Author Mike Maybin is taking individuals in Belfast for a flight. In the best possible method. For, in a brand-new book, the retired Finaghy male is guiding his readers on a nostalgic journey through the past, narrating the city's ever-changing transport system along the way. On his trip, Mike guides his "travelers" from the days of horse buses and trams in the 1860s to the very various horsepower these days in ultra-modern Metro monsters and the prepared Rapid Transit System.And, while the buses in the book's excellent range of photos might have changed considerably through the years, the streets in many of them are quickly recognisable-- even in black and white.Compiling the 144-page publication, Belfast Transportation: From Horse Cable Car to City, has actually been a labour of love for Mike, who was a wannabe bus driver in his youth, however never ever quite got to be what he wished to be.Instead, Mike ended up being a social worker, prior to running a shop and then discovering employment in the Prison Service.But, all the while, the magic of the buses never ever lost its lustre for Mike, who's now 72. "I have actually always been amazed by public transport,"he states."I can still remember seeing cable cars at an extremely early age as they were fluctuating the Ormeau Roadway near to where I lived and I was constantly thrilled by them. My mother used to take me to the Ardoyne depot and I remained in my component." Thus many other kids, I wished to be a bus chauffeur when I grew up, but it never ever occurred."However, much later on in life, I did get to drive a jail bus taking people back and forward to courts, so that was something."The constantly hectic Mike has previously penned 5 books about different elements of transportation in Belfast, including 30 years of the old trolleybuses, which ultimately vanished in 1968. At one point, 245 of the double-deckers were running over 17 routes and Mike's book wasn't the only homage to them.For a young John Laird-- now Lord Laird-- turned his old schoolboy cinecamera video of them into a DVD.But like the buses themselves, another Maybin book is always coming along.Mike's newest work is a genuine charabanc of colourful stories and many equally colourful images of buses from bygone periods-- photos that make certain to stimulate memories for thousands of people."I have actually aimed the book at the nostalgia market. It's not a definitive and scholastic history of transportation in Belfast, but that is the next project I am working on,"states Mike, whose reflections in the brand-new publication are generally about enjoyable times and progress.But one section is devoted to the darker days throughout the Troubles, when buses were the easiest of targets for terrorists and rioters.For technical factors, Mike hasn't been able to include photos of the burnt-out buses. He does set out the shocking data of the attacks on them, which cost millions of pounds.He states that, between 1969 and 2005, a total of 1,512 buses from the Belfast Corporation/Citybus and Ulster Transportation Authority (UTA)/ Ulsterbus fleets were destroyed.Many were utilized as barriers, or to transport bombs, and the situation was so grim that groups of workers used to go to England on a routine basis to drive previously owned lorries back to Northern Ireland as replacements and to build up a reserve fleet.As the terrorists stepped up their offensive to drive the buses off the streets, it was matched by a steely willpower within the transportation sector to keep the service going. Mike states:"The buses brought over from Britain used to come in all shapes, sizes and colours, but they got the job done. There wasn't even time to clean a few of them prior to they remained in situ and one of them famously still had a London ticket box on it." Unfortunately, upwards of 12 bus motorists were eliminated throughout the Troubles and the Oxford Street depot in Belfast was the scene of a horrific Individual Retirement Account battle on Bloody Friday in 1972. Mention buses and bombs in the very same sentence, of course, and one man springs to mind.That's German-born Werner Heubeck, the executive who risked his life to thwart the terrorists and to save lives-- and his buses.Mr Heubeck made himself a headline-grabbing reputation as a brave hero, who typically carried bombs off his buses.It was likewise chosen to paint a yellow line on the side of buses to show to the Army where the interior flooring level was, so that bomb groups would have a rough concept where to aim if they were attempting to shoot at a suspect device on the vehicle.Mike's book likewise exposes, nevertheless, that Mr Heubeck saved the bus companies he took control of at a time of crisis.Mr Heubeck had no experience of transport, however he still landed the job of managing director of the Ulster Transportation Authority(UTA ), which had actually been making major losses.In 1967, Heubeck released a major revamp of the organisation, which he rebranded as Ulsterbus. He also cut staffing and controversially phased out conductors.Eventually, Mr Heubeck turned the fortunes of Ulsterbus and Citybus around and his contribution is acknowledged by Mike, who sourced a lot of his pictures from the collections of established photographers like Alexander Hogg and Robert Welch, whose work was utilized in commercial postcards. A number of the other photos were taken by bus and tram lovers."Some of them are also my own-- especially the among model buses, "states Mike."But much of them also originated from a pal of mine, Raymond Bell, who is not just an enthusiast, but also an Ulsterbus motorist. "Some years ago, Mike and a number of fellow transportation aficionados remained in the driving seat, so to speak, of a campaign to convince the Government to present a Quick Transit System in Belfast, like the ultra-successful Luas in Dublin. "Unfortunately, we never ever got it,"says Mike."But what we are going to see in Belfast is a bus rapid transportation system in September of this year. "Its new' glider' lorries, which belong to a ₤ 90m investment strategy, were revealed late in 2015 and they appear like trams on wheels.But Mike says:" They're generally buses, in the sense they have diesel engines and rubber wheels. It's a sort of a compromise in between the existing City and the Luas and will connect east and west Belfast and the Titanic Quarter via the city centre. "Mike plainly rues the failure to generate a complete cable car service as a missed chance for Belfast." Most major continental cities have comprehensive tramway systems. And a lot of locations in Germany which have them are smaller sized than Belfast," he states." 7 English cities, like Nottingham and Manchester, have opened second-generation cable car systems, which have proved popular. I believe it's highly not likely now that we will ever have anything like that here."Mike states he's interested with more than simply how the appearance of transport in Belfast has actually evolved down the years." A lot of individuals are only thinking about the lorries, however I have constantly had a wider fascination with not only what occurred, but why it took place,"he adds. "I've constantly would like to know exactly what the politics were behind the development of transportation in Belfast and exactly what the economic pressures were."As for the future, Mike says he stay s confident."Exactly what's great is that the Metro service is going through a slow growth after several years of decrease and stagnation. And the growth is likewise obvious in Northern Ireland Railways and I understand that senior people in the transportation business have a very clear vision for growth,"he says.Holidays for Mike regularly centre on European cities which have current transportation systems.And when he went to visit his child in New Zealand recently he arranged his travel plan to ensure his outbound and homebound travel consisted of San Francisco, Toronto, Melbourne and Hong Kong.The common denominator? All the cities have trams.Belfast Transport: From Horse Cable Car to City by Mike Maybin is published by Fonthill Media, priced ₤ 14.99 Belfast Telegraph Digital Sourcehttps://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/archive/places/belfast-man-charts-a-nostalgic-course-through-citys-everchanging-transport-system-36500969.html from http://taxi.nearme.host/belfast-man-charts-a-nostalgic-course-through-citys-ever-changing-transportation-system/
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The Winner of Public Transport App of the Year 2017 is... Masabi's JustRide!On Wednesday the 5th of April at the prestigious SmartRail Innovation Awards duringSmartRail Europe in Amsterdam, Masabi’s JustRide Mobile Ticketing Platform was named Public Transport App of the Year 2017.
The award category was set up to reflect the fact that Apps have quickly become an important and integral part of passenger communication, convenience and engagement for most transit agencies around the globe. To reflect this the SmartRail Innovation Awards launched a search for the best app currently on offer to transit passengers in Europe. A panel of transit professionals assessed each of the shortlisted entries. The panel was made up of:
James Gooch, Head of Marketing at Masabi commented on the award win “We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to be awarded by such an esteemed panel of judges, at one of the transport industry's most prestigious awards. Being recognised for the innovative work we are doing to help improve the passenger experience and bring innovation, data insight and cost savings to transport providers is something we are very proud of. Masabi’s JustRide mobile ticketing platform has defined the standard in mobile ticketing deployments, delighting passengers and transport providers alike and the list of cities and transport networks around the world where the JustRide mobile ticketing solution is being deployed continues to grow.” Masabi’s JustRide platform is a cloud-based, deployment-proven, end-to-end mobile ticketing and fare collection system. It comprises award-winning apps for ticket purchase and display together with back-end infrastructure for secure payments, ticket management, customer service, reporting and real-time analytics, and a complete validation suite for use on smartphones, gate lines or stand alone readers. It has been successfully deployed in cities across the world including Athens, London, Preston, Birmingham, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas – with many more set to come on stream throughout 2017. To read the full list of award winners and for more on the awards and SmartRail Europe please click here. Sourcehttp://blog.masabi.com/blog/the-winner-of-public-transport-app-of-the-year-2017-is...-masabis-justride from http://taxi.nearme.host/the-winner-of-public-transport-app-of-the-year-2017-is-masabis-justride/ South eastern trains: Department for Transportation announces strategies for more train capability4/30/2018 Plans have been unveiled to boost train capacity - with space for at least an extra 40,000 passengers per day on the Southeastern network. The Department for Transport announced today it will introduce improved, longer, more comfortable trains and fast wifi connectivity by 2022. The region will also become the first in the country to have a new joint team running day-to-day operations for track and train to cut delays and improve performance. A Southeastern train. Picture: Southeastern But the next operator of the South Eastern franchise will be told to remove first-class accommodation on all services within 18 months of taking over - to increase space for all commuters. The plans announced today by Rail Minister Paul Maynard come as the competition for the next company to run the franchise was launched today. Under the plans, the network will be the first in the country where a single director is responsible for a joint team, made up from the train operator and Network Rail, that operates the trains and the tracks and is accountable for the performance of the network. Bidders will need to show how they can deliver extra services and more space for passengers on services across the region, as well as providing greater connectivity, smarter ticketing systems and improved compensation.
Rail Minister Paul Maynard said: "We are investing in the biggest railway modernisation for over a century. Today marks a major step forward in giving passengers better journeys across the South East and beyond. "We’ve listened carefully to passengers and have introduced innovative new plans that see smoother, more comfortable journeys for passengers, with new, longer trains and more space. "South Eastern will be also - for the first time - be run by a joint team from the operator and Network Rail under a single director – responsible for day-to day performance and accountable to passengers." Southeastern has run the rail franchise across most of Kent since 2006 South Eastern services carry 640,000 passenger journeys a day, and will soon need to integrate seamlessly with future Thameslink and Crossrail services to transform the way people travel across London, the South East. The next operator must also meet tough targets for improved Wi-Fi to increase the speed of data connection and coverage on trains. And when passengers are delayed, travellers must be able to claim compensation quickly and easily when their journey is delayed by more than 15 minutes under an improved Delay Repay scheme. More than 10,000 responses were received for the Department’s consultation on the future of South Eastern. Sourcehttp://kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/major-plans-unveiled-as-southeastern-136089/ from http://taxi.nearme.host/south-eastern-trains-department-for-transportation-announces-strategies-for-more-train-capability/ A mobility car used for transporting a disabled girl to school and hospital has been smashed up by vandals days before Christmas. Ellie McLean, 11, has dwarfism and needs the specially designed car to take her to hospital appointments - but on Friday night the car was targeted by yobs. All four tyres were slashed and the back window was put through with a paving slab, with the family having to pay charges for the damage. Ellie’s sister, Kayleigh, who lives next door, said the car was parked on Delamere Road in Park End when the incident happened. She said: “I live next door and a neighbour told me that he had chased a group of lads away from the car. “The back windows were smashed in and a paving slab had been taken from the wall of my mum’s house and thrown into the car. “Every single tyre was slashed as well. A blade was left in one of the tyres but they must have came back to get it because it was missing soon after. “The wing mirrors were smashed too.” Fortunately, Ellie has not been left without transport as the family now has a courtesy car to use, but the youngster has still been left upset by the incident. Kayleigh said: “Ellie doesn’t really understand what happened but she was really scared in case the people who did this came into the home. “The car is really important because it’s used for appointments. “We’ve now got a courtesy car but my parents have had to pay charges on the other one.” And Kayleigh, who has lived in the area for 17 years, said that Park End was getting worse for anti-social behaviour. She said: “You can’t have anything around here anymore, it’s a joke. The area is getting much worse. “We’ve been trying to get cameras installed as it’s not the first time something like this has happened but we’ve got nowhere. “If we could get away from here we would.” Sourcehttp://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/car-used-transport-disabled-girl-14079749 from http://taxi.nearme.host/car-used-to-transport-disabled-girl-is-vandalised-by-thugs/ She rose through the ranks, from admin assistant to managing director of Dundee's greatest bus firm.And Elsie Turbyne, who has actually revealed she is to retire from her role at Xplore, has actually stated she hopes she has actually assisted blaze a trail for ladies in transport.Elsie, 59, will leave the firm on April 19 after practically 40 years with the service.But regardless of her long service, Elsie didn't see herself remaining in her first task"I joined the bus company, which was then owned by Tayside Regional Council, in an admin role in January 1982. "I gave it six weeks-- now 36 years later, I have actually had an excellent profession with the business." Last year, I got my long-service award for 35 years."Now, as I'm approaching my 60th birthday, I've chosen this would be a great point to retire and hand over the reins to somebody else."A Dundee homeowner for 40 years, Elsie is a familiar face to city folk, having spent the majority of her life working in the general public transport industry.From her very first role in the admin department, Elsie moved on to end up being finance supervisor for Xplore Dundee before taking up the post as handling director of the company in February 2015. She took control of the function after a successful interim duration following Phil Smith's departure.Her consultation came in the middle of Xplore's rebrand from National Express.The company has actually spent 21 years under the National Express banner and held a series of occasions celebrating twenty years in the city last year.Elsie oversaw a variety of innovations at Xplore including the relocation into wise ticketing. This saw Scotland's first wise travel bursary readily available on the National Entitlement Card(NEC)in collaboration in between the firm, Dundee and Angus College and the council.She included:"We take pride in our location in National Express Group, but it was great to develop a fresh outlook and to reclaim some of the spirit of exploration within our heritage."We truly took pleasure in working alongside the staff and trainees of Dundee and Angus College to create and establish the Xplore brand and I feel it's provided us a strong identity in this city and a vision for the future."I never ever envisioned I 'd pursue a profession in this industry and certainly never ever anticipated to stay with the company for so long, however I've enjoyed my time with Tayside Regional Council and latterly National Express. "Alongside Stagecoach founder, Ann Gloag, Elsie is thought about to be one of the leading female figures in Scotland's transportation industry.Figures produced this month show that 85%of Xplore Dundee's workforce is male.Despite this, the business says the pay gap between male and female staff members is" really narrow"to a more even stabilize in senior roles. The typical gender pay space in Xplore is listed below the UK average of 18% Although Elsie is pleased progress has been made to improve gender equality, she intends to see more females blazing a trail in the transport sector.She said:"The bus market is intriguing and challenging."I hope that I have actually assisted to lead the way for more ladies to enter it-- whether they lag the wheel or behind a desk." We require more female voices in transportation. I might be retiring, but I'm eagerly anticipating seeing how the organisation and the market continues to progress. "I wish to wish everyone well, including our customers, who are at the heart of our business. Keep capturing the bus. "I will miss out on the people I work with -- we have a terrific group here at Xplore Dundee and a real sense of sociability. " from http://taxi.nearme.host/dundee-bus-chief-hopes-to-have-actually-helped-pave-way-for-more-females-in-transport-as-she-reveals-retirement/ LUTON has become the newest UK residential or commercial property hotspot with home prices nearly ₤ 42,000 more than they were a year ago.House rates in Luton have surged at more than double the 7.5 percent annual rate development throughout the UK this year, with residential or commercial property values in the Bedfordshire borough 19.4 percent greater than they were in 2015.< img alt= "The 10 areas with the greatest home cost increases have actually risen by 18.6 per cent since 2015 Inning accordance with Halifax home information, the average home price in Luton is now ₤ 256,636, up from ₤ 214,934 a year ago.Despite being crowned number one in the list of 50 worst locations to reside in the UK in 2004, the borough has actually become popular with commuters due to its close distance to London (a one hour drive away, or 30 minutes by train) and great transportation links to places including Luton airport.The 10 locations with the highest home price rises over the in 2015 were all in London or the South East of England, stated Halifax, with Barking and Dagenham, Dunstable, Basildon, Tower Hamlets and Watford likewise on the list.At the other end of the spectrum, Aberdeen has actually seen the weakest home price development over the last year, with prices falling by 6.9 percent to reach ₤ 203,425. Bangor in Northern Ireland, Inverness in Scotland and Blackpool in the North West of England were likewise identified amongst the locations with the weakest home cost growth. HIPSTER UK Do you live in among Britain's trendiest home bubbles where home prices are skyrocketing? < a href = https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2330375/do-you-live-in-a-hipster-hotspot-where-house-prices-are-soaring/ > I SMELL A LOVE RAT As UK's leading cheating hotspots exposed, learn if you reside in among Britain's the majority of unfaithful areasHOUSE COUNTIES HOTSPOTSThe commuter towns where home rates are rising FASTER than London BRICKING IT Home costs could increase more than ₤ 50,000 in next five years-but where will they increase most? RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY HOTSPOTS How living near the M25 has pressed up home costs by 551 percent overincreases throughout 2016 are either within close travelling range of the capital or in outer London." Need in these locations has risen as significant residential or commercial property cost rises in central London over the last couple of years have caused increasing numbers of individuals to seek property in more inexpensive locations."A couple of towns have experienced price falls, with the biggest in Aberdeen. On the north east coast of Scotland, it is highly depending on the North Sea oil and gas sector."The substantial fall in oil costs in the previous couple of years has actually hit the market hard with negative impact on need for homes in the location . Price declines elsewhere have been modest. " With Aberdeen so depending on the oil and gas industry, falling oil costs have actually had an adverse influence on need for homes in the location news group? Email us at [email protected]!.?.! or call 0207 782 4368. from http://taxi.nearme.host/good-transportation-links-and-close-distance-to-london-presses-luton-to-top-of-the-list-for-home-cost-growth/ Strategies to get Cambridge from cars and trucks and onto bikes and public transport have actually been consulted with mixed reactions.Lib Dem councillor Tim Bick has spoken up about roads ending up being"overwhelmed "unless the Greater Cambridge Collaboration (previously City Offer)can get individuals onto public transport.At a meeting on Wednesday (November 22), board members of the GCP agreed to progress with a variety of procedures to alleviate blockage in the city.They consisted of a from http://taxi.nearme.host/it-will-never-be-solved-readers-have-their-say-on-transport-plans-for-cambridge/ personal app for traffic and travel, breaking news and parenting. Join by clicking the linksMr Rowe stated that the scenario was triggering a great deal of anxiety.He included that rural neighborhoods would be"devastated"if this situation were to continue with couple of selecting to live there in the future due to no school transport.Another parent from Houghton is facing a similar situation. She said: "When I applied for my child's place I knew I would have to pay for them to obtain to school-about ₤ 800 for the year-and now there isn't even a bus that I can pay for."Public transport to Oadby just does not exist."It would mean my 11 year-old having to capture several buses simply to get to school and it would take an outrageous quantity of time . What parent is going to allow that?"I have another kid I need to require to primary school so I cannot remain in 2 locations at the same time-it's impossible."Councillor Blake Discomfort, county council cabinet member for environment and transportation , stated: "We're conscious of moms and dads 'issues, nevertheless, when the Oadby secondary schools changed their age varieties, they were mindful it would trigger the council's policy of transport just being supplied to the closest or nearby Leicestershire school."As academies, that was something for those schools to take into account. Blake Pain"We have actually likewise been encouraging parents to talk to the academies to see if they have the ability to offer transportation support from the traditional catchment locations and we know that Manor High and Beauchamp have commissioned services for which parents can purchase locations if they are attending these schools. "We comprehend that Gartree was likewise taking a look at this as a choice. "We will continue to offer available spaces to fare-payers on our remaining contracted school bus services, however there are minimal locations and they're not ensured year on year." The concerned moms and dads are holding a public conference to talk about the concerns over school transport to Oadby. The conference will happen at Houghton Primary in mid April, on a date yet to be confirmed.Headteachers from Gartree High School, Beauchamp College, in addition to county councillors and MPs Alan Duncan and Neil O'Brien have actually been asked to attend.The conference has actually been arranged by the School Transport Policy group comprised of concerned parents.A statement released by Gartree High School says it wishes to"clarify matters"following numerous queries from moms and dads.< figure data-mod=image itemprop =image itemscope=itemscope itemtype=http://schema.org/ImageObject > Gartree High School The statement stated:" School transport is organised by the regional authority."Historically they have moneyed transport from some South Leicestershire villages to Oadby schools, while the Leicestershire plan of 10-14 High schools and 14-18 upper schools was in location. "However, in 2014 Leicestershire County Council spoke with on a revised school transportation policy. "The policy states that: Your child can get a free bus or train travel pass if they're primary age kids who live more than 2 miles walking range and secondary age children who live more than 3 miles strolling range to their nearest county school. "Gartree has actually not withdrawn any buses; transport is arranged by the local authority. "There have been transitional arrangements in location for those trainees presently going to Gartree High School. "They will have their transport funded while they still participate in the school. "From August 2018, students brand-new to the school will not be covered by these transitional plans. This is a Leicestershire County Council choice. "We are obviously sympathetic to households who have actually been typically part of our intake and who want to participate in Gartree, but the LCC position on funded transportation is clear. "We will be sending a letter early in the Summer term on this subject, determining if there suffices demand for transportation from villages such as Houghton, Scraptoft and Thurnby." More than 500 parents in Rhondda Cynon Taff are calling on the council to reinstate school transportation on paths which are due to be ditched in September. At a conference in September in 2015, complimentary transportation was scrapped on some routes as they were evaluated to be now safe to stroll. The council stated that the relocation might reduce school transport expenses by ₤ 206,000 which it would ensure a consistent method to school transportation arrangement across the county borough.The paths which are presently due to be eliminated from September 2018 consist of: Blaenllechau to Darran Park Primary School in Ferndale Paths to Porth County Neighborhood School, Ysgol Gyfun
from http://taxi.nearme.host/parents-state-scrapping-school-transport-will-separate-the-community/ TRANSPORTATION Secretary Chris Grayling was plunged into a fresh crisis as Ministers were blamed for adding to "passenger anguish" on the UK's greatest rail franchise.A damning report declared the Government was completely knowledgeable about the hazard of extensive strikes on Southern Rail over"driver-only"trains four years ago when it awarded the contract to operator Govia. But the National Audit Office said Ministers cannot "totally evaluate" the risk or the prospective effects on customers.The NAO included that Ministers cannot check Govia would have sufficient chauffeurs when it took control of Southern and Thameslink-- just to see a chronic lack trigger as numerous as 56,000 hold-ups in two years.The Department for Transportation was also warned by Network Rail that the network could not support an increased level of services required by the Government in the Govia contract.Govia was awarded the combined Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise utilized by 900,000 travelers taking a trip into and out of London a day in 2014. A report said that Grayling's department understood about the risk of strikes four years ago It has been dogged by industrial action by RMT over the introduction of driver-only trains for almost 2 years.But the NAO stated 38 percent of all cancellations were connected to an absence of chauffeurs and other train crew in between July 2015 and March 2017. The Federal government is now expected to pay "tens of countless pounds "a year to Govia in payment after being required to modify the terms of the existing contract.NAO chief Amyas Morse stated:"Over the last three years long-suffering passengers on the Thameslink franchise have experienced the worst efficiency on the rail network. Southern Rail held strikes over driver-only trains "Some of the problems could have been prevented if the Department had actually taken more care to consider passengers in its style of the franchise." railway.Recycle Gove Brits to get 5p for recycling plastic bottles-- as Gove ditches throwaway cup PM DERAILS 'PALE AND MALE'PM drops seven male ministers for females and ethnic minority MPs EU'S BREXIT FEARS European nations worried their economies will be clobbered by Brexit CODE OF TOAD HALL PM to smash 'Pestminster'culture with new rules to sack pervy ministers SEX TOY SACKING Minister who made his secretary purchase sex toys sacked byPM in reshuffle SEX CABBIE FEARS Black taxi rapist Worboys' complimentary to contact dozens of victims after release'"Government payouts to companies cannot deliver decent services, soaring fares and bad industrial relations are trademarks of privatised rail." He included:"This Government is not truthful with the public about rail. It sets fares however will not protect them and supports franchising while all the proof points to its failings."Labour will bring our trains backinto public ownership so that they are run in the interests of the many, not the few. "Southern Rail strike is just'part of the issue'for the'unpredictable 'serviceSource
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