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

Saturday, 18 October 2008

BBC News

• Car dealer cuts jobs on low salesCar dealer Inchcape is to cut jobs across the UK due to poor sales, as it aims to reduce costs by £50m.
• Indian airline sector 'to shrink'Half of India's airlines could disappear during the current downturn, Air India boss Raghu Menon tells BBC News.
• Spanish airline suspends flightsPassengers are stranded as Spanish-based airline LTE International halts operations over financial problems.

The Guardian

• The Man in Seat 61 on his favourite winter rail journeysRail travel guru Mark Smith, of our winning website The Man in Seat 61, recommends six of his favourite winter rail journeys

The Herald

• Sleeper all set to take over from the early riser as shut-eye trumps red-eyeBusiness diary: It looks like British Airways could end up sporting a black eye over the axing of the red- eye. First ScotRail sees an opportunity to capitalise over the ending of the 6.05am flight from Glasgow to Heathrow on October 27.

The Telegraph

• End of the line for cups and saucers on trainsA train company is removing teacups and saucers from its carriages after complaints about the noise made by spoons rattling against them.

Reuters News

• Airline shares jump on recent oil price declineCHICAGO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - U.S. airline shares were broadly higher on Friday, led by United Airlines parent UAL Corp , on recent declines in the price of oil.

Mail Online

• Tesco cuts cost of petrol by 3p after Gordon Brown's demand for cheaper fuel Tesco has responded to calls from Gordon Brown to cut the cost of petrol by knocking at least 3p off the price of fuel at hundreds of outlets.

Liverpool Echo

• Overhead railway returns in film spectacularA FILM of the entire Liverpool dock complex is to be beamed on to the city’s historic waterfront.

London Evening Standard

• All aboard Der RoutemeisterA proposal for a new electric Routemaster bus is unveiled, complete with glass roof, optional solar panels and LCD screens showing route details

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Volunteers put skid car to the test at airfieldA NEW car which demonstrates how vehicles react in different weather conditions was tested in Moray yesterday.
• Railway line restoration project gets major boostTHE project to restore a historic Deeside railway line has received a major donation which will buy 180 tonnes of crushed stone for the track.

Blackpool Gazette

• Jobs axed as Fleetwood P&0 office shutMORE than 20 jobs could go after a shipping giant revealed it was set to close its Fleetwood offices.

Doncaster Free Press

• Airport staff on strike todayWORKERS at Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport have gone on strike today in a row over pay.

Washington Post

• Sour economy leads BMW to lay off SC temp workers COLUMBIA, S.C. -- More than 500 temporary workers at BMW's South Carolina plant will likely lose their jobs at the end of the year because the ailing economy in the United States has hurt sales for the German automaker.
• Northwest could cut capacity more if needed: CEO CHICAGO (Reuters) - Northwest Airlines Corp , already cutting capacity by almost 10 percent in the fourth quarter because of high fuel bills, could trim even more if needed, Chief Executive Doug Steenland said on Friday as a recession looms.
• GM, Chrysler Talks Heat Up Merger discussions between General Motors and Chrysler appear to be picking up some speed.
• Ongoing Boeing Strike Poses Threat to Industry If ever there was a company built to withstand the global financial crisis, Boeing might be it. The aerospace and defense giant is well diversified. The world's airlines are lining up with orders for the company's latest commercial jets.
• Honda's hydrogen car is smooth but has hindrances WASHINGTON -- For years, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have been the far-off technological bets of the auto industry _ the car that holds the promise of gasoline-free driving.

Other News Sources

• Edinburgh tram backers want to divert cash from Borders rail lineThe Scotsman has learned that the radical proposal has been put to John Swinney, the finance secretary, in an attempt to divert funding into extending the city's tram network to the Edinburgh Royal In...
• Double-decker dealBombardier Transportation has received an order from the leasing company Railpool for the delivery of 45 double-deck coaches valued at approximately €75m.
• Heathrow expansion: government accused of dragging heels on EU pollution curbsBoth opposition parties have accused the government of dragging its heels on implementing EU clean air legislation in it efforts to push through Heathrow’s third runway.
• Public back lower drink-drive limitMore than three-quarters of people would support a lowering of the legal drink-drive limit, according to a new poll. The survey comes ahead of a Government consultation which is expected to come out against reducing the blood-alcohol limit from 80mg to 50mg.
• Freightliner’s investor acquisition signals next growth stageLeading rail haulier of maritime containers Freightliner is courted by corporate investor, but it is 'busines as normal'.
• Call for minister to defend port ratesThe chairman of the UK House of Commons Treasury Select Committee, John McFall, has called for a period of
• LCR must publish cost of using HS1The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has ended a bitter dispute between EWS and London Continental Railway (LCR) over access charges to the High-Speed 1 (HS1) rail link.
• New era as conferences bow outEuropean Shippers' Council (ESC) chairman Dick van den Broek Humphreij hailed the end of the conference system as a momentous event in the history of liner shipping.
• Holiday rescue as airline goes bustHoliday rescue as airline goes bust

EIN News Subscription

• Airbus scales back planned production increase ... PARIS -- Airbus said Thursday it is putting a planned ... because of the global financial crisis. The European jet maker will maintain production of its ... which is raising uncertainties for the air transport market, Galabert said. Airbus may review the ...