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

Friday, 26 June 2015

BBC News

• All bets off for £38bn rail planNetwork Rail chief says five-year plan was too ambitious
• VIDEO: Rail upgrade 'too ambitious'The government says it will delay or cut back a number of modernisation projects planned for Network Rail.
• Great Western line 'a top priority'Electrifying the Great Western line is
• No Aer Lingus 10-year airport dealAn agreement that brought Aer Lingus to Belfast International Airport in 2007 did not oblige the airline to remain there for a 10-year term, the High Court has ruled.
• Gatwick passenger numbers up 7.8%Gatwick Airport says the busiest year in the airport's history proves its case for a second runway.
• UK reins back £38.5bn rail upgradeThe government says it will delay or cut back a number of modernisation projects that were part of a planned £38.5bn upgrade of Network Rail.
• France cracks down on Uber serviceFrance's interior minister orders the closure of the low-cost car-sharing service UberPOP after a day of protests by taxi drivers.
• Hong Kong rejects Jetstar local bidHong Kong authorities reject an application by Qantas-backed Australian budget carrier Jetstar to set up local operations on the island.

Financial Times

• Network Rail upgrades shunted into sidingsGovernment shakes up operator after costly management delays
• Hollande wades into Paris Uber disputeFrench president condemns clashes but labels car service ‘illegal’
• Hong Kong rejects Jetstar applicationPotentially fatal blow to plans by budget carrier backed by Qantas and China Eastern to launch in city
• Gatwick ‘only viable option for runway’London’s second airport says new Heathrow runway will never happen

The Guardian

• Should Network Rail be split up?atrick McLoughlin wants to “pause” investment on two key rail routes while he “resets” Network Rail’s investment programme. If the transport secretary can’t speak plainly, let’s say it for him. All sides have been engaged in wishful thinking on a grand scale and the government’s boasts about the coming “northern powerhouse” look a lot less impressive after a collision with reality on the railways.
• The Guardian view on Network Rail: the Great Northern power cutAt the heart of the Conservative promise for the 2015 election was its commitment to rebalance the economy by investing in infrastructure. The model was to be the Northern Powerhouse, where Whitehall collaborated with combined local authorities in the north to send economic revival rippling across the region. For the whole of the campaign, the prime minister and the chancellor seemed to put on their hard hats and hi-vis jackets at breakfast and wear them until they went to bed, in a relentless message of investment and renewal.
• Network Rail boss replaced and upgrades shelved as costs spiralThe government has shelved promised and vital upgrades to major rail lines in the Midlands and the north of England, just weeks after the election in which the Conservatives campaigned on rebalancing the country and creating a “northern powerhouse”.

The Herald

• Two thirds of ferry services axed on Friday as CalMac strike hits islandsFERRY operator CalMac will cancel nearly two thirds of its scheduled services on Friday in the face of strike action by the RMT union.
• Rail passengers is Scotland happier with train serviceRAIL passengers in Scotland are more satisfied with their train service than most Britons, a survey has found.
• Thousands jet off as start of summer holidays signals busiest weekend for airportsTHOUSANDS of holidaymakers will descend on Scotland's busiest airports this weekend as the summer getaway begins.
• SPT request permission spend £575,000 replacing five faulty buses as part of multi-million pound fleet overhaulA TRANSPORT authority is seeking permission to spend almost £600,000 on five new buses as it works to replace a fleet of
• Cameron accused of delaying bad rail news until after the electionDAVID Cameron has been accused by Labour of hoodwinking the electorate by holding back bad news over the
• Stagecoach tycoon Ann Gloag falls foul of planners over felled oak treeOne of Scotland's richest women breached planning rules after she allowed an oak tree to be chopped down during building work in the grounds of her castle.

The Independent

• Decision to shelve rail projects due to failures in Network Rail modernisation plan provokes furious reaction The Government’s decision to shelve key rail projects because of multiple failures in Network Rail’s £38bn modernisation plan has sparked a furious reaction.

The Scotsman

• ScotRail drivers call for strike ballot over payTRAIN drivers at ScotRail have called for a strike ballot after rejecting a 2.5 per cent pay offer.

The Telegraph

• Decades of delays as major railway line upgrade shelvedThe government had “paused” a five year, £38.5billion project to electrify major routes. Commuters will face up to a decade of delays after the government shelved vital upgrades to major railway lines between the North and the South.
• Network Rail bosses stripped of bonuses after Boxing Day travel chaosPatrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, announces major shake-up of the board after 'unacceptable' problems in train services this year
• Decades of delays as major railway line upgrade shelvedThe government had

Mail Online

• Colourful past of new Network Rail chief Sir Peter Hendy revealed Rachael Grundy, a £140-an-hour prostitute has claimed she has had a nine-month affair with the man credited with keeping London moving over the past decade, Sir Peter Hendy, pictured.
• Tories announce major Network Rail u-turn on pre-election pledges Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin yesterday announced a major u-tun on a major part of the Tories election manifesto admitting that they will not be able to go through with a £38bn Network Rail modernisation plan.

The Mirror

• Ministers derail £38bn train upgrade as plans are put on hold Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin blamed planning and building problems but claimed the fiasco was down to Network Rail

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin says electrifying Derby...THE Transport Secretary has said it was "always an ambitious target" to electrify the Midland Main Line to Derby by 2019.Patrick McLoughlin was speaking to the Derby Telegraph after announcing there would be a "pause" in the work as Network Rail gets its house in order.Electrifying train lines makes them faster, greener, quieter and more reliable and creates engineering jobs in the process.Work on the whole line between Bedford and Sheffield was planned for completion by...

London Evening Standard

• How to get motivated on your Santander Cycle If you’d like to get cycling in London, but feel your skills and confidence need building first, consider a one-on-one cycle training session. Open to all ages and abilities, you can request cycle training in the borough where you live, work or study. The training is free or heavily subsidised and is just the ticket to help get you out on a Santander Cycle this summer and unleash the city’s potential.
• Boris Johnson fails to take any action on three of London's most dangerous junctions Boris Johnson has failed to take action on three of London’s five most dangerous junctions - despite them being blacklisted by Transport for London.
• London Overground 'acid' attack: Ticket inspector and commuter rushed to hospital A female commuter and a railway ticket inspector were hospitalised after a man threw a toxic substance in their faces on a train as it travelled through north London.
• Tube boss Sir Peter Hendy quits to take top job at Network Rail The capital’s transport chief Sir Peter Hendy today announced he is leaving his job to take on a new post at the top of Network Rail.
• 'Booming Gatwick is only choice for new runway', claims airport's boss A recommendation for a third runway at Heathrow would end up as “just another report gathering dust on a shelfâ€�, the boss of Gatwick warned today as he unveiled record profits and passenger numbers for London’s second airport.
• Letters to the editor: Restricting cars will clean the air As I have long argued, tackling London’s polluted-air crisis requires a radical strategy that has to start with reducing car use, which  involves not just pedestrianising Oxford Street but taking cars off other main roads such as the northbound section of Park Lane.
• Homes within walking distance of Crossrail stations 'see value boosted by up to £170,000' Homes within walking distance of a Crossrail station have soared in value in two years - earning their owners up to £169,500.

Manchester Evening News

• Electrification of Manchester to Leeds rail line shelved - dealing blow to Northern Powerhouse projectTransport secretary Patrick McLoughlin admitted to parliament this afternoon that the project was being ‘paused’ because of an ongoing crisis at Network Rail (NR)

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Northern Powerhouse 'blow' as Goverment shelves TransPennine rail electrification plansTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin blamed Network Rail for the indefinite delay of plans to boost North rail services after the announcement
• Transport Minister believes behaviour change is key to easing A1 and A19 traffic Robert Goodwill said the Government's £3.8m sustainable transport pot could help deter car use on two of the North East's busiest roads

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published John Flynn: How should we police the tram system?Why don't transport police look after the tram? John Flynn from Burton Joyce, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, thinks they should.As the opening of the extended Nottingham tram system to Clifton, Chilwell and Toton grows ever closer, my thoughts turn to the hard-pressed Nottinghamshire Police and the demands which will be made on their limited resources. Coincidentally, on a recent visit to London, I happened to travel on the Croydon Tramlink, which has a route of...

The York Press

• Bus fire in York - Witnesses tell of explosion - Stonebow re-opened - electric fleet to remain on the road WITNESSES have told The Press they heard an explosion before the engine compartment of a bus caught fire in York.

Wales Online

• Cardiff Bus driver investigated over apparent middle finger insult to photographer in Cardiff streetCardiff Bus said the incident in Cowbridge Road East on Tuesday is being investigated
• Council's bus camera scheme raises more than £1m in six months as almost 30,000 drivers are caughtThe council say the money will be spent on the city's road and traffic schemes to

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• £18m rail link in Staffordshire given go-aheadAn £18 million rail terminal is to be built at a Staffordshire freight delivery company to cope with the growth in demand for consumer products.

Yorkshire Post

• June 26: Five unanswered questions over Yorkshire rail betrayalSYSTEMIC failures of management at crisis-hit Network Rail - the official reason cited for a number of high-profile rail improvement schemes in this region being abruptly delayed - will not appease all those who believe that the Government has betrayed Yorkshire within weeks of being returned to power.
• Disaster for Yorkshire as Tories break election promises on vital rail schemesThe CONSERVATIVES were accused of breaking election promises to Yorkshire voters after putting vital transport schemes on hold just weeks after polling day.
• Boris seeks to build bridges with cabbiesBoris Johnson bit his tongue as he met newly “badged” black cab drivers today, saying “I promise not to say anything rude”.
• Rise in number of Yorkshire road deathsMORE than 150 people were killed on Yorkshire’s roads last year, amid the first national rise in road casualties since 1997.

Bucks Free Press

• Future for Marlow rail line uncertain after Government 'resets' national upgrade project Long-awaited improvements to rail line in south Bucks could slip further down the priority list after the Government announced it is delaying a raft of upgrades nationwide.

Doncaster Free Press

• South Yorkshire bus drivers safer than beforeSouth Yorkshire bus drivers are the road to becoming even safer with one company enrolling all its staff on a hard-hitting course.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Passenger satisfaction plummets for Abellio Greater AngliaRail operator Abellio Greater Anglia has seen its passenger satisfaction ratings plummet over the last year according to government watchdog Transport Focus.
• Rail campaigners pledge to keep up the pressure for improvements amid Network Rail reviewRail campaigners have pledged to put pressure on Network Rail to deliver trains travelling from Ipswich to London in 60 minutes, after the infrastructure body admitted it had been “overly optimistic” about what it could achieve in the next five years.

Other Regional Press

• Dover and Deal MP received £6,000 donation from Manston owners Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner to host dinnerA Kent MP was given £6,000 before the election by the owners of the former Manston airport, which they hope to turn into housing and commercial space.
• Overhaul of Britain’s railways is “costing more and taking longerâ€� says Transport Secretary £38 billion plan reset
• What next as electrification of TransPennine line officially 'paused' by government?Barry Sheerman is 'hopping mad' at decision & Jason McCartney will meet rail minister to talk about electrification

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Reading Buses acquires First’s Reading to Bracknell serviceFirst in Berkshire and Reading Buses have agreed a deal that will see passengers travel with a new operator on Service 90 which links Reading and Bracknell. From July 26, Reading Buses will take over the route from First in Berkshire.  In order to aid the smooth transfer of operations, up to 20 drivers from First will be given the opportunity to join Reading Buses on a permanent basis. Chief Executive of Reading Buses, Martijn Gilbert, said: “We look forward to welcoming customers and employees on route 90 to Reading Buses. This will see us serve a new corridor which is a good fit...
• Network Rail chairman to step downThe chairman of Network Rail, Professor Richard Parry-Jones CBE, has today announced his intention to step down after he has finished three years in the role in July. During his term the rail industry has seen both significant change and tremendous growth in passengers and freight. More passengers than ever now travel on one of the safest but most crowded rail networks in the world. In the last three years asset reliability has been driven to an all-time high, and the foundations for achieving operational excellence have been laid with devolution of Network Rail's core business to eight route...
• Catch the bus week is just the ticket for First Bus First Bus, has joined forces with sustainable transport group, Greener Journeys, to promote its annual campaign, ‘Catch the Bus Week’.  The campaign, which takes place from 29 June – 5 July, aims to drive awareness of the benefits of taking the bus.    This year First Bus is hosting events across the country.  In North England First will use Catch the Bus Week as a launch pad for some important announcements, such as the official unveiling of brand new buses in Halifax.  Meanwhile high profile announcements concerning customer friendly improvements i...
• Global strategies for success in logistics and transport to be discussed at CILT's International ConventionStronger Together: Global Strategies for Success in Logistics and Transport is the theme for the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s (CILT) International Convention this year. The convention takes place on 13th – 16th September, at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The CILT International Convention is an opportunity for world leaders of supply chain, logistics and transport and CILT members from all member countries to discuss the latest industry issues across the globe. Following the success of last year’s event in Malaysia, this year&rsqu...
• More people, more cars, more deliveriesThe rapid pace of growth and change in consumer behaviour in cities around the world is providing urban logistics with a serious challenge, and a necessity for innovation. ITN Productions has partnered with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) to produce a news style programme examining how the UK can overcome these challenges and thrive. http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/News/ITNProductions.aspx Hosted by Natasha Kaplinsky, ‘Urban Logistics – Delivering the Consumer Driven Supply Chain’ was premiered in front of over 100 delegates at the CILT Annual Logistics C...
• TramForward welcomes the desire for East Midlands Airport to have a rail connection.Some years ago, East Midlands Parkway station was built to partially serve this market, but is too far away from the airport to be attractive, and the railway station has significantly failed to attract passengers. The Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA) believes that the airport would be much better served by use of TramTrains. These would run into the airport on a dedicated track, and could connect to the Midland Mainline both north and south. In the northerly direction, TramTrains could run to Toton, the site of the future HS2 East Midlands station. At Toton, a connection could be made ...
• Jacobs Renews Project Representative Role for CrossrailJacobs Engineering Group Inc. announced today it was reappointed as Project Representative for the £14.8 billion ($22 billion) Crossrail programme by the UK's Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL).  Company officials did not disclose the contract value, but noted that the contract is renewed for a term of up to five years.  Under the terms of the contract, as Crossrail Project Representative, Jacobs is providing assurance to the project sponsors (DfT and TfL) that Crossrail Ltd and its delivery partners deliver the project on schedule, within budget an...
• Fleets set to become “corporate technological leadersâ€� says ChevinA range of breaking technologies means that fleets are set to become the most advanced department in almost any corporate setting over the next few years, says Chevin. Developments such as autonomous cars, increasingly sophisticated route planning and telematics, the further potential of mobile devices, the arrival of 'big data' – and enhancements to fleet software to handle these – will all play a role. Managing director Ashley Sowerby added: 'Travel back a generation and the fleet manager was often condescendingly seen in the corporate world as a jumped-up mechanic who looked a...

Rail Magazine

• Rail workers celebrate Women in EngineeringFemale engineers from Network Rail and the Thameslink programme gathered at the Bermondsey Dive Under construction site on June 23
• Network Rail pulls Midland Main Line and TransPennine electrification from CP5 plansPeter Hendy to replace Richard Parry-Jones as Chairman

Rail Technology Magazine

• Texat decor engineering-Interiors for Railways: Upholstery Fabric, Floor Coverings, and Rollerblind Systems Texat decor engineering (Tde) offers shading systems for railway driver cabs and passenger compartments, and also supplies floor coverings and upholstery fabrics in cooperation with long-standing partners.

Aviation Industry

• Record numbers give Gatwick ‘momentum’ for new runwayAirport presses case for expansion as it sets new record for passengers
• Virgin Atlantic restores Los Angeles flightUK carrier will resume second daily service to LAX from October
• Wizz Air to start flights from BirminghamLow-cost carrier will begin operations from an eighth UK airport
• Air Canada to offer flights from GatwickBudget brand Rouge will operate flights to Toronto for summer 2016

Green Miscellany

• Trunkmonkey inflatable car bicycle carrierThe Trunkmonkey inflatable car bicycle carrier promises to revolutionize the way we carry our bikes by car. The inflatable design does away with the need for steel frames that risk damaging paintwork, and collapses small enough to be carried by bicycle. The post Trunkmonkey inflatable car bicycle carrier appeared first on ETA.

Other News Sources

• Network Rail: Crossrail saved as other schemes axed by governmentCrossrail and Thameslink have not been affected by the Transport Secretary's announcement that some railway projects are to be scrapped
• Heathrow Airport: Average delays of major airlines flying out from airport revealedLibyan Arab Airlines had the worst punctuality record for flights from Heathrow during the last two years
• Connectivity consumers should be the focus of the EU aviation strategyOn the occasion of the 25thnbsp;ACI EUROPE Annual Assembly, Congress and Exhibition taking place in Prague today,nbsp;Arnaud Feist, President of ACI EUROPEnbsp;and CEO of Brussels Airport...
• ROY KINNEAR APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF AIR SEYCHELLESAir Seychelles today announced the appointment of Roy Kinnear as its new Chief Executive Officer, with effect fromnbsp;1 July 2015. nbsp; Mr Kinnear joins Air Seychelles from strategic...
• Lufthansa now flying much quieterOne hundred Airbus A320s already equipped with noise-reducing vortex generators bull; Lufthansa Cargo tests new sound reduction ideas on MD-11 freight aircraft in flyover measurements in...
• ATM Security Conference, Workshop and ExhibitionThe NATO EUROCONTROL Air Traffic Management (ATM) Security Coordinating Group (NEASCOG) and the EUROCONTROL ATM Security Team (SET) jointly held an ATM Security Conference, Workshop and...
• RYANAIR: COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS! OVER 3,500 EXTRA CHRISTMAS FLIGHTS ADDED ACROSS EUROPERyanair today (25 June) launched the countdown to Christmas, adding over 3,500 extra flights across its European network for the Christmas holidays. Customers can enjoy even more low fare...