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

Wednesday, 29 April 2015

BBC News

• Escalators at £650m station failingMore than 30 escalators at a Birmingham railway station need to be repaired, rail bosses say.
• Shakespeare airport idea 'ridiculous'A decision to rebrand Birmingham Airport as
• A9 cameras are 'changing behaviour'New figures suggest the average speed camera system on the A9 has changed driver behaviour on the road, campaigners say.
• Bridge cables 'no cause for alarm'A large rise in the number of broken cables on the Forth Road Bridge is
• Airport unveils new flight pathEdinburgh Airport unveils details of a five-month trial of a new flight path for departing aircraft in a bid to increase capacity.
• Underground cinema planned for TubeAn underground cinema is coming soon to Charing Cross Tube station to celebrate the 24-hour opening of the Tube.
• BP profit hit by oil price fallOil giant BP has reported a sharp fall in profit for the three months to the end of March as the dramatic fall in oil prices takes its toll.
• Ford profit disappoints as sales slideFord reports lower-than-expected profits for the first three months of 2015 after it sells fewer vehicles in North America and continues to lose money in Europe and South America.

Financial Times

• BP and Total rely on refining for profitTotal chief lauds virtues of integrated business, combining upstream and downstream
• UPS rebounds to beat forecastsIncreased volume and revenue per package drives enlarged profits

The Guardian

• Winston Churchill's tube station bunker could reopen to the publicTransport for London invites business proposals for disused Down Street underground station in Mayfair as it seeks to raise funds for investmentA disused London tube station that Sir Winston Churchill used as a bunker during the second world war could be opened to the public again, more than 80 years after the last passengers disembarked there.Down Street station in Mayfair was closed to the public in May 1932 because of low passenger numbers. Continue reading...
• Air pollution causes low birth weight, Beijing study showsThe reduction in air pollution achieved during the 2008 Beijing Olympics resulted in an increase in birth weight, new research has shownAir pollution causes babies to be born smaller, according to a study of babies born just after the Beijing Olympics.The research surveyed the birth weights of 83,672 babies born in Beijing around the time of the 2008 Olympics, when the government closed down industry, raised vehicle emissions standards, stopped construction and introduced a license plate rotation to slash the number of vehicles on the road. Related: Air pollution increases chances of low birth...
• Network Rail splashes out millions on flights to save on train faresStaff at company blamed for Christmas rail chaos took more than 8,000 domestic flights from 2013 to 2015 because it was cheaper than the train. Network Rail staff travelling on business spent £1.3m on UK flights in the last two years because it was cheaper to fly than to take the train. Employees of NR, a public sector body, took 8,353 domestic flights from April 2013 to March 2015 and spent £1.1m on 2,907 international flights.
• 'Beach body ready' tube ads to be taken down ahead of mass protestTransport for London says poster promoting Protein World weight-loss product does not break its rules, but will be replaced this week when its contract endsA controversial ad campaign featuring a bikini-wearing model that asks “Are you beach body ready?â€� is to be removed from London Underground ahead of a planned mass protest this weekend.Transport for London said the ads promoting Protein World weight-loss product will be replaced from Wednesday because they have come to the end of their three-week contract period. “It is coming to a natural end,â€� a spokesman said, adding that the campaign di...

The Herald

• Abellio boss in mid-air emergency as flight to Edinburgh turned back THE boss of Scotland's new national rail operator was among the passengers caught up in a mid-air emergency when his flight to Scotland suffered technical problems.
• Edinburgh Airport to launch second departure route out of capital amid record-breaking passenger numbers PASSENGERS will be able to take off every minute from Scotland's busiest airport this summer under a pioneering trial which will offer airlines two different departure routes.
• Transport minister "open-minded" about re-regulating bus industryTRANSPORT minister Derek Mackay has said he is "open-minded" about proposals to re-regulate Scotland's bus industry.

Reuters News

• UK's National Express considers German rail ruling challengeBritish transport company National Express (NEX.L) is considering challenging a decision by a Bavarian procurement chamber denying it permission to operate the Nuremberg S-Bahn services despite being named preferred bidder.

Mail Online

• Seven out of ten new cars pay no road tax for the first year The boom in sales of low-emission cars means even mainstream family vehicles are now classed as ‘green’, exempting them from vehicle excise duty (VED).
• Network Rail chiefs spend £1.3million on flights in just two years The company, which is responsible for maintaining Britain's train network, claims that staff - including highly paid bosses - always take the cheapest method of transport.

The Mirror

• Nick Hewer: The trouble with our trains is red tape peacocks and commutersLord Sugar's former advisor on The Apprentice tries to sort out Britain's rail chaos with former colleague Margaret Mountford

Birmingham Post

• RMT ballots West Midlands members on 'derisory' pay offer Vote could lead to first national rail strike in 20 years and bring chaos to the country's network if staff back ballot

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Labour shares free bus pass pledge in KeighleyFREE bus passes are one of Labour's three pledges to the elderly, shadow transport minister Michael Dugher promised during a visit to Keighley bus station yesterday.

Bristol Live

• Man on a mission to transform public transport in Bristol The man who persuaded First Bus to drop its prices is on another mission - to transform Bristol's public transport with a community-owned bus.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Wrexham man hands himself in after train track incidentBritish Transport Police had released a CCTV image of a man they wanted to speak to after a bin and concrete slab were thrown onto the tracks in Prestatyn

Derby Telegraph

• I've wasted 600 hours of my life due to Arriva bus delays, claims Derby mum ARRIVA has defended its punctuality record after again coming under fire from angry travellers – and has also been asked by Derby City Council to explain delays.

London Evening Standard

• 'Ghost' Tube station Down Street could become a restaurant or art gallery A Piccadilly Line “ghost stationâ€� in Mayfair used as a shelter from the Blitz by Sir Winston Churchill is to be brought back to life as an art gallery or restaurant more than 70 years after the last trains stopped there.
• Network Rail's own staff 'choose to fly within the UK because it is cheaper than the train' Network Rail bosses travelling on business spent £1.3million on UK flights in the last year because it was cheaper than taking the train.
• London Bridge delays: 100 more timetable changes in bid to halt disruption Frustrated commuters using London Bridge train station face up to 100 more changes to timetables in an effort to reduce continuing disruption.
• Waterloo delays: Passengers tell of 'nightmare' commute after rush hour chaos hits station Commuters at Waterloo have spoken of "nightmare" disruption which led to countless cancellations and saw thousands crammed into the station last night.
• All cars to be fitted with devices that automatically call ambulance after crash, EU decides A device that automatically calls the emergency services after a road accident will be fitted to all new cars within three years.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Election 2015: Labour will stand up to bus companies and give rural passengers a better serviceShadow Environment Secretary Maria Eagle hits out at bus companies who objected to Labour's plans by likening her to Stalin or Hitler

Sheffield Telegraph

• Tram track improvement work to begin in Sheffield city centreThe multi-million pound tram track improvement project underway in Sheffield will see work starting in the city centre next month.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Shadow transport secretary: We’ll give Wolverhampton the rail station it deservesLabour’s transport boss has pledged he would fight to give Wolverhampton the rail ‘station it deserves’ if his party win the election.

Yorkshire Post

• Labour appeals to grey vote with bus pass pledgeSHADOW TRANSPORT Secretary Michael Dugher has promised free pensioner bus travel would not be cut as part of a Labour government’s efforts to reduce the deficit.
• Rail staff spend £1m on flights because the trains are too expensiveNETWORK Rail staff travelling on business spent £1.3 million on UK flights in the last two years as it was cheaper to fly than to take the train.

Blackpool Gazette

• West Coast line trains to be hit by engineering workBank holiday travellers have been warned they face widespread rail disruption again at the weekend due to track work.
• Fears for flights after Blackpool Airport sell-off date setA date has been set for the sell-off of equipment at Blackpool Airport – and supporters have warned the auction could signal the end to hopes of major commercial flights returning to the resort.

Doncaster Free Press

• Robin Hood Airport celebrates tenth birthdayDoncaster’s Robin Hood Airport is celebrating its tenth birthday today.

Other Regional Press

• Buses replacing trains between Coventry and Nuneaton stations this afternoonA train fault means half a dozen services will be replaced by buses between the two stations

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• UPS 1Q earnings per share up 14%UPS today announced first quarter 2015 diluted earnings per share of $1.12, a 14% increase over the prior year period.  Operating profit increased 11% to $1.7 billion, with all three segments contributing.  Revenue management actions and robust International shipment growth drove the operating profit improvement. Total reported revenue of $14.0 billion was up 1.4% over the same quarter last year.  Revenue growth was 3.6% after adjusting for foreign currency changes.   'The first quarter results were favourably impacted by our continued investments and revenue management in...
• New distribution network launches with 1,000 vehicles in 25 locationsA new logistics company has launched, covering the UK and beyond, specialising in high-cube trailers. The High Cube Network brings together eight companies, between them operating more than 1,000 vehicles from 25 locations across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Six member companies are high cube specialists, meaning they operate longer, taller trailers, including some with 30 pallet capacity, which reduces the costs of distributing high-volume, low-weight goods such as cereals, paper tissue or plastic containers. Managing director Mick Wilson, formerly at Norbert Dentressangle UK said: ...

Railnews

• Government 'played down' railfreight benefits The Campaign for Better Transport has accused the Government of playing down the benefits of moving freight from roads to railways and canals because of the system of 'national average' measurement it used. The CBT is claiming that HGV traffic could fall by 21 per cent and congestion be reduced by 15-25 per cent if rail and water freight is increased by 50 per cent on particularly congested routes, especially those to ports.

The Business Desk

• Airline masterclasses to help students soar into businessLEEDS BRADFORD AIRPORT is hoping the entrepreneurial spirit of students will take flight with its Airline Masterclass programme in partnership with Young Enterprise.
• Stagecoach forecasts "significant" profits from East Coast rail passengersSTAGECOACH expects its plans to transform the customer experience for passengers on the East Coast mainline to deliver "significant" profits in its next financial year.

Aviation Industry

• Icelandair expects 1Q results to be better than predicted Icelandair said its first-quarter results should be better than forecast at the beginning of the year, largely as a result of increased sales and better fleet utilization. read more
• Tight election result could end Heathrow expansion bidPolitical wrangling could leave Gatwick as only viable option

Other News Sources

• Tight election will spell end of Heathrow expansion, says Gatwick bossThe chairman of Gatwick airport, Sir Roy McNulty, has claimed an inconclusive election result will render plans to expand Heathrow unachievable.