Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Friday, 29 June 2012

BBC News

• New Royston railway underpass connects town Pedestrians in a Hertfordshire town divided by a railway line can now cross it without a long detour.
• Heavy rain: Transport disruption expected Major transport routes are expected to be disrupted for a second day after storms and torrential downpours caused flash floods across parts of the UK.
• Landslides block main rail linesBoth the main rail lines connecting Scotland and England are blocked by landslides as heavy rains lash parts of the UK.
• Smart travel card funding securedAn integrated travel card, similar to London's Oyster Card system, will be developed for Greater Manchester, it is announced.
• Call centres strike over 2012 payStaff in Transport for London's call centres plan to strike for 24 hours as they are refused a bonus for the Olympics, a union says.
• New bus strikes in 2012 bonus rowLondon bus staff are to hold two fresh strikes in a row over Olympic bonuses, including a walkout days before the Games start.

Department for Transport

• Transport statistics The Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics: Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain Main Results: 2011 Road Traffic Statistics in Great Britain: 2011 Road Lengths Statistics in Great Britain: 2011 Free Flow Vehicle Speeds Statistics in Great Britain: 2011 Driver and rider tests and instructor statistics (Annual 2011/12)
• £22 Million transport package for Ipswich gets go-ahead Work on a new £22 million package of sustainable town centre transport measures in Ipswich has been given the final go ahead by Transport Minister Norman Baker today.
• Putting aviation red tape under the spotlight Passengers and the aviation industry are being given the chance to cut red tape to make life easier for passengers and boost business.
• Four Non-Executive Directors appointed to HS2 Ltd Transport Secretary Justine Greening today announced the appointment of four Non-Executive Directors to the Board of HS2 Ltd, completing a recruitment process which started in January.

Financial Times

• Iran disguises tankers in sanctions name gameShips™ new identities is the latest episode of a cat-and-mouse game between Tehran and Western officials tracking the country™s oil exports
• Ryanair seeks uplift from turbulenceThe macroeconomic backdrop and the steady reconfiguration of the European airline sector are two good reasons for O™Leary to renew his pursuit of Aer Lingus
• Union plans pre-Olympics bus strikesLondon™s transport bosses face the prospect of a capital-wide bus strike just three days before the start of the Olympic Games

The Guardian

• Boris Johnson backs Olympic bonus for London bus drivers as strikes calledLondon mayor insists bus drivers have a fair case but criticises Unite for poor handling of negotiations over bonus paymentsBoris Johnson has backed Olympic bonus payments for London transport workers, insisting that it was only fair that they should be compensated for additional work, at the same time as bus drivers announced new strike dates on 5 and 24 July, the latter only three days before the Games start.The London mayor made his comments as bus drivers continue their dispute with London operators to secure a £500 payment in line with Transport for London staff. The Unite trade union, re...

The Herald

• Swinney unveils £20m upgrade for A75A STRETCH of road on which there has been a spate of fatal crashes, including one that claimed a baby's life, is to be upgraded using money underspent by the Scottish Government last year.
• Rail chaos as Scotland is cut off by landslidesTHOUSANDS of train passengers faced delays and disruption after landslides and flooding cut off the main rail lines connecting Scotland and England.
• Rise in UK road accident deaths despite drop in Scottish figuresTHE number of people killed in road traffic accidents has increased for the first time in nine years across the UK, despite fatalities falling to an all-time low in Scotland.

The Independent

• Bus workers to stage new strikes over Olympic bonus paymentLondon bus workers are to stage two fresh strikes in a dispute over an Olympics bonus, including one walkout just days before the Games start.Related StoriesMemorial to Bomber Command unveiled in Green ParkFears grow for missing kayaker in NorwayHusband guilty in dog sex caseLibyans take Straw to court over 'rendition'Boiler engineer questioned over Oldham gas blast death

The Scotsman

• Passengers evacuated from train after fire breaks out in engine Passengers have been evacuated after a fire started in the engine of a train.

The Telegraph

• London's Emirates Air Line cable car service launchesEmirates Air Line, the UK's first urban cable car, is now operating between the O2 and the ExCeL conference centre in London.
• Boris Johnson opens cable car crossing over River Thames in time for OlympicsBoris Johnson opens new Thames crossing in time for Olympics.
• Scotland cut off as 'superstorms', floods and landslips close main rail linksHundreds of rail passengers were left stranded on Thursday night after freak thunderstorms left England and Scotland cut off from each other.

Mail Online

• Railways posters depicting traditional British beach scenes set to fetch thousands at auctionA set of posters, created to inspire Britons to take the train for holidays at resorts like Plymouth, Clacton-on-Sea and Cromer, are set to fetch thousands at auction.
• London 2012 Olympics crossing: Boris Johnson tries new £50m River Thames cable carUp to 2,500 passengers an hour can be carried over the Thames by the new 300ft high Emirates Air Line which was opened by the Mayor today.
• Road death toll rises for the first time in a decade with worrying increase in cyclist and pedestrian fatalities Deaths on Britain’s roads rose last year for the first time in nearly a decade, official figures reveal.

ATOC

• Overall satisfaction with rail services near record levelsIn response to the publication of the latest National Passenger Survey, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC),...

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham Airport launches hunt for best curry in the cityBIRMINGHAM Airport is appealing to restaurants across the region to cook up a curry which will go down a storm with customers worldwide.

Birmingham Post

• Work begins on new John Lewis store at Birmingham New Street siteFour men leading the £600 million transformation of Birmingham’s New Street station and the Pallasades shopping centre gathered together for the first time to see how work is progressing.
• £32m fund to improve public transport and promote green travelTransport chiefs have been handed a £33 million fighting fund to help tackle congestion, reduce carbon emissions and kick start the regional economy.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Train services to Edinburgh to be affected as heavy rain floods railwaysTRAIN services to the Capital have been hit after torrential rain flooded railways in the north of England.Rail and train bosses said there would be no services running on the east coast line north of Newcastle until floodwaters and debris dumped on the track by a landslip near Berwick-upon-Tweed was cleared.

Liverpool Echo

• Cllr Liam Robinson elected as new Merseytravel chair following controversial departure of Cllr Mark Dowd THE new head of the region’s transport authority has been appointed after the controversial departure of its former leader.

London Evening Standard

• Rain and floods wreak travel havoc Widespread disruption is expected to blight major transport routes for a second day after fierce storms and torrential downpours caused flash floods across parts of the UK.
• Two bus strikes to go ahead in row over bonus payments days before Olympic Games beginTwo more 24-hour London wide bus strikes were ordered today in the escalating row over bonus payments - one of them just three days before the opening of the Olympic Games.
• BA chief: We need a new hub airport to take place of HeathrowBritain's top airline boss Willie Walsh wants a new four-runway hub airport to replace Heathrow within 25 years.
• New airport is better idea than high-speed rail, says Boris aideBoris Johnson's aviation adviser claims there is a better business case for building a Thames Estuary airport than for the High Speed 2 rail line.
• Crossrail station in Portobello ˜would bring £700m into area™The campaign for a new œPortobello Central� Crossrail station has been boosted by a report which says it would inject almost £700 million into the local economy and create 2,000 jobs.
• First picture: On board the new Thames cable car launched by mayor Boris JohnsonCommuting by cable car came to the UK today as a River Thames crossing with a difference was set to open to the public.

Manchester Evening News

• Runaway bus with passengers on board crashes into barriers while driver gets a drink in MiddletonA runaway bus with passengers on board crashed into a safety barrier “ after the driver forgot to put the handbrake on when he went to get a drink. Witnesses watched in horror as the single-decker, operated by JP Travel, rolled into a wall at Middleton bus station.

Metro

• More rail passengers feel trains are bad valueThe number of passengers who think their rail ticket is value for money has dropped. Commuters think train prices are too high (Picture: Stock) A total of 42 per cent of people were satisfied with the value for money of their ticket in spring 2012, compared with 44 per cent in spring 2011, Passenger Focus said.Nationally, the proportion of passengers satisfied was 83 per cent in spring 2012, compared with 84 per cent a year earlier. For individual train companies, the lowest ratings for satisfaction were given to Greater Anglia “ 73 per cent, First Capital Connect with 79 per cent, Northern...
• London™s new form of river crossing is dramatically trumped by the SwissAs London unveiled its £44million mid-air minibus yesterday, we were trumped by the Swiss, who unleashed a double-decker version with its very own sundeck. View from the top: A handful of brave souls enjoy a ride on the world™s first ever convertible cable car (Picture: Reuters) Typical, eh “ you wait for one new cable car to come along, then two arrive at the same timeSpectacular views across the Swiss Alps were enjoyed by the first people brave enough to board the 1.9km (1.2-mile) high Cabrio.But for those who quickly discovered they were prone to vertigo, there was a lower floor “ albeit ...
• Landslides caused by torrential rain could mean rail line chaosRail passengers could face severe delays after torrential rain caused landslides on the two main lines between England and Scotland. Heavy rain is causing chaos around the country (Picture: PA) The east coast route was closed last night by a 30-tonne landslip near  Berwick and the west coast was hit by several landslides between Lancaster and Carlisle. Network Rail said crews were working overnight but warned: ˜The 30-tonne landslip is a big job and we can™t be certain when the line will be open.™ The heavy rain in the north-east resulted in Newcastle station being closed by flooding. It even...

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Newcastle storm update @11.30pm: Metro off all night, Tyne Tunnel open, some roads still closedFLASH floods and storms have hit the North East causing disruptions to travel in and out of Newcastle. Flooding has hit the city centre, as well as Central Station and the Metro system.

Northern Echo

• Initial stages of Hitachi Rail project will create 500 jobs Organisers of the Hitachi Rail Amazon Park Open Day said they were overwhelmed by the number of businesses that attended today's event.

Nottingham Evening Post

• £10m Government boost to improve public transportMORE than £10 million has been pledged towards improving public transport in Nottingham.

Sheffield Star

• £24.6m transport boost to increase employment SOUTH Yorkshire has been handed almost £25 million of government funding to improve public transport links and make it easier for people to travel to work.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Markings could drive you round bend “ wrong way Red-faced roads bosses have held their hands up after painting the wrong markings on the A90 in Aberdeenshire.

The York Press

• Chinese transport chiefs meet their counterparts in York THESE Chinese transport chiefs met their counterparts in York to swap ideas about how to keep cities on the move.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Transport: High speed rail plan still on track A Labour MP called on the Government today to confirm its High Speed 2 rail plans are still on track.

Yorkshire Post

• Trolleybus decision expected next monthA FINAL decision on the long-delayed trolleybus scheme in Yorkshire is expected within a matter of weeks.
• Minister calls case for £500m Northern Hub scheme ˜powerful™The North of England has made a “powerful case” for the Government to fund its £500m Northern Hub package of proposed rail improvements, the Transport Secretary said as she prepared to reveal key spending plans next month.
• Roads and rail lines blocked as storms sweep inStorms left a trail of destruction yesterday as they swept across the country leaving one man dead, roads and rail lines blocked and properties inundated.
• Thames cable car commuters take offCommuting by cable car came to the UK yesterday as a River Thames crossing with a difference opened to the public.

Other Regional Press

• Ipswich: Transport finance cleared to allow new road network to be completed Ipswich Fit for the 21st Century is aimed at improving transport links in and around the town centre – especially for public transport operators, cyclists and pedestrians.
• Green transport schemes get £20m boost A NEW dedicated pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Thames could now be built after the Government awarded nearly £21 million for ‘green’ travel schemes in the borough.
• Anger over HGV Sunday ban callHaulage firms across Lancashire have criticised calls for HGVs to be banned from motorways on a Sunday.
• MP in rail fares rowA senior Kent MP has criticised the government for failing to say how much rail fares might be when a new franchise is awarded.
• Huddersfield bus driver swaps the 232 for London 2012A BUS driver is swapping the 232 for London 2012.

Bus and Coach.com

• Bournemouth gets œbiggest investment�What is claimed as the biggest investment ever by a bus operator in the Bournemouth area has seen Wilts & Dorset spend £5,5million on 36 new Volvo B7RLEs with Wrightbus Eclipse bodies for its More services.
• Arriva buys ambulance operatorArriva has acquired Birmingham-based specialist patient transport company Ambuline.
• Coach infrastructure callMore needs to be done to improve infrastructure for coaches in European cities, according to Eurolines president John Gilbert, addressing a meeting of passenger industry representatives in Brussels.
• Buses drive revenue at StagecoachRevenue was up at Stagecoach Group for the year to 30 April, but a healthy performance by the group's bus operations in the UK and North America was in sharp contrast to a downturn in the profitability of the group's rail business.

Global Rail News

• Mumbai monsoon causes rail disruptionTrains in Mumbai suffered delays of up to an hour after heavy rain caused mass travel disruption across the city. The worst hit areas were the suburbs of Kandivili and Malad, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recording maximum rainfall of 45mm on Thursday (June 28). More heavy rain has been forecast in the Konkan [...]
• A mindset, not an initiativeWrites Steve Wiskin Generally speaking, initiatives are designed to solve a problem in the short term and then they disappear. Considering how important safety is, when Atkins developed the Safe by Choice programme (SbC), it was conceived, not as a short-term solution, but as a way to change people™s behaviour, so that safey would be [...]
• Red Cross team up with Network Rail for the OlympicsFirst aid responders from the British Red Cross will be teaming up with Network Rail to help Olympic visitors stay safe this summer. A 220-strong team  of expert first aiders will work shifts around the clock at King’s Cross, Paddington, London Bridge, Liverpool Street and Victoria from July 27 to August 12. An estimated 20 [...]
• VIA to axe 200 jobsCanadian rail company VIA expects to cut 200 full-time positions as a result of reduced services across the network. The company has pledged to maintain service on current routes but has said it will be adjusting the number of trains on certain lines to “better reflect customer demand”. Passengers will see changes to services between [...]
• Wimbledon rail guideTaking in some tennis this summer? Check out what service will get you where, so you don’t miss out on any of the action. Tube From central London take the westbound District Line to either Southfields or Wimbledon tube station. You can then either walk, taker a taxi or board a connecting London General shuttle [...]
• Forth Bridge warningThe Forth Rail Bridge is located nine miles to the west of Edinburgh. It is regarded as a crowning achievement of Victorian steel bridge building and its robust cantilever structure was designed to combat the high winds that had caused the failure of the Tay Bridge with significant loss of life eleven years earlier in [...]
• Rail fare satisfaction continues to fallThe number of passengers who are satisfied with the cost of their train ticket has continued to fall, a new survey has found. Rail watchdog Passenger Focus found that 42 per cent of customers were satisfied with value for money for the price of their train ticket compared to 44 per cent in spring 2011. [...]
• Developing infrastructure projectsSimon Kirby, Network Rail™s managing director, infrastructure projects, spoke in the rail engineer seminar theatre at Infrarail recently and outlined his thoughts and objectives for the new Network Rail Infrastructure Projects business which he is setting up. It will have quite an impact on the industry, so it is worth reporting what he had to [...]

The Business Desk

• Optare eyes profits following factory move BUS manufacturer Optare today said it was on course to move into the black as the effects of its restructuring and sale to Indian firm Ashok Leyland bear fruit.
• Deadline looms for applications to National Express Foundation COLLEGES and community groups in the West Midlands have until tomorrow to apply to the National Express Foundation for funding.
• Network Rail extends Piccadilly parking NETWORK Rail is set to complete a £4.2m extension of the car parking facilities at Manchester Piccadilly station next month.
• Stobart keeps moving forwards STOBART Group said that it had "continued to make progress" during the first four months of its new financial year, which began on March 1.
• Region lands £57m of transport cash THE North West has secured £57m of a £266m Department for Transport fund aimed at promoting greener travel schemes.

Aviation Industry

• Portugal flights to be hit by five-day strikeAirlines cancel and reschedule services due to air traffic controllers™ walkout
• Manchester boosted by new European flightsTAP Portugal and BA franchise Sun Air to add services from airport
• Ryanair cuts Morocco flights in row over chargesAirline claims Moroccan airport authority has œreneged� on an agreement

Other News Sources

• Virgin Trains is Best in Class Again Virgin Trains has once again been given top marks by its customers, with the highest satisfaction ratings ever achieved in the National Passenger Survey by a long-distance rail franchise operator.
• Shipowners take more than half a billion in tax relief - but give nothing in return, says RMTUK SHIPOWNERS have pocketed £670 million in tonnage-tax relief since the turn of the century, but have betrayed taxpayers by failing miserably to provide promised employment and training opportunities for UK ratings, maritime union RMT reveals today.
• TFL Olympics strike action on as bosses refuse ACAS talksSTAFF WORKING directly for Transport for London will go ahead with strike action on Sunday over the total and abject failure of the organisation to offer any kind of recognition and reward for the huge increase in workload and pressure arising from the extended Olympics period and for attempting to impose changes to working conditions and a unilateral ban on annual leave in some departments.
• Transport chiefs warn unions in advance of expected spate of Olympics breakdownsRail union RMT revealed today that transport chiefs have warned the unions in internal meetings to expect a massive increase in train breakdowns as every unit of clapped out rolling stock is dragged out of the sidings and pressed into service to try and cope with the surge in Olympics demand.
• Merseytravel announce new ChairCouncillor Liam Robinson has been named as the new Chair of Merseytravel, following his election at The Authority’s Annual General Meeting today (Thursday 28 June).
• News from Darren Johnson: Cable car welcomed, but for Londoners not just tourists 28 June, 2012 Darren Johnson will be attending the launch of the cable car tomorrow (Thursday 28th June) and is available for comment. Darren Johnson commissioned the report in 2008 on river crossings by Professors Phil Goodwin and John Whitelegg which led to the cable car idea being taken up by Transport for London. Darren commented, 360-house-thumb.jpg No read more
• Assembly throws its weight behind TfL's bid for more rail control 28 June, 2012 - 11:31 The London Assembly today backed Transport for London™s (TfL) proposal to take control of Southeastern and West Anglia™s inner suburban routes, calling the devolution of suburban rail franchises a once in a generation opportunity to improve rail services in the capital. In its response to the Government™s consultation on rail decentralisation[1] the Committee cites TfL™s transformation of  the former Silverlink franchise into the London Overground[2], which has seen passenger numbers triple and customer sat...
• News from Jenny Jones AM:œDepressing" rise in number of cyclists & pedestrians killed or seriously injured 29 June, 2012 The number of killed or seriously injured (KSIs) cyclists has risen by 22%, according to figures from Transport for London. The number of pedestrians killed and seriously injured has also increased for the first time in several years. In 2010 there were 467 cyclist KSIs, rising to 571 in 2011. For pedestrians, KSIs increased from 913 in 2010 to 980 last year. Jenny Jones said: 360-house-thumb.jpg Yes read more
• Cambridge fire-fighters achieve top awards at Gatwick AirportCambridge Airport is extremely pleased to announce that two of its Fire-Fighters (Matthew Lee and Colin Garrett) received awards from Gatwick Airport for achieving top student of the year for the fire-fighter courses in 2010 and 2011.