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

Thursday, 30 October 2008

BBC News

• Shell gains from high oil pricesOil firm Royal Dutch Shell has reported a 71% jump in its third-quarter profits, helped by record high oil prices earlier this year.
• Efficiency call to Network RailNetwork Rail is told by regulators to boost efficiency while getting by on less money than it asked for.
• Extra railway line hopes dashedA campaign to improve an extra railway line built between Kemble in Gloucestershire and Swindon has failed.
• Dead end job?How Geoff Hoon's 11 predecessors fared at transport
• Labour MPs oppose Heathrow runwayA growing number of Labour MPs urge the government to rethink its plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport.
• High-speed rail back on agendaMinisters will examine the case for a new high-speed rail line - a year after the idea was rejected as too expensive.
• EU carmakers closer to CO2 loansThe European Union backs the idea of granting carmakers loans at attractive rates in the wake of global downturn.
• BMI being taken over by LufthansaGerman airline Lufthansa is to take over UK carrier BMI, giving it the second-largest number of flights from London's Heathrow.
• Delta and Northwest seal mergerUS firms Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have joined forces to create one of the world's biggest carriers.

Financial Times

• UK companies urge steps to head off global 'oil crunch'The world is facing a dangerous "oil crunch" in as little as five years, and the Government needs to starting working on solutions now to avoid major economic and social problems, a cross-industry group warned yesterday.
• Transport offers little to stimulate economyAlistair Darling will be forced to exclude virtually all transport projects from his plans to bring forward spending to mitigate the impact of the recession, Geoff Hoon, the transport secretary, has warned.
• UK needs fast trains not a third Heathrow runwayOur high-speed link would boost jobs in the Midlands and the north and help remedy long-standing imbalances, writes Theresa Villiers
• US railroads on trackThe US economy may be going off the rails, but don't tell that to the men who make the trains run on time
• Stagecoach gains from public transport usersChanging consumer habits as a result of the economic downturn is fuelling growth at the bus and rail operator that is benefiting from consumers downgrading from private cars to public transport
• NOL warns of severity of shipping downturnThe container shipping industry should be braced for a more pronounced and prolonged downturn than previously expected, Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines warned, as the operator announced third-quarter results
• US approves Delta-Northwest mergerDelta Air Lines' proposed merger with Northwest Airlines won approval from US antitrust officials, clearing the companies to create the world's largest carrier
• Lufthansa to take control of BMIThe German flag carrier is to take majority control of BMI British Midland after Sir Michael Bishop, BMI chairman, exercised an option to sell his 50% plus one share stake

The Guardian

• Boris's Bus (A Political Journey) Pt 6: Bendy Bust-UpFight, fight, fight! On Monday, militant bendy-hater Andrew Gilligan unleashed the full power of his Evening Standard column on the rebellious upstarts of Boris Watch, whose impertinent mission is to hold The Blond to account, not least on the issue of whether his planned cull of articulated buses is justified.
• Downturn will not hamper public transport projects, says Geoff HoonBritain's railway system is in parts the envy of Europe, says transport secretary
• Pilot Stuart Ross develops rocketbelt designed to strap on and fly
• Lufthansa takes control of bmiLufthansa signalled its intention to take on British Airways at Heathrow yesterday after the German flag carrier said it would acquire bmi, the airport's second largest airline.Sources close to the transaction also indicated that an agreement with Virgin Atlantic was possible after the carrier controlled by Sir Richard Branson made a public plea to be involved in the deal. Lufthansa is expected to take control of bmi, formerly known as British Midland, after bmi chairman Sir Michael Bishop triggered a put option that requires the airline to buy out his majority stake. The German airline said i...

The Herald

• Stagecoach shares slideStagecoach found its shares in the slow lane yesterday despite a trading statement which sprung no nasty surprises and confirmed solid passenger growth.

The Scotsman

• Train performance targets to be setRegulators will set new five-year performance and financial targets for the railways.

The Telegraph

• Motorists face paying tolls to drive on hard shoulderWithin months officials will draw up plans to create a faster lane for those willing to pay for a quicker journey on the country's busiest roads during the rush hour.
• Water company launches technology that could end road worksA water company is launching new technology could mean the end of road works.

Times Online

• The futuristic caravans and motorhomes that are making camping cool again They queued around the block to be first in, they pored over the latest models, they camped in the car park and brought their own packed lunches.
• Any deep recession may see Stagecoach go off the rails Only a few weeks ago, Brian Souter, founder and chief executive of Stagecoach, described shares in the FTSE 100 bus and train operator as “about as close to gilts as one can get in the current economic environment”.

Reuters News

• Hover chair hopes to rise above woesLONDON (Reuters) - A

Daily Record

• Glasgow Airport launches new £12m security search areaGLASGOW airport yesterday unveiled a £12million security search zone to replace the three separate areas previously used.
• Passengers stranded after latest budget airline collapseHUNDREDS of passengers have been left stranded after the financial collapse of another budget airline - which had operated from Edinburgh Airport.

Mail Online

• Hundreds of passengers stranded as budget airline Sterling collapses Hundreds of passengers were stranded at a major holiday airport today after flights were cancelled following the financial collapse of a budget airline.

Network Rail

• NETWORK RAIL RESPONDS TO ORR's FINAL DETERMINATIONNetwork Rail today responded to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) final conclusions on the funding of the railway for the five year period, 2009 - 2014 (Control Period 4 - CP4).

Transport Briefing

• Hoon puts new rail lines and electrification on agendaTransport Secretary Geoff Hoon has set up a working group to examine the case for building new railway lines and electrifying swathes of the existing rail network.
• £170m transport upgrade delivered as Westfield opensWestfield London, a new shopping centre with five department stores and 14 cinema screens spanning nine postcodes, will open on Thursday morning (30 October).

Birmingham Post

• Government changes its mind over high speed rail linksLabour has come out in support of high-speed rail lines, such as Birmingham to London, in a major policy U-turn.

Bristol Live

• New powers that could transform Bristol's bus servicesCouncils in the Bristol area will soon have the chance to take more control over local bus services and end the 20-year “deregulation disaster”.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Train was feet from disaster near AberystwythRAIL authorities were investigating last night how a train apparently went through a red light on a crossing, narrowly missing a gas tanker and a dad pushing a pram.

Journal Live

• Free school buses cost Northumberland £500,000FREE bus transport for older students is set to leave Northumberland County Council with a £500,000 bill.

London Evening Standard

• Transport chiefs stunned as £2.4bn is slashed from spendingBILLIONS of pounds were today cut from spending on the railways just 24 hours after the Government said it planned to make "best use" of the national transport networks.
• Hoon allows runway oppositionNEW Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has given the Cabinet a green light to oppose the environmental impact of a third runway at Heathrow.
• Hoon in bid to stem MP revolt over HeathrowNew Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon is to confront a growing Commons revolt over the proposal for a third runway at Heathrow
• BMI snapped up by Lufthansa in £600m takeoverBMI, Britain's third largest airline, has been sold to German flag carrier Lufthansa in a deal valuing it at just over £600 million

Sheffield Telegraph

• Buses in council return?A SURPRISE government u-turn has opened the way for South Yorkshire's local authorities to take back control of bus services in the county.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Council forced to increase road signsTaxpayers will have to foot the bill for hundreds of new road signs to stop speeding drivers challenging tickets.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Stagecoach strike to hit thousands of childrenThousands of pupils in the north and north-east will be left without a school bus tomorrow as hundreds of Stagecoach Bluebird drivers go on strike.

The York Press

• Rail service boost for York to London route RAIL passengers should be able to enjoy quicker and more frequent services between York and London from next year.

Doncaster Free Press

• Airport master plan launchedROBIN Hood Airport chiefs have officially launched the blueprint that could see the Finningley terminal take off over the next 20 years.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Rail bosses told to pull out stops for new serviceRail bosses are pulling out all the stops to open Corby's new rail station in February.

Sunderland Echo

• Second Tyne Tunnel will benefit the regionThe historic launch of the £260million second Tyne Tunnel scheme will spark huge econonic and environmental benefits for the region, transport bosses have pledged.
• Road signs blitz continuesA clean-up operation with a difference is helping to de-clutter many roads across the region.

The Shields Gazette

• Work starts on new Tyne Tunnel - video reportWORK today started on the £260m second Tyne Tunnel.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Sealed Railway Dampers Continuing to provide extended durability and increased comfort, Dellner Dampers remains on the forefront of damping technology. Some of the industry advances employed by our products include: 50/50 damping “ provides equal extension and compression damping forces Blow off valving “ helps to prevent structural fatigue by protecting frame rail and brackets from transmitting excessive damping force Progressive valving “ provides extra damping forces, when necessary Key design and construction features of our sealed railway dampers are: Dustcover protects pistonrod Multi-lip sea...
• Rail Impact Buffers We are pleased to inform you that we can now design hydraulic and mechanical buffers which can be used as rail impact buffers. The buffer will be used for controlling the impact energy dissipation, which is essential to minimize damage to rolling stock. The buffer will dissipate the impact energy during its working stroke. Dellner Dampers has developed a hydraulic buffer and a mechanical buffer which can both be used by controlling the impact energy. The buffers are available in different force levels and can be designed with different dimensions according to the specification o...

Railnews

• News: Merseytravel retains environmental certification FOLLOWING an independent audit, Merseytravel has retained international approval for its environmental policies with continued certification of ISO 14001 – the international standard for Environmental Management Systems.
• News: Peel train stops on Merseyside THE memory of legendary DJ and music icon John Peel OBE, who died four years ago, has been honoured by Merseytravel’s naming of a train after him in a ceremony at Liverpool South Parkway station.

Aviation Industry

• Lufthansa takes control of bmiThe battle to become the leading airline at the UK's biggest airport has intensified when German carrier Lufthansa announced it was taking over British airline bmi.

Other News Sources

• China Cosco Boosts Profit After Buying Dry-Bulk ShipsAsia's largest shipping company by value, boosted third-quarter profit 18 percent after buying more than 400 vessels from its parent to carry iron-ore and coal.
• STOBART SET TO CREATE 10,000 MERSEYSIDE JOBSCumbrian transport giant Eddie Stobart is to create up to 10,000 jobs at a mammoth development on Merseyside.
• Train performance targets to be setRegulators will set new five-year performance and financial targets for the railways. But the Liberal Democrats warned that whatever the improvements, rail passengers were "condemned to years of overcrowding and delays".
• BMI snapped up by Lufthansa for £600mBMI, Britain's third largest airline, was today sold to German f lag carrier Lufthansa in a deal valuing it at just over £600m
• Train targets to be setRegulators are due to set new five-year performance and financial targets for the railways.
• Stobart Group considers London baseThe group is evaluating the possibility of replicating its Widnes 3MG (Mersey Multi-Modal Gateway) distribution complex at the new London Gateway container port...
• EU renewable energy target: House of Lords calls for urgent actionResponding to today's House of Lords report on the European Union's renewable energy plans, Friends of the Earth urged ministers to get on with the job of harnessing Britain's huge potential for green power
• Fraser Eagle makes timely arrival in LondonPassenger transport and logistics group Fraser Eagle, the UK's leading specialist in managed solutions, has set up a new depot and operations ce...
• Breakthrough for France port reformFRANCE'S port reform project has taken a giant leap forward after major French port union, the Fédération CGT des ports et docks, today unanimously cast votes in favour of the adoption of port reform in France.
• Five more pirate attacks foiledFIVE ATTEMPTED hijackings in the Gulf of Aden were fought off yesterday by ships' crew.
• Biofuels 'greener' than thoughtNew report improves biofuels™ green credentials, but environmentalists believe the calculations understate the risks.
• TIF supporters want apology from MP over ballot paperCampaigners for a Yes vote in the forthcoming TIF referendum have asked Manchester North MP Graham Stringer to apologise to Sir Neil McIntosh, the independent returning officer for the public vote, after it emerged the ballot paper will include references to both the congestion charge and the £2.
• Stagecoach won’t carry Stockport MBC’s TIF advertsStockport Metropolitan Borough Council has accused bus operator Stagecoach of censorship.
• Bishop to sell bmi stake to LufthansaVirgin proposes super European carrier