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

Wednesday, 16 April 2014

BBC News

• Disabled man's rail 'discrimination'A train company investigates after a disabled man claimed he was not allowed to board a crowded carriage.

Financial Times

• Passengers’ share of rail costs up to 60%Government subsidy shrinks to £4bn of total £12.3bn cost as ticket sales rise 4% with increasing numbers taking train in 210-13

The Herald

• Scottish rail subsidies triple England'sGOVERNMENT subsidies for rail fares are three times higher in Scotland than England, according to figures from the regulator.
• Station buildings brought back to life BUILDINGS at a railway station which have lain derelict for 20 years have been brought back to life.

The Telegraph

• England lags behind over £4 billion rail subsidy cashThere is a huge disparity between the level of government funding for train journeys in England and those in Scotland and Wales, according to a report from rail regulators

City AM

• Passengers paying for more of the railway’s running expensesPASSENGERS are now paying for almost 60 per cent of the running costs of Britain’s railways, as the government cuts its share of the bill and more Brits take the train. Tickets generated £7.7bn across the rail network in 2012-13, up 3.6...

The Mirror

• Publicly-owned East Coast Mainline rail service is best value, official figures reveal It provides the best value for money for the taxpayer - returning a net surplus of £16m to the government’s coffers

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published Minister wants city to get 'fair whack' of HS2 advantagesNOT having a high-speed rail station in the East Midlands would be "unthinkable", according to a business leader.And Transport Minister Baroness Kramer, touring the region, added that places like Nottingham needed a "fair whack" of the benefits that HS2 could bring.Peter Richardson, chairman of regional development organisation D2N2, said: "HS2 is critical to our area because we need an international gateway to enhance East Midlands Airport. When we have the opportunity...

Other Regional Press

• 'Secret' HS2 report should be made public before crucial vote, say campaignersCAMPAIGNERS battling plans for high-speed rail have said the Government will mislead Parliament if it does not publish a secret report on HS2. Read more: http://www.lichfieldmercury.co.uk/Secret-HS2-report-public-crucial-vote-say/story-20965721-detail/story.html#ixzz2z2m3jALK
• Crawley News published Alan Davies becomes the latest celebrity to slag off the Gatwick...IF trains had feelings the Gatwick Express would surely by now be crying in a corner and in serious need of counselling. Last September the "high speed" service between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria incurred the wrath of Radio 1 DJ Greg James who questioned whether the word express was particularly merited. And now it has annoyed another famous face - Jonathan Creek star Alan Davies. The comedian, who is also a permanent panelist on BBC2 show QI, shared his general...
• Footbridge to replace West Coast main line level crossing as part of route-wide safety commitmentA footbridge is to replace a footpath level crossing on a busy section of the West Coast main line where trains travel in excess of 100mph.

Global Rail News

• Contactless payment installed across Merseyrail networkContactless payment has been rolled out across all 63 Merseyrail stations as the operator seeks to improve its ticketing services. The technology, which has been developed by Fujitsu and Ingenico, allows passengers[...]
• High-speed rail link between Hong Kong and China delayedConstruction of a new high-speed rail link between Hong-Kong and China has been delayed by nine months after one the project’s tunnel boring machines (TBMs) was “severely” damaged by flood[...]
• Funding earmarked for Port of Gdansk rail upgradePolish infrastructure manager PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe has signed a contract worth around 1.8 million zÅ‚ to carry out a feasibility study into proposed improvements to rail infrastructure surrounding the Port of[...]
• Train operators apply for space on Swedish networkTwenty passenger train operators and 16 freight operators have submitted track access applications to Sweden’s state infrastructure manager, Trafiverket. The design process will now begin for the 2015 timetable, which is[...]
• Copenhagen Metro to replace overly sensitive safety systemCopenhagen Metro is to replace a highly sensitive safety system in the hope that it can reduce disruption on the network. Between now and 2015, the existing Obstacle Detection System[...]
• RATP and STC promote technology share agreementThe operator of Paris Metro, RATP, and its Mexico City counterpart, Sistema De Transporte Collectivo (STC), have signed a technology share agreement designed to boost cooperation between the two cities.[...]
• Dutch government plans full ERTMS rollout by 2030European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) will be installed on Holland’s busiest routes by 2028 following a ruling by the Dutch government. ERMTS Level 2 will be rolled out across[...]

Other News Sources

• Rail report shows huge disparity in government funding for journeysFunding in 2012/13 varied from £2.19 per passenger journey in England to £7.60 in Scotland.
• Silver Rail raises $40m to expand train ticketing platformFirm looking to expand its technology into Asia