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

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

BBC News

• Long-haul future for Cardiff AirportCardiff Airport's future lies in long-haul flights, not competing with Bristol on closer destinations, Carwyn Jones tells AMs.
• Airport's £3.5m to attract airlinesCardiff Airport is told it can borrow £3.5m of taxpayers money to try to attract new airlines.
• Plans for A9 hairpin bend displayedTransport Scotland to present a draft outline of the proposed improvements to a challenging hairpin bend on the A9 in Caithness.
• Safety concerns raised over M4 plansSafety concerns are raised over proposals to turn part of the M4 into a
• All Crossrail stations 'step-free'All of the Crossrail stations will now include step-free access, the government announces.
• Easyjet reports strong profit growthNo frills airline Easyjet reports a 21% rise in annual pre-tax profits, helped by strong growth in the number of available seats.
• Bombardier wins £145m Gatwick dealAn order to build more 100 trains for the Gatwick Express line will safeguard jobs at Bombardier's Derby plant, a company spokesman says.

Financial Times

• EasyJet questions Gatwick expansionAirline reports 21.5% rise in annual pre-tax profit to £581m and claims gains in business travel
• Uber chief on the defensive over ethicsCar-hailing service faces questions after executive remarks on targeting critics
• Uber tries to head off privacy criticismGroup faces questions on how employees access individuals’ data

The Guardian

• Heathrow’s own goal on airport expansion - Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive, GatwickHeathrow’s chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, believes that if we expand the most expensive, noisiest and most indebted airport in Europe, and reduce competition in the process, then ticket prices for consumers will decline
• Children’s doctors urge national 20mph limit in built-up areasRoyal College of Paediatrics and Child Health suggests set of measures to help reduce UK’s child mortality rate
• EasyJet reports record £581m profitNo-frills airline reports bookings for the first half of 2015 are ahead of 2014 but says it faces increasing costs per seat

The Herald

• Toyota unveils plans to sell hydrogen-power carThere will only be a few hundred and they will not be cheap, but Japanese car giant Toyota is about to take its first small step into the unproven market for emissions-free, hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The Telegraph

• Wacky air travel inventions through the agesIn pics: Photographic evidence of strange airtravel ideas

The Mirror

• Watch foul-mouthed woman launch four-letter tirade at bus driver - for waiting at BUS STOPThe angry woman was unaware she was being filmed as she launched into an expletive-laden rant on a National Express service in Birmingham

Network Rail

• Passengers advised to allow more time when using Birmingham New Street station in the build-up to ChristmasWith Birmingham’s famous Christmas Market underway and the number of visitors to the city increasing, passengers are being advised to allow for more time to catch their trains at New Street station.
• Sales grow for tenth successive quarter as railway station retailers continue to beat the high streetLatest figures from Network Rail show that retail sales at Britain’s biggest and busiest stations have grown for the tenth quarter in a row, highlighting the changing habits of Britain’s modern consumers.

Birmingham Post

• Qatari cash linked to HS2 scheme Oli-rich state has Birmingham in its sights with Royal Family of Qatar said to be planning a massive investment in city Curzon Street HS2 station

Bolton News

• Councillors aim to "kerb" difficult road crossings RESIDENTS are being asked to help Bolton Council to “kerbâ€� difficult road crossings in the town.
• Rail bosses have 'no idea' where Bolton's extra 200 train carriages will come from, claims MP TRANSPORT bosses are at odds over the prime minister's promise of more seats to improve Bolton's

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Train window smashed by stone slab thrown from Bradford rail bridge British Transport Police are appealing for information after a train windscreen was smashed by a stone slab thrown from a rail bridge near Usher Street in Bradford.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Badgers force trains to stop on Cambrian Coast line after burrowing holeServices brought to halt between Porthmadog and Harlech after badgers burrowed under tracks exposing a hole

London Evening Standard

• Commuters' anger over 'whole week of chaos caused by Brixton escalator repair work' Transport bosses have been criticised over repair work on an escalator at Brixton station, which commuters say has caused huge queues to form for seven days in a row.
• Video: How has easyJet painted the sky orange? Lucy Tobin rounds up the day's City news as easyJet's profits soar, dinner wasn't to Hasbro's liking and grocery prices fall.
• Gatwick Express announces £147m deal for new trains next year The operators of the Gatwick Express today announced a £145 million deal for 27 new trains to enter service next year.

Manchester Evening News

• London Transport boss backs Manchester council bid for more 'transport powers'Leaders from Manchester met with their counterparts from Leeds, London and Sheffield to extol the virtues of devolution of power from Whitehall

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham City Transport bus driver Les Roome is country's top bus driver PASSENGERS on Nottingham City Transport's 25 and 27 services will be welcoming the country's Bus Driver of the Year back on their route tomorrow.

The York Press

• Sweet giant Nestlé to aid cycle safety by fitting electronic bike detectors YORK confectionery giant Nestlé is looking to place electronic bike detectors on all its lorries, to help reduce the risk of accidents.

Other Regional Press

• Transport police investigating bicycle thefts at Northampton train station release CCTV imagesCCTV images of a man wanted in connection with the theft of two bicycles from Northampton train station have been released by British Transport Police.
• New train fleets roll out on ThameslinkPassengers on Thameslink trains through Bedfordshire will soon benefit from a new fleet of trains - replacing the 27-year-old carriages currently in service.
• New train fleets roll out on ThameslinkPassengers on Thameslink trains through Bedfordshire will soon benefit from a new fleet of trains - replacing the 27-year-old carriages currently in service.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New trains worth £145 million for Thameslink and Gatwick ExpressTransport company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has confirmed an order of new trains totalling £145 million. This buys 108 new carriages, which will replace the current Gatwick Express fleet from 2016 onwards. Some 116 new carriages will also be introduced onto the Thameslink route from December 2014, with the rollout expected to be complete by 2016. These were ordered last year and are currently being completed in manufacturer Bombadier’s Derby factory. GTR and Southern Rail plan to use these carriages on Thameslink services between Bedford and Brighton until the newer or...

Aviation Industry

• Easyjet reports rise in profits as passenger numbers increaseAirline sees 62% repeat bookings from business travellers

Other News Sources

• Boris Johnson meets with Gatwick chiefs as second runway plan gets official response Mr Johnson is an outspoken opponent of expanding Heathrow, which is the other option being considered by the commission.
• Cities call for change in transport rules to boost growthMajor cities have called for radical changes to the way that transport projects are funded to better drive economic growth.
• English city transport leaders back devolution callsTransport leaders from some of England’s biggest cities, including London, Birmingham and Sheffield, have backed calls for more devolution.
• CI shipper sentiment survey reflects GSF issuesThe recent Containerisation International (CI) shipper sentiment survey confirms a number of key policy approaches developed by the Global ...