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

Thursday, 18 December 2008

BBC News

• BA and Qantas scrap merger talksBritish Airways and Qantas end their merger talks after failing to reach an agreement on a deal.
• Government confirms Jaguar talksThe government confirms it has held talks with Jaguar Land Rover over the possibility of state aid for the carmaker.
• Labour MPs urge third runway voteForty Labour MPs have backed calls to put plans for Heathrow's third runway to a Commons vote.
• Honda slashes its profit forecastJapanese carmaker Honda cuts its annual profit forecast by 62% amid falling global car demand and the soaring yen.
• National Express to cut 750 jobsRail and bus firm National Express says it plans to cut up to 750 jobs to save costs over the next year.
• Ryanair wins Belgian aid appealRyanair does not have to repay the money it got to encourage it to stay at Charleroi airport in Belgium, a European court rules
• BA and Virgin cut fuel surchargesBritish Airways and Virgin Atlantic will cut its fuel surcharges due to the reduction in oil prices.
• Chrysler plants close for a monthThe struggling US carmaker Chrysler is to halt all production at its 30 plants for a month starting on Friday.
• Opec agrees record oil output cutOil cartel Opec agrees to make its biggest output cut, slashing 2.2 million barrels per day, but prices still fall below $40 a barrel.

Financial Times

• Traffic at UK airportsPassenger numbers at UK airports began falling sharply in the final months of 2008 amid the credit crunch and economic downturn. The long term trend is for continuing growth, however, and there is mounting pressure to build new runways in the south-east of England, first at Stansted and Heathrow and later possibly at Gatwick after 2019.
• Record oil cut fails to lift pricesThe depth of the world's economic downturn was highlighted when the Opec oil cartel appeared powerless in its quest to drive up prices even after agreeing a record cut in its production
• Chinese flag up anti-pirate fleet Ministry of defence could move to fight pirates based in Somalia, in what would be the country's first significant long-range naval combat mission since the 15th century
• BAA pledges to resist watchdog over forced sell-offs of airportsBAA yesterday vowed to fight the UK competition watchdog over its plan to make the embattled owner of Heathrow sell Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh airports to break...
• Watchdog moots system of licencesAirport regulation will be changed radically, if ministers accept the recommendations put forward yesterday by the competition watchdog. Three airports - Heathrow,...
• Ferrovial's shrinking assetsThe group faces selling airports in a recession as passenger numbers tumble
• Argentina votes to seize airlineThe country's senate passes into law a bill to expropriate the troubled flag carrier, Aerolíneas Argentinas, after nearly two decades in Spanish hands
• BA and Virgin Atlantic lower fuel surchargesThe two airlines make significant reductions in fuel surcharges imposed on passenger fares “ months after the steep fall in crude oil prices began to lower their fuel costs
• National Express announces job cutsThe operator of long-distance coaches and trains the operator of long-distance coaches and trains, will cut about 750 jobs
• BAA vows to fight airport break-upCompetition Commission calls for operator to be broken up and three of its seven UK airports “ Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh “ to be sold

The Guardian

• National Express to axe 750 jobsNational Express, the bus and train operator, is shedding 750 jobs in the UK after a slowdown in revenues.
• BAA warned it may be forced to accelerate sale of StanstedAirports operator BAA could be compelled to speed up the sale of Stansted airport amid concerns that the group might slow down the development of a second runway, it emerged yesterday.

The Herald

• Airport sale ’will save public £180m’Edinburgh Airport will almost certainly sold be off following a provisional report by the Competition Commission yesterday which said the move would create a more competitive market in Scotland, saving passengers around £180m over the next 10 years.

The Independent

• BAA loses fight to keep Gatwick and StanstedBAA, the airports operator, has failed to persuade the Competition Commission that it should be allowed to hang on to Stansted and Edinburgh, as well as Glasgow and Heathrow.

The Scotsman

• 'Postcode lottery' for rail refundsThe amount rail passengers get on refunds for late trains varies enormously, according to a report from Which? magazine.

The Telegraph

• Gatwick and Stansted must go in BAA salesBAA faces being forced to sell three of its seven UK airports in the biggest industry shakeup for more than 20 years.
• Car production slumps as recession bitesCar production in Britain has fallen by more than a quarter over the past year.

Times Online

• Crawley weighs job hopes from Gatwick expansion against destruction of homes Crawley is the new town whose fortunes rise and fall with the airport. Two miles to the south of Gatwick, the town is home to one in three of the airport's 25,000 staff, and unemployment remains well below the national average as a result.
• Gatwick airport second runway: Crawley residents ready to fight any expansion Residents near Gatwick airport promised yesterday to mount a ferocious campaign against any plans for a second runway. The Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign said it hoped that potential buyers of the airport would realise that there was too little land between Gatwick and Crawley to allow a new runway and terminal to operate efficiently.
• Pollution, runways and protesters . . . Three months ago Lane & Partners, the distinguished niche aviation law practice, merged with Bird & Bird. It was clever timing. As Richard Venables, the former head of Lanes, explained: “We had a very good reputation as a boutique firm but were missing out on the bigger work because of our size and lack of international coverage. Meanwhile, Bird & Bird had a global network of offices but needed to strengthen its aviation expertise to make it a more rounded practice. Together we were a perfect fit.”
• Oil thrown on to uncharted waters If the Opec cartel needed any incentive to live up to its grandiose production-cutting gesture, it got a kick in the pants yesterday from the oil market. Only hours after the official communiqué was delivered in Algeria, the price of US Light crude fell to a four-year low of $40 per barrel.$
• Jaguar Land Rover looks to Whitehall for cash lifeline Jaguar Land Rover, the car manufacturer, has held talks with the Government about a possible US-style bailout, it emerged last night just as Chrysler said that it would halt all American vehicle production for at least a month.
• BA merger talks with Qantas called off Merger talks between British Airways and Qantas have collasped with neither side able to agree over key terms.
• Big cut in Opec oil production fails to stop prices falling to 4½-year low Oil prices slipped to a four-and-half-year low last night even as Opec announced its largest production cut, totalling nearly 5 per cent of global output, in the cartel's latest effort to bolster prices.

Reuters News

• Qantas says BA merger talks endMELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australian carrier Qantas Airways and British Airways (BA) have called off their merger talks because they cannot agree key terms, Qantas said on Thursday.
• London unveils 3 billion pound crisis action planLONDON (Reuters) - London's policing and transport budgets will be trimmed as part of a 3 billion pound package of measures announced by Mayor Boris Johnson aimed at helping the capital counter the economic downturn.
• Government considering if car makers need helpLONDON (Reuters) - The government is considering whether help should be given to struggling car makers, but there will not be widespread industrial bailouts, business minister Peter Mandelson said on Wednesday.

Daily Record

• BAA may be forced to sell Edinburgh AirportTHE owners of Edinburgh Airport may be forced to sell the operation, according to a provisional report today by the Competition Commission.

Mail Online

• As Opec slashes oil production will the price of petrol go up again? Fears of a return to soaring pump prices were ignited yesterday as Opec slashed production by a record 2.2million barrels a day. The oil cartel's decision was made to push up the oil price.
• Is Jaguar next for a bail-out? Mandelson set to spend £1bn of taxpayers' cash to rescue luxury car maker now owned by Indians The luxury car company which makes Jaguars and Land Rovers is in line for a taxpayer-funded bail-out worth up to £1billion.

ATOC

• Ten New Year Resolutions for 2009ATOC and the train operators have pledged to fulfil 10 resolutions in 2009.
• Book a seat as Britain's great railway getaway begins!With just a week to go until Christmas, Britain™s railway is gearing up for a major getaway.

Network Rail

• NETWORK RAIL RESPONDS TO CONSERVATIVE STATEMENT ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Transport Briefing

• Go Ahead and National Express give cautious outlookTransport operators have outlined plans for further job losses as they take an increasingly cautious view of passenger demand over the coming year.
• CrossCountry rail rolls out e-tickets on all routesArriva's CrossCountry rail franchise has become the UK's first train operator to offer e-tickets on all of its routes.
• BAA told to sell Stansted and Edinburgh airportsBAA will be forced to sell three of its seven airports under remedies set out this week by the Competition Commission.

Birmingham Post

• BIA expansion should kick-start tram link planThe expansion of Birmingham International Airport should kick-start the revival of a Metro tram link to the city centre, councillors said.
• Midlands bus fares to rise in JanuaryNATIONAL Express West Midlands is increasing bus fares for the first time in 12 months from January 2.
• Minister sctches hopes of carmaker bail-outCarmakers demanding government loans to save thousands of jobs have been told to find the money themselves, as ministers warned big household names could go to the wall.
• Booking rail tickets ahead may save nothingRail passengers could be making little or no savings by booking tickets in advance, according to a consumer report.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Flagship North to South Wales train service halted by burst pipeTHE Welsh Assembly’s flagship new train service from Holyhead to Cardiff suffered an embarrassment on its second day as it was brought to a standstill by a burst pipe.
• Grant cut threat to rural bus services in North WalesA PRIORITY rural bus service in part of North Wales is at risk after a grant cuts.

London Evening Standard

• Tickets by text for all train travellersTRAIN passengers will soon be able to buy tickets by text message.
• London bike park 'one of the safest in world'A LONDON bicycle park has been selected as one of the world's best examples of cycle safety.
• Hi-tech road uses cars to generate electricityLONDON'S rush-hour traffic could soon help power the capital, scientists claimed today.
• Flights will cost £35 less as BA cuts fuel chargeBRITISH AIRWAYS will drop its fuel surcharge by as much as a third on long-haul flights, the airline announced today.
• The bicycle is back on children's Christmas wish list as sales tripleSALES of bicycles are soaring across London as parents shun hi-tech gadgets for BMX bikes, it was claimed today.
• Commuters derail plans to take buffet car out of serviceTHE last remaining restaurant car on the National Express East Anglia train line has won a temporary stay of execution thanks to customer complaints.
• Will you scrap the C-charge, Boris? Let me brood on itBORIS JOHNSON is considering scrapping the entire congestion zone to boost the London economy, he announced today.
• BAA ordered to sell Gatwick and Stansted as the price of failureBAA has been ordered to sell Gatwick and Stansted airports because of its history of poor service to passengers and airlines.

The News (Portsmouth)

• No VAT cut for car parksCouncils and hospitals are set to rake in thousands of pounds by not passing on the VAT cut for car parking.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Development tycoon stands down from north airports postINVERNESS business tycoon David Sutherland will step down as chairman of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd at the end of January due to œtime commitments associated with his business interests.
• Bus services under attack in DornochSTAGECOACH bosses faced complaints about their services in Sutherland at a public meeting in Dornoch.
• Argyll leader attacks ˜lack of commitment™ for A82 upgradeThe leader of Argyll and Bute Council has criticised the Scottish Government™s new transport plans for their lack of commitment to improving the A82 Glasgow to Inverness road, despite a high profile campaign.

This Is Local London Network

• HARROW: Emergency repairs close Bakerloo LineAn underground line has been part suspended due to engineering work.
• BARNET: More motorists are switching to cashless parkingThe trial of a cashless parking system is proving popular with motorists, claim council chiefs.
• HARROW: Concerns over London Overground diversionA councillor is worried a train line which goes through areas of Harrow and Brent may be diverted away from Euston.

Wales Online

• Call to scrap air subsidy – as fast train hits delayTHE subsidising of air travel between North and South Wales should now be scrapped in light of the new faster rail service, it was claimed last night.

Blackpool Gazette

• Supporters save Tram SundayFLEETWOOD Transport Festival has been saved.

Chester Standard

• Rail bosses apologise for Chester train delays chaosRAIL bosses have apologised to commuters after a series of cancellations and delays sparked rush-hour chaos.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Rail passengers get better dealRAIL passengers travelling to and from Kettering and Wellingborough get a better deal than some other rail users.
• Rail firm's plans scare councillorsA COUNCIL fears rail service cuts will add to the difficulties facing a town.

Peterborough Telegraph

• National Express to axe 750 jobsTrain and bus operator National Express has confirmed it will close its Norwich call centre amid plans to cut up to 750 jobs in a bid to save £15m a year.
• Competition watchdog set to force airports sell-offBAA will almost certainly be forced to sell three of its UK airports, including Stansted and Gatwick, following a provisional report by the Competition Commission.

Reading Evening Post

• Buses lose out on concessionary cashReading's bus company has missed out on hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost revenue due to a flaw in the National Concessionary Fares Scheme.
• Reading Buses staff rewardedTwo Reading Buses employees will be honoured next month after notching up 40 years with the company.

C.N.N.

• About 30 Chinese rescued from pirate attackMultinational naval forces rescued the crew of a Chinese merchant ship from pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, shipping sources said.

International Herald Tribune

• In auto talks, Paulson takes the wheelThe Bush administration and GM and Chrysler are said to be negotiating terms of an overhaul package.
• Obama makes picks for SEC and transportation postsMary Schapiro is to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ray LaHood the transportation department.

Wall Street Journal

• LaHood to Get Transportation PostRetiring Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, a Republican and close friend of Rahm Emanuel, will be nominated secretary of transportation.

Washington Post

• Ford's High-Stakes Gamble DEARBORN, Mich. -- Designed by architects from Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the Chicago firm that created many icons of postwar modernism, Ford's headquarters building has the sleek glass-and-steel minimalism that characterized up-to-date architecture in the 1950s, when America was at the wheel of the world and even buildings seemed streamlined for speed. Ford's building opened in 1956, a peak of American confidence -- one year before Sputnik shook Americans' faith in their technological supremacy and the Edsel shook their faith in the acumen of a corporate America grown slothful from compla...
• Chrysler Shutting Down for One Month Struggling U.S. automakers are launching a round of severe cutbacks as they wait for a government rescue, with Chrysler saying yesterday it will idle all 30 of its U.S. factories for one month.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Rail Foot Corrosion Identified by ULTRAWave Corrosion in the foot of the rail is particularly difficult to identify. Despite this difficulty, rail networks need to assess the likelihood of rail damage by identifying the extent of any rail foot corrosion. ULTRAWave is the ultrasonic rail flaw detection system developed by CATER over a decade in the Japanese rail inspection market. CATER, an established Australian RFD company, has enhanced ULTRAWave to identify corrosion in the foot of the rail under the web. ULTRAWave uses rail height detection (RHD) to constantly measure the rail height. Significant changes to the rail h...

Aviation Industry

• Australia commits to cuts and invests in renewablesThe Australian Government has promised to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 15% compared with 1990 levels by 2020, but only if global leaders reach an agreement in Copenhagen next year.
• Mass-produced hybrid car launched in ChinaChinese company BYD has launched a mass-produced plug-in hybrid car for the home market.
• UK aviation emissions will fall by 2050 despite growing passenger numbersDespite growing passenger numbers, improving efficiency could reduce CO2 emissions from UK aviation to 2000 levels by 2050, according to a report from Sustainable Aviation.
• Cheap train tickets - Rail DelaysYou might imagine you’d get all your money back if your train journey was delayed by three hours – but refunds depend on which company operates your route, and we found one case where just 20% is returned.
• Gatwick Airport gears up for a busy Christmas getawayWith the festive season just around the corner, Gatwick is gearing up to welcome more than one million passengers who are expected to travel through the airport between Friday 19 December and Thursday 1 January (inclusive)...
• BAA responds to Competition Commission provisional remediesColin Matthews, BAA chief executive, said: œ...we do not believe that the Competition Commission has set out compelling evidence...
• Security Breach at UK Airport Highlights the Need for Improved Perimeter Protection The recent security breach at Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom has highlighted further the need for improved security measures to protect airport perimeters. In the UK situation, protestors belonging to the ˜Plane Stupid™ environmental campaigning group cut through the perimeter fence surrounding Stansted, entered the site and remained on the tarmac for five hours, disrupting air traffic and causing passengers extensive delays. It™s a situation that does not surprise Alec Owen, international client manager at Future Fibre Technologies (FFT), which manufactures fibre opti...

Other News Sources

• BAA ordered to sell Gatwick and StanstedBAA has been ordered to sell Gatwick and Stansted airports because of its history of poor service to passengers and airlines
• Terminal invests in another craneThe Royal Seaforth Container Terminal has increased its berthing capabilities with the addition of a new ship-to-shore gantry crane
• BAA ordered to sell Gatwick, Stansted and EdinburghThe Competition Commission confirmed today that, subject to final consultation, it will require BAA to sell both Gatwick and Stansted airports as well as Edinburgh airport.
• Norbert Dentressangle signs Greggs dealNorbert Dentressangle has agreed a new five-year distribution contract with bakery Greggs.
• Carbon busting is easy: Make public transport cheaperCutting the price of public transport would reduce the UK’s carbon emissions. This is the conclusion of research released this month by Campaign for Better Transport (CfBT). According to the research, if public transport fares were reduced by 20% - bringing them in line with what our European brothers and sisters pay - bus travel would increase [...]
• EU eyes faster deployment of 'intelligent transport'The European Commission has proposed the adoption of a new EU directive to speed up deployment of ICT solutions in road transport in a bid to develop cleaner, safer and more efficient European transport systems.
• EU tightens air pollution limits for trucksThe European Parliament's adoption of the so-called Euro VI regulation on the exhaust emission standards of heavy vehicles will force new lorries and buses sold in Europe to meet stricter air pollution limits by 2014.
• Government must rectify its own error in the Renewable Transport Fuel ObligationThe REA is very disappointed that the Government has not acknowledged the damage it has caused to the emerging UK biofuels market, by a drafting error in the UK law that implements the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.
• Door not quite slammed on Manchester Airports Group’s Glasgow hopesThe Competition Commission has not completely slammed the door on Manchester Airports Group and its hopes of buying Glasgow Airport from owners BAA.
• Bury firm wins two-year deal with rail giantBury-based rail systems engineers Rowe Hankins has secured a two-year framework agreement with the global rail giant

Other Subscription Services

• Somali pirates seize four vessels in Gulf of AdenLATEST hijackings come as UN Security Council authorises countries to pursue pirates on land.
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