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

Sunday, 13 July 2014

BBC News

• Scotland could house UK spaceportThe UK government is set to include Scotland as a potential location for a new spaceport to be operational by 2018.

The Herald

• Shipbuilding expert: Scotland can thrive without Westminster military ordersA LEADING expert has backed the idea that Scotland's shipbuilding industry would be better served by constructing small defence vessels and ferries rather than relying on Westminster for military orders.

The Observer

• Why aerospace and defence are Britain's engiens of growthAn airport in Hampshire will this week play host to politicians, airline executives and military officials from across the world as the global aerospace and defence industry meets to parade the latest commercial airliners, fighter jets and drones.
• Railways: is renationalising our train system really a good idea? | the big issueVery few journeys are made by rail these days say some, while others claim that railway use is on the increaseThe advocates of railway renationalisation (Letters), or for maintaining the status quo, seem to be equally detached from reality. More than 97% of journeys in Britain are not by train. "High fares" have not deterred record patronage (1.4bn in 2013). More than 70% of rail use is in, to or from London. London commuters are trading much lower house costs, saving more than £10,000 a year in mortgage repayments against £5,000 annual season tickets.If t...

The Telegraph

• Interview: Colin Smith, Chief Engineer at Rolls Royce Asking the chief engineer of Rolls-Royce whether the business is staffed by magicians elicits a laugh from him. “Sometimes I think so,” says Colin Smith, referring to the technology that allows fan blades inside the company’s gas turbines to function perfectly despite operating in an environment 100C (180F) past the melting point of the metal they are made of. And to deliver great efficiency. And to last for years.
• France has 'option' to buy UK taxpayer stake in Eurostar France state railway has an option to buy the UK Government’s 40pc share in Eurostar if a process to find another buyer is inconclusive, it has emerged. The UK Government announced last year that its 40pc holding in the Anglo-French high speed rail company could be sold off by 2020 as part of a £20bn privatisation programme.
• Simkins's World: Le Tour de Essex left me scarredI stood by a suburban roadside for five hours to catch a glimpse of young men ambling by on bicycles, says Michael Simkins

Reuters News

• Aerospace jamboree on tenterhooks over F-35 fighter, Airbus jet revampLONDON (Reuters) - Suspense over the appearance of America’s newest combat jet, a diplomatic chill between the West and Russia and the re-launch of an Airbus jet with a surprise tweak in its name could make the Farnborough Airshow one of the least predictable for years.

Daily Record

• Revealed: Plane at heart of £3bn aircraft carrier launch is a fake as real models are years behind scheduleDEFENCE chiefs used a fake plane made of plastic to give the appearance of the £3bn HMS Queen Elizabeth being put to use.

Mail Online

• We have lift-off! Britain to blast off into space: UK to have only spaceport outside America as we reveal proposed sites... and six out of eight are in Scotland (is there a vote coming?)  Ministers are pressing ahead with plans to build the first spaceport outside the US, with possible options being Prestwick, Stornaway and Kinloss.
• Routemasters drive through London to celebrate 60th anniversary Nostalgic Londoners were treated to a throwback today with a fleet of the iconic buses on display.

Manchester Evening News

• Plans to turn M60 into a smart motorway slammed by Barbara Keeley MPHighways bosses say the work - which will cause traffic delays for the next three years - will ease congestion on the M60 motorway

Sheffield Star

• Residents call for yellow lines on dangerous Hillsborough streetResidents fear their road in Sheffield is an accident waiting to happen as motorists are parking dangerously on its junction.

The York Press

• Historic cycle rally event returns to York after Le Tour success A 70-YEAR-OLD cycling rally is set to return in 2015 as York continues to thrive from the buzz of the Tour de France.

Wales Online

• Tour de World: the cyclists who are peddling 18,000 mile across the globeFor over ten months Rob Shipley and Ryan Farley both 24 and from Newport, have been planning their journey, through 31 countries
• The unsung story of Lawrence of Arabia's 2,000-mile Tour de FranceThe epic story of how North Wales-born TE Lawrence conquered his own 3,275km bike challenge

North Wales Live

• Revealed: Merseyside's top ten most stolen cars Ford Transit vans the most commonly taken - with three going missing every week

Other Regional Press

• Prince Charles meets Red Arrows pilots and students at Air Tattoo The Prince of Wales met the pilots of the Red Arrows - the RAF’s aerobatic display team - during a visit to the Royal Internatiol Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford yesterday.
• Transport key to county's future, says MP Alistair BurtWith the Tour de France almost within touching distance of us, the whole of the Eastern region will have benefited from the television coverage worldwide, which showed off our towns, villages and countryside to best effect.
• Clipper Round the World yachts return home The Clipper Race fleet has returned to a heroes’ welcome in London eleven months after setting off having conquered Mother Nature’s toughest conditions during the 40,000 mile ocean odyssey.
• Motorists warned of diversion during motorway roadworks ESSENTIAL road works are to be carried out on a busy Hampshire motorway..
• Hampshire town prepared for Pedal Car Grand Prix A HAMPSHIRE town will resemble the millionaires’ playground of Monaco tomorrow as teams battle it out in the British Pedal Car Grand Prix.
• Road left unfinished on Preston estate leads MP to hold public meetingA road, left unfinished on a Preston housing estate, has been branded “disgraceful” by a local MP.
• MP hails plan for prison car park WEST DORSET MP Oliver Letwin hailed the move to open up Dorchester prison’s car park to businesses and local residents as a victory for common sense.

Airportwatch

• First Group board rejects carve-up calls The board of embattled First Group has rejected calls from an activist shareholder to break up the train and rail operator. The company’s board, led by chairman John McFarlane, has told Sandell Asset Management it does not agree with its latest proposals to carve up the company, which involved selling off First’s US arm.

Aviation Industry

• Air India officially joins Star AllianceNew Delhi-based Air India officially joined Star Alliance Friday, opening the world’s fifth-largest aviation market to the other 26 member airlines comprising the Star Alliance network. read more

Other News Sources

• Airbus A350 in Qatar Airways Livery to fly at Farnborough air showQatar Airways is preparing to have a strong presence at the 2014 Farnborough Air Show, taking place this week in Southern England, when it will fly the A350 aircraft with Qatar Airways livery...