#department for transport

[railsistem]

Avanti West Coast Granted 6-Month Contract Extension

The Department for Transport (DfT) has extended Avanti West Coast’s contract for six months following the operator’s improved performance since October 2022. Avanti West Coast’s new contract will run until 15 October 2023 © Avanti West Coast In October last year, Avanti was placed on a short-term contract and ordered to develop a recovery plan to improve services on the West Coast Main…

[news-buzz]

Outdated UK airspace set for biggest change in history as it's 'stuck in the 1950s' | UK | News News Buzz

The UK is set for the biggest overhaul in history of its now outdated airspace. The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced plans to modernise a system that has been in place since the 1950s. The move aims to improve the efficiency of air travel, reduce delays, cut emissions and lower noise pollution.  The DfT has also launched a consultation to establish the UK Airspace Design Service…

[insidecroydon]

Official: Croydon's roads continue to become more dangerous

Transport correspondent JEREMY CLACKSON on the shocking increases in road collisions – and deaths – in Croydon, as safety improves elsewhere around the country Smashed: are Croydon’s roads more dangerous, or is it that our drivers are worse than elsewhere in the country? Croydon has achieved the dubious distinction of having the second-biggest increase in road casualties across London over the…

[watford-herts-london]

Electric vehicle chargepoints rollout to be accelerated

New measures to support electric vehicle drivers from the Government’s Plan for Drivers have launched today (5 February), including grants for schools, cash for councils and new proposals to boost chargepoint numbers. Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne will launch support for greener schools in Nottinghamshire today, with a new grant providing up to 75% of the cost to buy and…

[richdadpoor]

'Technical Issue' Leaves UK Airline Passengers Stranded

Flights in the UK were severely delayed or canceled on Monday following a “technical issue” impacting more than 500 flights. The technical problems have since been resolved, but passengers are still impacted by the delays and cancellations, prompting many airlines to try to rebook passengers on flights for later this week. This Giant Company Owns Almost Every Dating App Britain’s National Air…

[david-sankey]

Consultation on closing all rail ticket offices

#SaveTicketOffices

Have your say in the consultation before September 1st

(hint - even Singapore, with one of the most advanced public transport systems in the world has ticket offices in stations)

bit.ly/saveticketoffices

[reasonsforhope]

"This week, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a new rule requiring airlines to make bathrooms more accessible for disabled people. All new single-aisle aircraft will be fitted with fully-accessible lavatories.

Most flights inside the United States are single-aisle and as technology has improved, they are used more frequently for long flights, including coast-to-coast trips that can last as long as six hours. Double-aisle plans are already subject to the regulation but are primarily used for international flights.

Out Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced the new regulations, saying, “Traveling can be stressful enough without worrying about being able to access a restroom; yet today, millions of wheelchair users are forced to choose between dehydrating themselves before boarding a plane or avoiding air travel altogether.” ...

The secretary has made it a priority to improve service on airlines during his tenure. In 2022, six airlines were forced to pay millions of dollars in refunds to hundreds of thousands of customers and were also fined millions for causing the issues. The department’s firm stance on the side of customers has continued through this year after multiple companies have had meltdowns, stranding thousands of travelers.

All planes delivered to airlines starting in 2026 must include several upgrades. Planes already in service will not need to be retrofitted unless the plane is renovated.

“These aircraft must have at least one lavatory of sufficient size to permit a passenger with a disability (with the help of an assistant, if necessary) to approach, enter, and maneuver within the aircraft lavatory, to use all lavatory facilities, and leave by means of the aircraft’s onboard wheelchair if necessary,” the DOT said in a statement.

Accessible faucets and controls, grab bars, accessible call buttons and door locks, minimum obstruction to the passage of an onboard wheelchair, and an available visual barrier for privacy are also required upgrades."

-via LGBTQ Nation, July 28, 2023

Wayyyyyyy fucking overdue but I'll take it!! Also, very nice curb cut effect: We all get to be less miserable on airplanes, and older people don't have to worry as much about airplane bathroom fall risks.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Erin Reed at Erin In The Morning:

On Friday night, Jacksonville residents took to the Main Street Bridge to celebrate Pride Month. Just weeks prior, Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration and the Florida Department of Transportation issued an edict banning rainbow-colored lighting on bridges during Pride Month, mandating that all such lighting be replaced with red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. Residents, however, were undeterred. They carried flashlights and rainbow gels, took their positions, and proceeded to light up the bridge themselves. Weeks ago, Manatee County Commission Chairman Mike Rahn objected to Pride lighting on bridges in Florida. Many bridges in the state, such as the Skyway Bridge in Tampa and the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, have been lit up in rainbow colors in previous years. This year, however, Rahn attempted to stop such lights from going up on the Skyway Bridge, formally objecting to the lighting. He expressed that the decision did not lie with him, passing the blame to Governor DeSantis. Rahn stated, “I do not have the authority to override the governor of the state of Florida. However, in my opinion, the lighting of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge is an FDOT matter and should not be left to the individual counties.”

In response, Jared Perdue of the Florida Department of Transportation declared that this year, bridges would be lit up in red, white, and blue all summer. This decision bars Pride lighting, Juneteenth lighting, and many other special lighting days on bridges in Florida. Perdue stated in a tweet, “As Floridians prepare for Freedom Summer, Florida's bridges will follow suit, illuminating in red, white, and blue from Memorial Day through Labor Day! Thanks to the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida continues to be the freest state in the nation.” The use of the word "freedom" while taking away the choice to light up bridges for Pride Month struck Matthew McCallister, who organized the bridge lighting event on Friday night, as "Orwellian." In an interview with News 4 Jax, McCallister responded to the rainbow Pride light ban, saying, “The timing of that is really strange. The idea that we are going to celebrate freedom by giving you absolutely no choices seems Orwellian, honestly.”

Really happy to hear that some Florida cities told Ron DeSantis “up yours” to his anti-LGBTQ+ ways. 🏳️‍🌈

[swvaux]

Drivers should soon face paying a ‘tyre tax’ to help address emissions

The Department for Transport (DfT) have hired consultants to review how the UK can crack down on rising emissions – and this has led to suggestions that a ‘tyre tax’ could be introduced.

The Department for Transport (DfT) have hired consultants to review how the UK can crack down on rising emissions – and this has led to suggestions that a ‘tyre tax’ could be introduced. (more…) “”

[aaronjhill]

But the risk of being ticketed and fined in a foreign country does not seem like a good plan.

[fucxingcuties]

MOO DENG IS EVERYWHERE!!!

[railsistem]

UK: Class 700 Thameslink Fleet to Undergo ETCS Upgrade

As part of the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), industry partners have signed a 32.7 million GBP contract to upgrade the Class 700 Thameslink fleet to the latest specification of European Train Control System (ETCS). This five-year contract was signed by Cross London Trains, the Department for Transport (DfT), Govia Thameslink Railway, Network Rail and Siemens Mobility. Representatives from…

[alphamecha-mkii]

ILM Art Department Challenge - Survivor - AT-AT Transport by Joshua Cairos

[insidecroydon]

'Difficult decisions' as TfL gives green light for new tram fleet

Transport for London confirmed this week that it is to replace the oldest trams in its fleet on the Croydon to Beckenham and Wimbledon network, with procurement to begin in 2024 in what could cost at least £50million. End of the line: after 23 years’ hard work, the original Bombardier trams are due for replacement The Croydon tram network opened in 2000, and the original fleet of 24…

[watford-herts-london]

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill reappointed as Chair of Network Rail

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill has been reappointed as the Chair of Network Rail to serve a further two years, the Transport Secretary announced today (8 June).  Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill will serve a further two years as Chair of Network Rail As Chair of the Board, he will oversee Network Rail’s multi-billion-pound budget to run a safe, reliable and efficient…

[narwhalsarefalling]

i got a seizure from watching Avatar 2 and now I can’t drive for six months