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

Friday, 28 November 2014

BBC News

• Lake District rail line to be electrifiedA railway line that runs through the Lake District will be electrified, the government has said.
• Wrightbus link to church schemeA major development project by a church in Ballymena, County Antrim, would create jobs and allow for a new headquarters for Wrightbus, new details of the scheme have revealed.
• Rail and bus fares could increaseRail and bus fare increases above the rate of inflation
• Talks to avert Tube strike failTalks aimed at averting a strike by drivers on a London Underground end without agreement.
• Crossrail 2 cost rises 30% to £28bnThe cost of the north-south Crossrail 2 scheme rises by £6.6bn or 30%, to £27.5bn, new figures produced for Transport for London show.
• Rail route worker seriously hurtA worker on the Borders Railway is seriously hurt while unloading concrete sleepers on the line at Galashiels.
• Oil prices plunge after Opec meetingCrude oil prices slump in reaction to the decision by the Opec oil producers' cartel not to cut output.

Financial Times

• Revenue projections boost Crossrail 2Study finds half of £27.5bn cost could be met by fares, business rates and a development tax
• Stagecoach shares jump after franchise winRail stocks track East Coast Mainline franchise award while energy shares hold back FTSE 100

The Herald

• Bus firm chief wins backing after claims of misconductA chief executive of a council-owned bus company has secured the backing of the authority following claims his own board of directors want him sacked over allegations of misconduct.
• East Coast franchise winners promise more seats and trainsPASSENGERS were promised more seats, more services and new trains as a consortium involving Stagecoach and Sir Richard Branson's company Virgin was picked to operate the East Coat main line.
• East Coast franchise winners promise more seats and trainsPASSENGERS were promised more seats, more services and new trains as a consortium involving Stagecoach and Sir Richard Branson's company Virgin was picked to operate the East Coat main line.

The Telegraph

• Schoolchildren use loudspeaker to shame parents who park illegallyBewsey Lodge Primary, in Cheshire, launches campaign against illegal parking during the school run following mounting concerns raised by pupils, parents and staff
• Great news - low oil prices are destroying Opec's powerThe energy markets are slowly being prised from the grip of this damaging cartel, reports Jeremy Warner

Mail Online

• Half of children aged 11 have never even caught a bus reveals study While 48 per cent of children had reached the age of 11 without travelling on public transport - more than one in six spent at least three hours a day watching television or on a computer.

Network Rail

• Network Rail publish its half year financial results to September 2014Network Rail today published its half-year financial results for the six months ending 30 September 2014.
• Nottingham celebrates as world-class transport hub officially opensA three-year programme of major improvement work to transform Nottingham’s railway station came to a dramatic finale yesterday (Wednesday, 26 November 2014) as The Honourable Sir William McAlpine, chairman of the Railway Heritage Trust and the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire (Sir John Peace) visited to officially open the new world-class transport hub.

Bolton News

• Drivers get away with speeding on M60 and M62 due to legal error DRIVERS caught speeding during roadworks on the M60 and M62 have not been prosecuted after a mix up between police and transport bosses.
• Council WILL consider putting Lancashire on road signs BOLTON'S Lancashire heritage could re-appear on the town's street signs — after town hall bosses performed a u-turn on the issue.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Plans for six extra trains a day between Bradford and London given warm welcomed PLANS for six extra trains each day from Bradford to London have been welcomed after the winner of the East Coast rail franchise was announced.

London Evening Standard

• London Bridge disruption will last for years, warn rail chiefs as new station plans are revealed Rail chiefs today warned passengers they are about to endure years of disruption as the £6.5bn project to rebuild London Bridge reaches its critical stage.
• Northern Line tube strike: talks held in attempt to avert drivers walk-out next week Emergency talks are taking place today in a bid to avert a planned strike being staged by London Underground Tube drivers.

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink elves set to descend upon Manchester city centre to guide shoppers - and pose for selfiesSanta's little helpers will be on hand to assist visitors during the busy rub-up to Christmas

Sheffield Telegraph

• Staff roll up sleeves to clear Trans Pennine TrailWorkers from Balfour Beatty and staff from Voluntary Action Barnsley got their hands dirty when they took part in a day of manual labour.

The York Press

• Fears for York rail jobs as new East Coast Mainline operators give no guarantee on HQ - Virgin & Stagecoach promise more York-London trains - 6.15pm UPDATE THE East Coast Mainline franchise is set to be awarded to Stagecoach and Virgin in an eight-year deal, the Government has announced today.

Wales Online

• Cardiff council's Labour leadership faces fierce criticism over its plans for city transport - from its own membersLabour and opposition critics voiced trenchant criticisms of Cardiff council's proposed Local Transport Plan
• Will devolved rail in Wales lead to better trains? Carwyn Jones says he wouldn't want to see old trains on electrified tracksControl of who gets Wales' rail franchise is set to be devolved to Wales in 2018

Yorkshire Post

• ‘Revolution in services’ for East Coast trains passengersEAST COAST passengers will have to wait until 2018 for new trains but they should see major improvements to the existing fleet from March.

Northamptonshire Telegraph

• Street lights to go out on Corby estateCorby’s Danesholme estate will be ‘plunged into darkness’ when Northamptonshire County Council switch off streetlights in courtyards.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Stagecoach and Virgin win East Coast rail franchise pledging multi-million pound investmentThe newly chosen operators of the East Coast rail network through Peterborough have vowed a multi-million pound investment in services - including a new multi-storey car park.

Sleaford Standard

• Federation of Small Businesses welcomes new East Coast rail franchiseThe Federation of Small Businesses in Greater Lincolnshire and Peterborough welcomes the planned improvements to rail services from Lincoln following the announcement that the East Coast franchise has been awarded to ‘Inter City Railways’.

Other Regional Press

• Transport in the spotlightSouth Holland’s transport problems will come under the spotlight at two big meetings next year.
• Angry Preston residents blast Lancashire County Council for needless roadworksMarian and Peter Lee of St Francis Close, Fulwood, Preston, were horrified after discovering road repairs by LCC contractors had actually created potholes on their road.
• Passengers in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells are being invited to a Southeastern Are you a rail passenger? Southeastern managers will be holding special sessions across the county to discuss the company's services.
• Customer feedback prompts bus company to launch improved service along rural route A BUS operator says customer feedback prompted the launch of a new improved service along one of Dorset’s main routes.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• London hosts freight re-timing summitThe Quiet Cities summit in London has taken place over November 25th and 26th. This was the first ever global summit on the subject of re-timing freight deliveries. The summit follows the success of rearranging freight deliveries to arrive outside of rush hour during the 2012 Olympic Games, helping ease pressure on the busy capital. To mark the event, Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor of London released new guidance on how to responsibly increase flexibility for freight deliveries. The guidance was published as part of TfL’s Road Modernisation Plan, which has received &pou...

Aviation Industry

• Low-cost airlines: Making Laker's dream come trueLow-cost airlines have revolutionised short-haul flying. Now, after several failed attempts, they are poised to do the same on longer routes SIR FREDDIE LAKER, the pioneer of cheap
• Qatar Airways to increase Manchester flightsGulf airline continues to add frequencies to UK airports
• Scotland set to gain power over air taxesCommission recommends that APD should be devolved to Scottish parliament
• Air France launches new fare for business travellersCarrier unveils flexible economy ticket and new seating for medium-haul aircraft

Other News Sources

• Winchester civic chiefs move over land near railway station WINCHESTER civic chiefs are working on a deal to buy land as part of the Station Approach scheme.
• Andrew Bridgen MP: Why we should scrap the tax on family flights Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen writes supporting a new campaign to cut the tax families pay on their annual holiday which has been attracting growing support from fellow parliamentarians.
• Virgin-Stagecoach wins East Coast franchiseConsortium will take over running of London-Edinburgh line in March