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

Friday, 01 May 2015

BBC News

• Exhibition revisits 'Victorian HS2'How a 19th Century railway split public opinion.
• Aer Lingus 'lost 44m euros' at BIAAer Lingus lost up to 44m euros from having a base at Belfast International Airport (BIA), its chief executive tells the High Court.
• Further rail delays after power cutRail operators predict further delays to trains through south London after a power cut which left thousands stranded.
• Airbus to sue over German spying rowAviation giant Airbus says it will file a criminal complaint over allegations in the media that German spies helped the US carry out industrial espionage.

Financial Times

• IAG: nosing aheadExpect IAG’s operational gearing to widen gap over Air France-KLM and Lufthansa
• Aer Lingus deal set to be resolvedChief executive Willie Walsh says discussions with Irish government have been constructive
• London rail chaos to run into FridayPower outage near Clapham Junction causes long delays

The Guardian

• Never mind the gap: rubber safety device could fill void at railway stationsBespoke fillers designed to prevent passengers slipping between the train and platform could be rolled out after successful trial
• Post-election indecision will halt airport expansion in south-east, says BA bossWillie Walsh also warns cost of three competing runway schemes at Heathrow and Gatwick are a political barrier. Post-election indecision will scupper the building of any more runways in the south-east, according to British Airways boss Willie Walsh, despite pledges from the main parties to respond to the Airports Commission's verdict on expanding Gatwick or Heathrow.Walsh, who is chief executive of BAs parent company IAG, said there needed to be political consensus across all the parties not just coalition partners before you can have any confidence that anything will come about.
• Air passenger duty scrapped for children under 12From Friday, UK flight tax will no longer apply to under-12s but many airlines will expect customers to apply for a refund instead of automatically issuing one A tax of up to £97 on plane tickets for children under 12 is being abolished on Friday, allowing thousands of families to claim back the money on flights they have booked.Air passenger duty will not apply for young children on flights that depart from the UK from 1 May onwards. The tax costs £13 for short-haul flights, covering all of Europe, plus Turkey and north Africa. It can be as much as £97 for longer...

The Herald

• AIR PASSENGER DUTY CUTS 'GOOD NEWS'FAMILY holidays will cost less from tomorrow when the Air Passenger Duty (APD) airport departure tax is scrapped for under-12s.
• Record passenger numbers for Glasgow Subway thanks to Games boostPASSENGER numbers on the Glasgow Subway hit record levels last year, but still remain more 500,000 behind target.

The Telegraph

• Clapham Junction 'meltdown' - as it happenedLondon commuters warned of disruption for rest of day after police forced to board trains and hand out water to passengers stuck on trains after electrical fault
• Rail chaos reminds us that trains aren't better in public handsTelegraph View: The nightmare commute through south London yesterday demonstrates that the service is fragile and over-stretched

The Mirror

• Virgin East Coast takeover: Travellers demand cheaper tickets and Rewards backThousands of Brits opposed Virgin taking over the East Coast line. Two months on, these are the issues making travellers mad

This is Money

• Willie Walsh airs his views on UK's aviation woes as IAG boss calls on MPs to jettison unfair taxes For a former professional pilot who now runs one of the world’s biggest airline conglomerates, the feisty Willie Walsh is not afraid of flying into turbulence.

Network Rail

• TfL adopts our safety passport for London Underground workersTransport for London have adopted our ‘passport’ to the railway infrastructure.

Birmingham Post

• Ed Balls promises city centre enterprise zone will extend to Curzon HS2 StationBusiness leaders welcomed an earlier vow from George Osborne to extend the enterprise zone – which would open up the door to borrowing the hundreds of millions of pounds needed to regenerate the city centre around that area and create thousands of jobs

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Faster travel may be on its way to area FASTER train links could be on the cards for Bradford as Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said East-West connectivity must be an early priority for the next parliament across the North.

London Evening Standard

• Huge queues at London Bridge as travel chaos continues in south London Commuters are facing further travel chaos this evening with London Bridge currently the worst hit by delays.
• Travellers caught in motorway jam leave vehicles and walk hard shoulder 'in bid to reach Heathrow' This is the moment frustrated travellers trapped by traffic on the M4 motorway got out their cars and began dangerously walking along the hard shoulder.
• Gang sealed up door of German train with breeze blocks Pranksters caused thousands of pounds worth of damage by bricking up the door of an underground train, according to police.

North Wales Live

• Peel Ports says freight firms can slash emissions by using the Port of Liverpool Firm has launched Cargo200 which aims to recruit up to 200 cargo owners, importers and exporters
• Lounge upgrades in £1m of improvements at Liverpool John Lennon Airport Departure areas benefit from latest investment at Speke site

Peterborough Telegraph

• Council axes school bus contract after two county operators lose their licencesTwo bus companies which carry pupils to Peterborough area schools each day have lost their licences to operate.
• Safety warning after Stagecoach cut peak-time buses stopping outside Peterborough City HospitalFears for the safety of elderly and frail people have been voiced after Stagecoach warned that rush hour bus services will no longer stop right outside Peterborough City Hospital.

Other Regional Press

• Manston airport owners reveal images of masterplan for future of the Thanet siteDevelopers have unveiled the first images of what the former airport site could look like if it is redeveloped into commercial property and houses.
• Weekend road closures in store as work continues on Western BypassTwo weekend road closures are planned as the Western Bypass continues to take shape.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Peel Ports looks to take on apprentices ahead of opening of Liverpool2Peel Ports is launching its apprenticeship programme ahead of the opening of the £300m Liverpool2 deep-water container terminal later this year. The company says it wants to take on 50 apprentices over the next five years covering all its ports in Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin, Glasgow, Sheerness and Heysham. Peel is kicking off the programme in Liverpool where it will take on the first five trainees. All the apprentices will have the opportunity to work at all the locations across the UK. The scheme has taken a year to develop and those selection will go through a structured developm...
• Acquisition of Norbert Dentressangle by XPO LogisticsXPO Logistics, Inc. and Norbert Dentressangle SA today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for XPO Logistics to acquire a majority interest in Norbert Dentressangle and launch a tender offer for the remaining shares.  Norbert Dentressangle is a leading global provider of contract logistics, including e-commerce fulfillment; freight brokerage and transportation; and global forwarding services. Headquartered in Lyon, France, Norbert Dentressangle has 662 locations and approximately 42,350 employees, and serves a blue chip customer base that includes some of the wor...
• Announcement: CILT CEO Steve Agg to retire at the end of DecemberThe Institute has announced that Chief Executive Officer, Steve Agg FCILT will retire at the end of December. Steve’s decision to retire comes following nearly ten years as Chief Executive of CILT. The process to choose a successor is underway and the Institute is hoping to announce an appointment by the autumn.
• DHL introduces Cubicycle, an innovative cargo bike for urban distribution, to its Netherlands operations DHL Express has introduced a new vehicle to its fleet in the Netherlands that will further enhance its efforts to improve its carbon efficiency. The 'Cubicycle' is a quadracycle with a removable container that has a cargo volume of one cubic meter. Key advantages of the bicycle in comparison with similar types of non-motorized transport are its volume and better integration into DHL’s operational systems. The first Cubicycle has been deployed in the Dutch city of Almere.  The Cubicycle is built by Flevobike in Dronten, a manufacturer of recumbent bicycles. The reclining position an...
• Work begins on new bus station Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Bury Council have been working in partnership to develop an enhanced bus station in Radcliffe town centre, which aligns with the Radcliffe Town Centre Masterplan and the council’s regeneration aspirations for Radcliffe. When completed, it will replace the current facility which currently stands on the opposite side of Dale Street. The project will deliver increased levels of comfort and security plus high quality upgrades to the surrounding environment, including a high quality public realm, stepped seating areas, stair and ramp access, and h...

Rail Magazine

• Alstom completes Northern Line refurbishment project Last of 106-strong fleet is modernised.
• HS2 construction consortium formed to bid for contractsLaing O’Rourke, FCC Construcción and Murphy form joint venture.

Aviation Industry

• British Airways owner IAG reports first ever Q1 profitOperating profit of €25m compared with a loss of €150m last year
• Lufthansa offers arbitration to striking pilotsLong-running disputes cost the airline €232 million last year

Green Miscellany

• Rail or road to America via the channel tunnelAn ambitious 12,400-mile trans-Eurasian road and rail connection between the Atlantic and Pacific is being considered by Russian authorities. Comprehensive Travel Insurance Get your quote Your trip’s in safe hands: FREE Winter Sports, £2m Personal Liability and £25k Personal Accident cover Rail or road The vast motorway would connect and improve upon existing road networks across Russia and make possible… The post Rail or road to America via the channel tunnel appeared first on ETA.
• Hidden electric motor for bicyclesA tiny motor and battery designed to be hidden within the frame of high-end road bikes promises to give riders the competitive edge by delivering a secret electric boost.   Hidden electric motor The Vivax motor slides into the seat tube and connects with the crankshaft via a bevel gear. The 200 watt motor can be powered by a choice… The post Hidden electric motor for bicycles appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• DVLA’s new licence checking system won’t deliver the goods, warns FTA“The new driver licence checking system to be introduced by the DVLA this summer will not meet businesses’ needs,â€� is the warning from the ...
• Commuters warned they face more delays this morning following yesterday's power failure Commuters from Sussex using Southern Railway services to London are being warned they face delays and short notice cancellations this morning.
• Heathrow Express installs ‘gap-fillers’ to reduce passenger riskHeathrow Express has become the first rail company in the UK to install platform ‘gap-fillers’ at its stations to reduce the risk of passenger accidents.The gap-fillers sit along the edge of the station platforms reducing the size of the gap between the train and platform edge.
• Travelport renew long term deal with Deutsche BahnTravelport has renewed its long-term agreement with German rail and logistics firm Deutsche Bahn.