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

Saturday, 16 May 2015

BBC News

• Public test for Google robot carsGoogle's purpose-built robot cars are getting the green light to drive on public roads in California.
• Airline launches bug bounty contestUS airline United has launched a reward programme for security experts who find bugs in the software on its websites.
• Council cleared of Lothian Buses rowThe City of Edinburgh Council is cleared of any wrongdoing in an independent report into its handling of a row between Lothian Buses directors.
• Rail crash mercy killings 'probable'A senior retired army officer says some Scottish soldiers were
• Rail strike called for bank holidayNetwork Rail workers are to stage a 24-hour strike from 17:00 BST on bank holiday Monday in a row over jobs and pay, the RMT union says.
• Mayor plans rickshaw ban for LondonMayor Boris Johnson says he is seeking government legislation to ban rickshaws in London to help ease traffic congestion.
• Rail strike called for bank holidayNetwork Rail workers are to stage a 24-hour strike from 17:00 BST on bank holiday Monday in a row over jobs and pay, the RMT union says.

Financial Times

• Folly of £50bn HS2 plan must hit buffersThe high speed railway scheme is a grotesque waste of money
• FBI probe damage to Amtrak crash trainInvestigators examine whether cab was struck by an object before leaving rails

The Herald

• Scottish solders 'shot in mercy killings' after Britain's worst rail disaster
• Edinburgh council cleared over Lothian Buses debacleEdinburgh City Council has been cleared in an investigation over its handling of an embarrassing row among directors at Lothian Buses.
• Last-minute talks to avert first rail strike for 20 years TALKS are to be held in a bit do avert a strike by thousands of Network Rail workers which would paralyse train services across Scotland and the rest of the UK over the Bank Holiday.

The Telegraph

• Families face half term nightmare of rising train fares and national rail strikeBank Holiday weekend to end in chaos for millions with a 24-hour walk out by rail workers who vow to bring the network to
• Jeremy Paxman: HS2 is a 'grotesque waste of taxpayers' money'Former BBC Newsnight savages 'laughable' costings and 'charmingly unworldly' thinking behind rail project in article

Times Online

• Build more runways, urge bosses [The Times - Subscription]More than 100 business leaders are urging the government to approve a new runway in southeast England to end 50 years of “procrastination” and to prevent the UK slipping behind rivals.
• MyFerryLink Channel route given all-clearEurotunnel’s Dover-to-Calais ferry service has been reprieved after judges rejected a ruling that its ownership of MyFerryLink threatened competition.

Birmingham Mail

• New roadworks in Birmingham city centre set to cause fresh misery for driversAfter a string of problems in recent months, now Hill Street will be made one-way to allow completion of New Street rail project

Daily Post (North Wales)

• WATCH: Rail Ale festival is back The Welsh Highland Railway's annual three day event returns to the old goods shed at Dinas Station near Caernarfon

London Evening Standard

• Mayor plans to curb number of minicabs in London amid drop in new black taxi recruits London’s iconic black cab is in danger of being run out of town thanks to the rise of Uber in the capital.
• Women drivers beat men in test behind the wheel trying to get round Hyde Park Corner A new survey has suggested women are better at driving than men.

Wales Online

• RCT council could charge £1.75 per day for home to school transport by September 2016 - affecting 3,000 pupilsCabinet members are set to discuss changing 'over-generous' provision at a meeting on Tuesday, May 19

Yorkshire Post

• Thousands to be spent on HS2 lobbying campaignCOUNCILS are to spend thousands of pounds promoting the benefits of the planned high speed rail line to Yorkshire despite the Government’s firm commitment to the project.

Other Regional Press

• Network Rail pledges to minimise disruption NETWORK Rail has pledged to complete work in Newport as
• Bus victory for Northampton man concerned pensioners were being left with long walk to nearest stopA Northampton pensioner’s bid to make sure buses stop on a stretch of Harborough Road looks to have ended in victory, after Stagecoach agreed to add more stopping points to its X7 service.
• Eurostar trains suspended after incident in Channel TunnelTrains are back running on Eurostar after an incident in the Channel Tunnel.
• One year on, the battle over the future of Manston Airport is intensifying as Thanet council moves towards compulsory purchase orderFormer staff - and those wrangling over the future for Manston - reflect on the situation one year on from the airport's closure.
• Protest planned as anger grows over bus cuts in Weymouth and West Dorset RESIDENTS have hit out at the First bus company over

Bus and Coach.com

• Initiative to tackle rough sleepers on London bus network
• UITP award nomination for Sapphire brand
• King Long takes direct control of UK franchise
• Cameron appoints new bus minister at DfT
• Devolution offer to major city regions by George Osborne
• Souter urges bus industry to beat the geeks

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Two options considered for London Overground extensionTransport for London (TfL) has announced the launch of a public consultation to inform the preferred alignment of the extension for London Overground services to Barking Riverside.  Part of the consultation sees two different alignment options being considered - and both will see the London Overground Gospel Oak to Barking line extended to serve a new station at the Barking Riverside development.  East London's largest housing development site will be provided with an essential rail link as a result of the extension, which will also make it possible to deliver 10,800 new homes.  A new district...

Rail Magazine

• Rail companies unite for charity cycle challengeRailway staff cycle 613 miles in ten hours to raise awareness for the Samaritans

Aviation Industry

• CEO: LOT Polish Airlines plans minimum 30% ASK growth in 2016LOT Polish Airlines plans to grow ASKs at least 30% starting in 2016, when a European Union (EU) ban is lifted prohibiting the carrier from growing capacity or adding routes until it completes restructuring. read more
• German carrier tops FFP redemption leagueAir Berlin has again topped the list of airlines making seats available to frequent flier point redeemers in a survey of 20 global carriers.
• Malaysia Airlines to detail job lossesNearly a third of Malaysia Airlines’ staff are set to be laid off next month as the troubled carrier begins its quest to return to profit.

Other News Sources

• Train strike talks set up to avoid bank holiday actionTalks have been arranged to avert a national rail strike that could cause travel chaos across the country over the bank holiday at the end of May.