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

Saturday, 29 November 2014

BBC News

• Airport raids tackle cyberthievesCyberthieves who used stolen credit cards to buy airline tickets are targeted in raids at 80 airports.
• Cuts to reduce road safety campaignThe Department of the Environment's road safety promotion campaign could be significantly curtailed as a result of budget cuts, which could also see up to 500 jobs losses across the department.
• VIDEO: Concorde made out of matchsticksA plane enthusiast has spent more than two years creating matchstick models of a Concorde and a Boeing 747.
• Councils prepare for freezing roadsLocal councils say they are ready for any severe cold weather that might be on its way, with nine out of 10 increasing or maintaining salt levels.
• Oil prices hit fresh four-year lowsCrude oil prices hit a four-year low after the decision of the Opec oil producers' cartel not to cut output.

Financial Times

• Cars fall short in UK fuel economy tests‘Gentle’ EU regime blamed for gap between advertised and real performance
• Why luxury air travel is taking off againIts demise has long been predicted but first class is undergoing a renaissance
• Finance chief's journey to the topTransport for London's Steve Allen on his experience and managing change
• Osborne rules out rise in duty on petrolMotoring groups had feared chancellor could restore ‘escalator’ after oil price fall

The Guardian

• UK driving test to take new turnsLearner drivers may be asked to use satnav and three-point turn could be scrapped in favour of more common manoeuvresThe three-point turn could be dropped from driving tests after the government signalled the biggest shakeup in 20 years.Learners may be asked to use a satellite navigation system as part of a revised practical exam and the three-point-turn – more recently known as the “turn in the roadâ€� – could be scrapped altogether. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Aberdeen city bypass to be finished earlyA controversial city bypass will be completed ahead of schedule, ministers have pledged, as they said the £745 million project is closer to starting.
• Drivers benefit from drop in oil pricePLUNGING world oil prices have prompted leading supermarkets to cut the cost of their fuel.
• Amey to manage Forth road bridgesThe responsibility to manage and maintain the Forth Road Bridge and the new Queensferry Crossing is to be awarded to Amey.
• Blow to Barra airport as wind carries away baggage reclaimTHE world's only beach airport has never lost an item of baggage through human error in 78 years.

The Telegraph

• Going underground: Latest photos from Crossrail project under LondonIn pics: Latest photos from Crossrail project under the streets of London
• Three-point turn could be dropped from driving testGovernment considers replacing 'turn in the road' manoeuvre with 'more realistic' skills, such as reversing out of parking bay, in test shake-up

Network Rail

• Network Rail’s Paddington station celebrated as Paddington Bear hits the big screenLondon’s historic Paddington station will be shown in all its glory on the big screen as the film version of the beloved Paddington Bear books hits cinemas this week.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Protest to be held to call for A470 safety improvementsRoad safety campaigners are to stage a protest today to support calls for measures to make a busy junction safer.

London Evening Standard

• Delays expected as Dartford Crossing payments go cashless Motorists have been warned to expect delays this weekend as the Dartford Crossing is converted to the first remote payment system for a single major road in the UK.
• Revealed: Cycle crashes in London up 26 per cent in past three years Collisions involving cyclists in London have soared by 26 per cent in the past three years, new figures reveal today.
• Northern Line tube strike will go ahead next week after talks break down Tube drivers on the Northern Line will go on strike next week after peace talks broke down.

Manchester Evening News

• THIRD car on the Metrolink tracks in Wythenshawe in a week as tram and vehicle collideThe incident happened at Roundthorn on the new Airport line, and stopped trams for around an hour

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Ed Miliband: I want to bring high speed rail to NewcastleLabour leader brands East Coast takeover as

Sheffield Star

• Charges dropped against arrested Sheffield rail protest OAPsCharges against two rail cuts protesters aged in their 60s who were arrested at Sheffield Railway Station have been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
• New ultra-fast electric charge point at MeadowhallAn ultra-fast charging point for electric cars has been installed at Meadowhall.

The York Press

• £38m ring-road upgrade backed by transport bosses MULTI-MILLION-POUND plans to upgrade York's outer ring road have been backed by regional transport bosses.

Blackpool Gazette

• M55 link revamp on trackA £4m project to carry out essential repairs to Yeadon Way is now well underway.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Rail campaigners will have to continue work for a decade - regardless of mini-budgetA taskforce to improve the rail link from Norwich to London must continue to work together for a decade - regardless of whether the Chancellor gives its plans his backing on Wednesday, the chair of a rail taskforce has warned.
• EU bid sought for A120 improvements between Braintree and Marks Tey and at accident spot near Little BentleyEssex County Council is urging the Secretary of State for Transport to back a bid for £10 million of European Union funding, to help improvements on the A120.

Reading Evening Post

• Green Park railway station gets funding approval A total of £6.4 million was released over two years for construction of the station on the Reading to Basingstoke line

The Shields Gazette

• Work under way on Jarrow bus station revampWORK has started on a £120,000 refurbishment project at Jarrow bus station.

Other Regional Press

• Plan to limit New Forest cycle events to 1,000 riders “not practical and not fairâ€� A PROPOSAL to introduce a cap on cyclists taking part in New Forest rides has been criticised as ‘unfair’.
• New platform could be added to railway station TWO new platforms could be added to Southampton Central railway station.

Railnews

• Government confirms £16m Windermere electrification Funding for the electrification of the 16km branch between Oxenholme and Windermere has been confirmed by the Government. Network Rail will now develop a detailed plan for the work, which could be completed by 2017. Operator First TransPennine Express said it was 'absolutely delighted' at the decision, which follows a period of lobbying for the upgrade.

Aviation Industry

• Air Passenger Duty devolved to ScotlandThe Smith Commission has announced that control over Air Passenger Duty for flights from Scottish airports would be devolved to the Scottish Government. The announcement means that APD could be scrapped on flights from Scottish airports.

Other News Sources

• Shipping Industry Highlights Progress on CO2 Reduction  The global shipping industry, which transports around 90% of world trade, only produced about 2.2% of the world’s total Green House Gas emissions during 2012 compared to 2.
• Work on £4.8m Blackburn link road scheme rescheduled WORK on the £4.8m link road scheme to speed traffic in and out of Blackburn has had to be rescheduled because of a hitch in buying a key parcel of land.
• ICS tells EU to delay ship CO2 checksThe International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has urged the EU to postpone a monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) initiative for ships’ carbon dioxide emissions to give the IMO time to launch a global scheme.