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

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

BBC News

• BA and Iberia hold merger talksBritish Airways and Spain's Iberia are in talks over a merger as the airlines attempt to weather economic turbulence.

Financial Times

• BA clicks into shape for its Spanish stepsBritish Airways' planned merger with Iberia would unite the number four and six European carriers measured by market capitalisation and three and five by turnover
• BA has history of failure in merger activitiesBritish Airways has had a mixed record at best in pulling off acquisitions since it was privatised in 1987. If the planned tie-up with Iberia gets off the ground, it will be by far the group's most ambitious takeover
• BA/IberiaNews that BA, the British flag-carrier, is planning a share-for-share merger with Iberia, its Spanish counterpart, sent short-sellers scurrying to close big positions in both stocks

The Guardian

• BA and Iberia in £3.9bn merger talksBusiness & money: Air France-KLM or Germany's Lufthansa may launch counter-offer for Spain's flag carrier
• Third runway plan 'white elephant'Environment, science & technology: Former chief scientific adviser brands Heathrow proposals short-sighted and economically unsound

The Herald

• Fare rises fears over BA plans to merge with IberiaBritish Airways and Spanish partner Iberia are holding merger talks to create the world's third-biggest airline, which could form the basis of a three-way transatlantic tie up, it emerged yesterday.

Times Online

• British Airways merger with Iberia could smooth a bumpy ride The last Anglo-Spanish alliance in the airlines business was one of the worst deals ever - the decision by Ferrovial to pay £10 billion and assume another £4 billion of debt for the sheer pleasure of owning Heathrow, Gatwick and the rest of the BAA stable. So it is only fair to approach BA's mooted tie-up with Iberia with a degree of caution.
• BP rings up record profits of £4.74 billion A doubling of the returns from its troubled Russian joint venture and the soaring cost of oil helped BP to report record second-quarter profits of $9.46 billion ($£4.74 billion).
• BA-Iberia merger would create biggest airline in Europe British Airways has begun merger talks with Iberia, the Spanish national carrier, in a deal that will create Europe’s largest airline.

Reuters News

• Boeing to be involved in Mitsubishi jet programmeTOKYO, July 30 (Reuters) - Boeing Co will be involved in a minimal way in Mitsubishi Heavy's regional jet programme, Boeing's Japan head said on Wednesday.

Mail Online

• Motorists face a £70 parking fine for being ‘inconsiderate’Motorists who park ‘inconsiderately’ could be fined £70 under a ruling that eliminates the need for warning signs or road-markings.

Network Rail

• STATION WORKS START AT CORBY
• FLYING ARCHES OFF TO FLYING START

Transport Briefing

• Beefed up parking laws to tackle nuisance parkersPlans to help councils tackle inconsiderate parking have been outlined in a consultation document published this week by Transport Minister Rosie Winterton.
• First ScotRail fines drop under SQUIRE regimeTrain operator First ScotRail has improved services in the past year, according to the first full set of annual results published under a new assessment system overseen by Transport Scotland.
• Cash agreed for two rail stations in West YorksPlans to build two new railway stations in West Yorkshire have taken a step forward after the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly Regional Transport Board backed a £14.3m package of rail enhancements for the Leeds area.
• ORR seeks powers to direct rail network expansionDecisions to provide extra passenger capacity and electrify railway lines could in future be taken by the Office of Rail Regulation under new proposals put forward by the industry regulator.
• 2019 target for Heathrow high speed rail planArup, the engineering consultancy credited with putting forward the route chosen for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, has held a meeting with Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Transport, to discuss how the private sector could finance a high speed rail line from central London to Heathrow Airport.
• TfL fast-tracks East London Line phase two rail worksTransport for London has brought forward preliminary works for phase two of the East London Railway project in an attempt to streamline and speed up delivery of construction work should the government agree to fund construction of the entire scheme.
• Corby railway station construction gets underwayBuilding contractor Dean & Dyball has begun construction of Corby's new £10.22m railway station.

Birmingham Post

• Grand Central station plan was snubbed by council ’half-wits'The man behind plans for a £2 billion main railway station at Birmingham’s Eastside has hit out at “half-wit” politicians for failing to back the idea.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Permit talks put brakes on drive to target gas guzzlersMOVES to introduce higher parking charges for the most polluting cars are set to be stalled as the controversial plans are put out for public consultation.
• Forth ferry: 'It's a shame if minor subsidy is a sticking point'IT will be of some annoyance to Stagecoach to learn that a ferry operator is aiming to steal their thunder by providing an alternative crossing on the Forth between Fife and Edinburgh.
• Ferry firm floats idea for super-size Forth serviceA FERRY firm has launched a bid for a 300-capacity service between Fife and the Capital.
• Call for work on 'death trap' cycle pathFORMER Labour leader Ewan Aitken has called for a timetable on improvements to "death trap" cycle routes to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

London Evening Standard

• Come on Boris, show us cycling really mattersBoris Johnson freewheeled into the mayoralty almost three months ago with great promises for the capital's cyclists.
• Motorists' anger as BP rakes in £37m daily profitBP said it obtained the bulk of its earnings from exploration and oil production, rather than sales at the pumps where it makes less than 1p in profit on every litre of petrol it sells at its 1,300 UK filling stations.

Manchester Evening News

• Chamber view: Undecided on c-chargeChris Fletcher Deputy Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Chamber. THE last time I talked about congestion charging in this column, it provoked a number of angry replies from readers.
• Green light for Cheshire bypassTHE government has given the go-ahead for a £51m Cheshire bypass.

Metro

• Could the folding car solve parking space woes?Forget micro-cars - Britain's growing parking and pollution problems may be solved by, er, folding cars.

Newcastle Journal

• 33% of China's carbon footprint blamed on exportsEconomists now say that one-third of China's carbon dioxide emissions come making exported goods – many of them for developed countries

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Unite to end A9 carnage, urges Highland MPHighland politicians were yesterday urged to cross party lines and unite to campaign for improvements to one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland following the latest tragedy on the A9.

The York Press

• Fuel prices force taxi fares to rise TAXI fares are set to rise to help drivers struggling to cope with increased fuel costs.

This Is Local London Network

• Heathrow protesters learn new militant movesAngry protesters who are desperate to stop Heathrow expansion are set to take part in special training classes to learn militant techniques, including climbing walls and chaining themselves to fences.

Wales Online

• Time to put Wales back on the rails [letter]SIR – Recent articles and letters in the Western Mail have demonstrated an increasing public awareness of the importance of railways, a most encouraging trend.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Two new stations on way after £14m railway awardby Stuart Robinson
• Traffic rethink for LeedsCOUNCIL chiefs hope a new-look transport plan will help to win more Government cash to tackle traffic congestion across West Yorkshire.

Bucks Free Press

• Community bus service planned for RisboroughPLANS are afoot to provide a new bus service to help the people of the Risborough area get around more easily.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Lotus plans technology parkPlans have been unveiled by car-maker Lotus for a new technology park next to its Norfolk headquarters.
• Fuel cost threat to eco bidPlans to collect recyclable waste from Suffolk homeowners may be axed due to spiralling fuel costs.

Reading Evening Post

• Wheel take on your bookings!A long-established Mortimer coach company has been wheeled in to take on the business of Goldline coaches.

Sunderland Echo

• Grand Central told to improve safety systemsRAIL operator Grand Central has been ordered to improve its safety management systems by industry regulators.

Washington Post

• U.S. should wean itself from gas tax: gov't official WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government should begin weaning itself from gasoline taxes and unwind other programs to make way for more state involvement and private investment in road construction and transit, the Bush administration proposed on Tuesday.

Aviation Industry

• Scottish railTransport Scotland and First ScotRail have placed an order with Siemens Mobility for the supply of 38 Desiro UK type electric multiple units.
• Soaring to the GREEN StandardIn a world going green: Cars, Food, Buildings, we are compelled to ask, can an Aircraft truly go green? What would it look like? Sound like? How would it fly?
• Airlines attack EU aviation emissions levyImposing an emissions trading scheme on airlines flying through Europe has “no chance” of succeeding and could incite a trade war with the United States, the global trade body for commercial carriers has warned.
• Poor public transport putting City of London at riskThe City of London’s projected population and workforce growth cannot be supported without ’radical change’ of the public transport network said the City Property Association today.
• New appointment on Port of Tyne’s boardTHE head of one of the world’s leading container shipping lines has been appointed to the Port of Tyne's Board.

Other News Sources

• Pledge to make city greenerThe people of Norwich were today promised a greener and cleaner city as a raft of environmentally-friendly initiatives were unveiled. The city's first low emission zone will officially come into force from tomorrow in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and clean up Norwich's air
• Now, a green bus with double the fuel efficiency of conventional hybrid busesWashington, July 29 : A Michigan-based company carrying on its business operations as Fisher Coachworks has officially launched a lightweight urban transit bus, which has double the fuel efficiency of conventional hybrid buses.
• Road transport remains Europe's single largest air polluterDespite marked improvements since 1990, emissions from cars and trucks continue to be the main source of health-damaging air pollutants, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
• MAG profits up despite fall in passengers and airline income at ManchesterCost cutting and squeezing more income out of shops and car parks enabled Manchester Airports Group to increase pre-tax profit by 8.5 per cent to £87.8m in the year to March.