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

Wednesday, 02 April 2014

BBC News

• Winning over the business doubters on HS2?Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has a trainspotter's mind. He just loves numbers. Speaking to business leaders in the East Midlands, he sprayed his audience with big, impressive numbers to win over any HS2 doubters.
• New A77 Bogend Toll bridge open to trafficA new bridge at the A77 has been opened to traffic by Transport Minister Keith Brown.
• West Yorkshire Combined Authority's £1.6bn transport planUp to £1.6bn will be spent on improving transport infrastructure across West Yorkshire in coming years by a newly-formed authority.
• Call for David Jones to resign over electrification rowCalls have been made for Welsh Secretary David Jones to resign over his "failure to fight" for a major upgrade of the railways in south Wales.
• Boy hurt in railway line explosionA 15-year-old boy is hurt in a
• Flights disrupted by Heathrow fogAt least 95 flights are cancelled after thick fog envelops Heathrow Airport.
• VIDEO: X-Men star refuses custard promoAs a train is named after the star's latest movie X-Men: Days of Future, he reveals a love of public transport.
• Heathrow Express in strike ballotStaff on the Heathrow Express rail service are to be balloted for industrial action in a row over jobs, pay and spending cuts.
• Councils merge roads departmentsEast and South Ayrshire councils merge their roads departments in a move intended to save £8m over 10 years.
• Plea to rename airport after BurnsOne of Scotland's busiest airports should be renamed in honour of national poet Robert Burns, the public petitions committee has heard
• GM boss 'deeply sorry' for car faultGeneral Motors chief executive Mary Barra apologises to the US Congress for an ignition switch fault in some cars linked to at least a dozen deaths.

ITV News

• Engineers start rail upgrade in SleafordFour improved level crossings and 19 miles of new signalling will start being used this month as rail engineers carry out the next phase of modernising e the Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE) line between Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln.

Department for Transport

• Electric trains to boost rail services in the north westDeal with Northern Rail will provide up to 3,000 extra seats during busiest times of travel.

Financial Times

• Colin Matthews quits as Heathrow CEODecision comes as the airport operates at nearly full capacity and the Davies commission prepares to give its final decision on expansion

The Guardian

• Heathrow will not fight cap on landing chargesHeathrow has decided not to fight the cap on landing charges set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the next five years, a ruling the airport had described as "a draconian position" that could curb investment.
• Heathrow airport boss Colin Matthews resigns after six yearsHeathrow has started the search for a new chief executive after announcing that Colin Matthews is to stand down after six years running Britain's largest arport.

The Herald

• Support for 20mph campaignNearly 80% of people think 20mph speed limits should be the norm around schools, in residential streets and in village, town and city centres.
• 'Burns Airport' wins support of MSPsCalls to rename Prestwick Airport in honour of the poet Robert Burns have been broadly welcomed by a committee of MSPs.
• Ferry users protest against fares hikeFRAGILE communities campaigning against 25% increases in fares on a vital ferry service have staged a demonstration calling for it to be treated as part of the road network.

The Scotsman

• Prestwick controllers to cut Heathrow wait timesPASSENGERS landing at Heathrow will spend see their time spent circling the London airport cut by a quarter, thanks to a brand new system involving air traffic controllers at Prestwick near Glasgow.

The Telegraph

• How departing Heathrow boss turned a disgrace into an assetIt is something Colin Matthews could not have pulled off six years ago.

Daily Express

• Britons demand a 20mph speed limit to slash road deathsBRITAIN’S local roads could be hit with a blanket 20mph speed limit after research showed overwhelming public support.

Mail Online

• Heathrow loses its place as world's busiest airport to DubaiStatistics from both airports showed the United Emirates Hub (pictured) hosted 18million international passengers between December 2013 and February 2014, compared to 14.9million at Heathrow.
• New 20mph zones in towns won't work, says the AA: Motoring group wants limit to only be introduced in areas where it has clear public supportThe motoring association said it was wrong to impose the limits 'by diktat' and that the zones should only be introduced where they carry clear public support.

The Mirror

• Missing flight MH370 live: Black box locator sets off for search zone as U.S. says no evidence points to terrorismThe black box locator is expected to arrive in the area in the next couple of days as the hunt continues for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane

Network Rail

• Lincolnshire rail upgrade reaches SleafordFour improved level crossings and 19 miles of new signalling will be brought into use in April as rail engineers carry out the next phase of investment to modernise the Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE) line between Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln.

Bristol Live

• The Bristol Post commented Make 20mph the norm on urban roads, say safety campaignersA ROAD safety charity will tomorrow take its campaign to make 20mph the

Lincolnshire Echo

• Trains between Lincoln and Spalding stop for 10 days due to railway upgrade Trains between Lincoln and Spalding will not be running for 10 days because of a railway upgrade. Four improved level crossings and 19 miles of new signalling will be brought into use this month in the next phase of modernising the Great Northern Great Eastern line between Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln.

London Evening Standard

• British Airways 'could quit Heathrow airport amid uncertainties over expansion'A former aviation minister today warned that British Airways may be forced from Heathrow because of “uncertaintiesâ€� about the airport’s future capacity.
• Heathrow flights cancelled due to fogDozens of flights have been cancelled from Heathrow Airport following dense fog.

Sheffield Star

• Wizz Air announces extra Poland flights from Robin HoodMore Yorkshire residents can now jet off to Wroclaw from Robin Hood Airport thanks to Wizz Air.

Wales Online

• £5m fund for safe routes aims to get pupils on their bikesPupils will have more opportunities to cycle or walk to school following the announcement of a £5m fund for safe routes.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Boy, 15, injured in Coseley railway explosionA 15-year-old boy suffered burns to his leg and hand today after dangling an object over a railway bridge and on power lines causing an explosion.

Yorkshire Post

• Leeds plans 20mph ‘super cycleway’ across cityHUNDREDS of streets could be turned into 20mph traffic zones as part of plans to create a new “super cycleway” across Leeds.
• Deal offered to unlock millions for Yorkshire transportA DEAL to unlock millions of pounds to spend on tackling some of the region’s biggest transport problems has been tabled by Yorkshire councillors.

Doncaster Free Press

• Wizz Air announces extra Poland flights from Robin HoodMore Yorkshire residents can now jet off to Wroclaw from Robin Hood Airport thanks to Wizz Air.    

Other Regional Press

• Work gets underway on Lydd Airport expansionWORK has started on the first phase of a multi-million pound expansion at Lydd Airport.
• Network Rail announces £89m programme for northern Lincolnshire Read more: http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Network-Rail-announces-pound-89m-programme/story-20890531-detail/story.html#ixzz2xhyPLp5TNORTHERN Lincolnshire's railways are set to benefit from an £89 million investment over the next five years.
• Victorian bridge will not be savedA railway bridge is to be reconstructed despite local concerns over the loss of Victorian engineering.
• East West Rail linking Bedford to Oxford won’t be ready by target date of 2017COMPLETION of the East West Rail link, which would connect Bedford and Oxford by rail, will not be achieved until two years later than originally thought.

Global Rail News

• EU funding for France-Italy line studiesTEN-T Programme funding from the EU is to finance early studies into a planned upgrade to a section of railway linking France and Italy. The line, which connects Mandelieu in[...]
• Passenger numbers and costs rise for DBDeutsche Bahn (DB) has reflected on a challenging 2013 despite seeing an extra 42 million passengers travelling on the German rail network in the past year. Higher passenger numbers were[...]
• Europe and Japan discuss rail trade agreementThe very first EU-Japan Industrial Dialogue on Railways has been held in Brussels hoping to boost international relations between two of the world’s leading rail sectors. Organised by the European[...]

Other News Sources

• Crossrail 2 procurement could start in 2018Procurement for Crossrail 2 could get under way in 2018 provided a funding agreement is reached later this year, according to Transport for London’s managing director for planning.
• Pupils try and solve school run parking problems with heartfelt letter Youngsters at a Hangleton infant school have taken it upon themselves to try and solve the thorny problem of parents parking.