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

Thursday, 31 July 2008

BBC News

• City street new 'clean air' zoneA busy street in Norwich used only by buses and taxis has officially become a low emission zone.
• Council fights ticket office cutsA rail operator's plans to cut ticket office opening hours will cause "genuine inconvenience", Surrey County Council has said.
• Transport schemes bid for £17.6mFour transport schemes linked to new housing in Northamptonshire have been shortlisted to receive up to £17.6m from the government.
• 'Confusing' road signs reviewedRed routes, signs and bays are being reviewed in more than 400 locations across London after motorists complained of being wrongly fined.
• Black cab fares could rise by 50pA trip by black cab could cost an extra 50p if oil prices continue to rise, Transport for London (TfL) has said.
• New highway code being launchedNorthern Ireland's new highway code is launched on Wednesday.

Department for Transport

• David Chapman appointed to the board of the Civil Aviation AuthorityThe Secretary of State for Transport has appointed Captain David Chapman as a member of the board of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). He will take over as Group Director, Safety Regulation on 14 November when the term of office of the present Director, Mike Bell, comes to an end.

The Guardian

• Asda fuels petrol price warThe supermarket fuel price war continued today as Asda announced it will cut petrol and diesel prices for a second time.
• Spain to cut speed limit in bid to reduce oil importsSpain has launched an ambitious plan to reduce energy consumption and save millions of euros on oil imports by cutting the speed limit to 50mph and handing out millions of low-energy use light bulbs.

Times Online

• British Airways-Iberia merger: unions seek talks over possible job losses Up to 7,000 jobs could go as a result of British Airways’ proposed merger with Iberia, the Spanish flag carrier, prompting unions to demand a meeting with company managements.

Transport Briefing

• Bus infrastructure shortlisted for CIF transport cashBus rapid transit projects and railway station improvements are among 36 schemes shortlisted by government this week for a share of the latest tranche of the Community Infrastructure Fund.

Birmingham Post

• The rail debate: New Street and its futureBritain’s railways are suddenly poised on the verge of an exciting new era of development. Terry Grimley looks at the national issues and the way they could impact on the West Midlands.
• AA turns to bikes to cut through Brum’s trafficBirmingham has the slowest moving rush hour traffic of Britain’s five major regional cities, a major report has revealed.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Rail boost for North Wales to London passengersAN extra 820 seats a day will be available for train passengers travelling between North Wales and London under the new winter timetable.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Airlines drop Capital flightsDOZENS of flights from Edinburgh Airport are set to be axed as a result of cuts from two airlines.
• City opts to think again on gas-guzzler parking chargesTRANSPORT officials have been ordered back to the drawing board over plans to introduce higher parking charges in the Capital for the most polluting models of car.
• Pressure builds as bus bosses go it alone on banning pramsPRESSURE is growing on Lothian Buses to abandon its controversial ban on prams after it emerged the council-backed bus firm is the only big bus company in Scotland to not to allow prams on its services.

Manchester Evening News

• Airport profits soarPROFITS took off again for Manchester Airports Group today, after two years of decline.

The York Press

• High fuel prices could mean rise in council tax or service cuts EXTORTIONATE petrol costs have already made life a misery for car owners everywhere.
• City chiefs act to safeguard threatened bus routes BUS services to outlying parts of York have been safeguarded by councillors, after being threatened with the chop.

This Is Local London Network

• BARNET: TfL backtrack over parking finesTransport for London has refunded more than £20,000 to motorists after it emerged that it had wrongly issued hundreds of fines on a red route in Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Supermarkets step up fuel price warTHE supermarket fuel price war grew ever more intense today as Tesco swiftly followed Asda in announcing price cuts.

Peterborough Telegraph

• MP voices alarm as part of road sinksAn MP has called for urgent answers after a section of one of Suffolk's busiest roads began sinking.

Forbes

• The World's Top Car-Owning Countries A look at the top 10 says a lot about oil dependence. Who's No. 1? Hint: It isn't the U.S.

International Herald Tribune

• Shared bikes a success, Paris considers the carParisians and tourists so eagerly embraced a citywide bike-sharing plan that was begun a year ago that Mayor Bertrand Delanoë is proposing a four-wheeled version, using electric cars.
• After bike-sharing success, Paris considers electric carsThe new car-sharing program, expected to begin in late 2009 or early 2010, would bring a fleet of 4,000 electric cars to the city.
• Jet pack soars above earth's bonds (but be careful)Glenn Martin, an inventor from New Zealand, calls the culmination of his 27-year project the world's first practical jet pack.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Business travellers 'put off' by congestion chargeCongestion charges are hurting car rental companies in London, it has been claimed.According to one such firm, Sixt, business travellers are reluctant to drive in the city because they are not familiar with the rules.The company has urged drivers to educate themselves about where boundaries begin and end in order to avoid £100 fines.Sixt operations director Bob Baillie said that the charges are causing headaches for visitors, who travel into toll zones without realising.He added that the additional expense was ultimately pricing customers out of conducting business in the capital.Last...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Tracksure 'Highly Commended' at the Railway Forum & Modern Railways Annual Innovation AwardsTracksure's patented nut locking device has been 'Highly Commended' at the prestigious Railway Forum & Modern Railways Innovation Award in the engineering / safety category. The announcement was made at a special ceremony held at the New Connaught Rooms in London on the 1st of July 2008. Beating off major competition, Tracksure was shortlisted by the jury for the final 21 from over 120 nominations. Chris Green, chair of the judging panel, said: "Tracksure were 'Highly Commended' for this award because the judges were really impressed by the innovative technology behind their device, a...

Railnews

• News: Authorities Clash Over Uckfield To Lewes Report PUBLICATION of a report by Network Rail and consultant Mott MacDonald which claims no business case for restoration of the seven-and-a-half rail link between Uckfield and Lewes has resulted in a clash between East Sussex local authorities.

Aviation Industry

• Tinkler to urge DfT to trial longer trucksEddie Stobart boss Andrew Tinkler is due to meet with DfT officials on 6 August in a bid to get on-road trials for longer trucks.
• North London schedules 'car-free day'An event to promote the use of alternative forms of transport will see cars banished from an area of north London later this year, it has been revealed.

• Mayor sets out environmental transport plans for LondonLondon Mayor Boris Johnson will put in place a series of plans to improve the environmental efficiency of the British capital.

• Eurotunnel willing to buy UK high speed rail linePARIS (Thomson Financial) - Groupe Eurotunnel SA expects to be a bidder for the High Speed One rail line which the UK government is likely to put up for sale next year, Jacques Gounon, chairman of the Channel tunnel operator, said at the presentation of its first half results.
• Salvesen profits hit by start-up costsPROFITS at Edinburgh- registered logistics firm Christian Salvesen fell 19 per cent as it was hit by higher start-up costs on distribution deals with tyre makers and increasing competition.
• Rail firms trade mobile phones for AirwaveSecurity officers at Southeastern and South West Trains will be connected to British Transport Police over the emergency radio network.
• The future commuter: Growth of satellite townsCrossrail isn't the only train link that's transforming Britain's property map. From Corby to Kent, a new generation of satellite towns will be arriving soon. Jonathan Christie investigates what it could mean for you
• Rail journeys on track for record bookings in 2009 Booking trends show that Brits are looking for alternatives to travelling by road and air. Instead of fuel charge concerns and the credit crunch, Brits are now rediscovering the romance, ease and environmental friendly nature of rail travel.
• India set to sign liberal aviation pact with EUNEW DELHI: Indian airlines are set to get an improved access to European destinations. A liberal aviation pact between India and the European Union (EU) is on the cards, which will enable this as well as give EU carriers better access to India. In a way, the pact will work like an ’open skies’ agreement between India and the EU.
• Soon, a microlight aircraft in the budget of a luxury car!Believe it or not, you may soon be able to purchase a micro light plane in the budget of a luxury car!
• BAA - Early incentive deadline votingBAA announces that it has now received the results of votes cast by bondholders. The results of the 1564 votes cast indicate overwhelming market support for the proposals.

Other News Sources

• Clients expect green fleets at no extra costDespite the current economic climate, being green is still a key concern for businesses and the majority expect their transport providers to bear the cost of greening their logistics operations, an environmental survey from Transport Intelligence (TI) reveals.
• RAIL WATCHDOG PREDICTS C2C FRANCHISE EXTENSION WILL MEAN A BETTER SERVICE FOR PASSENGERSThe national rail watchdog has welcomed proposals which may see c2c’s franchise extended by two years to 2013. The Government has recently rejected plans to extend the franchise but c2c is resubmitting a revised application.
• WATCHDOG WELCOMES UPDATE ON NEW TRAINPassenger Focus today welcomed the Department for Transport's plan to ensure more trains are delivered to Britain’s railway’s. This High Level output specification (HLOS) update gives useful information on the amount and timing for these new trains.
• Fixed-penalties given start dateThe government has committed to a spring 2009 introduction of the much-delayed fixed-penalty notices for overseas hauliers who flout UK laws.
• National Express East Coast appoints three route performance managersTrain operator National Express East Coast has appointed three route performance managers as part of its drive to improve further the punctuality of its services between London King’s Cross and northern Scotland.
• South West Trains’ Chairman launches £1.8M Rail Community Officer schemeSWT Chairman, Ian Dobbs, visited Richmond station to launch its new Rail Community Officers (RCOs) this week.
• Exeter Airport to Treble in sizeBalfour Beatty is planning to more than the treble the size of the terminal at Exeter International airport.