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

Friday, 14 November 2008

BBC News

• Busy rail hotspots to be mappedThe London Assembly has begun a survey to map a picture of overcrowding hotspots on rail routes into the city.
• Councils team up on airport plansAn agreement to protect residents' interests in the face of possible developments at Gatwick Airport has been signed by Surrey County Council.
• Tram leader quits after two yearsThe boss of Edinburgh's tram project has resigned citing family reasons for leaving.
• Triple whammyThe bleak future facing Detroit's big three carmakers
• Chrysler calls for cash lifelineThe boss of US car firm Chrysler warns it would be

Department for Transport

• Transport statisticsThe Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics: Waterborne Freight in the United Kingdom: 2007
• Government steps up efforts to keep children safeMore than 9,000 killed or inured on our roads last year Government is taking a new approach to warning children about the dangers they can face on our roads, following new research that shows today's 6-11-year-olds need bolder and more forthright communication about road safety than ever before.

Financial Times

• Piracy blows ships off Somali courseGrowing numbers of shipowners are so concerned about the threat of attacks off the country's coast that they are lengthening voyages by as much as three weeks to avoid the area
• Bidders released from repaying Alitalia aidBrussels has given a green light to the takeover consortium by ruling they do not need not repay €300m of illegal state aid given by Rome to the lossmaking airline
• EasyJet may back Gatwick bidEasyJet is considering backing a consortium to bid for London Gatwick airport, in return for an advantageous deal on landing charges. The UK low-cost airline is the...
• BAA reports sharp fall in passenger numbersTraffic through the operator's seven UK airports fell last month in a trend reflected across Europe as demand for air travel declined amid the worsening economic climate

The Guardian

• Tube Lines boss named next chairman of Crossrail with role of leading industry out of recessionThe chief executive of Tube Lines, the London underground engineering contractor, has been handed the responsibility of kick-starting the UK construction sector as chairman of Crossrail, the £16bn trans-London rail project.
• Credit crunch hits plans for DVLA's facial recognition databaseThe computerised process, which was expected to hold up to 50m digital images of drivers, has been axed because of the 'existing economic climate'
• Greenwash: Fred Pearce driven mad by Toyota's carbon claimsA car that could one day clean the air as it drives it not what it seems. It's a classic case of highly selective statistics, says Fred Pearce

The Scotsman

• Virgin and easyJet in 'Gatwick bid'Virgin Atlantic and easyJet may join forces to make a £2.5 billion bid for Gatwick Airport, it is reported.

The Telegraph

• London Underground remains unsafeThousands of innocent people are going to be killed or maimed because the London Underground is no safer than it was three years ago an MP who has advised Gordon Brown warned.
• Car glut forces £2000 price cutsCar buyers are enjoying record discounts with dealers cutting nearly £2000 from the price of the average new vehicle.

Times Online

• Henry Paulson says rescue package not for carmakers Henry Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary who has less than three months left in office, said that Congress should devise its own bail-out for America's collapsing car companies and leave his $700 billion rescue package alone.$
• EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic team up to back £2.5bn bid for Gatwick airport EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic are teaming up to back a £2.5 billion bid for Gatwick Airport, The Times has learnt.

Transport Briefing

• Security concerns lead ITSO to phase out Classic cardITSO, the not-for-profit organisation representing developers and suppliers of smartcard ticketing systems, has announced its members are to phase out use of the Mifare Classic 1k and 4K media following security concerns.
• Legal panel appointed for Crossrail property acquisitionCross London Rail Links, the organisation developing the Crossrail project, has announced the legal panel that will scrutinise property acquisition and planning activity for the £15.9bn rail link across the capital.
• Northern Rail stations in line for infotech upgradeTrain operator Northern Rail, West Yorkshire passenger transport executive Metro, Network Rail and the Department for Transport are spending £3.3m to provide public address systems at 51 stations and new customer information screens at 22 stations.
• Mayor approves £500m Crossrail station on Isle of DogsA new Crossrail station in the heart of London's Docklands has been granted planning permission by the capital's mayor Boris Johnson.

London Evening Standard

• Tories disown Thames airport on 'Boris Island'The Tories have poured cold water over Boris Johnson's plan for a new airport in the Thames Estuary
• Tube upgrade at risk in £1.4bn shortfall, says LUMajor Tube upgrade projects could be under threat unless extra funds are found to plug a £1.4 billion cash shortfall, the boss of London Underground has warned

Manchester Evening News

• Hoon's road plan praiseTHE government's new transport boss told a Manchester audience that the region had shown 'courage, vision and commitment' with its approach to cutting traffic levels. Referring to the congestion charge plans, during his keynote speech to the Passenger Transport 2008 event at Bridgewater Hall, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon, said Greater Manchester had 'recognised that congestion represents a serious brake on its economy if nothing is done about it, to say nothing of the environmental impact'.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Police to crack down on drivers speeding outside Inverness schoolsPolice are to crack down on drivers who ignore speed limits outside Inverness schools, amid reports that 20mph restrictions within the city are regularly flouted.
• Stagecoach denies claim strike-breakers are earning moreClaims by a north bus driver who took part in this week™s Stagecoach Bluebird stoppage that strike-breaking drivers brought in from Fife were earning £1.80 an hour more than them, and were paid a £75 bonus, were hotly denied by the company yesterday.
• City passengers to save cash as council drives fares downAberdeen City Council last night claimed a œmajor step forward in its battle to reduce bus fares in the city.

Blackpool Gazette

• Fylde villages 'sacrificed' to tackle road problemsTWO Fylde villages will be "sacrificed on the altar of regenerating Fleetwood and Thornton".

Washington Post

• Chrysler urges bailout, Washington split DETROIT (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs suspended its rating on General Motors Corp on Thursday and said the automaker needs at least $22 billion in federal aid, while Chrysler said it would be

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• BA World Cargo reports increased revenueBritish Airways (BA) World Cargo has announced that its commercial revenue rose by 25.2 per cent over the first half of the financial year to £363 million, compared with the same period of 2007.The company reports that its cargo for the six months from April to September 2008 rose by two per cent to 2,437.4 million cargo tonne kilometres, while cargo capacity dipped by 3.2 per cent over the half year.According to the airline, its "solid operational performance" over the period helped to boost overall yield by 22.7 per cent (18.8 per cent excluding exchange rate effec...

Aviation Industry

• NYC proposes bike parking rules in new buildingsNEW YORK (AP) — Officials are proposing new rules that would greatly expand bicycle parking in apartment and office buildings around the city, the latest step in a plan to make New York one of the most bike-friendly places in the nation.
• Electric Car: Should the UK Government Fund Manufacturers?Recently, the British government announced that it planned to buy a number of electric cars and vans for a new pilot scheme to see how such vehicles cope on Britain’s roads. The trials will take place in three cities, at a cost of £100m.
• MEPs attempt to water-down tyre noise legislationEuropean legislation that would make car tyres quieter and more fuel efficient is facing opposition from MEPs and the tyre industry. Environmental Protection UK today expressed concern that the European automotive industry could water down the proposed legislation.
• Rail privatisation protests in ParisThousands of rail workers from across Europe have joined forces in Paris to show their anger at EU plans to reform railway services on the continent.
• Terminal 4's £100m new check-in area reaches the topHeathrow's £4bn transformation programme reached a key milestone on Tuesday as Terminal 4™s new check-in extension was 'topped-out'...
• Gatwick Airport supports Office of Fair Trading initiativeGatwick Airport has this week supported a European-wide initiative to warn holidaymakers about Spanish bogus holiday clubs that cost tourists millions of pounds every year...
• Airport Mobile Check-in System SolutionsIER is a leading supplier of complete self-service check-in solutions, with a comprehensive offer including both hardware and software:
• Airport Boarding Gate ReadersIER's range of boarding control solutions includes both boarding gate readers for manned gates as well as fully automated boarding gates solutions:
• Delta Air Lines Adds $15 Fee for First Checked BagDelta Air Lines has announced that it is to introduce fees for checked bags on domestic flights.
• Downturn "moment of opportunity" - Schumacher   Continental sees chance to build on Heathrow success read more
• EC backs sale of Alitalia   Troubled airline again hit by strike   read more

Other News Sources

• Wincanton at the races again with £24m Suffolk dealSupply chain specialist Wincanton has swooped for a second East of England logistics provider, taking its total investment in the region this year to £49 million and making it the UK’s leading container logistics provider.
• East Lancs set for £3m congestion charge boostTHREE million pounds could be invested in East Lancashire’s rail links with Manchester if congestion charging plans get the green light in a referendum.
• MP calls for action over A14 worriesavid Ruffley, MP for Stowmarket, has hit out at the Highways Agency for taking too long to respond to the problem.
• UK faces Heathrow legal actionControversial plans to build a third runway at Heathrow may fall foul of EU pollution regulations with Commissioner Stavros Dimas vowing to take legal action
• FIVE-YEAR WAIT BEFORE RAILWAY UPGRADESIMPROVEMENTS to Maryport railway station and the raising of a low platform at Flimby are at least five years away.
• PRAISE FOR REMOVAL OF BUS FEETHE removal of transport charges for post-16 students has been hailed a resounding success by the leader of Northumberland County Council.
• Will poor integration derail smart tickets?Integration issues are threatening the delivery of smartcards as the key technology legacy for the UK’s transport system after the London 2012 Olympics.
• Council answers key transport questionsThe Bath Chronicle has asked B&NES to answer some key questions over its plans.
• Heavyweights line up for first round at York CentralWestfield, Grosvenor and British Land with Muse Developments are lining up to partner Network Rail on the £1bn redevelopment of 86 acres in York, known as York Central.
• Rye rail line operator slammed over improvement claimsA Doleham resident has slammed claims made by Rye rail line operators Southern that it is reducing its carbon footprint.
• Administrators called in at fast-ferry firmLow-budget ferry firm SpeedFerries has gone into administration.
• Cycle route opened for schoolchildrenCHILDREN from Errington Primary School at Marske are confident they can ride safely to school after becoming the first in the borough to benefit from a new cycle link.
• Drivers who abuse disabled parking bays come one step closer to being penalisedDrivers who abuse disabled drivers’ parking bays have come one step closer to being penalised with the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee giving its initial approval to a Members’ Bill from Jackie Baillie MSP at Stage 1.
• Drivers who abuse disabled parking bays come one step closer to being penalisedDrivers who abuse disabled drivers’ parking bays have come one step closer to being penalised with the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee giving its initial approval to a Members’ Bill from Jackie Baillie MSP at Stage 1.
• Tube Lines boss Terry Morgan named as next Crossrail chairmanTube Lines chief executive Terry Morgan is to replace Doug Oakervee as chairman of London's £16bn Crossrail scheme.
• EasyJet and Virgin in 'Gatwick bid'EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic may join forces to make a £2.5 billion bid for Gatwick Airport, it is reported. The two airlines are in talks with financial backers about forming a consortium, according to The Times.
• Pirates Target Tugs in Strait of SingaporeAccording to a report from The Straits Times, pirates struck early on the morning of Nov. 10, robbing crew members of a Singapore-registered barge and an Indonesian-registered tugboat of cash and personal belongings.This is the fourth time since early September that the robbers, all believed...
• TfL reviews integrated ad accountTransport for London is reviewing its integrated advertising account. The brief includes strategic planning, press, outdoor, email marketing, direct marketing and design projects across all TfL brands.
• Station progress gathers momentum as new hoardings unveiledNew hoardings have been unveiled at Stratford Regional Station showing the history of the station and its important role within the community.
• UK regions flock to Eurostar   read more

EIN News Subscription

• End of the line as capital tram chief resigns with no bonus ... the council. Mr Gallagher's resignation as executive chairman of TIE, the city council's tram company, ... is likely within weeks. Phil Wheeler, Edinburgh's transport convener, last night insisted the project had ... Edinburgh is one of only about three European capitals without trams, and the city would ...