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

Wednesday, 11 February 2015

BBC News

• Mayor hopeful in Tube fare rowOne of Boris Johnson's deputy mayors who hopes to take on the role, clashes with Transport for London over claims he could reduce Tube fares by 3%.
• UK kickstarts driverless car changesDriverless cars which will be tested in four areas this summer, including Greenwich, are to be unveiled by the government later.
• Tube drivers vote to go on strikeDrivers on London Underground vote to go on strike over the sacking of a colleague for failing an alcohol breath test.
• General election 2015: Seven of the key battlegroundsSome might argue every time London's mayor Boris Johnson voices his suspicions that more Heathrow concrete is the Treasury's chosen way, it makes the coming task a little more difficult for Macleod. She and her opponents, of course, talk up the economic and social value of Heathrow Airport as a major employer in the area.

Department for Transport

• UK to lead development of driverless car technologyUp to now, the scope for testing driverless cars has been limited, but today (11 February 2015) industry has been given the green light for testing on public roads.

The Guardian

• Driverless cars set to roll out for trials on UK roadsVince Cable believes trials in Greenwich, Bristol, Milton Keynes and Coventry, backed by £19m worth of government funding, could lead to £900bn industryThe prototype driverless cars to be tested in the heart of four British cities are unveiled on Wednesday, with the government claiming the nation is uniquely placed to lead the development of the technology. An autonomous shuttle traversing the North Greenwich plaza beside Oâ‚‚ Arena will mark a small but significant step on the way to what ministers and engineers hope will be a safer, less-congested, driverless future. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Delayed 20mph cycle petition goes liveA PETITION calling for Glasgow to become Scotland's second 20mph city has gone live, days after campaigners were told it was
• Driverless cars to be road tested in UKDRIVERLESS cars will be tested in
• Buchanan Street Subway station in line for £3m revampPLANS for the next station to be revamped under a multimillion-pound modernisation of Glasgow's Subway have been unveiled as the operator seeks approval for a £3 million investment.

The Independent

• Heathrow expansion is 'urgent', says airport boss John Holland-KayeHeathrow's chief executive has said that MPs' dithering on airport expansion was "just the British way of making decisions" - but he told the British Chamber of Commerce "it is time to get on with" expanding the airport.
• London tube strikes: Workers vote to walkout over sacking of driver 'who failed alcohol breath test' Drivers on the London Underground have voted to strike over the firing of a co-worker who reportedly failed an alcohol breath test before going on duty.

The Telegraph

• Driverless cars will mean motorists don't even need to look at the roadMinisters give green-light to driverless cars which could do away with the need for driving licences entirely
• How a driverless car will benefit youAn official review has laid out the positives of using a driverless cars

Network Rail

• Improving level crossing safety for Llanelli communityNetwork Rail will be improving the level crossings at Llanelli station as part of work to provide a safer and more reliable railway for passengers and communities in Wales.

Birmingham Post

• London Taxi Company to build new Ansty facility? London Taxi Company seem intent on building a new plant near Coventry, at the Ansty site, near to the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the Rolls-Royce operation.
• Driverless vehicles made in the Midlands go on show Groundbreaking pods made by Midland firm RDM Group will be tested on public roads later this year after being given the green light

Bolton News

• Commuters call for Metrolink to be extended to Bolton as frustration with 'cattle truck' trains grows FED-up commuters have vented their anger at the town's

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph commented Opinion: 'Nobody has explained the purpose of HS2 trains'THE Derby Telegraph receives lots of letters each week on issues affecting Derby and Derbyshire, as well as further afield. This one looks at HS2. I AM concerned that no political parties are making an issue of the HS2 train, which it is claimed "would be of benefit" to Derby.Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Minister, stated that Parliament initially opposed the building of the Victorian railway system as it was considered that the canals were adequate to move freight.As he...

London Evening Standard

• 'Gap' in Mayor's cycle superhighway: Royal Parks object to Buckingham Palace route A 'giant gap' has emerged in Boris Johnson’s flagship cycle superhighway - directly in front of Buckingham Palace.
• Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye tells MPs to get on with airport expansion Heathrow's chief executive has told the British Chamber of Commerce that MPs dithering on airport expansion was just the British way of making decisions�. But it is time to get on with� expanding the London hub airport.
• London Tube strike 2015: commuters face disruption in latest walkout over driver who 'failed alcohol breath test' Millions of Tube commuters face major disruption after train drivers today voted for strike action in protest over a colleague sacked for allegedly failing an alcohol breath test just before going on duty.
• Model train-maker Hornby on right track as toy vehicles sales rev up Britain’s railways might have suffered a nightmare Christmas but model train-maker Hornby chugged along much more smoothly, with fans of its tiny locomotives unwrapping gifts which helped sales to rise 6% so far in its financial year to April.

Northern Echo

• Tees Valley "at the mercy" of powerful cities and starved of transport funds, ministers told TEES Valley is “at the mercyâ€� of more powerful cities and will continue to be starved of transport funds, ministers were told last night.

Sheffield Star

• Union plans protests at Sheffield Railway Station over cuts fearsA protest about the state of the north’s railway network is to take place in Sheffield on Friday.

The York Press

• East Coast franchise winner asked to alleviate competition concerns or face investigation THE new company set to operate the East Coast rail franchise has until the end of the week to address concerns raised over pricing competition or face further investigation.

This Is Local London Network

• Petition to extend Tube lines after 'awful' train services A petition has been launched to create new London Underground stations to help cope with the rising population north of London.

Wales Online

• 133 drivers a day are STILL being caught by new M4 cameras - just weeks after it was revealed 300 were snared in first three daysAverage speed cameras on the M4 at Port Talbot which went live two weeks ago have caught hundreds of speeding drivers

Yorkshire Post

• Way clear for driverless cars to be trialledthe government has launched the first official trials of driverless cars which could eventually save motorists six working weeks a year in driving time.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Stansted Airport annual passenger total tops 20m for first time in six yearsStansted Airport has passed the 20million passengers a year milestone for the first time since 2009 after a busy start to 2015.

Reading Evening Post

• Tilehurst residents affected by Network Rail work Work to be carried out overnight for the week

The Shields Gazette

• MP demands answers after Metro delays cause misery for passengersSOUTH Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck has organised an urgent meeting with a transport boss over concerns at the recent problems on the Metro system.

Other Regional Press

• Leading UK entrepreneurs back Gatwick second runwayENTREPRENEURS from across the UK have pledged their support for a second runway at Gatwick.
• Windsor's MP among campaigners to hand deliver opposition to Heathrow expansion to PM's doorAdam Afriyie was with fellow MPs and representatives of campaign groups who went to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday last week to make their opposition to a third runway at Heathrow clear
• 'This is really not good enough, and suggests a paralysis at the heart of government': MP's anger over Gateway plan delayGeoffrey Robinson writes to Eric Pickles over latest delay to plan for land near Coventry Airport

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• NI transport boss resignsThe chief executive of the Northern Irish public transport company Translink has announced that he is leaving after just a few months in the job. Although David Strahan only took up the position in October 2014, but he has decided to resign from his £155,000 per year job to become a Christian preacher. He will continue to work at Translink until September of this year, to ensure a suitable successor can be appointed, and a smooth transition can be ensured. Mr Strahan said: “In the meantime I will continue to drive forward the efficiency and transformation programme I have a...

Rail Magazine

• Serco signs deal for CAF Sleeper stockSeventy-five carriages to be built by Spanish manufacturer in £148.5m deal.

Aviation Industry

• Air Canada boosts frequency on Calgary-Heathrow route11 weekly flights between the two cities from June 2
• Luton airport posts record passenger numbers11 new routes confirmed for 2015

Other News Sources

• Solar panels could save Network Rail up to £150mInstalling solar panels alongside railway track in the UK could help Network Rail cut cost with up to £30m every year, according to environmental consultants.
• Are driverless cars the future of travel? The key questionsThe government is announcing three projects to test and promote driverless cars. But will they ever be significantly safer than vehicles driven by humans? And who is responsible if an accident occurs?