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

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

BBC News

• Half of rail lines at flooding riskAlmost half of the length of Devon and Cornwall's main rail lines are at risk of flooding because of climate change, an internal Network Rail report says.
• Extra trains for Bristol and CardiffFirst Great Western is providing three extra train services on Sundays for people travelling between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central.
• Tram fares frozen until August 2015Metrolink fares across Greater Manchester are to be frozen until August 2015, while new smart ticket users will not pay more until 2016.

The Scotsman

• SNP accused of U-turn on Edinburgh Trams cashFORMER Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray has accused the SNP of a U-turn on the controversial Edinburgh Trams project by offering funding “through the back door”.

Network Rail

• Fans of festive football urged to plan their travel through London BridgeWith a good Christmas vital to football teams’ chances of glory – or avoiding the drop - Network Rail is urging fans to plan their journeys over the festive period as the rebuilding of London Bridge railway station gains pace.
• Christmas boost as Stratton Green bridge in Swindon is to reopenNetwork Rail is hoping that the reopening of a bridge near to the centre of Swindon will help ease traffic congestion over the festive period.

London Evening Standard

• City high flier who used Oyster trick to avoid £43,000 in train fares banned from working in financial services A City high flier described as “the biggest fare dodger in historyâ€� after he avoided paying rail tickets worth almost £43,000 has been banned from working in financial services.
• Double-decker trains plan considered to ease crowding on London commute Double-decker trains are being considered as a solution to overcrowding on London’s busiest rail services.
• South coast line must get better, says rail minister Rail minister Claire Perry today condemned services on one of London’s busiest commuter lines as unacceptable — and demanded improvements.

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink bosses extend Kids Go Free offer to say sorry for weekend tram meltdownAn 'extreme combination of weather conditions' forced nearly all trams to shut down leaving shoppers stranded on Saturday

The York Press

• Rail academy to close next summer BRITAIN'S first Rail Academy, which opened in York a decade ago, is to close down next summer.

Wales Online

• Railway workers protest over feared cuts to buffet cars on First Great Western mainlineThe Rail, Maritime and Transport union says new trains could allow buffet cars to be dropped

East Anglian Daily Times

• Network Rail makes U-turn on Gipsy Lane crossing proposals in Needham MarketNetwork Rail has reversed its proposal to build a stepped footbridge to replace a dangerous pedestrian crossing after the views of disabled people were taken into account.

Other Regional Press

• First major redesign of First Great Western mainline rail timetable The first major redesign of First Great Western’s mainline timetable in Devon and Cornwall for seven years has seen a faster early morning service introduced and more capacity during the summer.
• Stratton Green Bridge to reopen a month after closing for rail electrification STRATTON Green Bridge will re-open on Saturday morning, a month after it closed to allow the railway line to be electrified.
• HS2 Ltd to carry out survey work in Maple Cross and West Hyde Three Rivers District Council had been alerted after HS2 Ltd. said they would be carrying out further surveys in the area, but in a statement, they confirmed they would only be

Other News Sources

• World's longest rail journey delivers 40 boxes as planned An 8,000-mile rail journey - the world's longest - from Yiwu in Zhejiang province, 170 miles southwest of Ningbo, came to an end as planned in Madrid when 40 containers arrived in the Spanish capital, hopefully opening a new landbridge to Europe.While China is hopeful of freeing itself from air and ocean freight dependence, the eye-catching overland journey is small beer. Eight million TEU go by ship to Europe every year against the 13,000 TEU that go by rail.Travelling through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France, the train brought toys, tools and other retail goods, with ...