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

Friday, 29 August 2014

BBC News

• 'Not enough' walking and cycling in Wales, study findsToo many of us are still using the car to get to work or even the pub, the latest transport figures show.
• Single ticket travel plan for regionThe next phase in plans for a major overhaul of public transport in south east Wales reveals a vision for a rapid one-ticket system for travellers.
• Tube workers to hold overtime banThe latest industrial action by London Underground workers over the ongoing row about plans to close all ticket offices and cut jobs is announced.
• Ryanair confirms Prestwick servicesBudget airline Ryanair confirms it will continue flying from Prestwick Airport next summer, with a total of 16 routes.
• Russia to start car scrappage schemeRussia says it will introduce a new scrappage scheme worth 10bn roubles to try to boost flagging car sales.
• Malaysia Airlines expects more lossesMalaysia Airlines says the full financial impact of the two tragedies to hit the company will be seen in the second half of the year.
• Virgin Australia trebles lossesVirgin Australia posts an after-tax loss of A$355.6m ($332.6m; £200.5m) for the full year ending in June, triple the firm's previous year's losses for the period.

Financial Times

• Qantas posts record $2.6bn lossThe Australian airline says a recovery is in sight, predicting it will return to an underlying profit before tax in the first half of 2015
• Malaysia Airlines cleared for revampGovernment approves plan aimed at restoring national carrier’s fortunes, proposing to cut about a quarter of staff and some long-haul routes
• Germanwings pilots set to to go on strikeLufthansa’s low-cost airline cancels 116 flights on Friday after pilots failed to reach a deal in a dispute over early retirement benefits

The Guardian

• Second plane diverts after passenger dispute over reclining seatAllegedly disruptive passenger charged after American Airlines flight from Miami to Paris is diverted to Boston Continue reading...
• Not everyone will rejoice at the passing of the tax discMany dont even know that the iconic discs will become redundant in October, but for one collector, their demise will be something of a reliefNeil Jones admits it was a bit of a relief when the government announced the end of the tax disc in last years autumn statement. While this week a survey claimed that half of drivers are not aware that the paper version is being phased out from October, Jones is very much up-to-speed on the change in the law: for him, it wont just be a matter of getting to grips with new admin, it will be the end of the road for a collection that began three decades ago.J...
• Network Rail joins the public sector: but don't call it 'nationalisation'On Monday, the track operator will be answerable to parliament to a chorus of executives and MPs playing the change downIt is June 2029, and the last train run by a private company rolls into platform 28 of the new Euston mega-station. The moment is marked only by a low-key ceremony with a handful of managers and long-retired staff, since few in the railways want to reignite the long-bubbling political row over what only the oldest members of the House of Lords still call "a return to the bad old days of British Rail".Yet, as Labour ministers are fond of pointing out, the fi...

The Herald

• Motorists warned to heed 20mph signsMOTORISTS have been told that pedestrian islands may be built across the capital if 20mph warning signs are ignored under proposals to introduce a new city-wide speed limit.
• O'Leary warning on airport tax as Prestwick flights cut by thirdRYANAIR chief Michael O'Leary warned Air Passenger Duty was strangling growth at Prestwick Airport as the airline unveiled plans to slash its summer schedule at the hub by a third.

Mail Online

• E-Type Jag roars past Mini and Porsche 911 as the world's greatest car: Eight cars in the top ten are British including Rolls Royces and Aston Martins  New research revealed the E-Type, launched in 1961, is the most iconic car ever, topping a top ten list including the Mini, Rolls Royces and the VW Beetle.

The Mirror

• Iceland volcano Badarbunga: Watch live as fears grow of 'big eruption' causing travel chaos Iceland's Met Office says it cannot not rule out a 'big eruption', amid concerns that ash from Badarbunga could cause disruption to air travel

Network Rail

• Network Rail announces partners for £250m rail renewals programmeNetwork Rail has awarded framework contracts worth a combined £250m for the delivery of building and civils work on the Scotland and London North Eastern routes.
• New footbridge marks success for Network Rail / South West Trains Alliance level crossing programmeA new footbridge has been opened over the railway near Petersfield in Hampshire, marking a notable success for the Network Rail / South West Trains Alliance level crossing programme.
• Campaign to improve safety at Furze Platt level crossingLocal residents and other users of Furze Platt level crossing will be learning to stay safe on the railway during a campaign organised by Network Rail and British Transport Police (BTP).

London Evening Standard

• Bemused commuters look on as goat walks unchecked through Tube barrier at Vauxhall Commuters were left baffled today as a goat walked unchecked through a ticket barrier at a south London Underground station.

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Airport braced for busiest day of the yearWith families returning from holidays ahead of the school term and other travellers taking advantage of cheaper rates, numbers will peak.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published Weekend of tram roadwork misery... but end of chaos is in sightDRIVERS have been warned of more misery on the roads this weekend as tram works are set to affect a major junction.Resurfacing work continues at the junction of University Boulevard with Queens Road East, Beeston, from 8pm tonight until 5am on Monday.The latest changes to the road layout will mean the inbound lanes of University Boulevard will be closed for drivers heading into Nottingham city centre.However, drivers were braced for worse, since contractors had originally planned to close...

Yorkshire Post

• Jaguar E-Type wins crown as greatest car of all timeJAGUAR’S famous 1960s E-Type has won the race to be crowned the “greatest car of all time” in a new poll of motorists.

Doncaster Free Press

• All change on Doncaster bus routesPublic transport users in Doncaster are set for a range of changes to their bus services.

North Wales Live

• Merseytravel urges Liverpool firms to encourage staff to get on their bikes Transport authority to hold city centre event on September 4 to mark national Cycle to Work day

Aviation Industry

• Qantas suffers record $2.8bn lossResult blamed on $2.6bn write-down on its fleet

Other News Sources

• MP Jim Paice demands better services at Ely railway stationMP Sir Jim Paice is backing calls for improvements to be made to services at Ely railway station. The South East Cambridgeshire MP is supporting rail users by calling for Abellio Greater Anglia to recruit more staff and to improve the station's ticket office.