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

Friday, 13 February 2015

BBC News

• Electric car chargers 'not used'Almost half of Scotland's electric vehicle charging points could be lying unused, according to a study by the RAC Foundation.
• IAG to guarantee Aer Lingus slotsThe chief executive of International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), the company trying to buy Aer Lingus, has appeared before an Irish parliament committee.
• Drivers caught speeding at 146mphThe two fastest drivers caught by speed cameras in England and Wales in 2014 were both recorded travelling at 146mph on a motorway.

Department for Transport

• Transport Secretary views efforts to reopen landslip-hit rail linePatrick McLoughlin visits site of Harbury landslip as Network Rail continues to stabilise the area.

Financial Times

• Korean Air heiress guilty in nut rage caseCho sentenced to 1 year in prison for tantrum that resulted in aircraft returning to terminal
• Network Rail warned about holiday chaosOperator had ‘inadequate’ plans to deal with Christmas problems but escapes fine
• Year of struggles weighs on Norwegian AirLow-cost carrier reveals first net loss in 8 years after strike and disputes with US regulator
• Talks target cap on airline emissionsNegotiators propose first-time limits on industry ahead of Paris summit
• IAG rules out more Aer Lingus concessionsWillie Walsh says five-year guarantee on use of Heathrow slots is final offer

The Herald

• Festive travellers failed by Network Rail, report findsRAIL passengers whose festive travel plans were plagued by cancellations and disruption as a result of engineering works on the outskirts of London were let down by
• 1000 electric cars are now on Scotland's roadsMore than 1,000 electric vehicles are now thought to be on the road in Scotland, with Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow the apparent hotspots for use.
• Sleeper stock to be built by Spanish trams firmTHE new Caledonian Sleeper fleet will be built by the same Spanish manufacturer behind the Edinburgh trams.

The Telegraph

• David Cameron tries his hand at driving a trainDavid Cameron has a go driving an Underground train during a visit to the Bombardier factory in Derby - with George Osborne testing out the horn

Times Online

• Network Rail escapes fines for Christmas travel chaosNetwork Rail escaped a multi-million pound fine today despite more than 115,000 passengers being caught up in the chaos of overrunning engineering works at Christmas.

The Mirror

• Government was told of Christmas rail chaos a MONTH before and failed to actMinisters 'out of touch' as staff resources over festive period had been flagged up as being stretched to capacity

Network Rail

• New lifts and footbridge to provide better access at Penrith stationPenrith station is to benefit from step-free access throughout thanks to a proposed new footbridge and lifts.
• End of the line for Borders rail installationThe installation of almost 30 miles of rail on the new Borders Railway was officially completed today (Thursday, February 12) when Keith Brown, cabinet secretary for infrastructure, joined the project team to clip the final length of rail into place.

Belfast Telegraph

• Network Rail escapes overruns fineNetwork Rail (NR) has escaped a possible multimillion-pound fine despite rail regulators finding that the company's Christmas engineering overruns led to "unacceptable" service levels.

Liverpool Echo

• Merseyrail reveals new-look seating for its trainsOverall look will be "sharper and more colourful"

London Evening Standard

• Speeding motorists clocked driving at 146mph on the M25 Britain's worst speeding offenders have been caught going as fast as 146mph on the busy M25.
• Tube strike over failed alcohol breath test is bonkers, potty, nuts, says Boris Boris Johnson said it was “bonkers, potty, nutsâ€� that RMT Tube staff were threatening to strike after a driver failed a random breath test.

Wales Online

• Plans to reopen abandoned Welsh railway tunnel described as an 'exciting opportunity' by Edwina HartThe scheme to reopen Wales’ longest tunnel has won the backing of Plaid leader Leanne Wood and South Wales West AM Bethan Jenkins

Yorkshire Post

• Farage wants scrapping HS2 to be a deficit reduction measureNigel Farage risked undermining his claim to be the main opposition party “from Birmingham to Hadrian’s Wall” by suggesting HS2 cash could go as part of his hung parliament negotiations.

Carlisle News & Star

• Cumbrian bus service to be axed A bus service which was saved from last year’s cuts is to be axed because not enough passengers use it.

Crewe Chronicle

• Open day to share plans of aqueduct's £200,000 restorationThe Canal and River Trust is setting up a stall in Nantwich to explain the works

Sleaford Standard

• Video: Sleaford crossing users targeted in police crackdownBritish Transport Police officers have been teaming up with Network Rail to crack down on dangerous misuse of level crossings.

Other Regional Press

• Kent commuters angry at short rush hour trains on Southeastern's high speed service to St PancrasRail chiefs are facing complaints about overcrowding on high speed trains with disgruntled commuters having to stand during peak hour services.
• St Albans and Harpenden commuters! We put Thameslink rail bosses under the spotlight with your questionsGrilling the senior management in charge of running the Thameslink rail line through Harpenden and St Albans has become something of an annual tradition for the Herts Advertiser, and has now continued through the change in franchisee from First Capital Connect to Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).
• Cambridge cyclists hit out at 'diabolical' management of train station bike racks Frustrated cyclists have hit out against the "diabolical" management of bike facilities at Cambridge train station which has left bikes damaged and piled up to three deep.
• Gran in wheelchair told no bus until 2016A young carer waiting to take her wheelchair-user nan home on the bus was stunned to be told by three separate drivers there wouldn’t be a suitable vehicle until 2016.
• £5.6m Black Cat roundabout works reach final stagesRoadworks to reduce congestion at the Black Cat roundabout on the A1 which were due to be completed this month have been delayed until the end of March. The £5.6 million scheme, which has widened the existing roundabout, resurfaced the road and put in new lighting, was held up by the weather and the need for additional work. Highways Agency project manager for the scheme Mark Saunders said: “We apologise for the delay and I’d like to thank drivers for their patience while these works continue.”

Rail Magazine

• New Tube for London delayedInvitation to Tender for 250 new trains held up.
• Parties meet to discuss South West resilience plansWest Country leaders meet with Secretary of State to demand better rail connections.
• NR’s poor contingency plan at fault for Christmas chaosRegulator says Network Rail did not properly account for the impact of failing to hand back the railway on time.
• Free WiFi to help rail commuters stay connectedRail passengers will benefit from free WiFi on trains across England and Wales from 2017.
• First refurbished Class 319 returns to AllertonNorthern Rail reveals new-look ‘319’.

Railnews

• 'Passengers must come first' says KX report The Office of Rail Regulation has said the rail industry 'must place passengers at the heart of enhanced contingency planning' in case engineering works overrun. The ORR has been inquiring into the disruption at London King's Cross and Paddington on 27 December, and it has calculated that more than 115,000 passengers were affected. The findings echo the conclusions of an earlier report from Network Rail, which was published last month.

Aviation Industry

• Bombardier posts $1.25 billion 2014 net lossBombardier reported a full-year net loss for 2014 of $1.25 billion, reversing the $572 million in profit the manufacturer recorded in 2013. read more
• Bellemare replaces Beaudoin as Bombardier CEOBombardier has unveiled plans to raise new financing as Pierre Beaudoin steps down to be replaced as president and chief executive officer by outsider Alaine Bellemare, until recently head of United Technologies’ Propulsion & Aerospace business. read more
• Deutsche Bahn to file separate price-fixing lawsuit against 11 airlinesGerman rail operator Deutsche Bahn—along with several other unnamed companies—is set to file a billion-euro lawsuit seeking damages from 11 air cargo carriers, including Lufthansa and British Airways, for allegedly operating a price-fixing cartel from 1999-2006. read more
• Heathrow appoints chief financial officerMichael Uzielli replaces outgoing CFO José Leo
• American unveils B787-8 Dreamliner routesUS carrier to fly to Chicago and Buenos Aires

Green Miscellany

• Nissan Leaf: A glow-in-the-dark electric carAmid concerns the silence of electric cars makes them a danger to pedestrians, a risk compounded at night, Nissan has used a paint created for phosphorescent cycle paths, to produce a glow-in-the-dark Leaf electric car. Breakdown Recovery from less than £30 Get your quote Your car’s in safe hands: 5,000+ qualified mechanics nationwide on call 24/7, 365 days a year ETA… The post Nissan Leaf: A glow-in-the-dark electric car appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• RMT declare a day of action against rail cuts in the North.The rail union, RMT have annouced a series of protests across West Yorkshire including in Hebden Bridge. It's after a poll has shown that less than one in five passengers support rail staff cuts plans.