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

Tuesday, 07 October 2008

BBC News

• Aer Lingus axes up to 1,500 jobsAer Lingus is to cut up to 1,500 jobs through redundancy and outsourcing as part of a 74 million euro cost-saving programme.
• Strike to hit Scotland's railwaysCommuters throughout Scotland face disruption as rail signal staff stage the first of two 24-hour strikes.
• Olympics transport plan on showResidents are being invited to examine plans to improve transport in Weymouth ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
• Oyster card hack details revealedDutch researchers reveal details of how they managed to copy the radio chips used on London's Oyster card.
• UK 'needs tougher climate target'The UK's official climate advisers say an 80% emissions cut by 2050 should include international aviation and shipping.
• Registrations of new cars fall 21%New car registrations fall 21% in September, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Financial Times

• EasyJet liftEasyJet increased September passenger volumes 22 per cent to 4.2m in a further indication of the rising market share being gained by the leading low-cost carriers in...
• Business jets feel the pinch from credit crunchAfter five years of rapid growth, corporate aviation faces a downturn in its fortunes, as private jet users fly less or seek to sell their aircraft
• A change of course on the waterfrontAPM Terminals' port in Portsmouth, Virginia has far more sophisticated equipment than any other US port
• New Virginia terminal hots up port rivalryNew port is expected to compete directly for traffic heading to US Midwest cities with unions on the west, east and Gulf coasts likely to react differently
• Asian shipyards face prospect of bankruptcyAn abrupt downturn in demand could result in some yards going bankrupt as ship owners cancel or postpone orders, with the problems particularly acute in China
• Iberia investors could get 40% of BA mergerShareholders could receive a smaller stake than first envisaged in the airline group to be created by the planned merger of the UK flag carrier with Spain's Iberia
• Crisis puts German rail IPO in doubtThe German government is considering postponing the privatisation of the rail operating unit of Deutsche Bahn, the state railway which it had hoped would raise €5bn-€6bn ($6.8bn-$8.1bn)

The Guardian

• Aer Lingus to axe 1,500 jobs in bid to save €74mIrish national airline faces threat of strike action after decision to outsource ground staff
• In gender-sensitive Iran, a car designed specially for womenNew vehicle to have electronic parking aids, automatic gearbox and be painted in 'feminine' colours

The Herald

• Rail chaos as signal workers begin stoppagesThousands of rail travellers face days of disruption after talks aimed at averting strike action on Scotland’s services broke down yesterday.

The Scotsman

• Salmond in summit amid fears BA will quit ScotlandALEX Salmond, the First Minister, is to meet the head of British Airways today amid concerns that the airline is to pull out of Scotland.

The Telegraph

• Luton Airport passengers delayed by immigration computer glitchAround 1000 passengers have been delayed by a computer glitch at Luton Airport.

Reuters News

• US logistics, truck firms fret over economy, fuelCHICAGO, Oct 6 (Reuters) - High fuel costs and uncertainty over the U.S. economy's outlook are among the top concerns of logistics and U.S. trucking companies, according to two surveys released on Monday.
• German, Italian govts back Alitalia-Lufthansa dealBERLIN, Oct 6 (Reuters) - The German and Italian leaders on Monday backed a potential agreement between Alitalia and Lufthansa on the German airline taking a minority stake in the Italian carrier.

Mail Online

• The car that stops kids speeding... and reduces the stereo volumeFord is to bring in a system which enables parents to limit the speed at which their teenage children can drive their car. It will operate through a computer chip in the ignition key.

Network Rail

• NETWORK RAIL BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED AS RMT PLOUGHS ON WITH RAIL STRIKE

Transport Briefing

• Metro station £5m Sunderland contract advertisedTyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive Nexus has invited tenders for a £5m contract to complete the redevelopment of Sunderland National Rail and Metro station.
• DfT transport line-up changes as Harris "sacked"Lord Andrew Adonis and Paul Clark have been handed ministerial roles in the Department for Transport following the Prime Minister's Cabinet reshuffle on Friday (Transport Briefing 03/10/08).
• Cambridgeshire busway fleet to run on food wasteTransport group Stagecoach has moved to cement its position as the dominant bus operator in Cambridge by placing a £3m order for buses to run along the soon-to-open Cambridgeshire guided busway.

Birmingham Post

• Coventry Airport expansion plans hit by judge's rulingThe High Court has dealt a potentially fatal blow to expansion plans for Coventry Airport.

Journal Live

• A1 anger mounts as crash victim namedTRANSPORT bosses were last night facing mounting anger over a decision to shelve plans to dual a notorious stretch of the A1 in Northumberland on which a man died.

London Evening Standard

• First meeting of business council calls for third Heathrow runwayBoris Johnson has been asked to reconsider his opposition to a third runway at Heathrow in a meeting with top business leaders

Manchester Evening News

• C-charge campaigner hits outTHE leader of the 'yes' campaign in the congestion charge referendum has lashed out her opponents - claiming they are not considering public transport benefits.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Four years on and still waiting for our relief fundFRUSTRATED business owners are still waiting to be paid FOUR years after their land was taken for Sheffield's £50 million inner relief road.
• Travel card initiativeA CLEVER swipe-card for passengers to use on public transport has been extended to more routes in Sheffield.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Oban pontoons plan could affect fishing economyOban™s fishing economy could be hit so hard if plans for 60 short-stay pontoons for yachts go ahead that it would be like œclosing 40 businesses in one go, it has been claimed.
• Salmond reticent over Crossrail claimFirst Minister Alex Salmond was yesterday accused of being œastonishingly silent over his commitment to the proposed £200million Crossrail scheme for the north-east.
• Landslip risk on A9 strengthens case for road improvementsTHE high risk of landslides on vital routes in the Highlands strengthens the case for the roads to be improved, it was claimed yesterday.

Chester Standard

• Handbridge pensioners' anger over disrupted bus route to ChesterPENSIONERS say they have been left feeling isolated after roadworks disrupted a major bus route into Chester.

International Herald Tribune

• General strike shuts transit and services in BelgiumBelgium's transport network was paralyzed when a nationwide strike over the rising cost of living led to the cancellation of all high-speed international train services and brought huge disruption to travelers.

New Scientist

• Invention: Aviation speciallooks at the latest patents that could take the world of aviation and space exploration to new heights

Railnews

• News: Harris out in DfT re-shuffle TOM Harris has been sacked as Rail Minister in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s reshuffle, Downing Street has confirmed.
• News: Leaves mean timetable changes COMMUTERS will have to get up a few minutes earlier from today, as train operators in the region alter their timetables to account for falling leaves.

Transport for London

• TX4 taxi licences to be re-instatedSuspension of cab licences will be lifted when remedial works are completed and cabs are certified by London Taxis International.

Aviation Industry

• COMMENT: Can trains really replace planes?ABTN editor Stanley Slaughter comments on the latest Conservative proposals.
• BA reports 8.6% drop in premium trafficRevenue forecasts œcarry some risks, carrier says.
• Lufthansa edges ahead in battle for AlitaliaItalians prefer German carrier's hub system

Other News Sources

• £5.3m plan to boost Lynn transportA £5.3m injection into transport in King's Lynn could pave the way for 1,800 more homes. Lynn has already been shortlisted for a share of the £200m Department for Transport Community Infrastruc-ture Fund but £250,000 is needed from Norfolk County Council to develop the business application to the DfT and to continue the design work.
• NASA commissions study to develop future aircraftWashington, Oct 7 (Xinhua) US space agency NASA Monday said that it has awarded seperate contracts worth $12.4 million to six aviation companies to study advanced technologies for developing future transport aircraft.
• Oil prices slide as US fuel demand slowsOil prices fell by almost $2 a barrel as attention shifted to the fallout of the credit crisis on business.
• Lobby groups use IAA Hannover to call for LHVsAt this year's IAA commercial vehicle show in Hannover, three influential groups put forward the case for the introduction of longer, heavier vehicles (LHVs)...
• The most dangerous traffic lights in the worldwatch the camera footage of the trecherous traffic lights found in Russia, and be glad it's not on your journey to work
• Carmakers plead for EU subsidiesEuropean automobile manufacturers are calling on the European Commission to follow in the footsteps of the US and provide them with billions in low-cost loans to help them develop environmentally friendly vehicles as global car sales drop.

Other Subscription Services

• Economou in $1.2bn fleet expansion moveGEORGE Economou stuns market with deals for nine capesizes and two drillships.