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

Thursday, 17 April 2014

BBC News

• Hitachi seals £2.7bn train dealHitachi Rail Europe secures £2.7bn of funding for the construction of 500 carriages for the East Coast rail line.
• NI air passenger numbers growThe number of Northern Ireland residents using Dublin Airport increased by 11% to more than 570,000 last year, figures show.
• Busiest Easter day on roads expectedMotorists are braced for what is set to be the busiest day of the year on the roads so far, with up to 16m cars expected to be used over Easter.

Financial Times

• New runway would cut fares, says HeathrowPassengers are paying £95 more for an average return than they should because airlines are fighting for space, according to report
• Hapag-Lloyd joins forces with CSAVMerger of Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd and Chile’s CSAV, subject to approval by competition authorities, creates a company with a combined revenue of €9bn

The Herald

• On track at last: £2.7bn funding secured for new East Coast line trainsFunding has finally been secured to bring new high-speed trains to a key Scotland-London route in a £2.7 billion job-boosting contract.
• Fleet of 65 new trains on track to be operational from 2018 A FLEET of 65 new trains is set to be rolled out across the East Coast Main Line from 2018 in a £2.7 billion deal.

The Independent

• Easter Weekend: Rail and road congestion as three million take UK break As millions of Britons will be taking UK breaks over Easter, holiday-makers will be preparing to avoid potential rail and road disruptions that could see them miss all-important family Easter-egg hunts and roast dinners.

The Telegraph

• Heathrow expansion 'would cut prices for passengers'Heathrow claims an average return ticket would be £300 cheaper by 2030 if the airport is allowed to expand to three runways.

Times Online

• Greater Anglia trains go Dutch again with second short-term deal [subscription]The Dutch state railway company that operates trains in East Anglia has been told to shake up services between Cambridge and Stansted and to smarten up its rolling stock generally in return for an extension to its contract until late 2016.

Liverpool Echo

• Group 'humbled' after raising funds for city flyover feasibility study Friends of the Flyover raised the £40,861 needed to carry out study

London Evening Standard

• Commuter chaos at rush hour as black cab fire causes evacuation of Euston stationCommuters faced delays leaving London after Euston station was evacuated when a black cab caught alight at a taxi rank outside.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Bus safety talks held as yet another person hit in Newcastle city centreNewcastle City Council orders all traffic signals be checked after the 20th person in two years was hit by a bus

The York Press

• Cabinet shake up removes Lendal Bridge councillor from Transport roleTHE councillor at the centre of the controversial Lendal Bridge closure has been removed from his position as Transport chief.

Yorkshire Post

• New East Coast train deal rubber stampedThe deal which will see almost 500 new carriages built to run on the main line connecting Yorkshire to London and Edinburgh has been completed.

Blackpool Gazette

• Electric car chargers not yet taken offElectric car charging points around Blackpool have failed to spark an interest in green transport, according to the businesses which have installed them.

Crewe Chronicle

• Q&A with Crewe and Nantwich MP on HS2 plans Barry Ellams questions Edward Timpson MP on his work to deliver HS2 to Crewe and why he believes it will revolutionise the town

Doncaster Free Press

• New rail depot for DoncasterA new rail maintenance depot is to be built in Doncaster after funding was finally secured to bring new high-speed trains to the East Coast main line.

Sunderland Echo

• Apprenticeships on offer at bus companyA BUS company is looking for seven apprentices to join its workforce.

Other Regional Press

• Whitton station under the microscope as Transport Minister stops byThe poor state of Whitton station was discussed at a special public meeting attended by Transport Minister Stephen Hammond last weekend.
• Sir Roger Gale says Manston Airport owner Ann Gloag has 'genuine care' for staff and remains hopeful a buyer can be found for 'a fair price'A Kent MP spearheading the campaign to save closure-threatened Manston Airport says its owners care for the future of staff after a meeting today.
• £650k bus hub for Heckmondwike - Kirklees Cabinet to approve £350k towards the projectTransport hub will be focused on a site around The Green
• Coast Road campaigners’ delight as white lines return after 6 years CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating victory as white lines have finally been reinstated on a notorious stretch of road.

Global Rail News

• UK passengers footing more of the bill as rail subsidy fallsPassengers covered almost 60 per cent of the UK rail networks costs between 2012-13. New figures from the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) show that between 2012-13 fare income rose[...]
• Abellio holds on to Greater Anglia franchise until 2016Abellio Greater Anglia is to continue operating services until October 2016 after agreeing to extend the current franchise. Announcing the agreement with the Department for Transport (DfT), Abellio outlined a[...]
• Financial close for Intercity Express ProgrammeThe UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) and Agility Trains have announced that they have reached financial close for phase two of the £5.7 billion Intercity Express Programme (IEP). The consortium[...]

Railnews

• DfT and Hitachi confirm IEP deal The DfT and a consortium led by Hitachi have confirmed the financial close for the new East Coast Main Line fleet.

Aviation Industry

• BA chooses Essex site for biofuel plantAirline to build facility in Thurrock to create jet fuel from landfill waste
• Lufthansa to extend seat selection fee to long-haulGerman airline will charge €25 for advance seat reservations

Other News Sources

• Dave Merrett Is Removed As Council Transport BossCouncillor Dave Merrett has been removed as transport boss of York City Council. Councillor leader James Alexander has released a statement with the news. He said:
• Newport Transport has £4.7m pension deficitNEWPORT’S municipal bus company has a deficit of £4.7 million to a local government pension scheme, a council document has revealed.
• East Coast boosted by £2.7 billion train dealTransport secretary unveils plans for 500 new carriages on network