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

Friday, 19 December 2008

BBC News

• Rail firm plans for extra serviceRail company Grand Central has "exceeded the projections of its business plan" one year after it began operating.
• Opportunity for expansion [video]Gatwick airport could be expanded to include a second runway owner and BAA has sent a report to potential bidders flagging up the opportunity.
• Gatwick runway plans reaction [video]People living near Gatwick have been giving their reaction to plans to build a second runway at the airport.
• Jaguar in talks on government aidThe government confirms it has held talks with Jaguar Land Rover over the possibility of state aid for the carmaker.
• No 'disorderly' US car collapsePresident Bush will not allow a

Department for Transport

• Road Tax evasion falls by more than 40%Road tax evasion has fallen by more than 40 per cent in the last year, statistics published today by the Department for Transport show.
• Transport StatisticsThe Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics: * Bus and Light Rail Statistics : Jul-Sep 2008 * Vehicle and Excise Duty Evasion: 2008, see

Financial Times

• BA and Qantas deal collapses over 'key terms'Qantas and British Airways have abandoned their plan to create a
• BA and Qantas abandon talksThe airlines were unable to agree on the share exchange ratio that each airline would command in a dual-listed structure, sources said

The Guardian

• Boris's Bus (A Political Journey) Pt 11: The Unlucky OlympianI've been assured by those who know at TfL that the quality of entrant for the Design A Bus competition - results expected, ooh, sometime after midnight - has been astonishingly high. I won't demur because unless there's been a very weird communications foul-up, the handsome beast pictured above won't win a prize. I can exclusively reveal that it is the creation of Hilton Holloway, Autocar wordsmith and guest of this blog, and a shadowy German collaborator who goes by the name of De Lusi and designs vehicles for a living.
• Boris's Bus (A Political Journey) Pt 10: Reflections On Smears And BeautyPeople ask me, "Dave what are your true feelings about Boris's New Routemaster wheeze?" They say, "Dave, where do you stand on the bendy?" My answer to the latter is, "Anywhere I like except on the seats." But seriously, people do seek my view on these matters. And as I owe both those people money, I suppose I should make my position clear.
• UK carmakers raise pressure for aid after production falls to lowest since 1987Britain's carmakers stepped up the pressure for government interventiontoday, after production at the country's car plants slumped by a third last month. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders warned that Britain's industrial capability would be badly damaged without a rapid response to the deepening crisis.Figures from the SMMT showed that only 97,600 cars were produced last month, the worst November total since 1987. Commercial vehicles were even harder hit, with output down by half to just under 11,000.Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, said the industry was facing unprecedented ch...

The Independent

• Britain’s railways braced for 22 million passengers Britain’s railways are preparing themselves for the Christmas surge in passengers which could see up to 22 million people travel on the country’s rail networks.
• Brown faces backbench rebellion over airport expansionOpposition to government plans to expand Britain's key airports was mounting yesterday with the emergence of a major backbench rebellion, the threat of more direct action and the prospect of a fresh inquiry into the policy. Already 41 Labour MPs have signed a motion demanding a vote over the proposed construction of a third runway at Heathrow, enough to overturn the Government's majority.

The Telegraph

• Rail postcode lottery with fares three times higher in some areasRail passengers are facing a postcode lottery with fares in the most expensive parts of the country nearly three times higher than elsewhere new figures show.
• Campaigners fear clampdown on direct action protestsCampaigners against new roads airport expansion or other environmental issues fear the Government is trying to clampdown on direct action protests by weakening the power of juries in cases involving climate change.
• Two trains crash into car on railway lineTwo trains collided with a car on a railtrack derailing one of them.
• Britain cancels plans for airport on remote colony of St HelenaRemote island refused an airport by the British Government.

Times Online

• 'Second-hand spaceship, $36m' - Nasa puts space shuttle fleet up for saleNasa is seeking new homes for its three ageing space shuttle orbiters after they are decommissioned in 2010. With 278 million miles on the clock between them, however, interested parties may want to keep a spanner handy.
• St Helena islanders cut off from airport plan For years the islanders of St Helena have dreamt of ending their isolation on what must rank as one of the most remote places in the world.
• British Airways and Qantas: a close look and they take flight Matilda has waltzed off in search of some Asian sensation, leaving Willie Walsh, the British Airways chief, looking downcast on the dancefloor.
• British Airways and Qantas halt merger talks British Airways and Qantas on Thursday called off their merger plans after failing to agree terms.

Mail Online

• Car production down by a third as Jaguar deal stalls Car production in the UK has crashed by a third amid Cabinet tensions over a state bail out to the foreign owners of Jaguar and Land Rover.
• British Airways' £4.2 billion Aussie link-up crash lands British Airways yesterday ended its £4.2billion merger talks with Australia's Qantas. Negotiations broke down after the Australians demanded 55 per cent of the combined group.

Transport Briefing

• Transport review of the year 2008 - part 1Kate Hatcher looks back at the transport headlines that dominated 2008.
• http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5396In part two of our review of the year, Kate Hatcher looks back over the transport headlines of 2008.
• Transport review of the year 2008 - part 3In the final part of our review of the year, Kate Hatcher concludes her look back over the transport headlines of 2008.

Belfast Telegraph

• Enterprise rail service is outperforming its targets Toasting the success of the Enterprise service are Ken McKnight, cross-border manager of rail services (centre), and Enterprise staff Mary McAllister and Stephen Kerry

Birmingham Post

• Black Country needs better rail links to prosper, claims leading campaignerThe Black Country must have better rail links if it is to enjoy increased employment opportunities, a leading transport campaigner has claimed.

Edinburgh Evening News

• New late-night rail service linkA NEW late-night train service is to run between Edinburgh and Dunbar on Friday nights.

Liverpool Echo

• £100,000 opening at John Lennon AirportLIVERPOOL John Lennon airport has opened a new information desk to reflect a significant increase in passenger and visitor numbers.
• Government talks over Jaguar Land RoverMINISTERS have held discussions with Jaguar Land Rover over the possibility of state assistance for the car maker.

London Evening Standard

• I'll fund Plane Stupid even if they break the law againMARK Constantine, multi-millionaire patron of the anti-aviation activists Plane Stupid who stormed Stansted and brought it to a standstill, is unrepentant. "I'm looking for someone of stature to show leadership in this country. Until we get that, I'll be championing the likes of Plane Stupid, even if it means supporting actions that are illegal," he says.
• Rail operator applies brake to fare risesAt last some good news for rail passengers - an operator serving London will not be increasing fares next month.
• Over-60s will travel free in the rush hourBoris Johnson has confirmed Londoners aged 60 and over will be entitled to free travel on the Tubes and buses 24 hours a day, every day of the week, from 2 January
• Protesters in plot to shut down Heathrow terminal for a dayEco-activists are plotting to shut down a Heathrow terminal in the latest protest against the aviation industry, the Evening Standard can reveal
• First view of £160m Crossrail station at WoolwichThis is the first image of a new £160million Crossrail station planned for south-east London
• Brown rejects MPs' call for airport voteGordon Brown has refused to agree to MPs' demands for a vote on plans for a third runway at Heathrow

The News (Portsmouth)

• Bus operators told to get services on timeHampshire County Council has told local bus firms to cut the number of late buses.

This Is Local London Network

• NEW CROSS: Green bus initiative launched by MPAn MP visited a bus garage to launch a scheme to make London buses greener.
• BARNET: All day parking for shoppers costs £1Reduced parking prices are set to boost business across the borough during the festive period.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Air protesters admit trespassEight protesters have admitted aggravated trespass following a demonstration at Stansted Airport which caused travel chaos and cost an airline about £2.5m.

The Economist

• Confusion in America's car industryThe bail-out that didn't happenA proposed government bail-out of two of America’s Big Three carmakers, General Motors and Chrysler, was thrown into confusion after Senate Republicans unexpectedly rejected a $14 billion loan, approved by the House of Representatives and the White House, on December 11th. The following day George Bush said he was prepared to use funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Programme, set up to rescue the financial industry, to keep the carmakers going into 2009. These funds can be dispensed at the discretion of the Treasury. But after days of negotiations it remai...
• Upgrading railways: The new age of the trainA big engineering project highlights the contradictions of Britain’s railwaysIT WAS one of the shortest-lived revolutions ever. On December 14th Network Rail, the firm that maintains Britain’s railway tracks, trumpeted its “massive” achievement in at last completing the decade-long upgrade of the West Coast Main Line, an arterial railway that connects London to Glasgow by way of Birmingham and Manchester. The shining new tracks would enable Britain’s private rail firms to run over 1,000 extra journeys a week and shave up to 30% off journey times between some of th...

Transport for London

• Christmas Day engineering on the TubeAs Londoners sit down for their Christmas dinner Transport for London (TfL) continues with the transformation of the Tube.

Aviation Industry

• US looks set to fail to meet biofuels targetThe US will not be able to meet the target of 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022 set by the Bush Administration, according to projections by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
• easyJet's new online foreign exchange service takes off (press release) easyJet, the UK's largest airline, has today announced the launch of its new online foreign exchange service, offering travellers' easy access to the widest range of foreign currencies available from any UK airline, combined with the convenience of next day home delivery.   read more

Other News Sources

• New inquiry into the future of aviationThe House of Commons Transport Committee has today announced that it will conduct an inquiry into the future of aviation. This will be a strategic inquiry that focuses on the economic, environmental and infrastructure issues.
• 'Serious plans' for £1bn Jaguar bailoutThe Government has admitted it is seriously considering a £1bn bailout of Jaguar-Land Rover as the global car industry teeters towards collapse
• Glasgow Airport rail linkConstruction firms queue up to tender for flagship transport project.
• Transport for London to slash IT spend by £400mTfL also expects to realise savings from its deal with suppliers Cubic Transportation Systems and EDS to deliver the Oyster card system and "other ticketing services" from 2010. Transport for London (TfL) hopes to save £400m by restructuring its IT...
• Government review into the future of aviationThe House of Commons Transport Committee has today announced that it will conduct an inquiry into the future of aviation.
• Chrysler halts car production US motor giant Chrysler is suspending production at its 30 factories for one month in a bid to survive a severe downturn in sales.
• Ministers hold Jaguar bail-out talks Trade ministers have been in talks with carmaker Jaguar Land Rover over a possible £1 billion Government bail-out.
• Maersk axes CharlestonA labour dispute has spurred Maersk to pull out of Charleston, South Carolina, one of the busiest US East Coast ports.
• Credit crunch hits Norway’s electric car makerNorway-based electric car maker, Think Global, has declared itself in a funding crisis, and has temporarily laid off half of its workforce until the end of January. The news comes just two months after the launch of Think’s flagship model, the Think City. Extra-cautious suppliers have started demanding up front payment from Think, whilst the company is [...]
• Car industry asks for more money to meet CO2 targetsCar manufacturers are insisting that they are ready to meet new EU CO2 emission targets adopted yesterday (17 December), provided that they get €40 billion in cheap loans to invest in R&D and that customer demand is restored through market incentives.
• LDA committed to achieve real reductions in carbon emissionsLondon Development Agency (LDA) today restated its commitment to tackle climate change “ backed up by proposed investment of £72 million to cut carbon dioxide emissions in London by 1.5 million tonnes over the next four years.  This will represent a significant step toward delivering the Mayor™s target of a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2025.
• ERA welcomes "sensible" vote on emissions trading (press release) The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) welcomes today's vote by the European Parliament to omit aviation from the revised Emissions Trading ‘Mother' Directive.  It demonstrates a victory of common sense over environmental extremism.  Today's vote ensures that the European Parliament's legislation, agreed only a few weeks ago, that brings aviation into the existing Emissions Trading Scheme from 2012 remains unaltered.  read more

EIN News Subscription

• Delta to boost tourism Down Under ... TOURISM and airport officials today welcomed confirmation by US mega-carrier ... airline alliance, Skyteam. Skyteam, which also includes European juggernaut Air France-KLM, is the major competitor ... Star Alliance, which includes United. Tourism and Transport Forum executive director Olivia Wirth said more ...
• Setback for BA as Qantas merger talks are grounded ... Merger talks between British Airways and the Australian flag carrier, Qantas, were ... industry has ever faced". The International Air Transport Association is predicting combined losses of up ... more logical because it is between two European carriers so is easier to pull off ...