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

Thursday, 14 May 2015

BBC News

• Aircraft engine plant to axe 90 jobsGE Aviation Wales is seeking 90 voluntary redundancies at its aircraft engine plant in Nantgarw following a drop in business.
• VIDEO: Solar cycle lane exceeds expectationAn innovative road surface containing solar panels has generated far more electricity than researchers predicted.
• Japan firms recall 6.5 million carsJapanese car giants Toyota and Nissan are recalling a total of 6.5 million cars around the world to replace potentially faulty airbag inflators made by Takata.
• Zac Goldsmith: Heathrow expansion would split cabinetExpanding Heathrow airport would cause a split at the very top of government, says a newly re-elected Tory MP.

Financial Times

• Uber poaches Whetstone from GoogleFormer communications chief David Plouffe joins car hailing group’s board
• Saudis claim oil price strategy successWorld’s largest crude exporter seeks to douse US shale surge
• UK transport companies: bus driversThreat to operations has not gone away despite Tory victory
• Maersk feels squeeze but still leads packWorld’s largest container shipping group misses earnings forecasts but beats rivals
• Rail safety calls after 7 die in US crashAmtrak service from Washington to New York was going at more than twice 50mph speed limit

The Guardian

• The UK's largest container ship docks in Southampton on its maiden voyageLonger than four football pitches and built at a cost of £95m, the Kerguelen can carry 17,722 standard-sized containers – but only 10 shipping-mad tourists

The Herald

• Civilian speed watch working well on Black IsleA ground-breaking initiative involving local civilian volunteers in a Highland village reporting speeding cars to the police, seems to be working, with the rate of offending reducing by 90 per cent.
• Four in ten Scots motorists back zero drink drive limit for young and novice driversNEARLY half of Scots motorists believe that the drink drive limit for young and novice drivers should be zero, according to a new survey.
• Pilot in Bute plane crash had not completed necessary training, investigation findsA PILOT involved in a fatal plane crash on the Isle of Bute which claimed the life of his only passenger was not up to date in his training, investigators have found.

The Scotsman

• Seven dead, 100 injured in Philadelphia train crashDAYLIGHT revealed mangled train carriages yesterday after an Amtrak passenger train derailed and overturned in the US city of Philadelphia, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens of others, some of whom had to scramble through the windows to escape.

The Telegraph

• Southern Rail acts to make Britain's worst train service get in on time (by pushing back its arrival)The train service dubbed 'Britain's worst', the 7.29am Brighton to London Victoria, is put on a new timetable, which includes a stop missed out

Mail Online

• Toyota and Nissan recall 6.5MILLION more cars over airbag faults The companies said they have found a problem which can cause airbags to 'depoly abnormally' or rip during an accident, while Honda says it is preparing its own recall, but refused to give details.

The Mirror

• Coronation Street goes to WAR with Manchester transport bosses over new tram route that could disrupt filmingA new proposed tram route would see thousands of people travelling within metres of the cobbles every six minutes

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Toyota and Nissan recall millions of cars over airbag concernsToyota and Nissan are recalling more than five million cars worldwide to investigate potentially faulty airbags. Approximately 160,000 Toyotas are affected in the UK, as well as 100,263 Nissans. In the UK, Toyotas being recalled are the Corolla, Yaris, Picnic and Avensis Verso, built between March 2003 and March 2007. All of these cars are being investigated for faults in the passenger's airbag. Other models involved in the recall for faults in the driver's airbag are the Toyota RAV4, Yaris...

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Devolution: Osborne promises a mayor and new powers over policing, transport and housing to become lawA devolution package for the region is set to be announced in the next Queen's Speech

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published Drivers who use their mobile phones are an 'accident waiting to...Nearly 5,000 Notts drivers have been branded "accidents waiting to happen" after being caught using their phones behind the wheel last year.Police figures show that 4,692 drivers – an average of 13 a day – were fined last year for texting or making a call.The number has almost doubled since 2011, when 2,346 were caught.The Post was at Canal Street near the Broadmarsh Centre yesterday afternoon and spotted nine drivers in 30 minutes using a phone, ...

Bucks Free Press

• Travellers caused 'chaos' and disrupted Park and Ride service, council say Travellers who were squatting at the High Wycombe Park and Ride site in Cressex for almost a week are said to have caused “chaosâ€� and significantly disrupted the bus service.

Doncaster Free Press

• Toyota and Nissan recall 6.5 million cars due to potentially faulty airbagsToyota and Nissan are recalling 6.5m cars globally due to potentially faulty airbag inflators made by Takata, it has been announced today.

Peterborough Telegraph

• New ‘Borismaster’ bus stars at vintage vehicle show in Whittlesey and ThorneyWhittlesey’s main street was closed to all vehicles except vintage buses and a special visitor from London on Saturday.
• Recall for millions of Toyota and Nissan carsJapanese car giants Toyota and Nissan are recalling a total of 6.5 million cars to replace potentially faulty airbag inflators made by Takata.

Other Regional Press

• First look at Rhyl train station's £2.5million makeoverTHIS is the first look inside Rhyl train station's long awaited £2.5million makeover.
• Multimillion-pound new Gosport ferry is unveiled at ceremonyA MULTIMILLION-POUND ferry has been unveiled at a naming ceremony.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Hitachi Rail Europe debuts conceptual high speed train interiors In a global exclusive, Hitachi Rail Europe today released images of the conceptual train interior for its very high speed train at the UK’s flagship rail trade show. These images have been produced with the help of extensive user research and passenger studies, and build upon Hitachi’s expertise in delivering rolling stock for HS1 and the iconic Shinkansen trains in Japan.  Managing Director Keith Jordan says: “We are delighted to be exhibiting at the UK’s largest rail exhibition and we would encourage you to come to the Hitachi stand and see for yourself our ver...
• DPD marks Chancellor’s visit with new £150m jobs pledgeThe Chancellor George Osborne has visited DPD to hear about plans for a new £150m investment which will create over 750 new jobs. On the final day of campaigning ahead of the 2015 general election the Chancellor called in on DPD's state-of-the-art depot in Raunds as part of a 24 hour tour of businesses across the country. The Chancellor set out the Conservatives' plans to carry on backing businesses and help them to create 140,000 new jobs across the East Midlands. In turn, DPD announced that, as a result of its £250 million investment in its UK business over the last 5 years, i...
• Port of Swansea investmentPort of Swansea investment Associated British Ports (ABP) is to invest £2.1 million in the Port of Swansea. An upgrade to the outer lock gates is part of a programme designed to improve the infrastructure and support business growth at the port.  The Port of Swansea currently handles about 600,000 tonnes of cargo per year, mainly for the coal, paper, agricultural and recyclable sectors. It also has a dry-dock facility for ship repair and vessel demolition.  Director Matthew Kennerley said: “Investing in major infrastructure improvements is essential to ensure that our po...
• Stansted Airport passenger numbers at 7-year high Stansted Airport has had its best year in 7 years when it comes to passenger numbers.  From April 2014 to April 2015 over twenty million people flew into or out of the terminal. It's the first time since May 2009 that Stansted has passed the twenty-one million mark in a 12-month period. The airport handled 1.91 million passengers last month - a 10.7% rise on April 2014 and the best April at the Essex airport since 2007.
• Stagecoach Supertram invests in electric vehiclesStagecoach Supertram has invested in two electric vans for its response vehicle fleet to help further reduce its carbon footprint.  The firm signed up for the new plug-in vehicles through the Department for Transport’s ‘Local Sustainable Transport Fund’ in a bid to help reduce local air pollution by replacing their older company vehicles and cutting exhaust emissions. Delivered locally by Inmotion! - a partnership between South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and the local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield – with npower, South Yor...

Rail Magazine

• McLoughlin and Perry stay on at Department for Transport Little change at DfT among round of post-election ministerial appointments,

Aviation Industry

• British Airways boosts frequency on LCY-Geneva routeThe popular business route to turn into year-round service

Other News Sources

• Boris Johnson sure there won't be government backing for Heathrow expansionLondon's Mayor is convinced that expansion at Heathrow airport will NOT be supported by the new Conservative government.
• Southern adds extra minutes in the timetable to ensure the IT WAS late every day for a year – but now train bosses have moved the goalposts of the infamous 7.29am Brighton to London Victoria service in a bid to improve their performance statistics.