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

Wednesday, 29 October 2008

BBC News

• Beeching and the Midlands [video]This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Beeching report, which saw the transformation of rail networks across the Midlands.
• Multi-purpose tracks reopen [video]Some of the rail lines that were shut down in the Midlands during the 1960s have enjoyed a revival in recent years.
• Rail link used to move new carsA rail line to transport new cars from Swindon to Europe and beyond is due to open later.
• Cities get new direct rail linkCommuters in Nottingham and Leeds are set to benefit from a new hourly direct train service.
• 'Temporary lay-offs' at car plantAs Ford announces a £70m investment at its south Wales plant, some workers are told they will be temporarily laid off.
• UK unveils CO2 footprint standardA new standard that allows UK firms to measure the size of their products' carbon footprints is launched.
• Anger over C-charge bus advertsA council accuses a bus company of censoring attempts to encourage people to vote over Greater Manchester's congestion charge.
• MPs demand action on road deathsLower speed limits and a tougher enforcement of drink-driving laws are needed to cut the number of road deaths, MPs say.
• Easyjet 'broke rules' on advertEasyjet broke advertising rules by exaggerating the cost of its fares compared with British Airways, a watchdog has ruled.

Financial Times

• GM and Cerberus race to finalise Chrysler deal General Motors and Cerberus Capital Management are racing to finalise a deal for the carmaker to acquire the private equity group's stake in Chrysler before the US election
• Acquisitions drive buoys Arriva's revenuesThe bus and train group with operations in London, Madrid and Lisbon posts a 57% rise in group revenues for the nine months to September on the back of several successful contract bids
• Lufthansa abandons its profit targetThe German carrier lowers its forecast for the current year by over a fifth as global economic problems begin to compound the effects of the sector's yearlong battle with energy prices
• Braemar rides out the storm with 38% boostThe London-listed shipbroker says it is expecting to meet full-year profit and revenue expectations in spite of the deterioration in shipping markets, prompting its shares to rise
• BAA made to pay £7.3m in service penaltiesThe Civil Aviation Authority has fined the UK airports group for failing to meet all its required service standards at Gatwick and Heathrow during the past six months
• Britannia Bulk at risk of defaultAn announcement by the New York-listed shipping group that there is 'a very high risk' it could default on its loan agreements sent shares plummeting by 85 per cent

The Scotsman

• Heathrow plan 'could be ditched'Senior ministers are secretly backing calls to scrap plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, it has been claimed.

The Telegraph

• Young drivers should face passenger ban say MPsYoung drivers should be banned from carrying passengers at night in order to cut the death toll on Britain's roads MPs have said.

Times Online

• Honda extends UK production cuts to 2009 Honda yesterday became the first car manufacturer in Britain to extend production cuts into next year after it increased the scale of its reductions.
• Gordon Brown seeks petrol price cut as BP profit hits £6bn The Prime Minister said yesterday that he was “determined” to see a fall in the price of petrol after BP announced a record three-month profit of £6.4 billion. Although Mr Brown did not directly address the issue of BP's profits, he told reporters: “I notice that some companies have brought their prices down and I encourage others to do so to reflect the fact that the price of oil is now below $60 ($£37.68) when it used to be, for a few weeks, nearly $150.$

Mail Online

• None for the road? MPs back calls to drastically cut legal drink-drive limit A glass of wine or half-a-pint of beer should put motorists over the legal limit, say MPs.

Transport Briefing

• Norwich chooses bus information system from CityspaceNorfolk County Council has ordered an integrated content management system from technology supplier Cityspace to provide bus departures and public announcements to a network of information screens within Norwich city centre.
• Train famine delays Corby station opening until 2009Corby station is to miss its scheduled 12 December opening date because there are no trains available to operate the new service.

Belfast Telegraph

• End of the line for free train travel for over 60s?Rail passengers could face up to a 30% rise in fares and concessionary schemes are under threat as Translink struggles to cover the cost of a multi-million pound budget shortfall, it can be revealed.

Birmingham Post

• Councils should have freedom to impose 20mph zones, say MPsCouncils should be given far more freedom to impose 20mph speed limits to cut the number of deaths on Britain’s streets, an influential Commons committee said.
• Ryanair to launch 14 new flights from Birmingham AirportBudget airline Ryanair has launched 14 new lines from Birmingham International Airport.

Derby Telegraph

• Public enquiry hears plans for new university bus route are "unnecessary"CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new "hopper" bus service in Derby are unnecessary because the students who would use it are satisfied with an existing route, a public inquiry has heard.
• Train leasing firm is sold to consortium in deal 'worth £2bn'A DERBY train leasing firm has been sold to a consortium of investors.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Airport launches study into A8 shuttle bus linkA SHUTTLE bus service running passengers to and from Edinburgh Airport could be established on the A8, under plans being considered by BAA Edinburgh.
• Outrage as every Leith Walk tree faces trams axeALMOST every tree on Leith Walk is set to be chopped down to make way for the trams.

Liverpool Echo

• Ship building set to return to Cammell LairdSHIP building could return to the Mersey in a joint venture between a shipyard and an Italian ship-building giant.

London Evening Standard

• Crossrail's £500 million green stop at the WharfThis is the new image of the proposed £500 million Crossrail station, jutting out into the waters at Canary Wharf
• Revealed: secret plot by Labour MPs to scupper Heathrow third runwaySenior ministers are secretly trying to derail plans for a third runway at Heathrow, it was claimed
• Heathrow: MPs plot revolt against third runwayPlans for a third runway at Heathrow were threatened by a Cabinet revolt
• BP feels backlash as profits hit £6.4bn in three monthsEnergy firms faced huge pressure to slash petrol and fuel bills after oil giant BP posted record profits of £6.4 billion in three months

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Team to assess needs of major ferry routeA firm of consultants has been commissioned to investigate transport needs for the Stornoway to Ullapool ferry route.

The York Press

• £42m upgrade bid for ring road TRANSPORT bosses have submitted a bid for £42 million to improve York™s outer ring road.

Wales Online

• £70m investment secures car plant jobsCAR-MAKER Ford today confirmed a £70m investment at its South Wales engine factory.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds rail station ticket barrier problemComputer technicians got Leeds City Station's new ticket barriers clicking with minutes to spare before rail chiefs arrived for the grand switch-on “ 24 hours late.

Railnews

• News: Labour’s transport policy has failed THE Labour government’s transport policy has failed completely in the 10 years since the launch of its landmark White Paper ’A New Deal for Transport’ — including ignoring the need for rail investment.

Aviation Industry

• Transport in tomorrow's wireless worldAs technology plays an increasing part in our lives, Professor William Webb, Ofcom's head of research and development, looks at how mobile technology can enhance the transport sector in the future
• Hanborough rail users benefit from more improvementsThe station, which is used by people from Witney, Woodstock and Eynsham has benefited from the work worth £80,000 which has been taking place over the past year.
• Transport failingsThoughts from the Adam Smith Institute
• Trading update - StagecoachStagecoach Group plc (“the Group”) is today providing an update on trading in advance of a series of meetings with analysts.
• megabus.com expands budget coach network to new destinations in North AmericaStagecoach Group has announced the expansion of its budget inter-city coach service megabus.com to four new locations in North America as more people ditch their cars and get on board public transport.
• Take-off for £31 million Glasgow Airport terminal extension. Airport bosses predictIt's the size of a football pitch, has taken 18 months to build and has cost £31 million...
• IdeaCast, jetBlue Strike In-Flight Ad DealIdeaCast will also offer advertising on jetBlue's non-video assets such as seatback card ads and sampling -By Katy Bachman jetBlue Airways has joined Airline TV, IdeaCast's in-flight content and advertising ...
• Major airlines upgraded on oil prices, capacity cuts:analystCalyon Securities on Tuesday raised its rating for the major airline carriers to add from neutral, citing the dramatic drop in oil prices and deep capacity cuts.

Other News Sources

• Rail regulators want tough targetsRegulators are to lay down tough new trains-on-time targets for the next five years.
• Bus company up for third awardReading Buses’ super-green fleet has seen the transport company short-listed for its third industry award this year.
• Bus users to have say on servicesTRANSPORT watchdog Passenger Focus will be attending a Bus Users UK Surgery in Wales to give passengers the chance to feedback on their train journey as well as voice concerns about buses.
• Trains halted in £8.5m track work at InterchangeWork is underway to give Bradford Interchange rail station an £8.5 million makeover.
• UK set to pass first ever climate billThe UK is set to pass the world's strongest climate change bill today, with measures to curb carbon emissions by 80 per cent.
• Govt traffic project 'wasted £10 million'A government project to provide motorists real-time traffic updates on busy roads is considerably over-budget and took twice as long as expected.
• Prestwick Airport scheduled traffic up again as new expansion announcedGlasgow Prestwick Airport recorded a year-on-year rise in scheduled passenger traffic for the fifth consecutive month in September. The result coincides with work beginning on a 1.7 million extension and refurbishment of the departure lounge area.
• Heathrow plan 'could be ditched'Senior ministers are secretly backing calls to scrap plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, it has been claimed. Some members of the Government are beginning to turn against the expansion scheme, Labour backbencher John Grogan said.
• BA unveils global leisure campaignBritish Airways is set to launch a global leisure travel campaign next week focusing on the œauthentic travel experience.
• Wincanton signs two-year deal with Thierry'sLogistics firm Wincanton has secured a two-year contract to become sole supplier of warehousing and distribution for Thierry's Wine Services in the UK and Ireland.
• Management shake-up at TDGLogistics firm TDG has made changes to its senior management team following the takeover by LIT, the company created by Laxey Partners and known as 'Bidco'.
• Bombardier flight tests all-electric braking systemA Bombardier testbed aircraft equipped entirely with an all-electric braking system has executed its first flight, in an event being heralded as a civil...
• Lufthansa nine-month operating profit falls 9.3%Lufthansa Group is to post an operating profit of €984 million ($1.22 billion) for the first nine months of this year, and about €1.1 billion for the full...
• FAA issues final rule to increase airliner explosives survivabilityUS FAA today issued a final rule that will require manufacturers of newly certified commercial aircraft after 28 November to protect passengers and cockpit...
• Obama pledges shortsea supportBARACK Obama, the Illinois US senator leading in polls to succeed President Bush after next week's election, has endorsed a US shortsea scheme and other intermodal and infrastructure improvements.
• Manchester Transport Website Totally Wind PoweredManchester-based design company Corporation Pop has created a new micro-site 21centurytransport.com. There is nothing that unusual in the creation of the new site, but what is unusual is the idea that the site will be truly œgreen œby making use of a wind powered server. The new Flash-based micro-site will be powered by wind turbines located [...]
• Major EU cities pledge to fight climate changeSome 130 major European cities yesterday committed to bringing climate change into citizens' hearts and minds by adopting ambitious sustainable public procurement policies. But they stressed that results would only be achieved if central governments gave them more power.
• UK pushes for pole position on green transport A high powered meeting of industry experts, academics and policy makers was held in London this week to discuss how to kick start the mass market production of electric vehicles and other low carbon transport.

EIN News Subscription

• JCDecaux targets travel trade with new Heathrow networks ... JCDecaux targets travel trade with new Heathrow networks LONDON - ... UK JCDecaux Airport managed 11 air and rail concessions including Heathrow and Gatwick and the Eurostar. ...