Public Transport news

• Environment secretary lambasts HS2’s £100m bat shelter

  25-01-2025 22:13
  
  Steve Reed says plans for 1km curved structure to protect bats from high-speed railway are ‘batshit crazy’A bat shelter costing more than £100m near HS2 has been described by the environment secretary as “batshit crazy”.
  HS2 Ltd is spending the sum on the protection structure in Buckinghamshire, it emerged last year. All bats are legally protected in the UK.
  The curved structure, which has been described by the HS2 Ltd chair, Sir Jon Thompson, as a “shed&rdquo
  
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• The Heathrow runway row is back as debate over airport growth gets noisier

  25-01-2025 14:00
  
  With four similar expansions set for take-off around the south-east of England, could the proposal finally get clearance?Two decades and 0.2C of global warming after a Labour government last weighed in on Heathrow, the answer appears the same: keep digging. Rachel Reeves’s anticipated backing for a third runway would again prioritise growth and the global economy over climate. Interviewers are even asking Ed Miliband if he would resign in protest – a question that last troubled the h
  
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• Work to install artwork at Bradford city centre railway arches is set to begin

  25-01-2025 01:00 via thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
  
  Bradford Telegraph & Argus - Work to install artwork at a row of railway arches in Bradford city centre is due to start next week.
  
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• West Midlands Railway unveils major £5m investment in Coventry maintenance facility for new electric train fleet

  25-01-2025 01:00 via railuk.com
  
  Rail UK - West Midlands Railway (WMR) is celebrating the completion of a major mp;pound;5million upgrade at a key depot in Coventry where the regionmp;#39;s newest fleet is maintained.
  
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• Transport for Wales boss on the impact of Great British Railways

  25-01-2025 01:00 via business-live.co.uk
  
  Birmingham Post - In Wales train operator Transport for Wales is already in public ownership
  
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• Tougher car park and bus lane enforcement planned in Salford

  25-01-2025 01:00 via manchestereveningnews.co.uk
  
  Manchester Evening News - Tougher enforcement at Salformp;#39;s car parks and bus lanes will help the council boost its income under new plans. The town hall needs to cut costs by mp;pound;5.6m to balance the books as it prepares to set its budget for the next financial year.
  
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• The man running London's entire transport network

  25-01-2025 01:00 via bbc.com
  
  BBC News - Dave Thomas has set himself the task of running 470 miles of Londonmp;#39;s transport network.
  
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• TfL spending ?3.2m to replace Croydon bus shelters by March

  25-01-2025 01:00 via insidecroydon.com
  
  Other Regional Press - CROYDON IN CRISIS: After four years of waiting in the wind and rain, the borough?s bus passengers are about to have much-missed street furniture replaced ? but no thanks to Mayor Perry and our dysfunctional council.
  
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• Slow spending by Network Rail hits Renew profits

  25-01-2025 01:00 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Construction Enquirer - Slower than expected spending by Network Rail in the current mp;pound;45bn CP7 investment round has prompted a profit warning at infrastructure specialist Renew.
  
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• Rolls-Royce signs £9bn submarines deal to create 1,000 jobs in 'largest ever' MoD contract

  25-01-2025 01:00 via business-live.co.uk
  
  Birmingham Post - The eight-year Unity contract covers research and technology, design, manufacture and in-service support of the nuclear reactors that power the Royal Navymp;#39;s fleet of submarines
  
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• Rolls-Royce signs £9bn submarines deal to create 1,000 jobs

  25-01-2025 01:00 via cityam.com
  
  City AM - Rolls-Royce has signed a mp;pound;9bn submarines deal which will create 1,000 jobs and is the biggest UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract in its history. The eight-year Unity contract covers research and technology, design, manufacture and in-service support of the nuclear reactors that power the Royal Navymp;#146;s fleet of submarines. The Derby-headquartered FTSE 100 giant ...
  
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• Relief, at last! Railway station toilets could reopen after 14 years

  25-01-2025 01:00 via dorsetecho.co.uk
  
  Other Regional Press - There is a fresh hope to reopen railway station toilets that have been left closed for 14 years
  
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• Raising the roof! Work started to rescue Tithe Barn in Upminster

  25-01-2025 01:00 via nationalhighways.co.uk
  National Highways - One of London?s oldest buildings re-thatched with 30 tonnes of reed in restoration project
  ...
  The structure was identified as being at risk and added to the register in 2023 and through the Lower Thames Crossing scheme, ?650,000 of funding is helping to restore the building.
  
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• Parking firms should not regulate themselves - MPs

  25-01-2025 01:00 via bbc.com
  
  BBC News - MPs are calling on the government to introduce tougher rules for private car park operators.
  
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• Over £100m of public money will be used to reopen airport due to council failings

  25-01-2025 01:00 via independent.co.uk
  
  The Independent - Plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport now rely on over mp;pound;100 million of public money after the council failed to secure a private operator.
  
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• New court curbs could clear runway for Heathrow and Gatwick expansions

  25-01-2025 01:00 via sussexexpress.co.uk
  Other Regional Press - So called mp;#39;blockersmp;#39; to major transport projects will be cleared in a move that looks set to curb challenges to Heathrow and Gatwick Airport expansions, the Government has announced.
  
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• New app shows bus information in Cornwall

  25-01-2025 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - A new app allowing bus passengers in Cornwall to access journey information and discounted passes has been launched.
  
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• Network Rail announces updated timeline for reopening of Botley Road in Oxford

  25-01-2025 01:00 via networkrailmediacentre.co.uk
  
  Network Rail - Network Rail has today announced a new timeline for the reopening of Botley Road in Oxford to enable the building of a new bridge as part of the multi-million-pound programme to upgrade Oxford station and improve transport links to the city. The new programme will see Botley Road reopen in August 2026, and vastly improved access for pedestrians and cyclists will be introduced this summer.
  
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• International Airport Operator ready and waiting in the wings, Mayor confirms

  25-01-2025 01:00 via businessdoncaster.co.uk
  
  Other News Sources - Mayor Ros Jones has today confirmed at City of Doncaster Councilmp;#39;s Full Council meeting that there is an international airport operator ready to run the airport.
  
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• IAG CEO calls for Heathrow regulatory reform before endorsing expansion

  25-01-2025 01:00 via travelandtourworld.com
  
  Other News Sources - Luis Gallego, CEO of International Airlines Group (IAG), has voiced conditional support for the proposed third runway at London Heathrow Airport, emphasizing that significant regulatory changes are required before the project can gain full backing.
  
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• HS2 contractor secures top standard for inclusion and diversity progress

  25-01-2025 01:00 via railuk.com
  
  Rail UK - HS2mp;#39;s construction partner for Old Oak Common Station has achieved a prestigious workforce awardrecognising its outstanding commitments to diversity and inclusion.
  
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• Faster than the bullet train: Etihad Rail on track to join world's top 10

  25-01-2025 01:00 via thenationalnews.com
  
  Other News Sources - New 350kph rail service between Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be right up there
  
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• Electric cars in UK last as long as petrol and diesel vehicles, study finds

  25-01-2025 01:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The Guardian - International research team based findings on 300m records from MOT data to estimate failure rates of all carsBattery cars on Britainmp;#146;s roads are lasting as long as petrol and diesel cars, according to a study that has found a rapid improvement in electric vehicle reliability.An international team of researchers has estimated that an electric car will have a lifespan of 18.4 years, compared with 18.7 years for petrol cars and 16.8 years for diesels, according to a peer-revi
  
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• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Campaign boss backs council's plan and criticises 'sour grapes' from Leeds Bradford Airport

  25-01-2025 01:00 via yorkshirepost.co.uk
  Yorkshire Post - Doncaster Council is creating a new special purpose vehicle company called FlyDoncaster to manage the airport as part of ongoing efforts to reopen it by spring next year. It intends to work with an unnamed private operator to run the site.
  
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• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: £105m plans to reopen the site revealed in government document

  25-01-2025 01:00 via doncasterfreepress.co.uk
  Doncaster Free Press - mp;pound;105m plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport have been revealed in a government document seen by the Free Press this evening.
  
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• 'Diabolical' London bus route keeps leaving schoolkids and elderly stranded as it 'terminates randomly'

  25-01-2025 01:00 via mylondon.news
  
  Other News Sources - The 154 links Morden with West Croydon, and regular users say the service has become poor and unreliable
  
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• Council to use public funds to reopen airport

  25-01-2025 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - More than mp;pound;100m of public money will be needed to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport after councillors failed to secure the necessary private funding.
  
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• Controversial cycling ban to be eased to ?cut congestion? ? less than a year after council claimed restrictions had ?wide support?

  25-01-2025 01:00 via road.cc
  
  road.cc - The orders prohibiting cycling at all times on Maidenhead?s High Street could now be amended to a 10am-5pm ban to ?promote active travel and safe cycling?, despite being renewed by the council in April last year
  
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• Consultation pushes bus franchising a step closer

  25-01-2025 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Plans to franchise bus services in a county have moved a step closer after results of a public consultation came out largely in favour of the move.
  
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• Campaigners claim Leeds City Council is ‘misleading public’ over river bridge

  25-01-2025 01:00 via thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
  
  Bradford Telegraph & Argus - A GROUP of Otley residents campaigning for a new bridge to be built over the River Wharfe has accused Leeds City Council of making misleading statements over its plans to replace the walkway attached to Otley Bridge.
  
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• Busy commuter train line closes for four months

  25-01-2025 01:00 via bbc.com
  
  BBC News - Major works on electrification of the means it will be closed for 16 weeks from Saturday.
  
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• Bus Services Bill set for Lords committee stage

  25-01-2025 01:00 via parliament.uk
  Parliament - Members of the House of Lords begin their detailed examination of the Bus Services Bill, in committee stage on Tuesday 28 January.
  
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• Budget blowouts and delays: why the UK struggles with infrastructure

  25-01-2025 01:00 via ft.com
  Financial Times - a 14 mile road and tunnel is a microcosm of the cost overruns and missed deadlines that plague projects around the country.
  
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• Botley Road to reopen August 2026 says Network Rail

  25-01-2025 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News - Network Rail has announced that a key route through Oxford will reopen in August 2026.
  
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• Back by unpopular demand, the great Heathrow expansion show. If only planes ran on hot air Marina Hyde

  25-01-2025 01:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The Guardian - Rachel Reeves flies back from Davos to lead a revival of the aviation perennial. Labour hated the idea before, but growth wonmp;#146;t grow itself, will it?How can people say we canmp;#146;t build anything in this country any more? Listen: our parliament is literally falling down, has caught fire 45 times in the past decade alone, and is going to take tens of billions of investment just to get it in the same postcode as fit-for-purpose mp;#150; a fact which has now been kicked dow
  
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