding up traffic in London

  22-12-2016 01:00 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Mail Online - The Southern Rail carriage became 'wedged' as it tried to navigate a tight corner in Crystal Palace on Wednesday night and held up traffic for half an hour.
  
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• Southern Rail hit by delay... on road

  22-12-2016 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Southern Rail faced an unexpected delay - when a lorry transporting a carriage got stuck on a road.
  
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• South West Trains passengers brand new-look carriages 'cattle trucks' after 210m upgrade

  22-12-2016 01:00 via getsurrey.co.uk
  
  Other News Sources - The all-new trains will be put into testing in the New Year, with the full fleet to be introduced for service in April 2017
  
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• South West Trains commuters treated to festive prize draw as spirit of Christmas breaks out aboard busy train

  22-12-2016 01:00 via getsurrey.co.uk
  
  Other News Sources - Chris Burnell held a prize draw on two separate days to say thank-you to passengers, rewarding them with a £5 coffee voucher
  
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• 'Silver Shadow' surfed on 75mph Merseyrail train roof

  22-12-2016 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Police hunt for a man caught surfing on top of a train travelling at up to 75mph in Merseyside.
  
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• Sadiq Khan promises London bus drivers minimum 23,000 salary

  22-12-2016 01:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - Sadiq Khan today promised a "better deal" for London's bus drivers by setting a minimum salary of 23,000 a year for the first time.
  
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• Sadiq Khan announces new London bus drivers pay deal

  22-12-2016 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced the capital's 25,000 bus drivers will receive a starting salary of £23,000 a year.
  
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• Rail road chaos: Southern Rail train causes delays after lorry carrying it gets stuck

  22-12-2016 01:00 via telegraph.co.uk
  
  The Telegraph -
  
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• RAIB reveals near-miss between pedestrian and Stansted Airport train

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railtechnologymagazine.com
  
  Rail Technology Magazine - The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has decided to post safety digests into four incidents that took place on Englandmp;rsquo;s railways in November, including a near-miss between a pedestrian and a passenger train on the way to Stansted Airport. The most recent incident, announced today...
  
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• Police 'cranking up' dangerous drivers crackdown for Christmas

  22-12-2016 01:00 via thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
  
  Bradford Telegraph & Argus -OFFICERS working as part of the police crackdown on dangerous drivers in Bradford have vowed to crank up the pressure on motoring menaces over Christmas.
  
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• 'Please offer me a seat' Tube badges rolled out on TfL

  22-12-2016 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Transport for London rolls out
  
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• Pilots back government consultation on drones

  22-12-2016 01:00 via buyingbusinesstravel.com
  Buying Business Travel - Users could face heavy fines if found guilty of dangerous flying
  
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• Overnight buses offering comfortable compartments proving popular in Japan

  22-12-2016 01:00 via japantimes.co.jp
  
  Other News Sources - FUKUOKAJapans long-distance bus operators have improved the comfort level for passengers to the extent that they now offer individual compartments in coaches.
  
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• New proposed measures for drones in the UK

  22-12-2016 01:00 via ciltuk.org.uk
  Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport - The government plans to introduce new measures to ensure the successful uptake of drones is matched by strong safeguards to protect the public.Measures out for consultation include: mandatory registration of new dronestougher penalties for illegal flying near no-fly zones and new signs for no-fly zones at sensitive sites such as airports and prisonsmaking drones electronically identifiable so the owners details can be passed to police if they are
  
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• MPs launch Rail Ombudsman Bill following Southern disruption

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railtechnologymagazine.com
  
  Rail Technology Magazine - MPs have called for an Ombudsman to oversee the rail industry following the chaos on Southern Rail. Southern services have been severely delayed throughout the year, ultimately forcing it to cancel all trains last week because of an Aslef driversmp;rsquo; strike. Introducing the Bill, Tim...
  
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• Mobile ticketing moves to the Apple Wallet

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railway-technology.com
  
  Rail Technology Magazine -Trainline has partnered with Virgin Trains West Coast to launch mobile tickets in the Apple Walleta rail industry first. Does this represent another nail in the coffin for the tangerine ticket?
  
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• MH370: Should the search expand?

  22-12-2016 01:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Aviation Industry- The governments of Australia, China and Malaysia have long said the underwater search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will end when a 120,000 sq km region along the so-called Seventh Arc in the southern Indian Ocean has been combed for the wreckagework that is expected to be complete in January.read more
  
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• Mackworth launch cycle vision door

  22-12-2016 01:00 via ciltuk.org.uk
  Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport -Mackworth Vehicle Conversions has announced the introduction of a new cycle safety door. The Mackworth Cycle Vision is available immediately on selected DAF, Renault and Volvo vehicles. The new product aims to provide greater safety for vulnerable road users, while ensuring fleet operators benefit from more efficient and quicker fitment as well as the lowest cost on the market at only £1,500. Thanks to an innovative approach, the Mackworth Ve
  
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• Lewes MP lobbying for soldiers to drive rail strike replacement buses

  22-12-2016 01:00 via theargus.co.uk
  
  Other News Sources -THOUSANDS of soldiers could be drafted in to drive rail replacement buses during the strikes.
  
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• Letters to the editor: Southern strikers have lost the plot

  22-12-2016 01:00 via standard.co.uk
  
  London Evening Standard - As A long-time regular user of Southern rail services, I know how badly the company has been managed since it took over the franchise. The online booking service quickly deteriorated and customer complaints were responded to with nonsense. At first the unions had a good case for strike action but the timing of the latest walkout has lost them sympathy with commutersand even some of their members can see the strike is not about safety.
  
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• KiwiRail to end electric freight haulage

  22-12-2016 01:00 via railwaygazette.com
  
  Railway Gazette - NEW ZEALAND: Following two years of studies, national railway KiwiRail announced on December 21...
  
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• John Laing Infrastructure is safe and reliable: whats not to like? subscription

  22-12-2016 01:00 via thetimes.co.uk
  
  Times Online - Once upon a time there were three creatures called roscos, or rolling stock leasing companies, which under the arrangements put in place at the time of the rail privatisation owned the trains that were leased to the operators. These turned out to be spectacularly good investments, if not so great for the public purse, which may explain why the current crop of big rail projects is being done rather differently.
  
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• Jaguar Land Rover submits plans for massive logistics hub

  22-12-2016 01:00 via coventrytelegraph.net
  
  Other Regional Press - Jaguar Land Rover submits plans for massive logistics hub
  
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