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

Tuesday, 24 February 2015

BBC News

• Railway worker shot with air riflePolice investigate after a railway worker is shot in the leg with an air rifle while working on the line in High Bonnybridge.
• Airline to 'vigorously' defend claimAer Lingus says it will
• Crossrail man 'crushed by concrete'A construction worker was crushed to death when nearly a tonne of concrete collapsed on him, an inquest hears.
• Sale of airport 'could take years'Plans to sell Prestwick Airport back to the private sector are viable but it could take

Department for Transport

• New non-executive director appointed to HS2 Ltd boardHS2 Ltd has welcomed a new non-executive director to its board as the project to build Britain’s new high speed rail network moves towards construction. Roger Mountford has been appointed by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
• Transport Secretary visits MidlandsPatrick McLoughlin views improvements at East Midlands Airport and Kenilworth train station. He first visited East Midlands Airport, the second largest air freight airport in the UK, to mark the airport’s record-breaking cargo figures.
• Challenging violence against women and girls on UK transportExplains what is being done to ensure the safety of female passengers on public transport.

Financial Times

• Heathrow rules out IAG using DublinBigger aircraft lift number of travellers using London hub to record 73.4m for year
• US safety chief in warning over railcarsFears increase after explosions involving trains moving crude oil
• Hitachi nears €2bn deal for Italian transport groupFinmeccanica set to agree Japanese takeover of Ansaldo

The Guardian

• Aer Lingus profits soar by 18%Irish flag carrier unveils ‘excellent’ €72m profit with total revenue up 9.2% to €1.55bn and a record 11m passengers
• Heathrow 'losing passengers' to rival airports, warns bossAirport chief says growth constraints and third runway inquiry means London hub is losing passenger growth to rivals such as Paris
• New bike and pedestrian Thames bridge designs – in picturesAll 74 designs for a £40m pedestrian and cycle bridge between Nine Elms and Pimlico went on show on Monday. Four designs will be shortlisted next month Continue reading...

The Herald

• Coroner: frequent fliers and aircrew face health threat from toxic plane fumes FREQUENT fliers and aircrew are risking their health by breathing in toxic fumes inside aircraft cabins, according to coroner probing the death of an Edinburgh pilot.
• Beached cargo ship Lysblink Seaways rescued againTHE large cargo ship that ran aground last week on the west coast had to be rescued again.
• 91% BACK RAIL JOURNEY TIMES CALLAbout nine in ten Scots want inter-city rail services to be at least as fast as journeys by road, research has found.
• Ministers accused of £40m Ministers have been accused of covering up the true cost of buying Prestwick Airport as auditors reveal that nearly £40 million of taxpayer-funded loans is expected to be handed over to the Ayrshire base by 2021.

The Independent

• Airports must do more to prevent British teenagers travelling to join Isis, says David Cameron Airports, airlines and border security staff need to do more to prevent radicalised British teenagers travelling to join radical group Islamic State, the Prime Minister has said.

The Scotsman

• Let the train take more of the strainWE need more joined-up thinking if we are to succeed in switching Scotland’s freight traffic from road to rail, writes David Spaven.
• Transport systems need to join to benefit freightOUR words need to be heard, not just our voices, says Martin Reid. In December 1998, a report entitled “Shaping Scotland’s Parliament” was presented to the then secretary of state for Scotland.
• Prestwick Airport taxpayer bailout doubles to £40mTHE cost to taxpayers of bailing out troubled Prestwick airport has doubled to £40 million and may rise even further, a public spending watchdog has warned.
• Holyrood calls for high-speed rail in ScotlandTHE Scottish Government has challenged the main parties at Westminster to commit to bringing high-speed rail north of the border.

The Telegraph

• Nicola Sturgeon 'cover-up' over Prestwick Airport costThe First Minister fails to tell MPs that the projected cost of taxpayer loans to the airport has almost doubled from £21.3 million to £39.6 million.

Daily Express

• Bill to keep Prestwick Airport running will hit £40mTAXPAYERS face a £40million bill to keep the nationalised Prestwick Airport in business over the next seven years.

Daily Record

• Paisley town centre to get £1.5million transport boost with new cycle routes and bus hubStrathclyde Partnership for Transport unveils new package to boost transport across Renfrewshire with new cycle routes, bus hub and connections to Fastlink.

Network Rail

• Press call: Completion of the demolition to create the giant atrium at Birmingham New StreetThe new Birmingham New Street station and Grand Central shopping destination are one step closer to becoming a reality as the demolition work to create the awe inspiring atrium has come to an end.
• Technology star Maggie Philbin shows girls how tech and trains can lead to a great careerBBC Tomorrow's World presenter and technology broadcaster and TeenTech founder Maggie Philbin has joined forces with Network Rail to help dispel myths about working in IT and encourage more girls to pursue a tech-related career.
• Rail services back to normal after Scarborough Bridge successfully replacedRail passengers, York residents and visitors to the city are being thanked for their patience after the old bridge deck of Scarborough Rail Bridge was removed and a new one installed.
• Boost for Britain’s rail industry as Network Rail Consulting helps secure major Middle East contractNetwork Rail Consulting, as part of a British consortium, today announces that the consortium has been appointed by the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) to be its partner, providing management and technical support for infrastructure, freight and passenger operations on one of its rail projects, the North South Railway (NSR). The contract which was signed today 23 February 2015 has a total value to the Consortium of £120m over 5 years.

Sky News

• Heathrow And Gatwick Bosses Debate ExpansionThe bosses of the UK's busiest airports debate on Sky's Ian King Live whether Gatwick or Heathrow should be allowed to expand

Birmingham Mail

• Washwood Heath jobs boost as HS2 gives up claim on development landCouncil and MPs hail decision which could create 2,334 new roles on site as part of East Birmingham industry drive

London Evening Standard

• Four-year-old Mimi reunited with Bunny after TfL chief oversees hunt for lost toy A mother today praised London transport commissioner Sir Peter Hendy after he personally led the hunt to track down a toy bunny rabbit her daughter lost on a bus.
• Commuters to get refunds after Boris Johnson performs U-turn on fares Thousands of commuters are to receive refunds worth hundreds of pounds a year after Boris Johnson staged a U-turn on fare rises.
• Sale and consumption of alcohol 'could be banned on UK's rail network' Alcohol could be banned on trains under plans being considered by a railway safety group.
• Heathrow boss pushes case for new runway as passenger numbers hit new record in 2014 Heathrow is officially "full" after its busiest ever year and must be expanded to prevent Britain falling behind its international rivals, its chief executive has warned.
• Secret train fare bargains website struggles to cope with demand after word gets out A website that uses a special computer algorithm to find cheaper train tickets is struggling to cope with "sky high demand" after it was discovered by hordes of rail travellers.

Other Regional Press

• Heathrow air pollution forecast 'could be show-stopper for third runway'Latest government figures suggest air quality around the airport will breach EU limits in 2030 even without a new landing strip
• Councillors asked to back idea to rename Heathrow Airport after Sir Winston ChurchillA councillor is asking his colleagues to back a campaign to rename Heathrow Airport after Sir Winston Churchill.
• Trains to gridlock Spalding over next five SaturdaysSpalding traffic faces gridlock over the next five Saturdays with more than 100 trains passing through the station while the East Coast main line has multiple repairs.
• Nominations invited by bus companyStagecoach Group has launched its 2015 Champions Awards for employees – and is inviting bus and rail passengers in the Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford area to nominate their favourite member of staff.
• New rail operator will have to replace most of East Anglia’s trainsMost of East Anglia’s trains are sub-standard, and the new operator that takes over the franchise next year will have to replace them.
• Labour parliamentary candidate to fight current new rail franchise if he wins Norwich seatClive Lewis, who is hoping to become MP for Norwich South, could end up on a collision course with his party hierarchy which has not ruled out allowing the process to continue if it wins power in May.
• Call for more stations as north east rail travel increasesTHE number of people using trains in the North-east has increased by around 105% over the last nine years.
• Transport expert calls for new Stansted rail line A leading transport expert has highlighted the significant benefits better rail links could bring for the millions of passengers travelling to and from Stansted Airport, during a speech at the airport.
• Magor rail station campaign wins backing IT’S full speed ahead for a bid to restore a rail station which was closed down exactly 50 years ago.
• Traffic chaos sparks demand for control More powers over roads should be devolved to councils so that traffic problems can be dealt with more quickly, a council leader said
• Petition launched to save police helicopter base at Durham Tees Valley AirportPetition backed by crews and public who say the move would prevent the helicopter from reaching incidents quickly
• Operation Stack 'action plan' to be presented to government after summit including MPs, Kent Police, Port of Dover and Proposed solutions to Operation Stack will be presented to the government in April following a summit at the House of Commons.
• Government pledges help to see Manston reopened at meeting of Transport Select CommitteeA minister today told investment firm RiverOak the government
• Dorset coroner's 'urgent' warning over toxic fumes in aircraft as pilot's death linked with aerotoxic syndrome DORSET Coroner Sheriff Payne has warned that passengers are at risk of death from toxic fumes inside aircraft cabins.
• Watch: HS2 construction pain 'will be outweighed by gain': Transport ministerPatrick McLoughlin gave assurance effects would be

C.N.N.

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

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Expert calls for new Stansted rail linkJim Steer, founder and director of global transport consultancy Steer Davies Gleave, has given a speech highlighting the potential benefits of a new rail link to Stansted Airport.
• Transport secretary visits the East MidlandsThe East Midlands has played host to the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, who was in the region to see the impact of major transport investments at East Midlands Airport and Kenilworth Station.
• Row over Forth Bridge speed cameras deepensTransport Scotland and the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) are continuing to argue about plans to install average speed cameras along the Forth Bridge. FETA say that they were not consulted about the proposals, which would involve placing cameras in order to enforce a new speed limit of 40 mph, despite the present 50 mph restriction. This is because Transport Scotland say that motorists are being distracted by construction work on the nearby Queensferry Bridge, which FETA denies. FETA chair Lesley Hinds said: “FETA is responsible for setting the speed limit on the Forth Road...

Railnews

• First Great Western train damaged by bridge debris A First Great Western driver was treated for shock after his train struck debris on a line in Wiltshire on 22 February. Rubble on the track had been dislodged from an overline bridge after one of its walls had been struck by a lorry.
• New railway to Stansted Airport is 'vital' A supporter and promoter of High Speed Rail has called for a new railway to be built linking London and Stansted Airport. Jim Steer, founder and director of global transport consultancy Steer Davies Gleave and also a director of the HS2 lobby group Greengauge21, said that a new line between the airport and London Liverpool Street could reduce journey times to less than 30 minutes.

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow ‘falling behind’ rivals in flights to growth marketsAirport warns over capacity after jump in passenger numbers
• Leeds Bradford increases drop-off fee by 50%Airport counters rise with limited free 60-minute parking spaces

Other News Sources

• Passengers to benefit from additional carriagesAlok Sharma, the Member of Parliament for Reading West, has welcomed progress made by First Great Western (FGW) to increase Standard capacity by reducing the number of First Class carriages on trains running through Reading.
• Network Rail snares £120m Saudi rail consulting contractNetwork Rail’s consulting arm has won a lucrative contract with the Saudi Arabian government as part of a British consortium.
• New rail operator Abellio confident service can be improved quicklyNew Scotrail operator Abellio says it is confident the rail service in Scotland can be improved almost immediately.
• Willmott Dixon selected to deliver £25m Lincoln Transport HubConstruction company Willmott Dixon has been appointed to deliver the £25 million transport hub proposed in Lincoln.
• Siemens launches first phase of Stratos Outstation development Engineering firm Siemens has launched the first phase of its Stratos Outstation development for road authorities in the UK.
• FTA’s David Wells to speak at Microlise Transport Conference'Working together is the key to success when it comes to telematics' will be the key message from the Freight Transport Association within its ...
• Focus on safety and costs at Van Excellence briefingsDelegates at the Freight Transport Association’s Van Excellence Operational Briefings will be provided with invaluable advice on how to manage ...
• Engineer killed on Crossrail may have been vulnerable because of poor EnglishA Slovakian engineer who was killed working on Crossrail may have been vulnerable because of his limited English and fellow workers’ impatience, a coroner heard today.
• Keolis and Eurostar mull West Coast rail bidFrench consortium came second to Virgin in East Coast bidding process