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

Wednesday, 08 February 2012

BBC News

• Heathrow Express staff to strikeWorkers on the Heathrow Express vote for strike action after a driver was sacked and a union representative suspended.

Financial Times

• Councils threaten judicial review of HS2A letter signed by 18 local authorities warns of court action after branding the government™s decision to approve the rail link as ˜illegal™
• Bombardier jobs believed safeMonths of uncertainty for workers at the UK™s last train maker is expected to end this week

The Herald

• SPT warns against station closuresA TRANSPORT body has called for explicit assurances that no train stations will be closed as part of a Government review of Scotland's rail network.
• Train sectarian cases soarTHE number of sectarian incidents reported on Scotland's trains has more than doubled this year amid a

The Telegraph

• More misery for Heathrow passengers as train drivers threaten strikeHeathrow passengers are facing the threat of fresh disruption with train drivers on the airport's express service voting in favour of a strike.

Mail Online

• Rebel Tory alliance to mount legal challenge to £34bn high-speed rail scheme A rebel alliance of 18 mainly Tory councils is to mount a legal challenge against the Government’s controversial £34billion  high-speed rail plans.

Network Rail

• KING™S CROSS OPENING DATE AND RETAILERS UNVEILED

Liverpool Post

• River Mersey tunnel track defect causes Merseyrail commuter troubleMERSEYRAIL's network suffered delays this morning after a track fault under the River Mersey.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Tunnel vision keeps rail project on trackA £250,000 improvement project at Kidderminster™s Severn Valley Railway is on track for completion with works now entering their final phase.

Other Regional Press

• Campaigners issue Transport Secretary ultimatum over HS2 CAMPAIGNERS against the highspeed rail link have issued the Transport Secretary an ultimatum to scrap her approval of the £16.4b scheme.
• Purbeck rail link a step nearer A DREAM to run regular trains from a Dorset branch onto the main line is one step closer to reality.
• HS2 rail link 'knocks 20 per cent off Warwickshire house prices', warns property expertA COVENTRY property expert has warned that homeowners can expect “years of uncertainty” as house prices along the route of the planned HS2 rail line fall by 20 per cent.

Bus and Coach.com

• Centro to order Spanish tramsCentro, the West Midlands PTE, has named Spanish manufacturer CAF as the preferred bidder for a £40million fleet of new trams for the Midland Metro.

Global Rail News

• London Underground entrance at Farringdon reopensThe London Underground entrance to Farringdon station has reopened after an eight week closure to ‘restore and expand’ the station. As part of the Thameslink Programme, Network Rail and London Underground have installed new ticket gates, machines and ticket offices along with new staircases. Network Rail™s project director for Farringdon, Richard Walker, said: “From 2018 [...]
• Staff limber upStaff on London Underground are receiving special training ahead of the London Olympics. The focus may be on customer care but the training includes a trip to the Olympic Park. Olympic authorities want to see athletes and spectators travelling to the g...
• Boris Johnson calls for Government to ˜hand over™ power of London™s railwaysBoris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has called on the Government to ‘hand over’ the power to franchise the ‘totally inefficient’ suburban London railways. The Mayor said he wants the Government to devolve the power to ‘set the standards’ for rail services run by private train companies and integrate them into the Transport for London [...]
• New King™s Cross concourse to open in MarchThe new concourse at King’s Cross will be opened on 19 March, Network Rail said today. The redevelopment of the station started in 2007 and will be fully completed at the end of 2013 when a new public square is created. Ian Fry, Network Rail’s King’s Cross programme director, said: “On the outside passengers have [...]
• Tower demolished as New Street redevelopment continuesStephenson Tower in Birmingham has disappeared from the city’s skyline this week after 6 months of demolition work by Network Rail and Mace. The tower has been removed in preparation for construction of the new John Lewis store, part of the New Street redevelopment project. The redeveloped Pallasades centre and new John Lewis will open [...]
• Final testing of Docklands Light Railway signalling upgrade underwayNew signalling software across the Docklands Light Railway network will be put to the test at the weekend. The new system will ‘ensure’ services across the whole network can recover more quickly from any delays that occur and will improve the reliability of the service for passengers, TfL said. Testing of the new system means [...]

Other News Sources

• On the rails with Brighton commutersAt 6am tomorrow morning Argus reporter Bill Gardner is joining Brighton's regular commuters on their way to London
• Click to offer self-print rail ticketsBusiness travellers will be able to print own UK tickets