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

Thursday, 09 October 2014

BBC News

• More passengers down the ScotRail trackThere will be more space for parking your bicycle at railway stations, says the winner of the franchise battle to run ScotRail from next April.
• Uncertainty over HS2 hub locationCould HS2's East Midlands hub be set to move from Nottinghamshire to Derbyshire?

Financial Times

• Political row erupts over ScotRail awardLabour complains of missed chance at public ownership
• Air France-KLM faces €500m strike billLost revenues estimated at €320m-€350m along with €150m from delayed bookings

The Guardian

• ‘A sad loss for Blackpool’ as unprofitable airport to closeDisappointment and nostalgia for holidaymakers and workers as Balfour Beatty confirms regional airport to shut on 15 October

The Herald

• £2.3m in foreign speed fines unpaidForeign drivers have escaped £2.3 million in speeding fines because their vehicles are not registered with the DVLA.
• Factfile The ScotRail franchiseQ:
• SNP slated for awarding £6bn ScotRail franchise to Dutch service MINISTERS have come under fire over their decision to award the £6 billion ScotRail franchise to Abellio, part of the Netherlands' state-run rail service.

The Scotsman

• City council awarded for saving Edinburgh tramsEDINBURGH Council have scooped a top industry award for ‘turning around’ the city’s controversial tram project.
• Cheaper advance fares among Abellio ScotRail plansROOMIER trains to make inter-city travel more comfortable were unveiled by Dutch firm Abellio today as The Scotsman’s revelation of its winning bid for ScotRail was confirmed.

The Telegraph

• Smallest cars 'worse for fuel economy'Cars with the smallest engines are not necessarily the most efficient, as road tests contradict manufacturers' claims
• Entrepreneur's private toll road welcomes 100,000th vehicleMike Watts charges motorists £2 per journey to use his bypass made from rolled chippings and avoid the closed section of the A431 between Bath and Bristol
• Dutch firm Abellio wins ScotRail franchise for next ten yearsNew trains, better service and cheaper fares promised as new firm prepares to take over from FirstGroup

Network Rail

• Strood station accessible for everyone thanks to new liftsNew lifts and a new footbridge have been opened at Strood, in Kent, making the station fully accessible for the first time in its 156-year-history.
• Bexleyheath station accessible for everyone thanks to new liftsNew lifts and a new footbridge have been opened at Bexleyheath, making the station fully accessible for everyone.
• Passengers advised to avoid the West Coast main line this Christmas as improvement work continuesPassengers are being advised to not use the West Coast main line over the Christmas period unless absolutely necessary as Network Rail continues to invest in and improve the railway.

Birmingham Post

• New Digbeth and Eastside Metro routes unveiledPublic to have say on possible extensions of Metro system through south of the city to connect with HS2 station

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Welsh Government's lack of communication over A55 roadworks slammed as 'crazy'North Wales AMs call on Cardiff to get its message across so motorists can take steps to avoid disruption.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Derbyshire villagers insist: We don't want HS2 rail link in our...VILLAGERS in Breaston say they don't want the HS2 high-speed railway to come their way, after a report suggested a proposed station might be moved there from Toton in Nottinghamshire.Residents say the £42 billion scheme, which will eventually link London, the Midlands and the north of the country, will not be of any benefit for them and the line should stay in Nottinghamshire, where it was originally planned.Yesterday the Derby Telegraph published plans found in a leaked report to...

London Evening Standard

• Tube strike: crisis talks adjourned as mediators struggle to get walkout called off Talks aimed at avoiding a strike by London Underground staff next week have been adjorned.
• Day two of escalator chaos at Brixton Tube as woman falls and 'breaks ankle' A woman fell and reportedly broke her ankle on the escalator at Brixton Tube station today – one day after engineers were called to carry out repairs on it.
• Transport for London looks into ways of reducing stifling heat on London buses Transport for London is looking into ways to prevent rising temperatures on the capital's buses.
• Boris Johnson has said it's OK to take a horse on a bus: here's what happens if you try This is what happens if you try and catch a London bus while riding a horse.

Manchester Evening News

• Jet2.com to move flights to Manchester after Blackpool Airport closure Airline announces services will move from Friday in bid to ensure customers are protected

Wales Online

• Blow for Cardiff Airport as airline withdraws its service to GlasgowCityJet is to discontinue flights from Cardiff Airport to Glasgow because not enough passengers were using the service

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds youngster runs rule over airline meals for MonarchA Seven-year-old Leeds girl has helped a UK airline choose its new kids’ range of in-flight meals.

Bucks Free Press

• Gillan's HS2 tunnel hope after Lichfield decision CHANGES to the HS2 route will lead to the creation of a new tunnel - prompting a south Bucks MP to make a fresh appeal for one to be built in the county.

Doncaster Free Press

• New £21m phase of rail port development gets under way in DoncasterWork has got under way to bring a state-of-the-art international rail port to Doncaster.

Sleaford Standard

• Lightning strike affects level crossings between Sleaford and HeckingtonEast Midlands Trains has reported delays to services this afternoon between Grantham and Skegness after a lightning strike near Sleaford within the last hour.

Other Regional Press

• Labour fears over potential for rural bus services to be cut in Cotswolds Bus services could be cut in the Cotswolds because of tightening purse strings at Shire Hall, it is feared
• Northamptonshire County Council to consider setting up new bus routes in “areas of needâ€�New housing estates in Northampton area at risk of not getting a bus service, a scrutiny report presented to the county council has revealed.

Aviation Industry

• Etihad launches ‘alliance’ across six airlines‘Etihad Airways Partners’ will operate similar to the 3 global alliances
• Business leaders criticise Lib Dems for airport expansion stanceLib Dems vote against supporting further construction of UK airports

Other News Sources

• Lib Dem railway plans described as steam and nonsense by commutersA £1billion plan to make Milton Keynes the centre of a new ‘brain belt’ railway line - and to build five new towns along the route - have been rubbished by commuters.
• Dutch firm Abellio awarded Scotrail franchiseRail operator promises to invest ‘millions in improving services’