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

Monday, 05 January 2009

BBC News

• Disused rail station demolishedA disused railway station in north London has been demolished despite campaigns to save it.
• Steam train near completion [video]The first steam engine to be built in Britain for nearly half a century has gone on show at the National Railway Museum.
• Rail plan proposed for HeathrowThe government is putting forward proposals for an international rail plan at Heathrow alongside plans for a third runway.

Financial Times

• Pared down airlines plot course back to profitability Few decisions have been more perplexing for airline executives than weighing how many aeroplanes to fly but veteran executives argue the industry has had an unlikely ally: $147-a-barrel oil

The Guardian

• Hoon favourite to be UK's next European commissioner Geoff Hoon, the transport secretary, is being lined up by Downing Street as the UK's next European Commissioner, according to senior government sources.
• Transport minister backs £4.5bn rail hub for HeathrowA new £4.5bn international rail exchange for Heathrow airport is being backed by the transport minister, Lord Adonis, as a top contender for a series of projects that will follow the approval of the £16bn Crossrail scheme for the capital.The Department for Transport confirmed yesterday that the scheme had high priority among a number of projects that include a new high-speed rail link for London to Manchester and Leeds and the electrification of the Great Western railway to Plymouth and Swansea. The international rail hub, which has already been put forward by the Conservat...

The Independent

• Heathrow rail link a 'cynical ploy' Suggestions from a government minister that a high-speed rail link may be built alongside a third runway at Heathrow were described last night as a

The Scotsman

• Government road, rail and air plans no transport of delightsWHEN it comes to major transport projects, 2009 should be a particularly busy year. There is certainly plenty that needs to be done. The Scottish Government has just outlined its plans for a new £1.7 billion Forth road bridge – although the Treasury's rejection of their funding plans suggest that other major capital projects would be placed in doubt if it was not allowed to borrow the money needed over 20 years.

The Telegraph

• Heathrow could get high speed rail hub Heathrow could become the heart of a domestic high speed rail network Lord Adonis a Transport minister has said as the Government prepares to announce whether the airport will be allowed to build a third runway.
• Rail chaos after West Coast Main Line closed by power line damage Tens of thousands of commuters on Britain's busiest rail line face disruption as they return to work today after power lines were cut.

Times Online

• 'We are in a very competitive, innovative world'Didier Lombard knows a thing or two about boom and bust... One application in the pipeline is a service that will track all forms of public transport in London and show where there are delays and which is best to take — bus, train or Tube.
• New flight paths for Heathrow will bring jets’ roar to millions Hundreds of thousands of homes will be exposed to more aircraft noise from planned new flight paths that will allow 60,000 more aircraft a year to use Heathrow’s existing runways.

Reuters News

• Heathrow may get 4.5 billion pound rail hubLONDON (Reuters) - The government's plans to expand Heathrow airport could include a new, 4.5 billion pound rail hub as well as a third runway, transport minister Andrew Adonis said in remarks published on Sunday.

The Sun

• Fury as Gatso 'increases accidents'ROAD safety chiefs have been slammed after a speed camera INCREASED crashes

Transport Briefing

• Transport agenda: what to watch during 2009Kate Hatcher previews the key transport issues that will make headlines during the coming 12 months.
• Viaduct inspections prepare for Metrolink conversionAbseilers have begun inspecting the arches of an historic railway viaduct which will carry a new Metrolink tram line to Oldham and Rochdale.
• Train ticket price rises criticised by passenger watchdogsPassenger watchdogs have hit out at annual fare rises that will see passengers pay on average 7% more for a train ticket.
• Channel Tunnel rail link work earns New Year HonourTwo of Britain’s highest profile railwaymen have been recognised on this year’s New Year Honours List.
• Drivers face new year price hike to use M6 TollMotorists will pay more to drive along the M6 Toll after operator Midland Expressway increased tolls, effective from 1 January 2009.
• BAM Nuttall asks for more cash to complete buswayFears that the Cambridge to St Ives guided busway project could cost more than planned have prompted promoter Cambridgeshire County Council to delay the construction of passenger facilities.
• Design team selected for Rochdale transport hubGreater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive has appointed a five-strong design team to bring the £11.5m Rochdale public transport interchange to life.
• New year, new rail disruption for West Coast Main LineNetwork Rail and train operators are hoping to run normal timetables today (5 January) to and from London Euston after the beginning of the New Year saw major disruption to services on the West Coast Main Line, adding hours to journey times.
• East London Transit busway construction gets underwayConstruction of the East London Transit scheme is due to start today (5 January) after Transport for London confirmed it had received additional funding worth £18.5m from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

London Evening Standard

• MPs may launch an inquiry into ticket risesRAIL firms today faced a fresh parliamentary inquiry into "enormous" increases in rail fares.
• Bikers gain entry to the bus lanesMOTORCYCLISTS will be allowed in bus lanes from Monday but the move has created safety fears.

Manchester Evening News

• Driver trapped by trainsA NEW railway timetable is torture for one furious man as he tries to get home.

Metro

• Misery as key rail line is shutThousands of rail travellers are facing a miserable start to the year after a broken power cable shut the West Coast main line.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Huntly commuter ’appalled’ over changes to bus serviceA frustrated commuter has said she is appalled by cuts to a north-east bus service which have nearly doubled the time of her journey home.
• Use of number plate cameras at hospital car parks defendedPlans to install number plate cameras at some hospital car parks were yesterday defended by health chiefs.

Wales Online

• Heathrow hub plan for Wales' train usersRAIL passengers could travel directly from Cardiff to an international rail hub at Heathrow under plans being considered by the Government.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Keep off the grass - opposition forces road plan re-thinkPUBLIC opposition has caused highways officers to halt progress on a proposed road-widening scheme.

Blackpool Gazette

• New air route gets off to flying startAIRPORT bosses are confident of a flying start to 2009 as a new route to Dublin takes to the air today.

International Herald Tribune

• Buy a truck, get one free - 'era of desperation marketing' returnsAfter one of the worst holiday seasons in decades, businesses are doing whatever they can to clear their shelves and make way for spring merchandise.

Wall Street Journal

• Rail Shippers Seek More RegulationRailroad customers, claiming unfair price hikes, are making a push for Congress to reinstitute tighter federal regulation.

Aviation Industry

• UK Evaluating Intelligent Speed Adaptation Systems for Road Safety and GHG Emissions ReductionThe UK government’s Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) and the Motorists’ Forum (MF) recently issued a joint report evaluating the impact of implementing an Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) system across the entire road network on reducing deaths and injuries on the UK roads and on reducing fuel consumption and emissions of CO2 and criteria pollutants. They partners commissioned the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds to produce the report.
• Government mulls UK high speed rail networkTransport minister Lord Adonis yesterday confirmed reports that the government was giving serious consideration to proposals for a new high speed rail network that could be built alongside an expanded Heathrow, slashing rail journey times to Northern Europe and the rest of the UK.
• Lack of Alternative Transport for bikes at Olympic StratfordBut there were no trains from Stratford to Liverpool Street station and National Express deliberately did not arrange any alternatives for cyclists by allowing them to use another method of transport. Cyclists are being regularly discriminated against by so-called environfriendly train companies.

Other News Sources

• Buses might be running on time by 2015 thanks to new initiativeHAMPSHIRE’S transport chiefs are working with the county’s bus operators to improve punctuality.
• Bus companies buy £4,000 speed gunBus drivers are being targeted with a police-issue speed gun in Hull city centre after complaints by passengers. People have raised concerns about the speed of vehicles in and around the city's Paragon Interchange in Ferensway. In response, bus operators Stagecoach Hull and East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) are using the £4,000 speed gun at the busy station.
• Bus drivers' £30,000 windfallPreston Bus workers are set for windfalls of up to £30,000 from the company's sale to rival Stagecoach.
• School bus routes to be axedA range of bus services – including four school routes – could be axed in a bid to save cash. Aidan Turner Bishop, of the Campaign for Better Transport, today branded the plans "very short-sighted"
• Passenger milestone reached within five yearsStagecoach Group’s UK market-leading budget coach service megabus.com has welcomed its 10millionth customer on board.
• More cash needed to fix county roadsFUNDING for road repairs in Suffolk is below the level required to maintain them at a good standard, county chiefs have conceded.
• £1.4m rail project for engineering firmENGINEERING company Henry Williams Limited has completed a major upgrade and modification of a railway system serving one of the UK’s most recognisable industrial installations.
• New CrossRail station - work set to start soon..WORK on the new Isle of Dogs Crossrail station at Canary Wharf is soon set to begin.
• British Air wants to buy 25% in GoAirMUMBAI: UK’S flagship airline British Airways (BA) is looking to pick up a 25% stake in Wadia group-promoted no-frills airline GoAir. Officials
• Condor's new agreementCondor will be operating the ferry link between the UK and the Channel Islands under a new five-year agreement.
• Sutton bus station closed for revampTHE bus station at Sutton will be closed from this week as work gets underway on an £850,000 modernisation scheme.
• Travel City Direct brand revived by Virgin HolidaysThe former XL Leisure Group-owned brand Travel City Direct has revived by new owners Virgin Holidays.
• French vessel saves 2 cargo ships from piratesPARIS -- A French navy vessel thwarted two attacks Sunday on cargo ships by heavily armed Somali pirates in the dangerous Gulf of Aden and captured the 19 pirates, just three days after a similar res...