Most deprived areas suffer ten-fold bigger reduction, which in turn exacerbates deprivation
People living in deprived areas of England have suffered disproportionately larger cuts to bus services, according research by a leading thinktank.
The analysis by IPPR North found that cuts to services in England had been felt the most in “left-behind neighbourhoods”.
Continue reading...Federal government to fund 80% of upgrades with state paying for 20%, despite previously vowing to split infrastructure projects 50-50
In the first major promise of the election year, Anthony Albanese has announced $7.2bn in funding for Queensland’s Bruce Highway.
The federal government will fund 80% of the upgrades, with the state funding 20%.
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Continue reading...Disruption expected as rain turns to snow, after major flooding incident declared in Greater Manchester
An ice warning is in force for much of the UK as temperatures have dropped, after a major incident was declared due to flooding.
The yellow Met Office warning indicates there could be some difficult travel conditions across Scotland, Northern Ireland and north Wales, and stretching down to the Midlands, until 10am on Thursday.
Continue reading...Sixty-year-old pilot dies but surviving passenger stable in hospital
A man has died and another has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after their light plane crashed.
Emergency crews, including several ambulances and a rescue helicopter, were called to Palmers Island, about 8km west of Yamba, in the NSW northern rivers on Sunday following reports of a crash.
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Continue reading...Many flights at Heathrow and Gatwick cancelled or delayed on Saturday as murky conditions persist
Disruption caused by thick fog is expected to continue until Sunday at some of the UK’s busiest airports.
Flights at Stansted airport were affected by the weather conditions on Saturday, while live departure boards showed delays at Heathrow, Luton and Manchester airports.
Continue reading...Heidi Alexander refuses to confirm cost of setting up Great British Railways but insists it is lower than fees paid to train operators
The renationalising of train companies will not necessarily bring cheaper rail fares but should reduce cancellations and late trains, the UK transport secretary has suggested.
South Western Railway is to become the first train operator nationalised under the Labour government, ministers announced on Wednesday. Greater Anglia and C2C will also be brought into public ownership next year.
Continue reading...As part of a comprehensive programme of renationalisation, the service will come under public ownership in May
South Western Railway will be the first train operator nationalised under the Labour government, ministers have announced.
One of the UK’s biggest commuter services, which operates out of London Waterloo, it will be taken into public hands in May.
Continue reading...Louise Haigh plans to focus on poorer areas, healthy methods and ability to ‘tap in and tap out seamlessly’
Transport across towns and cities could become integrated using dedicated apps, with investment focused on poorer areas and healthier methods, as part of what ministers are calling a “people-first” revolution in local travel.
Louise Haigh, the transport secretary, described the plans in a speech in Leeds as “a revolution to wrestle back power over transport”. She said powers would be heavily devolved to mayors and councils across England, who would be encouraged to devise their own priorities.
Continue reading...Natural Resources Wales to investigate whether sufficient warnings of Storm Bert and the flooding it caused were given to people in advance
Northamptonshire Police have warned people in the area “while the flooding remains ongoing, please avoid all unnecessary travel and do not drive through floodwater of any depth – it is not worth the risk.”
In Yate in the west of England, BBC Bristol reports that about 100 properties were flooded overnight, and residents had to be evacuated.
Continue reading...Critics claim warnings and defences were inadequate but Met Office says storm was ‘well forecast’
Weather forecasters and politicians have come in for strong criticism after hundreds of homes and businesses across the UK suffered devastating flooding in Storm Bert but the Met Office has said it issued sufficient warning.
There were growing complaints in south Wales, one of the areas most heavily hit, that the Met Office issued only a yellow warning, rather than an amber or red, and that not enough new defences had been put in place by the Welsh government since storms last wreaked havoc in the area four years ago.
Continue reading...Weather warnings for wind, rain and snow cover much of country, with 16 flood alerts in place
Storm Bert has hit the UK, with snow closing roads and strong rains and winds expected to cause further travel disruption and potential flooding.
Weather warnings and 13 flood alerts have come into effect across much of the country.
Continue reading...Security cordon lifted and train services resume as travel plans are disrupted for thousands of people
Gatwick’s south terminal has reopened for passengers after a security alert caused disruption for thousands of people.
Sussex police said they had released two people after concluding their investigation into reports of a suspect package at the airport. A bomb disposal team made the package safe, the force added in a statement on X.
Continue reading...NSW government caves to rail union demands to prevent workers striking
A chaotic two-day shutdown of Sydney’s train network has been averted at the 11th hour after the state government caved to rail union demands to run 24-hour services to prevent workers striking.
However, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has warned that despite securing a two-week hiatus on industrial action amid tense negotiations with rail unions over a new pay deal, there is no guarantee that the threat of a city-wide rail shutdown will not recur in a fortnight.
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Continue reading...Government to meet union officials again on Thursday after a Wednesday meeting didn’t resolve the industrial dispute
Sydney’s trains are set to shut down this weekend after an emergency meeting between rail unions and the New South Wales premier on Wednesday produced no solutions.
The government will meet leaders from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union again on Thursday in a final bid to avert industrial action from train staff, which would see trains stop running across the city on Friday, Saturday and into Sunday.
Continue reading...Regulator approves bid by open-access operator Go-op to run trains in south-west England from late next year
The UK’s first co-operatively owned railway service could begin running trains in the south-west of England late next year.
The Office of Road and Rail (ORR) has approved a bid from open-access operator Go-op to run several new services between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, and compete with Great Western Railway on the line.
Continue reading...Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin flights in and out of Australia were cancelled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted
Three Australian airlines have cancelled flights to and from Bali after a volcanic eruption near the Indonesian holiday spot created a dangerous ash cloud.
The groundings affected Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving passengers stranded.
Continue reading...Australian Automobile Association analysis notes hybrids are exempt from fringe benefits tax until 1 April 2025
Battery-powered electric vehicle sales fell sharply last quarter and may have temporarily peaked as consumers turn to hybrid models that attract tax concessions, according to new analysis.
Quarterly vehicle sales data released by the Australian Automobile Association on Monday reveals petrol-powered cars continued to decline in popularity, with sales falling by 9.16% in the three months to 30 September.
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Continue reading...Terra Verde’s contract demonstrates the ‘huge competitive interest’ from global construction companies, Jacinta Allan says
The Victorian government’s contentious Suburban Rail Loop “cannot be stopped” as a cloud hangs over the rollout of its new public transport ticket system.
Global consortium Terra Verde has been awarded a $1.7bn tunnelling contract for the $34.5bn eastern section of the rail line.
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Continue reading...Two drill rigs, installed on barges, have started work on the Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn and at Brisbane Water near Gosford
Drill rigs have started boring into rocks and riverbeds to determine the best route for the tunnelling megaproject needed for a high-speed rail line between Sydney and Newcastle, but the fast train’s future is far from certain amid questions about its cost.
Almost three years after Labor came to power on a promise to build the fast train, two drill rigs have begun geotechnical examinations on the Central Coast of New South Wales, the Albanese government announced on Tuesday, as its newly formed High-Speed Rail Association (HSRA) works on a business case for the project’s first stage.
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Continue reading...The government is facing calls to cease trading with DP World because of its partnership with Putin’s northern sea route
Ministers are facing calls to review the UK’s financial ties to the multinational logistics company DP World over its business deals in Russia.
The business announced a £1bn expansion of the London Gateway port earlier this month, despite a row over the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, calling its ferry subsidiary, P&O Ferries, a “rogue operator”.
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