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

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

BBC News

• Easyjet annual profit falls 45%Budget airline Easyjet has seen its annual profits fall because of higher fuel costs, despite carrying 17.3% more passengers over the year.
• Campaign to derail terminal growsPlans to build one of Europe's biggest rail freight terminals on land close to a former landfill site in Lanarkshire have met with fierce local opposition.
• Hijacked oil tanker nears SomaliaA giant Saudi oil tanker seized by pirates in the Indian Ocean is nearing the coast of Somalia, the US Navy says.
• Railway delays 'cost £1bn a year'Train passengers are suffering delays worth £1bn a year in terms of lost time, MPs say.
• Hard-up GM to sell Suzuki stakeStruggling General Motors is selling its 3% stake in the Japanese carmaker Suzuki for $230m (£156m) to raise cash.

Department for Transport

• New Crossrail chair appointedTerry Morgan to be Non-Executive Chair from November 2009 Douglas Oakervee will undertake Non-Executive Chair role until then
• Major boost for East of England as planned A11 dualling brought forwardSuffolk and Norfolk residents and commuters could benefit from better, more reliable and safer journeys 18 months earlier than expected, after the planned start date for dualling of the A11 was brought forward to 2010 by Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon.

Financial Times

• Just the ticket for pressed commutersFor Britain’s beleaguered army of commuters, things really are not as good as they used to be. According to the Department of Transport, passenger numbers on trains are at levels last seen in the 1950s. Overcrowding is rife.
• Crossrail role for Tube upgraderOne of the most significant figures in the upgrade of London's underground system, Terry Morgan, is to leave his post as chief executive of the company upgrading track...
• Gatwick AirportFerrovial wants a sky-high £2.5bn for the rare opportunity to buy the London airport but a deal at that price could struggle to take off with passenger numbers nosediving
• Hoon to signal overhaul of CAAThe UK transport secretary wants to change the Civil Aviation Authority to put passengers' needs first, warning the regulator 'no longer reflects best modern practice'
• Chinese airlines apply for emergency fundsChina Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, two of the country's three largest state-run carriers, have applied for emergency government subsidies to keep them airborne in the face of rising costs and falling passenger demand

The Guardian

• Boris Johnson pledges £15,000 to anti-Heathrow runway campaignLondon mayor and coalition of local authorities believe expansion of Heathrow will breach EU laws on pollution
• Somali pirates seize tanker carrying oil worth $100mSomali pirates yesterday seized a Saudi supertanker carrying up to 2m barrels of oil worth around $100m in an audacious attack several hundred miles out to sea. Two Britons are among the 25 crew of the Sirius Star, which was captured 450 miles south-east of the Kenyan port of Mombasa. The US navy, which has been tracking the ship, said last night it was close to anchoring in the notorious pirate haven of Eyl on Somalia's north-eastern coast.

The Herald

• Pirates take oil tanker and head for port with two BritonsSomali pirates are taking a hijacked oil tanker with two Britons onboard to a port in Somalia, the US Navy said yesterday.

The Independent

• Pilots threaten to strike over ID cardsThe first wave of ID cards to be issued to British citizens has prompted airline pilots to threaten a strike rather than accept the documents.

The Telegraph

• Boris Johnson pledges £15000 for legal challenge to Heathrow expansionBoris Johnson the Mayor of London has pledged £15000 of public money to fund a legal challenge to the Government's plans for a third runway at Heathrow.
• Train reliability levels at pre2000 levelsTrain reliability levels have finally returned to the standards before the 2000 Hatfield crash MPs say today but growing congestion on the railways is
• Rail passengers face misery over Christmas breakTrain passengers face a miserable Christmas as extensive sections of the country's rail network are set to be shut down for several days.

Times Online

• Democrats fight for carmakers to share $700bn$ Democratic lawmakers were gearing up yesterday to force through legislation to allow American car manufacturers and car-parts makers access to the $700 billion ($£465.6 billion) bank bailout fund, along with stringent conditions.
• Former executives of MG Rover stall publication of report into conduct The former bosses of MG Rover, who made an estimated £40 million from the business, have stalled the publication of a government report into their conduct.

Reuters News

• China Railway Group says gets $1.63 bln contractsSHANGHAI, Nov 18 (Reuters) - China Railway Group , the country's largest railway and highway builder, said on Tuesday that subsidiaries had won contracts worth a total of 11.12 billion yuan ($1.63 billion).

Daily Express

• EasyJet to fend off SteliosEASYJET'S directors are drawing up plans to repel founder Sir Stelios Haji- Iaonnou's attempt to change the budget airline's strategy.

Transport Briefing

• A11 dualling first recession busting transport projectTransport Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced that work to dual the A11 will start 18 months early - the first evidence that the government is serious about bringing forward transport infrastructure projects to help tackle the current economic crisis.
• Manchester extends Metroshuttle bus brand to suburbsManchester extends Metroshuttle bus brand to suburbs
• Bus rapid transit route cleared as tenders invitedHampshire County Council has tasked its highways contractor with removing the overgrown vegetation along the disused railway line between Redlands Lane and Military Way in Gosport as part of preparations for the proposed new bus rapid transit scheme linking Fareham and Gosport.
• North east rail strategy update to add Metro upgradeTransport planner JMP has been commissioned by the North East Assembly to provide an update statement on the North East Regional Rail Strategy to include all developments in the region and the rail industry since the current strategy was adopted four years ago.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Progress on Conwy Valley Railway upgrade plansThe main aim of the proposal is to enable the millions of tons of slate waste at Blaenau Ffestiniog to be efficiently transported out of the town for use in roadbuilding and construction projects, creating vital jobs within one of the least prosperous parts of Wales.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Train chef's on right lines for title triumphN Edinburgh-based rail chef is preparing to compete for the title of Chef of the Year.
• Tram work slump hits new group of tradersTRADERS on St Andrew Square have become the latest group to complain that their businesses are suffering from the ongoing tram works.

Liverpool Echo

• Cammell Laird name returns on River MerseyTHE famous Cammell Laird name returned to Birkenhead today – along with hope of a huge aircraft carrier deal.

London Evening Standard

• Boris pledges cash for legal bid to stop Heathrow runwayBORIS JOHNSON will help fund legal action against the Government if it approves a third runway at Heathrow.
• Rail lines to shut for at least four days at ChristmasLONDON travellers face extensive shutdowns over Christmas, it was revealed today.

Manchester Evening News

• C-charge debate teams lined upPRESENT and past leaders of Manchester council - Sir Richard Leese and Graham Stringer MP - will go head-to-head in the M.E.N's congestion charge debate.

Metro

• 11 days of Christmas misery on trainsPassengers keen to visit family and friends over the festive season face up to 11 days of rail closures because of engineering work.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Clean-up is ontrack for new high-speed busWork starts today on clearing up the old railway lines between Fareham and Gosport as part of plans for a proposed high-speed bus route.
• Disgraced MEP told to sell his Euro busA disgraced Euro MP has been banned from using a bus to visit his constituents.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• New pair head up port™s business forumCHANGES have been made at the top of an organisation which has become the voice for businesses in the Peterhead area.
• Safety course puts young Moray motorists in driving seatYoung drivers in Moray will be given the opportunity to brush up on their driving skills as part of a road safety course organised by Grampian Police on Sunday.
• Roads boss in hospital after A9 trailer accidentA Highland Council roads boss was in a stable condition in hospital last night after being badly injured in a dramatic accident on the A9.
• Historic roads and bridges at centre of new projectSWORDS clashed in Perthshire yesterday as Jacobites and Redcoats came face to face to bridge the county™s past.
• Harbour™s £8m plan could pave way for bigger fishing boatsMORE than £8million could be spent at a north-east harbour to pave the way for the new generation of larger fishing vessels to use the port.
• ˜Stonehaven solution™ to go before inquirySupporters of an alternative layout at a junction on the planned Aberdeen bypass will submit written evidence to back their proposal, claiming it could save the inquiry œone week in time and thousands of pounds in costs.

The York Press

• ˜No decision™ on threatened York bus route BUS bosses in York say no decision is imminent on whether a threatened cross-city service is to survive.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Store checks car number platesA Suffolk supermarket has started using automatic number plate recognition to stop people abusing its free car park.

The Shields Gazette

• Cabbies hit back over taxi rowSOUTH Tyneside taxi drivers who are licensed from a Northumberland council have hit back at 'scare-mongering' claims.

International Herald Tribune

• Chinese airlines look to Beijing for helpAir China and the other big Chinese airlines are seeking government aid to cope with major losses from high costs and weak demand.

Washington Post

• Martin Feldstein - Why Detroit Needs Chapter 11 The Big Three U.S. automakers need more than an injection of $25 billion from the federal government. Because of their ongoing losses, they would burn through that money in less than a year and would soon be back for more.
• George Will - Let the Automakers Go Bankrupt

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New initiative to improve child safety on roadsA new scheme has been launched by the government in an attempt to reduce the number of children killed and injured on UK roads each year.The Department for Transport (DfT) is adopting a new approach to warn children about dangers, as figures show that more than 9,000 were killed or injured on UK roads last year.Research has indicated that children aged between six and 11-years-old need "bolder and more forthright communication" about road safety because their attitudes to communications have become more sophisticated.The new £1.5 million DfT Think! Campaign has been ...

Aviation Industry

• Transport bosses welcome new Metroshuttle serviceTransport leaders in Greater Manchester have welcomed the launch of the first free Metroshuttle scheme outside of Manchester city centre.

Other News Sources

• A11 dualling - what it means to NorwichA fully-dualled A11 will bring millions of pounds worth of investment to Norwich, jubilant campaigners and business leader predicted today.
• Stagecoach leads public transport groups in UK plc ethical leagueStagecoach has been rated the most ethical of the UK’s big five public transport groups, according to a major authoritative survey
• Bombardier Sub-contracted by Siemens to Deliver Trains to Brussels' Regional Express Railway NetworkBERLIN, GERMANY, - Bombardier Transportation has signed a contract with Siemens to assemble an important part of Siemens' "Desiro ML" multiple-unit trains to be used by the Brussels Regional Railway Network "RER" (Reseau Express Regional). The contract contains an initial firm order of 115 trains, with an option of 85 trains.
• At last! Bus services on Boxing DayFor years many shops have cashed in on the post-Christmas spending spree by opening on Boxing Day - but shopper's efforts have been hampered by the lack of buses to take people into Norwich city centre.
• Commuters on their bikes to save moneyMore than 3m commuters have started cycling to work to save money, a study shows
• Passengers lose £1 billion on rail delaysDelays on journeys last year cost passengers £1 billion in lost time, MPs have found.
• Opposition gathers to US 100% scanning proposalThe rest of the world retains grave concerns about US plans to have 100% scanning of inbound containers before they leave their country of origin - and the World Customs Organisation wants to explore alternatives.
• Stobart Group gets £4.3m to develop Widnes portStobart Group has received a £4.3m grant from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) to develop its inland port at Widnes.
• Suttons Transport boosts pre-tax profit by 267%Suttons Transport has posted a rise in profit and turnover helped by a good performance from its distribution and tanker divisions.
• Worst-case finance scenario could see 200 aircraft parked: analyst Concerns are growing that the international banking crisis could severely affect the ability of carriers to raise the estimated $70 billion needed to fund...
• US marine bodies sign green pactTHE US Maritime Administration and the American Bureau of Shipping have signed a joint agreement to study maritime environmental issues.
• More airlines banned from EU skies over safety concernsThe European Commission has banned Cambodian airline Siem Reap Airways International and every airline certified in Angola from operating in EU airspace, due to non-compliance with EU safety regulations amid significant safety concerns.
• Hounslow Council welcomes Mayor™s ten year transport planHounslow Council has welcomed the Mayor of London™s plans to deliver a multi-billion pound programme to increase the capital™s transport network by nearly 30% over the next 10 years.
• Manchester Airport names retailers at revamped terminalsNew retailers are on their way to Manchester Airport’s revamped terminals.
• Wigan Economic Partnership backs TIF bidThe Wigan Economic Partnership, a group of the borough’s business leaders, community representatives, voluntary organisations and public sector organisations, has voted to support Greater Manchester's £2.7bn Transport Innovation Fund bid.
• Trustive says bonjour to Paris (press release) Trustive, Europe's No. 1 wifi internet access provider has expanded its European network even further with the addition of the Adael Wireless network in France. Trustive customers can now use their ‘one-click' access at a further 500 hotspots in Paris. read more

Other Subscription Services

• Owners set to axe 25% of car carrier fleet as auto sales slumpUP TO a quarter of the world’s fleet of pure car and truck carriers could be heading for the scrapyard.
• Somali pirates hijack VLCC off KenyaLAWLESSNESS hits new high as pirates hijack fully-loaded Vela-owned crude oil tanker off Kenyan coast.