Latest news with #publictransport
ABC News
3 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Melbourne's Metro Rail Tunnel may not be fully operational when it opens, with report two stations are behind schedule
The Victorian Government has backed down from initial denials that Melbourne's $15 billion Metro Rail Tunnel project would not be fully operational when it opens at the end of the year. Nine newspapers have reported some train services will run through the nine-kilometre twin tunnels this year but peak hour services would divert to the City Loop until early 2026, despite the project being spruiked as opening this year. The report suggested the delay was due to construction of two of the project's five underground stations – Town Hall and State Library – failing to meet completion deadlines. Government frontbencher Steve Dimopoulos fronted the media on Saturday morning and initially said the report was wrong. But, when pushed by further questioning, changed his stance to suggest the article was 'pre-emptive'. 'We haven't landed the timetable,' Mr Dimopoulos said. Mr Dimopoulos said he did not expect any disappointment from commuters if services were not to run at full capacity. 'If you think of the complexity here … I don't think people are going to be anything but overjoyed when they walk through those five stations. 'This is a huge project, that's what I think people will be embracing.' He took a shot at the anonymous sources the newspaper article was based on. 'Anonymity comes with a lack of responsibility.' Metro Rail has notched up hundreds of millions of dollars in cost blow-outs and there were already known issues with station construction, including a shortage of construction workers, supply chain constraints and disruptions caused by COVID-19, that had pushed back the opening date from March 2025 to as far as the new year. Mr Dimopoulos said that deferred completion date should not be seen as a delay. 'When the government announced it in 2015 and you go back to those records, the premier then said it would be open in late 2026," he said. "It'll be open by the end of this year so it's a year early.' Opposition leader Brad Battin said the government had implied the project would be fully operational by this year.. "No one knows when it's going to open, no one knows which stations will open and no one knows how many trains will be able to go through during peak and off-peak times," he said. Mr Battin called on the government to guarantee it would not pay the builders any bonuses if they failed to complete the full project by the end of the year.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Edinburgh train passenger caught performing 'sex act' on man as probe launched
Transport police are appealing for witnesses after a woman was caught performing a sex act on a man onboard an Edinburgh train. The couple boarded the ScotRail Glasgow to Edinburgh Waverley service at Glasgow Queen Street at 7pm on Saturday, June 8. They sat in the seats closest to the doors at the back of the train and shortly after it departed, the female was observed performing a sex act on the man before they were caught by a guard doing his checks. READ MORE: Edinburgh police erect cordon near cemetery as officer stands guard READ MORE: Three 'sorry' as Edinburgh man 'unable to dial 999' after mum goes 'missing' British Transport Police detectives say the couple have since been identified but witnesses are being asked to come forward. The man was white, in his late thirties, of regular build, with a greying short scruffy beard, facial tattoos. He was wearing a black baseball cap, black hoody and jeans and was carrying a black backpack. The woman was white, in her thirties, of regular build with blonde hair and was wearing a dark fur coat and black trousers. Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP by calling 0800 40 50 40 or by texting 61016 – with reference 554 of 8 June. Information can also be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
CTV News
10 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Winnipeg's new transit network set to launch this weekend
A major overhaul of Winnipeg's transit network is set to begin this weekend. On Sunday, Winnipeg Transit is launching its new primary network and feeder routes. The goal of the overhaul is to improve efficiency and reliability by running buses on primary routes that are considered simpler and straighter. At peak times, buses will run as often as every five to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the feeder route system, which connects to the primary network, is designed to reach community and connector routes to avoid congested areas. Ahead of Sunday, the city is reminding riders that bus stops will change, with some being added, removed or shifted to new locations. More information on the new transit network, including schedules, stops and routes, is available online.
Bloomberg
12 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Philadelphia Transit Braces for Sweeping Service Cuts
Philadelphia commuters are set to lose dozens of bus routes, rail stations and five rail lines starting August 24, after the city's transit agency SEPTA voted on Thursday to approve a 2026 budget that slashes services by 45%. The budget will also raise fares by 21.5% as officials continue to press the state for help addressing a $213 million operating deficit. Since the Covid pandemic, mass transit across the US — faced with a collective $6 billion shortfall — has been hurtling toward a ' death spiral,' in which sweeping cuts decimate ridership, leading to declining revenues and further service reductions. Few systems are under more financial pressure than SEPTA, whose officials warn that the repercussions 'will be almost impossible to reverse,' and are likely to affect people well beyond the city, Sri Taylor reports. Today on CityLab: Philadelphia Transit System Votes to Cut Service by 45%, Hike Fares
The Independent
15 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Why does London get so hot?
Another heatwave is forecast with weekend temperatures in the south of England set to soar to as high as 30C degrees on Sunday. Then, on Monday, the Met Office has predicted temperatures could reach a sweltering 34C degrees in London. Met Office spokesman Graham Madge said: 'Temperature models have been edging up slowly and we do believe that the temperatures will be the hottest on Monday in this heatwave period.' He added that it is 'most likely be an isolated temperature somewhere in the South East, London or maybe Cambridge.' It could mean the country could see its hottest June day, with the previous record standing at 35.6C, recorded at both at Southampton Mayflower Park on June 28 1976 and at Camden Square, north London, on June 29 1957. So, why does it get so hot in the capital? And is there a reason London heat feels so much more unbearable? Lack of air conditioning Unlike other countries around the world that experience temperatures above 30C degrees, most houses in the UK are not fortunate enough to have air conditioning to escape the heat. While there are air-conditioned shops and offices in London, not all public transport has the luxury – resulting in some very sticky commutes. However, although air-conditioning in city centre shops offer some relief, waste heat from air conditioners and vehicles can add warmth to the surroundings, increasing temperatures. Buildings are designed for cold weather For most of the year, weather in the UK is not baking sunshine, but instead a chillier climate, as a result houses are designed to keep the heat in. The country focuses on making homes insulated to reduce energy usage and retain heat in winter, but that means it can get very hot in the summer. Dr Oscar Brousse, an expert in Urban Meteorology at University College London, told the Independent: 'Buildings absorb heat efficiently because of their radiative and thermal properties induced by the common materials we use to build them.' She added: 'These properties can be changed, by implementing green or cool roofs, for example.' Concentration of people in urban areas The urban heat island effect is another phenomenon that occurs with a dense population. 'Living in a city can increase vulnerability to heat. Many deaths during heatwaves occur because of the combined effect of high temperatures and the urban micro-climate,' the Met Office has warned previously. Buildings absorb rather than reflect the sun's heat, the forecaster explained. Dr Brousse added: 'Buildings also release heat really efficiently and can cool down quickly. 'The issue in urban environments is that this heat is then radiated back to surrounding buildings, therefore delaying the cooling process and leading to the so-called 'urban heat island effect', particularly pronounced in the early morning just before sunrise; the coolest hours of the day.' In cities like London, tall buildings and narrow streets reduce wind speeds, and the removal of trees reduces the natural cooling effect of shading and evaporation, the Met Office said. Air pollution Pollution from car fumes and planes overhead not only decreases air quality but also increase heat by trapping it in. 'Air pollution can also cause the effect of a micro greenhouse gas layer, stopping heat from radiating back into the atmosphere,' the Met Office said. Dr Brousse said: 'Certain aerosols may indeed impact incoming solar radiation, in particular, and reflect back part of the incoming energy, thus having a protective effect. 'It can also contribute to increase cloud coverage which have important implications on heating/cooling of land during day/night.' London's location The record-breaking temperatures are often recorded in London and Kent - which are the furthest South and East parts of the British Isles. Dr Brousse explained that heatwaves tend to come from southern and eastern continental climates. He said: 'As they progress further North, they lose energy, thereby making Southerner parts hotter relatively speaking. 'All of this contributes to hotter temperatures on average in the southeast of England. On top of this, London observes a pronounced urban heat island which further increases the average temperatures experienced in the city.'
