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

Friday, 20 February 2015

BBC News

• Canal-draining operation delayedThe draining of a leaking canal in Birmingham City Centre is delayed.
• VIDEO: London cyclist killed by tipper truckCycling safety campaigners say vehicles designed for construction sites should be banned from London's roads following the death of a cyclist during rush hour.
• Many private parking fines 'illegal'Millions of pounds of private parking fines could have been charged illegally, according to a report published by the RAC Foundation.
• 'Beached' cargo ship refloatedA large cargo ship that ran aground near Ardnamurchan Point in the west Highlands is refloated on the high tide.
• VIDEO: Underground trains in Overground planFrom London Underground to the North West
• Tram stop reopens in £44m upgradeThe tram stop at Manchester's Victoria Station reopens after a year as part of a £44m refurbishment of the site.
• Be careful who you swear at on the trainA recruiter tweets about a job applicants' bad behaviour.
• Air France profits hit by strikeAir France-KLM says it plans to speed up cost cutting and reduce investment as it reports a drop in earnings following last year's pilots' strike.

Financial Times

• Air France-KLM to step up cost cuttingPilots’ strike and intensifying competition in long-haul market weigh on airline’s earnings|
• Rail strikes risk choking German economyTrain drivers’ action, if it goes ahead, will hit country’s motor, steel and chemicals industries
• Hapag-Lloyd sailings cancelled into MayIssues at the ports are choking off US companies' ability to import and export on critical routes

The Herald

• A9 to close for four hours to test new approach to making roads safe in winter

The Independent

• Death of cyclist leads to calls for safer roads Cyclists have demanded urgent steps to provide them with better protection on Britain’s roads, following the death of a female cyclist who was crushed by a tipper truck in central London.

Birmingham Mail

• Bus shelter fronts chopped off leaving passengers soaked - so adverts can be seenCentro admits policy is aimed at raising cash

Birmingham Post

• JLR eyes foreign factory after UK pay row fallout Car manufacturer is said to be on the hunt for new factory sites in Turkey and Austria following the recent pay disputes in the UK with trade unions

London Evening Standard

• Revealed: How London's commuters take to Twitter in their droves to complain to rail networks London's commuters vented their rage by bombarding rail companies with more than 280,000 tweets about delays last year.
• David Williams: Protective gear for the stylish biker Sometimes perseverance really does pay. I didn’t like the Resurgence Vintage Brown Voyager motorcycle jeans initially — the nylon/velcro stirrups were fiddly and the Knox Flexiform removable armour seemed bulky.

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink delays after ANOTHER driver ends up on tram tracks on new Manchester Aiport lineThe VW Beetle was driven onto tracks near Crossacres station in Wythenshawe at around 8pm this evening

Sheffield Telegraph

• Sheffield woman angry after driver refuses bus travel with takeawayAn epilepsy sufferer has hit out at a bus company after she was banned from a bus because she was carrying food.

Bucks Free Press

• Rail operator backs plan to increase number of Marlow trains A rail operator says proposed changes to a popular commuting route are

Doncaster Free Press

• Call to stop cut to paper bus timetables in South YorkshireTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin will be asked to save paper timetables from being axed in South Yorkshire.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Train fault cancels Norwich to London Liverpool Street rail serviceA train fault has cancelled a rail service scheduled to run from Norwich to London Liverpool Street.

The Shields Gazette

• Fresh privatisation row as figures show East Coast rail franchise turns £13million in profitTHE North East’s biggest rail operator generated £13million for the Treasury last year – sparking fresh anger over its privatisation.

Other Regional Press

• Halifax & District Rail Action Group blasts bid to run old London Tube trains on Northern Rail linesCampaigners dub revamped Pacer replacement trains 'Crawlers'
• Bus services escape axe as council bows to public pleasCounty Hall purse holders have pledged to continue propping up Lancashire’s loss-making bus services to the tune of more than £7m a year until at least 2018.
• Fresh privatisation row as figures show East Coast rail franchise turns £13million in profitTHE North East’s biggest rail operator generated £13million for the Treasury last year – sparking fresh anger over its privatisation.

C.N.N.

• World's best rail network? Getting on track in Germany

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• CS1 route open for consultationMayor of London Boris Johnson has revealed further details of his plans to create a further cycle superhighway in the capital. The Cycle Superhighway One (CS1) will run parallel to the A10 to connect Tottenham to the City of London. The mayor’s office and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a consultation into the plans to establish the precise route. The overall aim is to make the journey safer and more pleasant than using the main road. It is claimed that cyclists would be able to travel the entire 11 km route in 30 minutes. It would only have eight sets of t...

Rail Magazine

• Twitter becoming increasingly popular for passengers to contact rail providersResearch shows that passengers are increasingly using Twitter to contact train operator companies.

Railnews

• Labour victory could mean end of the line for franchises Labour has said that franchised train operators will be approaching the end of the line if the party wins the election in May. Shadow transport spokesman Michael Dugher labelled the present model as 'a disaster', and condemned the Rail Delivery Group because they
• East Anglia franchise competition begins The Department for Transport has started the search for the next operator of the East Anglia franchise. Today's announcement marks the publication of a prospectus for the next franchise, which includes plans to accelerate services, particularly on the intercity route between Norwich, Ipswich and London, which is hardly any faster now than it was before electrification in the 1980s. The present franchisee, Abellio Greater Anglia, remains in charge until 16 October 2016, when there could be a potential handover. It was awarded a two year contract from 5 February 2012, then a further two year di...

Aviation Industry

• Climate change committee: is airport expansion viable when emissions are capped?The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has written to the Airports Commission in response to the recent consultation on shortlisted expansion options at Heathrow and Gatwick. The letter reiterates the Committee’s earlier recommendation that the Airports Commission’s economic analysis of …
• Air France-KLM narrows full-year net lossAir France-KLM reported a full-year net loss of €198 million ($225.5 million), a marked improvement on a €1.2 billion net loss for 2013, boosted by the completion of Transform 2015. read more
• Irish lessor acquires three Bombardier Q400 NextGensLessor Elix Aviation Capital has acquired three Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft. read more
• Eurowings operating costs may be 30%-40% lower than legacy carriersSunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, is on track to start long-haul operations for Eurowings in November from Cologne. read more
• Delta CEO apologizes for terrorist remark Delta Air Lines has issued an apology after remarks made by its CEO about Gulf carriers seemed to suggest they or the United Arab Emirates (UAE) governments were linked to the 9/11 terrorists. read more
• Lufthansa to Exit JetBlue Stake in Convertible Debt BuybackThe exit plan, through an early redemption of Lufthansa bonds convertible into JetBlue shares, will help strengthen the German carrier's balance sheet as it faces competition abroad and in Europe as well as crippling strikes by pilots. Lufthansa became JetBlue's largest investor in 2007 and holds two board seats.
• Air France-KLM steps up cost cutting as pilots’ strike hits profitsA 14-day strike last year cost the airline €425 million

Green Miscellany

• Stylish and sustainable cycle storageIf you want to freshen up your front garden or shed this spring while at the same time adding some gold-standard bike security, look no further than Velotrove – a British company that offers stylish and sustainable cycle storage design. The Veloplanter is a timber and recycled plastic design that allows the front or back wheel to slot into a planter. The units can… The post Stylish and sustainable cycle storage appeared first on ETA.

EIN News Subscription

• Which airport do flyers like best? … passenger satisfaction. Conducted by the Airports Council International, based in Montreal, the Airport … access, check-in, security, airport facilities, dining and retail. “Airports are more … Sacramento 5. Ottawa Best in Europe: 1. Keflavik (Iceland) 2. …