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

Saturday, 07 May 2016

BBC News

• Pilots report 1,400 laser incidentsMore than 1,400 incidents of lasers being shone at aircraft are reported to the UK's Civil Aviation Authority in a year.
• Rail journey numbers rise in past yearRail passengers in Britain made about 1.7 billion train journeys during the past year, according to the Rail Delivery Group, a rise of 3.7%.

The Herald

• Herald picture archive: Just the ticket for waiting train passengersTHERE is something soothing about this picture of the booking office at St Enoch Station in Glasgow in July, 1949. All the tickets are neatly stacked in their pigeon-holes without a single one being out of place. And they are real tickets - thick cardboard with the names perfectly printed. The wooden counter and drawers have the smooth edges where the varnish has been worn off with years of use.

Mail Online

• Pressure builds on shipping industry to set carbon targets Disagreement among nations means no carbon emissions targets have been set for international shipping, but voices from within the industry are calling for global curbs to be set soon, before countries or regional blocs take matters into their own hands.
• London mayor Boris Johnson abused as he opened Blackfriars Bridge cycle superhighway The Conservative MP - who will remain in post until the new mayor is announced this afternoon - was subjected to the abuse as he unveiled the latest segregated bike path on Blackfriars Bridge.
• Boaty McBoatface submarine to be on board Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough Science Minister Jo Johnson announced today that the humorous name will be used for a remotely operated undersea vehicle that will explore the waters of the Antarctic.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Hundreds of Bradford's children take part in nationwide cycling competition HUNDREDS of schoolchildren from across the Bradford district have taken part in a nationwide cycling competition.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• How can we make Anglesey's deadly A5025 road safer? Wylfa Newydd developers Horizon are asking public for their say on plans for the A5025

London Evening Standard

• Heathrow Airport tops country for 'menace' of lasers shone at planesLasers are being shone at aeroplanes more than three times a day with Heathrow pilots reporting the most incidents in the country, new figures show.
• Fire crews meet British Airways plane at Heathrow after 'shrieking' sound heard before landingA plane carrying alarmed passengers from Edinburgh was met by fire crews at Heathrow airport last night after a "shrieking" sound was heard onboard as it came into land.
• Peckham car dealers cause traffic chaos with road block protest against Transport for LondonTwo car dealers caused rush-hour gridlock on the Old Kent Road after they blocked a street with four Land Rovers in a protest at plans to paint red route lines outside their forecourt.
• Cyclist 'swore at' Boris Johnson on his last day as London MayorBoris Johnson has told of how a cyclist called him a p**** as he unveiled a new cycle project in his final hours as London Mayor.
• Man hit by train after he 'jumped on top of Tube carriage'A man has been hit by a train after reports he jumped on top of a Tube carriage in west London.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Rail campaigners hit out after service between Edinburgh and Morpeth is axedVirgin Trains has introduced changes to its timetable, meaning the 6.30pm service from Edinburgh no longer stops at Morpeth

Sheffield Telegraph

• SONIC BOOM: Mum had to Google why RAF jets escorted her Air France flight in to landA mum travelling aboard the airliner intercepted by two RAF Typhoon jets which caused massive sonic booms across Doncaster had to Google why the plane was being escorted.

Plymouth Herald

• Fragile rail link to Plymouth needs massive overhaul - new report The enormous amount of work needed to put the region's rail network on a par with the rest of the country has been highlighted by a new draft report.

Other Regional Press

• Poll suggests more "locals" favour expanding Gatwick Airport over Heathrow A POLL has suggested that more local people want Gatwick Airport to get an additional runway rather than Heathrow.
• Councillor calls for full electrification of North Downs railway line“We believe a fully electrified service will offer passengers quicker, more reliable and better connected services," said Cllr Mike Goodman
• Children get own chartered train to learn about railway safetyCHILREN from a Southend school boarded their very own chartered train service to learn about railway safety.
• MP Rosie Cooper opposes plans to stop Southport to Manchester rail serviceWest Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper is calling on Arriva Rail North and Merseytravel to discuss plans to save morning and evening services to Oxford Road and Piccadilly stations in Manchester for the benefit of passengers on the Southport to Manchester route.
• Drunk holidaymakers face up to two years in jailHolidaymakers are being warned to know their limits as they could be sent on a two year holiday if they get too drunk at an airport - to prison.

Bus and Coach.com

• First formic acid-powered bus on the way in 2016
• Turkish first for latest Allison automatic transmission
• Singapore authority assesses three-door double-decks
• Busworld Turkey hails successful sixth show
• Iveco Bus launches Afriway from Pretoria plant
• ECMF calls for doubling of land-based passenger transport in EU
• Wrightbus targets Gulf states with dedicated StreetLite option
• FlixBus extends international coach services from London
• Seaside success for UK Coach Rally
• First awaits OLEV green light on order for gas buses

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Maersk welcomed back to Liverpool Peel Ports celebrated the return of Maersk to the Port of Liverpool with a formal welcome reception for its feeder vessel, Antwerp. The event on 27 April was attended by Seago and Maersk representatives along with the customers, and was followed by a port tour, including a trip to the top of the 90m (300ft) Grain Tower affording views over the whole site. The 1,100 TEU Antwerp made its first call last week. Operator Seago is the latest carrier to introduce a new service via Liverpool and will provide a new cargo route between Algeciras-Liverpool-Dublin. The feeder service will further strengt...
• Port of Grangemouth celebrates golden anniversary with a faceliftScotland’s largest port, Grangemouth is this weekend (7 May) celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first container vessel to call at the port and the UK. The Sea-land freight service called into the port on the Saturday 7th May 1966 as part of the Europe and American shipping route transporting mostly Scotch whisky for onward travel to the USA. Sea-land launched the transatlantic container ship route in April 1966 with four ships in service, each carrying 226 containers with cargoes of cameras, safety razors and pre-fab housing complements. The weekly route was the first transatlantic...
• Network Rail helps search for Landscape Photographer of the YearLiverpool Lime Street train station is set to host a photography competition that will show some of the most highly recognised and acclaimed shots of landscapes in Britain. The exhibition will show images from last year's Landscape Photographer of the Year Award and will open on Monday 9th May. It's part of a nationwide tour of railway stations across Britain and this first showing will be opened by Charlie Waite, founder of the award and famous photographer. This is the tenth year of the competition and it aims to show off the best of Britain's urban and rural scenery and it boasts a top cash...
• Ford's efficient loop cycling systemCar manufacturer Ford has a closed loop cycling system that recycles the nine million kilograms of aluminium stamping scrap it produces. The company uses the pieces of leftover material to use for the F-150 full-size pickup truck made by Ford, reports The Manufacturer. According to Oak Ridge National Lab, by choosing aluminium over steel to build its new automobiles, Ford has found the best way to reduce the amount of energy the F-150 consumes and how much carbon dioxide it emits. Using recycled aluminium actually avoids 95 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions that you would typically expe...

Rail Magazine

• VIDEO: Behind the scenes at St Philips Marsh depotOpen day at St Philips Marsh depot on Monday May 2 2016
• Prime Minister given the low-down on Hitachi’s ‘800s’Prime Minister and Japanese counterpart given tour of North Pole
• Task Force to consult on South West rail ambitionsCost-effective public transport and wider network resilience key to supporting region‘s economic potential

Rail Technology Magazine

• DB plans to sell shares of Arriva and Schenker German rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) has confirmed its supervisory board will develop a plan to sell a minority stake in its international passenger business DB Arriva and logistics subsidiary DB Schenker.

Other News Sources

• Number of UK rail journeys up in past yearSome 1.7 billion train journeys were made in Britain during the past year, according to industry data.