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

Tuesday, 02 December 2014

BBC News

• Door to door long haul travel linksTwo rail firms and an airline join forces to provide travel to international destinations in a single combined booking from Cardiff and Swansea
• Road tunnel plan to link citiesA major road tunnel could be bored through the Peak District to improve links between Sheffield and Manchester.
• Extra 500 buses planned in LondonMore than 500 extra buses will be brought into use on London's roads as part of an investment plan, Transport for London says.
• £15bn 'roads revolution' outlinedA tunnel passing Stonehenge is among dozens of new road schemes to be announced by the government, as part of £15bn of improvements to England's roads.

The Guardian

• Breaking down the government’s £15bn programme for road improvementsIt has been hailed as the biggest road upgrade scheme for a generation, including 1,300 miles of motorway. But how much of the funding is new investment?
• Patrick McLoughlin is ambitious for his roads: A-roads should aspire to A*MPs enjoy government plans to bring roads closer to their constituencies – and so close to a general election
• Intelligent transport systems: ending the gridlockFor cities to remain the engines of economic growth, there has to be a technological revolution in the way their transport works
• Asphalt to ashes: history suggests the coalition's £15bn roads plan may go nowhereRoads are expensive and controversial, which is why the M1 extension to Marble Arch, Belfast's Urban Motorway and Margaret Thatcher's promised Roads for Prosperity all came to a dead endMost Britons love new roads, in theory. Which is why British governments love announcing them, as the coalition has this week. Actual roadbuilding, however, is almost always expensive, slow and intensely controversial. Even if the Conservatives are re-elected next May, the great schemes of the past suggest their plans to spend £15bn on 84 projects all over England are far from guaranteed. Continue rea...

The Herald

• Passengers urged to avoid West Coast Line at ChristmasPASSENGERS are being advised to avoid a main London to Scotland rail line over Christmas due to one of a series of engineering projects set to cause severe disruption over the holiday period.

The Telegraph

• Network Rail warns nightmare before Christmas will be on the West Coast main lineWith Christmas just weeks away, Network Rail advises passengers to avoid the West Coast main line and use alternative routes
• Cross-Channel ferry ticket up £50 due to EU emissions rulesP&O Cruises are hiking ticket prices from January 1 as Brussels forces shipping firms to adopt new, more expensive low-sulphur fuel

Mail Online

• Green rules slap £50 on your family ferry fare to France: EU fuel diktat will force prices up in weeks Britain’s biggest ferry operator, P&O Cruises, said a return ticket for a family of four from Dover to Calais will jump from £160 to £210.

The Mirror

• Labour car war is over- New transport chief's vow to help road usersThe new Shadow Transport Secretary Michael Dugher wants to focus on pot-holes insurance potholes and fuel taxes in a hope to improve Britain's roads

Network Rail

• Find out more about the major refurbishment of Scarborough rail bridgeResidents, businesses and passengers can find out more about the refurbishment of Scarborough rail bridge (York) this week, as the team behind the work holds an open day.

Birmingham Mail

• Passengers warned of Christmas rail disruptionEngineering works on West Coast main line will lead to track closures, warn operators

Birmingham Post

• M42 improvement work part of major Government pushIt is hoped work on the M42 will feed into wider regeneration plans around Birmingham Airport, the NEC and the new HS2 stations
• Birmingham Curzon HS2 Masterplan wins planning award Plans drawn up by Birmingham City Council to transform the city centre win national accolade

Bolton News

• UPDATED: Severe train delays after cable damage PASSENGERS are being warned of severe delays between Bolton and Manchester this morning after cables were damaged near Salford Crescent.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Snowdonia bus services 'savaged' after Padarn Bus collapseCampaigners say there are gaps in services despite Gwynedd Council moving to replace some provided by Llanberis-based firm

London Evening Standard

• Airports unveil new pledges as race for expansion steps up The battle between Gatwick and Heathrow stepped up today as both pledged multimillion-pound investments in the race to be the UK’s number-one airport.
• Train passengers told to avoid London to Scotland route over Christmas Train passengers are being advised to avoid using a main London to Scotland rail route over Christmas due to engineering works.

Manchester Evening News

• Stagecoach Manchester boss celebrates 40 years on the buses Managing director Christopher Bowles tells how the industry has changed over the last four decades

Sheffield Star

• Security checks to remain tight as Doncaster airport set for festive rushRobin Hood Airport is gearing up for a festive rush ahead of the Christmas getaway later this month.

The York Press

• 'Fundamental problems' with Selby bypass to be fixed next year MAJOR renovation work will be carried out on a North Yorkshire road, following outcry from the public.

Wales Online

• Welsh bus services in "vicious circle" of decline, experts warnLarge cuts to Wales overall subsidy for bus services have resulted in fare increases and service reductions – making Wales the only part of the UK where passenger numbers are falling

Burnley Express

• Tree-felling plan aims to make new Burnley rail route safer RAIL bosses have unveiled plans to safeguard one of the main lines through Burnley in advance of it becoming much busier next year.

Doncaster Free Press

• Security checks to remain tight as Doncaster airport set for festive rushRobin Hood Airport is gearing up for a festive rush ahead of the Christmas getaway later this month.

East Anglian Daily Times

• A12 widening could be extended as far as Copdock interchangeRoads minister John Hayes said he will look at extending an upgrade of the A12 to Ipswich, as a raft of plans to make more of the road three lanes wide in Essex were given the green light.
• Chancellor George Osborne in pledge to give our East Anglia an improved rail serviceMPs and business leaders hailed a win for their better rail campaign as the Chancellor said he would “do what it takes” to get faster trains between East Anglia and London.

Sleaford Standard

• UPDATE: Trains running again between Sleaford and Peterborough after ‘barrier failure’Monday, 5pm: Trains are now able to run between Peterborough and Sleaford following an earlier ‘barrier failure’ at a level crossing.

Other Regional Press

• Northampton MP demands answers from Network Rail chief executive over station opening delaysThe chief executive of Network Rail has been told to explain the delays to the opening of Northampton’s new train station by MP for Northampton South, Brian Binley.
• Weymouth harbour in crisis: Urgent action needed after Condor Ferries departure, report says URGENT action is needed to support Weymouth Harbour in the wake of Condor Ferries leaving, a report says.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Government announces major investment in roadsTransport minister Patrick McLoughlin and chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander have launched the ‘Road investment strategy’, which will involve spending £15 billion on road improvements before 2020. The funding will add 84 road improvements to the 16 that have already been approved. Over 1,300 miles of new lanes will be added to some of the country’s busiest roads as part of the project. This will include developing smart motorways, which use electronic signs to manage and reduce congestion. Chancellor George Osborne welcomed the new spending ...

Aviation Industry

• World's 'most excellent' airline is ...British Airways makes number 10 on AirlineRatings.com's 2015 best airline list. Earlier this year, UK flag carrier made headlines for trialing a
• British Airways secures regional rail dealAgreement with First Great Western allows customers to buy single tickets for rail and air
• Gatwick announces £1bn investment to ‘transform’ North TerminalAirport announces improvements to check-in and arrival areas and security facilities
• Regional airport chiefs back Heathrow expansionBosses of five UK airports write joint letter to Airports Commission

Other News Sources

• Roads package 'neglects council highways'Cash for motorways and trunk roads should be matched by £1bn for authorities, LGA says