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

Thursday, 11 December 2008

Financial Times

• Virgin Atlantic holds BMI talks with LufthansaVirgin Atlantic, the UK long-haul carrier controlled by Sir Richard Branson, said it was in talks with Germany's Lufthansa about the future of BMI British Midland

The Herald

• New bridge and better roads … but Crossrail is off the tableThe multi-billion pound monolith at the heart of the Scottish Government's transport strategy has been slimmed down considerably, with £1.7bn shaved off the original cost estimate and a greater reliance on utilising the existing Forth road bridge.
• £25bn plans to transport Scotland into futureA massive package of road and rail improvements costing up to £25bn was outlined yesterday in

Times Online

• Disgraced Carphone tycoon quits Big Yellow role David Ross, the disgraced co-founder of Carphone Warehouse, has tendered his fourth resignation in as many days, this time as director of Big Yellow Group, the self-storage specialist.Mr Ross has already resigned from the boards of Carphone Warehouse and National Express and as Boris Johnson’s senior Olympics adviser this week. The Carphone Warehouse co-founder could have lost all his lucrative City directorships by the end of the week.
• BAA faces fines for poor service at Stansted after airlines complain BAA, the airports operator, will be fined if it fails to improve customer service and cut security queues at Stansted airport, the industry regulator said.
• Road pricing is at the mercy of Manchester’s voters The future of road pricing is in the balance, with towns and cities across Britain awaiting the result of Manchester’s referendum tomorrow before deciding whether to press ahead with pay-as-you-drive schemes.

Daily Express

• Ross quits Nat Express boardroomDAVID ROSS, the co-founder of Carphone Warehouse, quit as chairman of National Express yesterday.

Daily Record

• Road and rail revolution for Scotland as Government reveals £21bn Scots transport revamp plansRAIL and road revamps totalling up to £21billion were unveiled yesterday.

Birmingham Post

• Network Rail admits West Coast Main Line passengers can still expect delaysRail passengers could still face travel disruptions despite the completion of £8.8 billion of engineering works, the head of Network Rail has admitted.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Mixed welcome in the Highlands for government™s highway projectsThe Scottish Government™s transport statement was met with scepticism in the north, where many observers picked up on significant gaps, not least timescales and costings of projects, and the absence of a complete Inverness bypass.
• Firth rail link campaigners welcome new far north trainPlans to introduce a fourth train on the Inverness-Caithness line were welcomed by another rail lobby group yesterday.
• Sir Moir, knight of road “ and railThe businessman who led Aberdeen-based transport operator FirstGroup to become a world leader was knighted yesterday by the Prince of Wales.

Wales Online

• Sharp rise in accidents on icy roadsICY roads have led to a sharp rise in the number of accidents because a succession of mild winters means we have forgotten how to drive in treacherous conditions, it has been claimed.

Blackpool Gazette

• Water leak causes Blackpool Prom road miseryA BURST pipe on Blackpool's Golden Mile has caused traffic misery.

The Shields Gazette

• Tunnel on schedule, despite weatherWINTRY weather has not hit work on the £260m second Tyne Tunnel scheme, a transport boss revealed today.

C.N.N.

• Suspected pirates face trial in KenyaEight suspected pirates arrived in a Kenyan court Thursday to face trial on charges stemming from their attempted hijacking of a Danish freighter in November.

New Scientist

• Crystals turn roads into power stationsBy placing piezoelectric crystals under the asphalt that convert vibration into electricity, Israeli engineers hope to harvest energy from passing vehicles

Washington Post

• Airlines Buckle Up for a Descent in Overseas Travel Overseas travel is looking like another casualty of the hard economic times.
• Auto bailout focus shifts to Senate WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A proposal to bail out the big three U.S. automakers passed the House of Representatives but its prospects looked grim in the Senate where supporters faced an uphill struggle on Thursday to keep it alive.

Railnews

• News: Over 20% of British businesses make greater use of rail network NEARLY a quarter of British businesses have increased their use of the rail network in the past year — partly because of increasing road congestion — but many businesses are worried about the growing expense of using rail.

Transport for London

• TfL to consider whether East Thames Buses could offer better valueThe Transport for London (TfL) Board is to consider whether moving East Thames Buses to the private sector could offer better value for money for passengers and taxpayers.

Aviation Industry

• Virgin sets sights on bmi Airline "in talks" with majority owner Lufthansa read more
• Airlines DelaysA federal report released today shows U.S. airlines improved their on-time performance and baggage handling in October.
• Skies Clear Between Canada and European UnionThe European Union and Canada reached a deal regarding aviation markets.

Other News Sources

• Train pricing "penalises" corporate travellers HRG calls for end to unfair ‘anytime ticket' pricing read more
• EasyJet appoints Publicis Modemto its digital rosterBudget airline easyJet has appointed Publicis Modem to its digital roster. The business is understood to be worth about £1m.
• UK to Fund Transport ProjectsThe UK Transport Minister, Geoff Hoon, confirmed the government plans to inject an extra £1 billion into major transport projects next year
• BNJ Transport given a four-week licence banPeterhead-based BNJ Transport has had its licence suspended for four weeks, with authorisation cut, thereafter, from 12 vehicles and 18 trailers, to eight vehicles and 18 trailers, for a period of three months.
• Strategic Transport Projects ReviewLong term investment plan for road and rail developments.
• Virgin challenges BA with bmi bidVirgin Atlantic is in talks to buy rival bmi in a deal that could create an even stronger competitor to British Airways

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