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

Saturday, 11 October 2008

BBC News

• GM and Chrysler 'in merger talks'Struggling US car giants General Motors and Chrysler are in talks about a possible merger, US media say.

The Herald

• Oil continues fear-fuelled plungeCrude oil futures tumbled below $80 a barrel yesterday as a rout in global equity markets sparked panic selling in the energy markets.

The Scotsman

• Brown urged to freeze fuel dutyPetrol retailers have called for a freeze on fuel duty to help reduce forecourt prices even further.

Times Online

• General Motors plans auction of key assetsGeneral Motors is believed to be considering emergency moves to boost its liquidity, including the sale of Saab, its stake in GMAC, the finance business, and the sale and leaseback of its headquarters in Detroit.
• Can I get more efficiency from my engine? How much fuel gets burnt in the engine? I say at least 98 per cent, the miracle technology / snake oil salesmen say 85 – 90 per cent. Who is right?

Reuters News

• Cargo ship hits Gibraltar rocks in heavy seasGIBRALTAR (Reuters) - British and Spanish authorities tried to save a bulk carrier which hit rocks on Gibraltar's southern tip Friday as storms hammered the British colony, local officials said.
• NOL drops out of race to buy TUI's Hapag-LloydFRANKFURT/OSLO (Reuters) - Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) dropped out of the race to acquire TUI AG's Hapag-Lloyd container shipping unit on Friday, leaving just one bidder in the hunt.

Mail Online

• Travel chaos after 5,000 bus drivers walk out on strikeThousands of commuters faced chaos today as up to 5,000 bus drivers and supervisors went on strike over pay.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Cash crisis hits Aberdeen Airport for fifth monthThe continuing fallout from the credit crunch has hit the number of travellers using Aberdeen Airport for a fifth consecutive month, bosses at the north-east gateway said yesterday.

The York Press

• Schools say York is simply the bestSchools in York have had the chance to rate the services they get from the city council and they have given a glowing report.
• Car crimes on decreaseAn intensive police crackdown on prolific criminals has dramatically driven down car crime and commercial burglaries in York and Selby.

Carlisle News & Star

• Train strike suspendedA 24-hour train strike by 100 Northern Rail drivers in Britain™s biggest rail union “ which was scheduled to take place on Monday “ has been suspended following talks.

The Shields Gazette

• Freight train jumps off tracksEMERGENCY services were scrambled after a freight train derailed in Jarrow.

Transport for London

• TfL penalty fare to rise to £50New £50 penalty introduced to act as a greater deterrent

Aviation Industry

• September traffic figures BAA's airportsBAA™s UK airports handled a total of 13.3 million passengers in September, 5.0% fewer than in the same month last year...

Other News Sources

• Felixstowe reaches rail milestoneThe port of Felixstowe achieved record breaking levels of rail moves after completing several key initiatives
• Eco-friendly designCitroën is introducing a new approach to eco-friendly design by exploring the viability of a production model based on its popular C-Cactus concept car.
• Comment: Why expand airports?Amid the endless headlines of economic downturn and turmoil in the markets, what initially seemed to be a chink of light in the darkness appeared on Thursday.
• Boris pulls plug on DLR extensionPlans to extend London's Docklands Light Railway to the east to regenerate deprived areas of the capital have been scrapped by mayor Boris Johnson.
• Commuter rail trains to get WiFi on all linesBoston - Wireless Internet access will soon be available on every coach traveling on the MBTA’s commuter rail lines. On Friday, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray announced that the agency’s board appr...
• Tartan Army faces rail disruptionFootball fans travelling to Hampden for Scotland's crucial World Cup qualifier against Norway could face travel disruption due to rail works. Trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street will be...
• Deloitte laptop loss spreads to rail workers and policeTheft that affected BSkyB staff also contained data from Network Rail and British Transport Police.
• EU Transport Council Meeting: Main Results The European ministers responsible for transport, meeting in Luxembourg on 9 October under the presidency of Dominique Bussereau, the French Minister of State for Transport, decided jointly to take a decisive step towards the safe and sustainable development of transport.
• Anti-TIF group accused of spreading ’inaccuracies and myths’The Yes Campaign, the coalition supporting a Yes vote in December’s TIF referendum, has accused the Greater Manchester Momentum Group of “continuing to peddle inaccuracies and myths” about the scheme proposals.
• Northern Rail strike suspendedNorthern Rail has announced that its drivers in the North West have suspended plans for strike action for Monday and a normal timetable will be in operation.
• Car demandCar demand