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

Friday, 18 July 2014

BBC News

• FBI: Driverless cars could be lethalAn internal report warns of the dangers automated vehicles could pose to law enforcement, and notes some potential benefits.
• MPs seek cycling investment increaseA five-fold increase in spending on cycling infrastructure is needed to increase both actual and perceived road safety for cyclists, MPs say.
• Failings over runaway rail vehicleAn accident where a rail worker was badly hurt by a runaway maintenance vehicle is blamed on operator failure and brake design flaws.
• Labour plan to part nationalise railLabour will soon unveil a promise to change the law to allow for the part re-nationalisation of the rail network, the BBC has learned.
• Airlines change Ukraine flight pathsAirlines have been told to divert flights away from eastern Ukraine following the crash of a Malaysian airliner, amid allegations it was shot down.
• Child car seat installers 'failing'Many retailers who offer to install child car seats free of charge are guilty of
• Radlett rail depot: Fight cost council £1.4mA council has spent £1.4m in a seven-year fight against a rail freight terminal proposal for green-belt land in Hertfordshire, it has been revealed.
• Cardiff train station plans unveiled by Network RailPlans for the biggest transformation of Cardiff train station since it was built in the 1850s have been unveiled.
• Kent County Council cools Manston Airport purchase speculationKent County Council has cooled speculation that it would financially back a compulsory purchase order of Manston Airport.

Financial Times

• Uber faces most taxing market yetSince launching in Singapore in January, Uber has picked up passengers in 20 Asian cities. Its HK launch completes the driver-hailing app’s first phase of expansion in the region
• Norwegian Air Shuttle hit by higher costsA flight attendants’ strike and the hiring of replacement aircraft take toll on low-cost airline, which posted its third consecutive quarter of losses
• Airbus trumps rivals at FarnboroughAirbus secures deals with airlines and leasing groups for 496 passenger jets worth $75bn. Boeing obtained orders and commitments for 201 aircraft worth $40bn
• US says Malaysian plane shot down over UkraineUS believes jet with 298 on board was hit by a missile fired from the ground, which Kiev blames on pro-Russia rebels
• Airliner was flying in approved airspaceWhen it disappeared from radar, the aircraft was flying at 33,000 feet, just above a 32,000ft ceiling the Ukrainian authorities set on July 14
• More than half of passengers were DutchFrans Timmermans, Dutch foreign minister, demanded an independent investigation, and that Dutch officials be given unhindered access to crash site

The Guardian

• Cycling infrastructure spending needs increasing at least fivefold, say MPsTransport committee calls on minister to show leadership as it calls for annual spending to rise to at least £10 a person by 2020The government should increase annual spending on cycle infrastructure to at least £10 a person by 2020 if significant numbers of Britons are to be tempted on to their bikes, a cross-party group of MPs has said.The report from the House of Commons transport committee calls on ministers to show more coherent political leadership on the matter, with safe cycling made central to any new infrastructure projects.
• Labour may allow not-for-profit firms to bid for rail franchisesUnions and Labour leadership find common ground over the future of railways ahead of party's national policy forumUnions and the Labour leadership are examining proposals that will require legislation giving state and not-for-profit firms the right to bid for rail franchises as they become vacant.The proposals, part of a wider deal on the future of railways, would see rival bids adjudged on the basis of a level playing field, the party said, and will be put to Labour's national policy forum at the weekend. The plans are likely to be seen as sufficiently radical to beat off any call for total r...
• Missile destroys Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine, killing 298 people Pro-Russia rebels suspected of downing airliner Ukrainian president condemns 'terrorist act' World leaders react with shock and revulsion Follow the latest developments on our live blogThe president of Ukraine has accused pro-Russia rebels in the east of the country of shooting down a Malaysia Airlines jet with a ground-to-air missile, killing all 298 people on board as the airliner exploded and rained down in fiery pieces over a rural Ukrainian village. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Only one company interested in running car and passenger ferry ONLY one company has said it would be interested in running a car ferry between Gourock and Dunoon piers, and even then it is on the condition that the Government takes the commercial risk.
• Labour would let public firms run railways LABOUR is poised to announce that, if it comes back into power, it would seek to change the law to enable the partial renationalisation of Britain's railways.
• Lessons from rail accident Safety recommendations have been made by investigators after a rail worker was badly hurt by a runaway maintenance vehicle.

The Independent

• Rail services: Labour pledges 'level playing field' in the bidding process for franchises Public and not-for-profit companies would be allowed to run train services as well as private firms if Labour wins power at next year's general election.
• Transport Committee urges Government to make it easier for councils to bring in lower speed limits to make roads safer - and boost cycling spending The Government needs to make it “easier and cheaperâ€� for councils to bring in lower speed limits to reduce the number of cyclists killed Britain’s road, an influential group of MPs has said.

The Telegraph

• Renationalising railways is 'fast track to chaos'Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, warns that re-nationalising the railways will increase government debt and lead to a worse service for passengers

The Mirror

• Ed Miliband will create new rail authority to keep down ticket prices and cut taxpayer costs Proposals for the biggest change to the industry in two decades will be unveiled at a meeting this weekend of Labour's National Policy Forum in Milton Keynes
• Live: Malaysia Airlines plane crash leaves nine Brits among 298 dead as full passenger list to be revealedUS demands

Network Rail

• Her Majesty The Queen opens redeveloped Reading stationReading’s redeveloped railway station was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen today.
• Network Rail plans exciting new vision for Cardiff CentralNetwork Rail is planning the biggest transformation of Cardiff Central station since it was first built in the 1850s.

Birmingham Post

• Austin motor the first German leader ever drove The Birmingham built Austen Seven attracted the eye of Adolf Hitler when it rolled off the production line. Chris Upton reports

Derby Telegraph

• Derby rail firm RVEL set to create 33 more jobs A RAIL engineering business is accelerating ahead with a new paint shop expected to create more than 30 jobs. Rail Vehicle Engineering Limited (RVEL) is investing nearly £500,000, a large chunk of which is being spent on a giant booth used to paint locomotives and carriages.

London Evening Standard

• Hundreds of passengers evacuated as pleasure cruiser crashes into barge on Thames Six people were injured as a pleasure cruiser dramatically collided with a barge on the Thames today.
• Railways could be partly re-nationalised under radical plans from Labour Ed Miliband is planning to partly re-nationalise the railways as part of a radical overhaul of the transport network if Labour wins next year's election.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• City roads to get smart: Transport revolution planned for Newcastle in £18m schemeCouncil says once scheme is completed Newcastle will be one of the easiest cities in the country to travel across

Sheffield Telegraph

• City cycle plan moves up a gearA 19 point plan to encourage more people to cycle in Sheffield is due to be stepped up a gear.

Wales Online

• 'Financially and environmentally reckless': Plaid Cymru pull out of budget talks with Welsh Government over £1bn M4 relief road planLeanne Wood pulls out of budget talks because of 'disregard' for Assembly, harming Labour's chances of passing next year's spending plans
• 'We need to have a three-lane motorway': Edwina Hart defends M4 planEconomy Minister Edwina Hart speaks out in face of criticism of £1bn relief road announcement

Yorkshire Post

• Cycling needs big increase in funding say MPsA MASSIVE increase in spending is needed to make the UK’s roads safer for cycling and encourage more people out of their cars and onto their bikes, according to a new report from MPs.

Sleaford Standard

• Campaign to revive canal restorationA campaign has been launched supported by TV historian Sir Tony Robinson, calling for Lincolnshire’s ‘lost canals’ – including Sleaford’s – to be saved.

Other Regional Press

• ‘Boris bikes’ launched on Brackmills Industrial Estate in NorthamptonA new cycle hire scheme in Northampton has now been rolled out into Northampton’s Brackmills Industrial Estate.
• Buses back at Greyfriars? Regeneration chief says all options will be explored for former Northampton bus stationThe borough council’s regeneration chief said he could not ‘rule out a transport facility’ returning to the site of the old Greyfriars bus statsion.
• £790k programme agreed to improve transport in HartlepoolCOUNCILLORS have agreed a £790,000 programme of work to improve roads, bus routes, footpaths and cycle lanes over the next 12-months.
• Get behind campaign for better rail service in mid CheshireRESIDENTS have been urged to get behind a campaign launched by the Guardian and the Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership to get a half-hourly service connecting our towns and villages to Manchester and Chester.
• Glasgow's Favourite Business finalists - Bar 91 and Glasgow AirportThe coveted award has been won by many high-profile names in the past. It is part of the the Glasgow Business Awards 2014, organised by the city's Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Bank of Scotland.
• Manston airport: Taiwan government officials visit site by helicopter to assess whether it is an investment opportunityA Taiwanese group visited Manson airport to assess its potential as an investment opportunity for the country’s government.

Global Rail News

• Deutsche Bahn to fund additional services between England and WalesArriva is to run additional services between England and Wales financed by German rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB).
• HS2 appoints programme and strategy directorHS2 has named EC Harris’ Alistair Kirk as its new programme and strategy director.
• Bombardier commissions new Palermo tramsPalermo’s first new Flexity tram entered service this week, completing an inaugural ride from he Roccella depot to Scaffa Square.

Railnews

• Royal opening for modernised Reading Her Majesty the Queen has declared the newly modernised station at Reading open today. The work is part of an £895 million scheme which is also providing a new flyover and remodelled track layouts. These will allow the station to handle up to 30 million passengers a year, which is forecast by 2030. The station is also now to be the western terminal for Crossrail services, after the extension from Maidenhead which was announced earlier this year.

Aviation Industry

• Norwegian suffers £9m loss from strike threatsAirline posts operating loss after Q2 hit by higher costs
• Malaysia Airlines aircraft crashes in East UkraineContact lost with flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over 'Ukranian airspace'

Other News Sources

• Rolls-Royce boss complains about planned housing development near company's headquarters THE BOSS of luxury car-maker Rolls-Royce has strongly opposed a 350-strong housing development that would leave its Goodwood plant “effectively in a housing estateâ€�.
• Eurostar posts 6% rise in business travel bookingsOverall passenger numbers rise by 2% for first half of 2014
• Concur and Addison Lee sign partnership dealAgreement offers travellers e-receipt and Direct Connect services
• MP wants to meet with airport over flood of runway noise complaintsA local member of Parliament is calling on the Calgary Airport Authority to find a solution for the noise coming from the city’s new runway, following a flood of complaints.