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

Saturday, 28 July 2012

Financial Times

• HS2 chiefs hit out at opponentsRail project boss accuses other side of skewing the debate by relying on data designed to assess ˜a little roundabout scheme™

The Guardian

• Critical Mass cyclists arrested near Olympic StadiumRiders taking part in the pro-cycling Critical Mass event have been arrested after breaching regulations restricting their route, according to police.

The Herald

• Boost for Borders rail projectCAMPAIGNERS for a major new rail route in Scotland have welcomed a report showing local opinion has swung behind the £295 million project.

The Telegraph

• Inside Red Arrows cockpit as it conducts London 2012 Olympics fly-pastThe view from inside Red Arrows aircraft as it soars in formation over the Olympic Stadium leaving colourful trails of smokein its wake to mark the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Mail Online

• A roaring British success: From rabble to record breakers! Unnoticed, our once strike- ravaged car industry is triumphantly defying the recession- proof our industry CAN take on the worldIAN BIRRELL: Just two decades after being the world’s largest exporter of motor vehicles, the British car industry had broken down. Fast forward to today, however, and things could not be more different. The workforce may be smaller, but as the factory churns out brightly-coloured Minis — that most British of vehicles —Cowley symbolises the rebirth of our automotive industry.

Birmingham Mail

• Coach driver who killed Birmingham dad in M5 pile-up is jailedA coach driver who killed a father-of-two in a motorway pile-up in thick fog in Gloucestershire has been jailed for two years.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Birthday celebrations for Great Orme Tramway - GalleryONE of North Wales' top tourist attractions celebrates its 110th anniversary in style next week.
• Airbus A350 faces delay over wing production problemTHE launch of a new fuel efficient aircraft has been delayed due to a production problem.
• Arriva Trains Wales criticised over timetable changesA TRAIN timetable has been blasted by a passenger group for being” full of errors” and potentially causing delays.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Permanent taxi rank marks first stage of new-look rail stationTHE first milestone in a major refurbishment of Derby's railway station forecourt will be reached tomorrow with the opening of...

Liverpool Echo

• Seaforth’s Liverpool 2 project receives £150m European Investment Bank loanTHE Atlantic Gateway project Liverpool 2 at Port Seaforth has received a £150m loan from the European Investment Bank.

London Evening Standard

• Main Olympic route suffered severe delays after signal failureThe Jubilee line, principal Tube route for the Olympics, suffered severe delays this morning following a signal failure at North Greenwich.

Manchester Evening News

• Passenger group slams plans for Wythenshawe bus and Metrolink interchange Greater Manchester Transport Campaign (GMTC) says the new for a Wythenshawe bus and Metrolink interchange is also ˜out of date™ and ˜dangerous™.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• First Irish Sea regatta set to sail into LiverpoolA NEW tall ships event will be launched in Liverpool next month when the city hosts the Irish Sea Tall Ships Regatta.
• ScotRail misses targets in trains and stationsScotRail has failed to meet several benchmarks on performance for both its trains and stations.
• Crowds pay respects to talented Tornado pilotThe RAF ensign flew at halfmast at Lossiemouth yesterday as people packed the base™s church to pay their last respects to a young airman killed in a Tornado crash.

Yorkshire Post

• Drunken trespassers face ban from rail network after running across tracksGANGS of drunken revellers have been warned they are placing themselves in grave danger after running across the tracks at a train station in a Yorkshire market town.
• Rail staff on track to help hospital fundRAIL firm bosses and staff from a charity which helps raise cash for a Yorkshire children’s hospital launched a joint campaign yesterday to target travellers.

International Herald Tribune

• Volkswagen Profit Rose 18% for Second QuarterVolkswagen reported an 18 percent increase in second-quarter earnings, crediting stronger demand from North America and the world’s developing markets.

Bus and Coach.com

• Stagecoach expands as First pulls outFollowing the OFT's intervention in the deal by First to sell its North Devon business to Stagecoach, First is to withdraw from the area and close its Barnstaple depot.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Franchises fit for the future27 July 2012: Passengers in the Great Western area could benefit from reopening two lines under the next franchise agreement. But we need to do more to make rail franchises work for passengers. read more

Global Rail News

• HS2 opponents granted High Court hearingHS2 campaigners have been granted a hearing at the High Court to seek a judicial review against the high-speed rail project. The hearing will begin on December 3 and last for eight days. Five parties are challenging Justine Greening’s decision to go ahead with HS2, on the grounds that the consultation was not adequately completed. [...]
• £8bn Battersea plan announced at Olympic business summitRedevelopment of Battersea Power Station, including extension of the Northern Line, will cost £8 billion and create 20,000 construction jobs, it has been revealed. Work on the project, which is being delivered by SP Setia, Sime Darby and Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia), is expected to begin next summer. Rejuvenation of the site will include new homes, [...]

Railnews

• Great Western ITT reveals expansion plans The delayed Invitation to Tender for the next Great Western franchise has been published. However, the delay in the bidding process means that the existing FirstGroup contract must be extended to July, as Railnews reported earlier this month.

Other News Sources

• News from Jenny Jones: Mayor criticised for lack of targets for reducing pedestrian & cyclist casualties 27 July 2012 Mayor criticised for lack of targets for reducing pedestrian & cyclist casualties The Mayor has issued a consultation document called œTowards a Road Safety Action Plan for London 2020.� The draft Plan suggests a target of a 40% reduction in the number Killed and Seriously Injured (KSI) on London™s roads by 2020. No other targets are set. The previous plan covered the period 2000 “ 2010. It achieved a 57% reduction in KSI casualties. Targets were also set for pedestrians, children, cyclists, powered two wheelers and ...
• HPH Trust sees 60% growth in 1H profitsSINGAPORE-listed Hutchison Port Holdings Trust said its net profits rose by 60% to HK$1.0Bn ($129M) during the first half of the year from HK$654M in 2011.
• High-speed Javelin train service to Olympic Park makes delayed startThe high-speed Javelin train service serving the Olympic Park got off to an inauspicious start when the first official train departed five minutes late ...
• Japanese cargo docks with space stationAN unpiloted Japanese cargo transporter has docked with the International Space Station to deliver 4.6 tonnes of supplies and experimental hardware, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ...