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

Thursday, 14 August 2014

Government

• Lorry levy hauls in more than £17 million from foreign truckersMore than 618,000 levies have been bought for over 112,000 lorries from 76 countries since the HGV road user levy was introduced in April 2014.

BBC News

• Bristol Airport terminal extension announcedBristol Airport has announced £8.6m plans for an extension to its eastern terminal building which is scheduled to be fully open by next summer.
• Great Western Main Line electrification beginsWork to electrify the Great Western Main Line has begun.
• Minister announces £7m transport links cash boostPenzance and the Isles of Scilly have been awarded more than £7m in funding to improve transport links.
• Swansea criticised over DVA problemsDVLA staff in Swansea are accused of 'dropping the ball' by a Northern Ireland minister over reports of delays in taxing and registering vehicles.
• Second A9 design contract awardedThe second of three design contracts worth up to £60m in the project to convert the A9 to a dual carriageway is awarded to Jacobs.
• Stagecoach boss donates £1m to SNPThe Stagecoach chariman Sir Brian Souter has donated £1m to the SNP, it has been confirmed.
• Cycle and footpath plan for CausewayDanny Kennedy confirms plans are being developed for walking and cycle paths at the Giant's Causeway.
• Pilot's arm 'came off while landing'A pilot lost control of a passenger plane when his artificial arm came off as he was landing in challenging conditions, according to an accident report.

Financial Times

• Brit targets aviation insuranceInsurer plans to take advantage of sharp rise in premiums after airline catastrophes as it unveils drop in first-half profits due to strong pound
• Business jets take off in better climateThe bigger end of the business jet market is leading the post-crisis revival in sales, while smaller jets are still struggling to recover
• Cathay profits fall shortHong Kong flag carrier warns of challenging conditions as budget carriers and Gulf rivals increase capacity

The Guardian

• Open data and driverless buses: how London transport heads to the futureThough hard engineering continues, TfL remains a hotbed of innovation – as it should, considering its history

The Herald

• US firm wins £60m contract to dual A9A contract worth up to £60 million to transform a 32-mile stretch of the A9 into dual carriageway has been awarded to a California-based company.
• Scare as pilot's arm falls offA CAPTAIN lost control of a passenger plane after his artificial arm became detached as he was coming in to land, an accident report has said.

The Scotsman

• First tracks laid down on Borders RailwayTHE first rails have been laid on the Borders Railway, which is now just over a year away from re-opening after a gap of 46 years.
• Swiss train landslide terrorA LANDSLIDE triggered by heavy rain caused a Swiss mountain train to derail, leaving ­passengers trapped in a carriage overhanging a ravine.

The Telegraph

• Pilot's false arm broke free during landingA passenger plane bounced off the runway at Belfast City Airport when its pilot's prosthetic arm came loose from his controls
• HS2 could threaten GP numbers by disrupting medical examsNoisy construction of HS2's London terminal will disrupt vital GP trainee exams depriving the country of much needed family doctors, the Royal College of GPs warns

Network Rail

• Rail upgrade reaches Bassetlaw and DoncasterRail passengers are reminded of a fortnight of changes to train travel on the line between Doncaster and Gainsborough as the next stage of improvement work to the Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE) line start this Saturday (16 August).
• Railway safety reminder as trains to begin running again between Harlech and PwllheliNetwork Rail is reminding people of the risks of trespassing on the railway, as the Cambrian line between Harlech and Pwllheli reopens to engineering trains from Monday 18 August, followed shortly by passenger services.
• Local resident given driving ban after misusing Kintbury level crossingA local resident has been found guilty of dangerous driving and banned from driving for 12 months after deliberately driving over Kintbury level crossing after the barriers had been lowered.
• Schoolgirls raise the roof with IT competition work experience prizeSix secondary school students have been getting a roof-raising experience by visiting the £44m redevelopment at Manchester Victoria station. The tour was part of their prize of two weeks paid work experience, after winning Network Rail's Could IT Be You? competition to encourage more young women into technology careers.

Bristol Live

• Terminal expansion to go on at Bristol Airport BRISTOL Airport has announced it is to press ahead with its plans to increase the size of its terminal building. The airport was granted permission for its £120 million expansion plans more than three years ago in the face of fierce opposition from some local residents.

London Evening Standard

• GetTaxi is latest cab app off rank to raise millions GetTaxi has become the latest cab booking app to have hundreds of millions of dollars poured into it, with the Israeli start-up set to close a $150 million (£89 million) funding round.
• Rescue mission underway as train carriage left hanging over Swiss ravine after landslide A rescue mission is underway as a carriage was left hanging over a ravine after a train derailed by a landslide in Switzerland.

Manchester Evening News

• Packed rush hour Metrolink tram travelling to Bury takes wrong turn and heads off to RochdaleThe double Metrolink tram, which was crammed with commuters left Market Street at around 7pm, was on the right track until just after Victoria Station

Sheffield Star

• Heathrow expansion debate in SheffieldSheffield’s airport barely got off the ground - but would an expansion of Heathrow Airport give wings to Sheffield City Region businesses?
• Improvement works to start on crossing where four-year-old was killed by a trainRail passengers are reminded of the changes to train travel on the line between Doncaster and Gainsborough as the next stage of improvement work to the Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE).

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Union aims to deliver clear message on Yorkshire rail deal planA union is ready to deliver nearly 5,000 postcards to the Department for Transport to highlight its opposition to plans that could set the future course of rail travel in Yorkshire.

Other Regional Press

• Heatwave blamed for record number of complaints about Heathrow noiseProtest group HACAN says nearly 300 people contacted it during July to complain about aircraft noise, more than three times the monthly average
• British Transport Police searching for railway advisorsTHE BRITISH Transport Police (BTP) are searching for members of the public to give feedback and advice on the policing of railways.
• £1m revamp for railway stationA £1million revamp is being planned for Morpeth Railway Station to restore derelict buildings. The Greater Morpeth Development Trust (GMDT) has announced the ambitious programme for the Grade II-listed facility in a bid to create new business space.
• Pilot lost control of flight from Birmingham Airport - when his false arm came off Captain's artificial limb became detached from controls as aircraft approached Belfast, air accident report reveals

Global Rail News

• Derailment leaves Swiss train hanging off mountain faceA train on Switzerland’s famed Albula Railway has been left clinging to the side of a mountain after being struck by a landslide.
• Perth airport rail link approvedThe Government of Western Australia has confirmed that it will go ahead with a $2 billion airport rail link.

Aviation Industry

• British Airways extends Vueling codeshareSister airlines add another nine routes to arrangement
• Cathay Pacific benefits from long-haul expansionHong Kong carrier boosted by “strongâ€� demand for new US services
• Jet 2 to boost capacity from GlasgowAirline will also add new routes from Newcastle and Belfast

Other News Sources

• NEW MD APPOINTED FOR OXFORD BUS COMPANYPhil Southall will be appointed MD for Oxford Bus Company as Philip Kirk is stepping down after 20 years with the company.
• Banners opposing new Gatwick flight paths slashed to pieces Banners opposing proposed new Gatwick Airport flight paths have been slashed to pieces.